Chapter 1

Welcome to Chima

?, ?

….Where…what's wrong with me….I'm face down, lying on grass. It's quiet. Other than wildlife. After waiting for my head to stop hurting, I sit up. I'm in a clearing. Trees and bushes of various sizes and species surround me. Where am I? I hear wolves howling off in the distance. Sounds like at least 50. That's a lot. Where am I, exactly? I get to my feet, noticing I'm barefoot, and my sword is once again missing. "Great." My voice sounds muted in the huge open space around me. Still unsure of where I am, I begin to walk in a random direction, hoping to find someone who can help me.

I've been walking for at least an hour. It started to rain a while back, and I'm cold. I stop walking and gaze up at the blackened sky. I decide to seek shelter, and I make my way over to a fallen tree. Once I reach the massive tree, I transform into a bear and tear a hole into the side of it. "That seems big enough." I test the newly made hole, and, finding it to my liking, I wait out the storm.

Wha? …Oh, right. I feel asleep. Great. It looks like the storm passed. Just have to move this piece of wood. I find that while I was sleeping, a part of the tree collapsed in on itself. Roaring, I thrust with my head and shoulders, and I break the tree in half.

Well, I'm outside. Standing in the ruined tree, I gaze around me. Lots of trees have fallen during the night, and I hear wolves in the distance. I'm beginning to move away from the tree when I feel ill. I stop, and look down, then at a thicket of bushes in front of me. I believe that it's just something I ate in this form, so I transform back into a human. I feel worse…I'm on my hands and knees, panting. Can I…understand those wolves? "Look! Over there!" "What is it?" "Something…" I… From far away, I hear things coming towards me. "I smell fear." "Quiet. Something is happening to-

Pain everywhere… what's happening to me? Trembling, I lift my head only to see wolves standing before me. On two legs. Still in pain and confused, I try to rise, only to feel the pain within me hit an all-time high. I can control myself no longer. Vision darkening, I hear myself scream, only to be cut off, and something howls from far away. My vision clears for one moment, and I see what appears to be a wolf in rags. He stands before me, and says nothing. Then I'm falling to the ground. I hear something howl once last time, and in response, I hear cries of animals from all directions. The roar of a lion, the cry of an eagle, the bellow of a rhinoceros, the shriek of a gorilla, a bear, a raven, a crocodile, and another howl. All of these cries are asking one thing: What happened to me?

?

I'm alive…I feel awful…. What… wait a minute….I don't think I moved at all… weird….I guess I could try to find someone. I'm on my back, staring into the sky. Not entirely sure of what happened to me, I roll over onto my stomach and then sit up. Kneeling, I notice that I'm only wearing my shorts, or at least the remains of them. I decide to head over to a body of water nearby me.

I'm in some sort of forest. Other than that, I have no clue of where I am. The trees here look like Redwoods, but who am I to know trees? I get to my feet and, still feeling the effects of my 'mystery illness', slowly walk over to a puddle. "Must have just rained recently. How long have I been out for?" Unable to answer my question, I go ahead and kneel down nearby the puddle of rainwater. I'm about to wash my face when I notice something. I'm not human.

I stare at my reflection, unable to comprehend what I am seeing. A young male lion stares back at me, looking as bewildered as I'm feeling. "…What happened to me?" Seeing the lion move its mouth the same time I hear myself speak, I hold out my left arm. The lion does the same. Standing, I look at my reflection once last time, then turn away. Something soft hits my right leg and I glance down, only to see a golden-furred tail. "A tail…I have a tail." Crack. Bushes rustle in front of me, and I look in vain for my sword. "Now what do I do?" I have to defend myself. But with what? Desperate, I look around for anything I can use, then remember something. "If I have a tail, and I'm a lion, then," I bring up my hands to my face. Where my fingers should be are appendages, at the end of those are claws. Black, wicked-looking claws. "Yes. Perfect." I turn to face the still rustling bushes, and crouch, claws out.

I expected the thing to come out of the bushes to be small. It's not. It's a full-grown Alpha lion. I can somehow understand it. "Forester. I have found you at last. There is no time to explain what has happened to you, come with me. I will take you somewhere safe. Climb on my back, and we will be off." He lowers himself to the grass-covered ground, and I walk over to the talking lion. "Who are you? Where am I? Where are my friends? Most importantly, why am I a lion?" He chuckles. "You have a lot to learn, Forester. All your questions will be answered in due time. Now," He says, moving his head towards me, "Climb up onto my back, and I will see you have your questions answered." I don't hesitate. I climb up onto the lion's massive back, and we are off.

