Both Enderman were quiet through the night. Vyyr and Kuu both slept off the painful hangovers. Evan got some real sleep, since napping awkwardly off and on in the arms of an Enderman hadn't been the best rest he could have gotten.

As morning came, Vyyr got out from underneath the blanket he'd passed the day and the night in. He moved carefully, but then paused. He felt... better. Much better. He was slightly sore, but that was to be expected. He'd had a dragon's fang embedded in back for gods knew how long. There was probably some scarring and permenant neurological damage. But the fact remained that he felt much, much better. He still limped, due to his crooked leg but his movement was noticeably smoother as he walked to the couch to sit down.

Evan was awake. He'd woken early. Hearing the shuffling, he looked up to greet Vyyr as he got out of bed. He looked considerably better after the hellish hangover he'd had before.

"How is your back?" Evan asked him.

Vyyr let out a coo of approval. 'Much better.' He said. 'I do feel a little bit sore, but only when I move a certain way. It's not constant like it was.' Vyyr stretched. 'Come to think of it, I feel better then I have in a very, very long time.' He commented. 'It feels... almost strange not to be in constant pain. But a good kind of strange.' He walked around the room a few times, looking awed. He moved fluidly aside from the uneven steps from his twisted leg. There was no pain from simply moving, no stiffness slowing him down. It was far better then he could have ever imagined. It was nice to not be in constant pain. He couldn't remember the last time he could walk without it.

He chirped and coo'ed happily, though the pendant didn't pick anything up. Evan realized that a lot of Ender sounds were just expressions of emotion, not actual words.

He heard Kuu stir and teleport out of his room. He, too, looked much better now that his hangover was over and done with. He chirped, before he teleported outside. Kuu liked being outside.

"Are you all done being hung over?" Evan asked Vyyr, who nodded.

'Yes. That is the one part I do not like about indulging in the Moonshine. I always suffer later. But I feel better now.' Vyyr said. He paused, lifting his head to scent the air.

"What is it?" Evan asked.

'I smell another Shadowkin; and it is not Kuu.' He said. 'Female.'

"We were... attacked by a female, a while back." Evan frowned. "But... Luka said he saw a female that..." He trailed off. "That could be very dangerous."

'Should I go find him and bring him back?' Vyyr asked in concern.

"Probably a good idea. If she is who I think she might be, he's in danger." Evan said.

'It is a sad day when the Shadowkin turn on their own kind.' Vyyr said softly. 'I will give him a time to return on his own; if he does not return I will go find him.'

Evan nodded.

Kuu, meanwhile, was enjoying the fresh air and warm sun. This place was home now. He loved it here. He was glad that that terrible splitting headache had gone away, and that he didn't feel like throwing up anymore. More then once that day he had felt the urge to throw up, only to have nothing come up. That had been misery.

As good as he had felt the night before, he wasn't so sure it was worth the pain of the next day. In fact, he decided, it was not worth it. Most definitely not.

He would never touch that liquid that was not water again.

As Kuu walked through the sylvan landscape, a breeze picked up. The scent that came to him made his entire body freeze. Kuu let out a soft growl as his eyes shifted left and right.

A stick cracked behind him.

'So I've finally found you.' The chirping clicks made him hiss and turn around with his teeth bared. Their eyes met. He knew that scent, those eyes. But mostly, that hand, scarred up and missing two fingers, and the scars on her side, hips, and leg.

Kuu's posture instantly changed. He lowered his head and took a step back, his mouth opening as his eyes widened. He let out a long, wavering growl. He was tormented inside. On one hand... this was his mother. A part of him wanted to instinctively go to her, but the more rational side of him crushed the instinctive family attachment. She clearly had no attachment to him. She'd tried to feed him to the Beast. Twice.

'What do you want with me?' He asked guardedly. He felt cold all over; he knew exactly who that was. She was the last person he wanted to meet.

'I want you to fulfill your destiny and appease the Master.' She growled. 'You belong to the Dragon. You are its property. Your actions have doomed my entire Colony. We have fallen into the Master's disfavor. You should be ashamed of yourself.' Her lip curled as she sneered. 'And you will make things right, whether you like it or not.'

'I want nothing to do with your dragon!' He said. 'I left, Isn't that enough?'

She growled low. 'This, is what you have done! The Dragon destroys us because you didn't have the courage to face your destiny!' She snapped.

'It is not my destiny to just lay down and let that monster eat me!' Kuu shot back.

'Silence, child!' She snarled. 'It was for your Colony. For your Family!' Her enderspeak was hissed and angry. 'It is your destiny!One life, for the good of the Colony. Why can't you see that?' She circled him. He followed her every move, not letting her out of his sight. He growled. She growled back.

