Sasha belongs to moi. Everything else is a negative. Unfortunately.

Irene was gone for a few days. It was…abnormal for us to be abandoned by our little sister; we had always been really close.

In those few days, I roamed around the market, looking at the wares and goods, and tried to focus my anxiety into the determination to find a good deal. As if the serpiente merchants wouldn't let me have one in the first place…

Also in the market, I comforted my fellow snakes about Irene's whereabouts. I just said that she was gone for a few days for business in other land. Yet I didn't tell them exactly where. I just sort of let them assume wherever they guessed, because if they knew where she really was, we would have a major freak-out on our hands.

And, obviously, that wouldn't be good. And it wouldn't help my stress level.

The days passed…long and hard. Zane and I worried each other's heads off for thinking that something bad had happened. I tried to convince myself to think positive. It didn't work. Darn.

Then, on the fourth day, a sentry came running down the road straight to Zane and me. We stared eagerly at the panting man as he stopped in front of us. We both politely gave him a couple seconds to catch his breath, but then bombarded him with questions.

"Is she here???" I said excitedly.

"Well?!!?!?!?" Zane yelled after the second that had passed when the sentry hadn't answered. Poor guy was still panting too. Too bad we didn't care.

The servant took a deep breath and …

I impatiently screeched just as his mouth was opening, "WHERE THE HECK IS IRENE???"

He, embarrassed at his delay (he should be), bowed his head and said meekly, "She is coming down the road this second, milady." Then he stumbled back to his post, probably never wanting to be screamed at again. He's just lucky I didn't go leopard on him. Then he would have been toast.

Zane and I scrambled down the road, scanning it for our elusive sister. Then…we saw her.

I swear that was practically the happiest day of my life seeing my little sister (who's not too little anymore, by the by) walk down that dirty, old, beat up road, surrounded by her ultra-paranoid guards, with a huge grin on her face. That grin could have been the sun, it was so bright; no joke.

She skipped in front of us, and gave us both a hug as big as her grin. I grinned back, naturally knowing it was good news. Zane, apparently, assumed this too; he was smiling.

"They agreed, didn't they?" I cried joyfully to Irene.

"Yup. They did; only…it was after a little persuasion on my part… And maybe Danica's too." Irene responded a little hesitantly, yet happily.

Zane exclaimed, "I knew it! I knew they would accept!! I knew they wanted peace just as badly as we do! I knew it! Did you know it?? Because I knew it!" Irene and I just giggled at this triumphant display of emotions; they were fairly amusing.

Then Irene broke into our brother's bragging fest, "Okay. You knew it. Got it, peace boy, but first we have to get to the Mistari. The avians set a pretty tight time schedule for us to be there by, so…we have to leave about…now." Zane and I blinked at this statement. Now? But she just got back…

Suddenly, out of the blue, Zane pulled out his full-blown grin and said, "Well, I guess this means they're eager to meet with us. I'll start packing then. I shall see you in…thirty minutes, miladies. Good day!" And with that, he gave a goofy bow and sprinted up to his room to pack.

Irene and I, again, giggled at Zane's antics. Sometimes he could be so…amusing.

Serious now, I asked Irene, "How was it, seriously?"

She grimaced a little and replied, "Oh, well, you know…it wasn't exactly the warmest reception, but the avians aren't warm in the first place so… It was the best I could've hoped for, I guess. Those avians…"

As she trailed off, I questioned her, "Tell me. How do the avians act differently than us? I've never really seen one before, except on the battlefield, which doesn't count much, seeing as everyone's prepared to die and all…"

She cautiously said, "The avians are just more…reserved than us, Sash. They hide their feelings underneath a mask at all times to keep everyone from guessing what they really feel. And they're pretty good at it too; it takes a talented serpiente to actually read what they're actually saying. So, on the outside, they seem cold, but…on the inside they really have feelings, unlike what us serpiente believe."

I frowned as I took all of this in. Hiding feelings? A mask to keep everyone out? What type of society have we been warring with for the past hundreds of years? A façade? A masquerade? How did the avians live their lives every day without showing any expression?? Is that even possible?

All these questions must have shown on my face clearly (which shows that I'm definitely not an avian), because Irene sighed and said, "I can't explain it to you. You'll just have to see for yourself when we're at the peace talk. Now, go pack and let me rest a while. I'll see you in a few minutes."

And with that, she dismissed me, and sent me questioning the enemy that I had never known, but was about to find out. I would find out indeed. Yes, I would.

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Please review!!! And P.S. Thanks Sinedra for reviewing; you really made my day with that comment! Probably won't post again so soon since exams so…until next time.