"Look about you, Forester, for the land in which you now find yourself in is called Chima. What I am is called a lion on your home world, but here, in Chima, I am what is known as a Legendbeast. I and others who walk on four legs decided not to embrace the source of power known as Chi. Chi is what wars are fought over, what gives the people of Chima strength, and what powers our technology. You and your friends have come at a time of peace for Chima." I'm on the back of the lion, overlooking what seems to be a massive structure in the middle of plains. "So… when Tom shot that spell at us…." "All of you came here. After arriving, you went under a transformation that made you into various animals of Chima. You became a Lion. I heard your cry for help, and came for you. I am assuming that the other Legendbeasts did the same for your friends. Now, you want answers, am I not correct?" "Yes." The Legendbeast steps forwards. "That structure is the Lion Temple. That is where you will find your questions answered. Are you prepared for this, Forester?" I nod. "Yes." "Then don't fall off." With a powerful thrust of his hind legs, the Lion springs forwards, and runs like nothing I've ridden before.

Chima

The Lion Temple

"Dad!" My father turns to me, notices how panicked I look, then heads to the battlements. "It's the Legend Beast! Who is that upon his back?" "Lagravis." The Lion Council is standing near the stairway. "He has come. The 'Lion Clothed in Green' has returned." I run down to the entranceway, and watch as the speck in the distance comes closer.

"RRRRRAAAAAOOOOORRRR!" I've been practicing roaring. Not much you can do while riding a lion anyway. "See all of the Lions? They are welcoming me home. Look! They have an escort!" Vehicles come out of nowhere. They seem to be kinds of bikes and mechs. They appear to be modeled after lions. "All Tribes make their vehicles in the shapes of themselves. Let's see if you can stay on your feet." The Lion thrusts upwards, doing a handstand, and I go flying. Only to land on my feet, skidding in the dirt. I stop a few inches away from the stairs. A massive structure stands before me. "So this is the Lion Temple. Interesting."

Inside the Lion Temple

Chima

"Where did you say you were from, exactly?" I'm in the Throne Room, standing in front of Lagravis. He's the King of the Lions. Sort of like a leader, in a way. His son and I get along pretty well. Laval says that I came back, whatever that means. Anyway, I arrived here last night, and after being here for a day, I've decided that I like Chima. "Earth. Where I come from, all animals walk on four legs, and we can't understand them. But I can. So can my friends. But I don't know where they are." Lagravis nods. "I suspect that your friends are in different areas of Chima. You said you can talk to our Legend Beast?" I nod. "I can understand him perfectly. You said you wanted to show me something?"

The Room of Artifacts

Chima

"Well? What do you think?" I'm standing in front of a window. There's a young Lion holding my sword and my shield. Standing before him is my enemy, Ganon. "How…." I turn away from the window to face Laval and his father. "How can this be? There are no records of this…" I turn back to face the window, and reach towards it. "There is something…" "What?" Laval is next to me. "Last night, something appeared in here. Can I show it to you?" I nod, and Laval leads me over to a section of the room. "It's a pedestal… Wait…" I walk up to it, sensing I need to do this alone. As I get closer, a cloth covered object appears to be embedded into the pedestal. "…What is it?" I step up to the object, and place a paw on it. Underneath the cloth, I feel a familiar guard. "Laval." "Yes?" "Do you want to see something?" Without waiting for an answer, I yank the cloth off of the object, and I see my sword. "So. This is where it went." I place a paw on the hilt, then the other, then, I pull upwards.

The sound of steel clashing against steel rings in my ears, and a bright light blinds me. When I can see again, my sword is different. It now has a blade that has a blue strip down the middle. The hilt is the same, but the cross-guard is a lion, not the bird wings that my sword is known throughout history for. The sword's sheath appears on my back, and I turn to face Laval, his father, and the Lion Elders. I then raise my sword to the sky, and lightning shoots out of the tip of the blade. "I give you, the Master Sword."

The Rhino Quarry

Chima

"Is he awake yet?" "You guys have no idea about healing! We just smash our heads with rocks, and all the hurts go away!" "…Great. Leave me. Apparently, I'm the only one who knows how to heal someone."

…Ow…..Where am I? Who is that? "You're awake. Don't try to move yet-you have a nasty bump on your head. We found you in the woods outside the Rhino Quarry last night. What's your name?" "…Uh….Rambi. Yours?" "Rinona. My brother was with me also. You seem to be alright." Rinona allows me to sit up and the first thing I notice is that I'm not human. I'm a rhino. I'm okay with this, because I have been a rhino off and on since I can remember. I'm an Animagus as well, and I can transform into a rhino, as you may have already knew. But I'm sitting like I would as a human. That's freaky. I get off of the bed and leave the make-shift tent I found myself in.

Rhinos. They're everywhere. "What…" I shake my head, causing my rhino-horn necklace to jingle against my tough rhino-hide neck. "You're in the Rhino Quarry. Where the Rhino Tribe lives. We…well, except me, we all mine rocks. You look surprised. And you very well should be, I mean, who in their right mind mines for rocks of all things?" "Rinona?" "Yes?" I look towards what I believe is the way out of here. "Can I leave?" She nods. "Yes. I told my brother you would have some problems. Here, let me help you."

