Brooke had a very small appetite for the rest of the day. When she finally decided to get up, she shook off the feeling she was being watched and went into the library. Today she would find some answers.

She searched and searched, but to no avail. She decided to visit her other four-legged friend, since Wrolf had already given her some cheer. Besides, a nice trail ride might help to clear her head. She headed down to the stables in suddenly good spirits. When she got there, she quickly said hello to Honey and saddled him. As she swung into the saddle, she felt it again. It took her a second to regain her nerves, but she pushed through it and refused to let it stop her from solving all the mysteries of Moonacre. She took a deep breath and nudged Honey on.

They trotted all the way to the creek Brooke had visited before, Wrolf panting along. There Brooke spotted a handsome fox sneaking up on a little blue jay. He was concentrating so hard that he didn't notice Brooke until too late. "Oh, get away, you monster!" Brooke dismounted and almost kicked the fox, but he was too quick. He disappeared into the trees with frightened eyes as the blue jay cried out and fled on its wings.

Brooke hadn't even sat down when the same fox came back, staring at her through the trees. Brooke scowled back and watched with disgust as another came, this one an even brighter orange. "Come back with your little friends, have you?" The two foxes exchanged uneasy glances. "Why are the smartest animals the meanest?" The new fox seemed to smirk and nodded to the other just slightly. Before even Wrolf could blink, they had both transformed into smirking teenage boys. Brooke would have screamed, but the boys had rushed forward and pinned her down while covering her mouth. "Please be quiet!" One pleaded. "We're sorry to do this, but you have to cooperate if you want your questions answered." Their eyes did look truly sorry, but Brooke would not be fooled again. She struggled as hard as she could, but they forced her into their nearby den.

Brooke suddenly grew very afraid. Then she noticed that Wrolf wasn't protecting her-whenever any of her cousins hugged or grabbed her, he would immediately try to attack them. Why was he silent now? Had they harmed him? Oh, if they had so much as...There was a slight bump on her head and Brooke felt as if she were gradually losing her sight as everything went black.

She 'awoke' with an aching neck on some sort of hospital bed. Next to her was a table stacked with bandages and medicines. Brooke let her eyes roam and take in the room, trying not to touch or move her neck. A woman, plump and much less beautiful than Marise, rushed over to her from the side of the room Brooke couldn't see. "Ah, there you are, my dear...so sorry about that by the way, the boys were terribly frightened you would try something, but normally they are very gentle." She felt something cool and wet touch her head and all the pain left, though her entire body felt stiff. "My name is Ida, by the way-no don't speak, I know your name is Brooke. And you want to leave." She chuckled. "You'll be all right now, just don't hurt yourself."

Brooke very dearly wanted to leave, but knew it was impossible until they got whatever they wanted from her. But she could not ask them what they wanted, for some reason her body wasn't responding to her. Ida smiled as if she understood. "Shh." She patted Brooke's head as if Brooke were a wild horse. Oh no-Honey!

The boys said you had a horse and dog with you? They're both resting down there, waiting for you when you've healed." Brooke's heart slowed down some.

"Ida!" The boy with short black hair and brown eyes appeared in the corner of Brooke's eye. She struggle to twist around and see him better. "How is she?"

"Better." Ida said through tight lips. Apparently she didn't like this one. "This is Joseph, by the way." She said to Brooke, gesturing towards him. "The other boy's Anthony." Just then, the other boy, Anthony, the one with paler skin, light brown hair, and green eyes entered just behind Joseph. "Is she healing?" He asked Ida with genuine concern evident in his voice. "Somewhat." She answered, this time only slightly less stiffly than with Joseph.

"Well, is she ready?"

"No!"

He threw his head back and sighed with impatience. "Then when?"

"Just hold your horses."

"We're already holding a dog and pony…" He grinned. Brooke rolled her eyes. She herself wanted to know how long this would take. If she was gone for too long, her family would notice and worry. And obviously this family did not want to get caught kidnapping her.

That's when the pounding started. At first, Brooke thought it might be her own heartbeat, but as it grew louder and louder, she realized it was from outside. It was the pounding of horse hooves. "Are we underground?!" Brooke would have liked to ask, but couldn't. "Joseph…?" Began Ida. "On it." He unsheathed a knife hanging from his belt. Anthony had one, too. How had Brooke failed to notice? But then again, it had been an exciting day for her…

Anthony followed Joseph out of the room, but didn't unsheath his own knife. All the while, the pounding grew louder and louder, until Brooke thought the horses would fall through the ceiling. She wondered how far down were they? And were Joseph and Anthony going to attack them and tie them up, just as they had done with her? Eventually the pounding stopped, and Brooke began to feel her body again. She made sure not to let Ida know, however. It ached, but if it meant getting away, she could endure it.

