Okay. Sniff. No one got the hypothetical gold star. That's too bad. Cause it's MINE now!!! Anyways, you know the drill. Me= don't own anything except Sasha…

Sasha POV (why do I even bother saying this?) by the by, does anyone even READ this story?!?!?!?

It was three in the morning when Zane got back.

I heard the slithering coming down the hall (cat ears, remember?), so I immediately sat up in my bed, just waiting to confront him.

Slither, slither, slither.

Zany, Zany, Zany, you can't hide from me.

Ssssssss…then the sound of shifting.

Grinning, I shifted myself and pounced on the serpiente prince who had just started to creep back into bed.

Thud.

Oops. I accidently knocked him over.

I sat on him, looking down, and I cocked my head.

He gave me a martyred face, and raised his eyebrow.

I shrugged.

Finally, he croaked, "Okay, okay, I'll tell you what happened; just get your gigantous self off of me!"

I grinned at him as only a cat can, and got off him.

Then I shifted back to hear this story of his.

"Well?" I prompted after seeing him gasp for a minute straight, trying to catch his breath.

"Okay," he slightly wheezed, "Hold on."

Another five minutes passed…

"Okay," he finally started, "I'll tell you what happened."

I snickered, "Let the games begin."

He pointedly ignored my comment and commenced, "So. I left my room, this room, to speak with Danica to see if we could get anywhere with this peace talk…"

I piped up, "Oh, on first name basis with Danica, are we now?"

He glared a true Cobriana glare at me, "Do you want to hear this story or not??"

I just rolled my eyes and mimed myself zipping my mouth closed.

Those Cobriana eyes can be just a bit creepy at times, if you know what I mean.

He started again, "So I left this room wanting to talk to Danica. Then all I had to do was slip past the guards which was WAY too easy…I mean, are those guards even aware that we're SNAKES? Anyways, I slipped past them and got into her room. And then she saw me and freaked out for the first few minutes or so…..and then we talked. For real. And we were actually getting somewhere, when she accidentally squealed and her guards came rushing in. But then, believe this, she defended me against her guards and let me go. So…then I came back here, and got pounced by leopard. And I'm telling you this story. The end."

He smirked and collapsed onto his bed, dramatically.

I stared into space, trying to process all of this information.

And then I started the interrogation, "So why did she accidentally squeal?"

He looked away, "Oh, I don't know. I was only…givingherakissonthecheek."

I turned my gaze, amusedly on him, "What was that?"

He sighed and said slower, "I said, I. Don't. Know. I. Was. Only. Giving her a kiss on the cheek."

I grinned at him and just snickered, "Are you serious??? You kissed an avian, when you KNOW they're opposed to physical contact and feelings and stuff!!!"

"What?" he exclaimed, "It's not a crime! I was only thanking her!"

I only rolled my eyes, sighed, and refused to comment anymore.

"Besides," he continued, "it didn't mean anything."

"Sure."

"No! I'm serious!"

"Yeah, right."

"UGH!! You're so frustrating!"

"That's why I'm your sister."

"Apparently."

Then we both lapsed into silence, both exhausted by the lack of sleep.

"'Night, Zany."

"'Night, cat."

We both woke up at the same time in the morning, eager for some verbal dueling with the birds.

Okay, maybe that was just me, the eager one.

After we were both up and ready to go, Zane turned to me and said, "Think we got chance?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I honestly have no idea. Depends on who's calling the shots around here."

He nodded to that.

And we both walked out, down the hall, to the throne room to meet with those annoying avians.

To find it crowded with our serpiente people we brought and the Mistari.

No avians.

Um. Hello? Isn't this supposed to be a PEACE talk???

"What's up?" I called to the Disa.

She frowned, slightly, and responded, "The avians left last night due to certain events. They are not to return. So…in that revelation, this peace talk is…over," she ended lamely.

I glared at Zane, knowingly exactly what 'certain events' drove them away.

He returned my glare with a puzzled look.

It looks like peace is still farther away than we thought it would be.

Hm.

We might have to change this.