'Then feed yourself to the beast, for all I care!' Kuu snapped back, eyes narrowing. His mother wasn't attacking. She was afraid of him! And alone! His confidence started to come out as he straightened, lifting his head higher in a tentative attempt at dominance. He opened his mouth and let out a hiss, eyes narrowing fiercely.

She snarled, her eyes narrowing as she took on her dominant stance as well. The two stared eachother down for some time.

'You are worthless!' She hissed. 'A failure through and through! You are nothing, only good as a sacrifice to appease the Dragon! You WILL be sacrificed to the Master!' She held up a medallion about as large as the palm of Kuu's hand. A trinket made of silver, shining and beautiful. On it was etched a dragon, rearing back with its mouth open and flames belting out of its mouth and forming the border. The chain was fine and thin.

She bared her teeth in a cruel smile. She threw the Medallion at Kuu with all her strength. The metal bit into his skin, actually drawing blood from the strength of her throw before it fell into his hands. He looked down at it and his eyes widened.

'Challenge me all you want, child.' She growled deep in her chest. She took a step back. 'But I WILL insure that my Colony regains the Dragon's favor!' With that, she teleported away, leaving Kuu holding the trinket in shaking hands. Thoroughly unnerved, he quickly teleported back home.

As he re-appeared, Evan looked up. Kuu looked calm, mostly. But there were certain signs that both Evan and Vyyr could read clear as day.

"Kuu, what's wrong?" Evan asked. Kuu clutched the item tighter, nervous and afraid. As if he didn't want them to see it.

'Now now, boy.. you can show us. What is it?' Vyyr asked him.

Kuu finally opened his hand. As he saw the medallion, Vyyr jumped back with a hiss and growled deep in his chest. Evan jumped terribly, eyes widening. He had never seen a look like that on Vyyr's face, and with how scarred up he was, not to mention bigger and stronger then Kuu, it was a terrifying thing to behold. Evan had to let out a breath. Vyyr meant no harm towards him, but his reaction meant the Medallion was nothing good. He looked at it a bit closer, then recognized the mark.

"That's the mark..."

'On the back of his neck. The Beast's sigil. This medallion is given to those who are to be fed to the beast. Kuu is meant to be a sacrifice, and the one who gave it to him is not likely to come back alone.' Each word was punctuated with a growl. Vyyr was NOT pleased with what he saw.

"How did he get it?" Evan almost demanded. Vyyr translated, making Kuu whine and take a step back, lowering his head and looking submissive and nervous.

Finally, Kuu started to chirp and coo.

'I did not find it... It was thrown at me.' Kuu said, and Vyyr translated.

"Who threw it at you?" Evan asked. Kuu went quiet again, before he whined softly.

'The one with the missing fingers.' He said. 'My... my mother.'

Evan felt cold all over at Vyyr's translation. "Are you SURE that is what he said?" He asked.

Vyyr nodded.

Evan let out a breath. "This is not good. Kuu, you are in terrible danger." Kuu whimpered as it was translated. He looked scared. That brief moment of dominant confidence was gone; his mother hadn't attacked because she had other plans. She hadn't feared him. She would never fear him. She was the Elder of the Colony; what she said would go. It was likely the entire Colony would come through the Energy Well to hunt him down. The thought frightened him more and more. And what of Evan? And Vyyr? And Leanna and the village? If his vengeful family came, they could all be destroyed. Kuu paced nervously. He was besides himself with fear and worry. The last thing he wanted to do was put Evan in danger.

"To explain..." Evan started. "She is from the memories Kuu shared with me. She tried to feed him to the dragon, twice. When he was a child, he got so scared of the dragon he bit her fingers off to get away. It's why she is missing two. They tried to sacrifice him to the dragon a second time, and he escaped. She must still be hunting him..."

Vyyr nodded. '.. Then it is settled.' He said. 'I will be staying here with you, for a time. You removed the fang from my back; in a way, I owe you. But this is not the reason. You are kind; and young Kuu'Ruhrr has been through too much already. You do not know how to fight against my kind.' He turned to Evan.

Evan nodded, and swallowed.

'And young Kuu does not have experience in fighting. I, on the other hand, have been around for a very, very long time.' Vyyr continued. 'I have experience. I know how to fight. I will stay here and I will train you. And when they come, I will join in battle by your side.' His tone was spoken with such conviction and strength that Evan would not have found it within himself to protest even if he wanted to.

"We... appreciate it, Vyyr." he said, after a moment.

Vyyr nodded. 'Tomorrow, I take you to Shining-moon.' He said, simply. 'She will know what to do.'