Anthony and Joseph came back looking very depressed. Brooke wanted to ask what was wrong, but knew not to trust them too much. They had already knocked her out for no reason. Ida gave them one look and didn't ask any questions. They left the room gradually, until Brooke was alone, testing out her control of her body. So far, she could move her arms, hands, and feet. Her legs were a problem-she didn't see how they could take on any weight anytime soon. She didn't even try to touch her neck-it was as stiff as a board. She was left alone for what felt like eternity, despite her sleeping most of the time, but what must have been the whole night.

When she awoke, Brooke found herself practically starving. Ida, Joseph, and Anthony were nowhere to be seen. The pounding of hooves came again. Were these the people that were coming to take Brooke? She decided then was the best moment to test her legs, and they passed. Careful not to move her neck, which was still very sore, she grabbed the cloak one of the boys had left and ran out of the little hospital room. As she pulled the hood up to her face, she found herself in a cheery little living room, with all kinds of wooden tools and ornaments all over, and a warm little fire popping happily in the fireplace.

Brooke looked around at all of the surrounding doors, trying to see which led outside, and which led to the room the family was in. She had just made up her mind to test the door directly opposite the fire when she heard a door close behind her. Shivering with fear inside the cloak, she moved quickly towards the door, hoping with all her might it was the right one. And it was: when she stepped out of the den, she found herself looking at her honey-colored pony and a black pug woofing in delight.

She scrambled onto Honey's back and untied Wrolf, waiting for him to lead the way home. But he didn't. He just stared up at Brooke with his big brown eyes. "Show us the way home, Wrolf!" Brooke called to him as gently as she could while being very scared. What would a family of foxes do to her when they found her escaping? She heard a door creak behind her once more, and a sharp intake of breath as they discovered who was under the cloak.

Honey galloped forward at Brooke's nudge and sudden panic. There was little Brooke heard over the pumping of Honey, but the pound of feet was one thing she heard. They both hesitated for a moment as they heard once again the pounding of what must have been a hundred hooves coming closer. Brooke looked over her shoulder at the boy following. It was Anthony, and he seemed very scared. Quicker than the eye could see, he was a fox again, and leading the way away from his home. Brooke had no choice but to follow as the beats came even closer.

When they had finally made their way over the creek again, she stopped to rest. Anthony stopped too, and transformed back into a human to catch his breath as he leaned on a tree. "Wrolf!" Brooke whistled for the dog, but he hadn't followed.

"He knows better than to try and protect you now." Anthony panted.

Brooke directed her anger onto him. "What's going on?! You tell me right now who you are, what you are, why these things are happening to me, and-" She remembered the dream. "-and who I am."

"I can't now." Anthony looked very pained. Maybe Brooke shouldn't have made him run so hard. "It's too dangerous here. Even with your guardians to protect you. You have to go back to Moonacre. Now." He straightened as he began to breathe normally again.

"I'm not returning until I get some answers." Her face was set. Even her feet were planted firmly in the ground.

Anthony took another glance at the trees and nodded. "Fair enough." He sighed and began. "Your name is Brooke Merriweather, Moon Princess of Moonacre Valley. Around 200 or so years ago, your great-great-great-great grandmother, or something, was the Moon Princess Maria Merriweather. There was a curse she had to break, and was put through lots of danger. She didn't want any future Moon Princesses to have to confront danger, so she created guardians-us. We're in charge of making sure you're never in danger-" He took a quick look around at the forest. "-even when you have to save Moonacre." He paused again to sigh. "Just as you will have to soon."

"This doesn't make anymore sense than before."

"I'm not finished." He paused once more, as if waiting for her permission to continue.

Close up, Brooke realized his eyes weren't really green after all-when the sun caught them, she could see glimpses of brownish gold in the green. His hair as well wasn't solid chestnut at all, but contained dark blond strands that appeared a shiny gold in the light.

"We've been trying to protect you, but it was Joseph's turn last night, and he decided to fix your unicorn horn rather than guard you. And that's when Marise decided to attack you. I have no idea if she's trying to lure you onto her side, control you, or kill you and become Moon Princess herself."

Anthony began to pace along the creek bed, as if racing a pony isn't any exercise at all. "By the way-" He turned his full gaze upon Brooke as she struggled not to show she minded it. "-that horn once belonged to a white horse, which could only be controlled by the true Moon Princess. Or his great-great-great-great grandmother." He said, grinning at his little joke and gesturing towards Honey. Brooke couldn't decide if she enjoyed his smile or hated it.

"Anyway, we can't let her get her hands on you again. There's no telling what she'll do, especially with the powers she has. It's enough work just trying to keep you safe in your dreams!

"Now will you come with me, back to Moonacre?"

Brooke allowed herself a small smirk. "Are you asking to walk me home?"

Anthony answered with his own smirk. "Sure, why not? Just promise you won't do anything funny…and that you'll return my cloak!"