Outside the Rhino Quarry

Chima

"This place is called Chima?" "Yes, Rambi. I think you hit your head a little too hard last night." I'm outside, and I don't feel as off anymore. I think it's a good thing, but I'm not entirely sure. "I have heard word of Tribe members acting like you all around Chima. Appearing out of nowhere, unconscious when the Tribes find them, confused, must I say more?" "Wait." I stop walking up the dirt path. "You say there are others like me? My friends…I don't know where they are…" Rinona nods towards the dirt path. "I think someone is at the Lion Temple. Want me to take you there?" I nod. "I would like it if you did so." She grins. "Excellent. Just follow me."

Inside the Lion Temple

Chima

"Lagravis! There's Rhinos here to see you!" Lagravis leans forwards in his throne. "What did you say, Longtooth? Let them in!" A few minutes later, a very confused animal steps into the Throne Room. My sword back in its sheath at last, I walk towards this visitor. While I'm walking, I over hear the female talking to Lagravis. "I found him nearby our woods. He says his name is…" I stop in front of the Rhino, and look at him. I then notice the necklace he's wearing. "…Rambi? Is that you?" His face lights up. "Link?" I nod. "It's me." We stand there for a few seconds, then we run towards each other and hug. "It's you! You got transformed too?" "I did. Let me look at you." We pull apart and look at each other. Rambi must notice my transformed sword, by the way he's gawking at me. "What happened to your sword?" "It was transformed the second I pulled it out of the ground. Must be because we transformed as well." I then think of something. "…Maybe…since we transformed…do you think the others transformed as well?" Rambi looks thoughtful. "Perhaps. Should we look for them?" "No." I turn to face Lagravis. "You two shall stay here. I'll send word to the Tribes. If your friends are there, they will come to the Lion Temple." I look at Rambi, and he looks back. "Now what?" I turn to face the Sacred Chi pool, where the Chi is collected and stored away somewhere in the Lion Temple. "We wait."

The Wolf Camp

Chima

"Why won't she wake up?" "Quiet, young one. Your sister will wake soon." "How is she, Windra?" "Still unconscious, Worriz. I have tried everything." "I'll wait. And so will you, kid."

"….Young Animagus…Heed my words…..you are in a strange new land….one that has transformed you into an animal that can live on two legs….the land you are in is named Chima….the animal you have become is one of many that live here…your friends are scattered through this land….but are slowly making their way to a structure named the Lion Temple…who am I you ask? You will see in time….for now….I wish you the greatest of luck….you are going to need it….one last thing…..your sword lies within the Forest…..find it…find your sword within the Wild Lands…."

…I….I'm…alive…how….. "Careful. She's coming to…" ….My head…..what happened to me…. "Get back, all of you!" Who is that? "Is she…." I survived….how….. "See? I told you it would work." I'm on my back, looking straight into canine eyes. "…..How…." The head moves away, only to feel water running down my throat. I drink eagerly, only to wonder why it goes away. "I don't you to get sick. I'm going to sit you up now." I now realize I'm in a bed, with a sheet covering me. I feel nice. Then I remember, and I bolt upright, panting. "Something happened to me….what…" I feel something flicker on my head, and I reach up…only to feel pointy ears. I bring my hand back down, only to see a wolf's paw where my hand should be. Brown claws are the ends of the fingers. "What?" I flex them, seeing light reflect off of them. I then throw the sheet off of me, and realize that I'm wearing nothing. Well, nothing except for the Ring, shorts, and a strapless bra. Everything else is just fur. Lots of mixed fur. I jump of the bed and stand in place, confused. I notice a jar of water nearby and I walk over to it. Leaning over it, I notice that instead of a human face, a wolf face is staring back at me. "So." I turn.

Another wolf is standing there, except this one seems to be in charge. "You finally decided to wake up. What's your name?" "Lauren. Yours?" "Worriz. I'm the leader of the Wolf Pack. You are in the Wolf Camp. Some kid came here two nights ago blubbering about how 'my sister is in the woods, please help!' What could I do? So, I entered the woods, and what do I find? You. Lying nearby a fallen tree. Out cold. I brought you back here with the help of my Pack, and Windra has been caring for you ever since." I kind of want to leave the tent, and I move to do so. Worriz stops me. "Where do you think you're going?" "Outside." He growls at me. "No you're not. What do you need, anyway?" I growl back. "Look, I'm confused out of my mind. The very least you could do is let me leave this confounded tent!" Worriz narrows his eyes, but lets me go.

Fresh air. Never knew how good it felt. Good thing no one has looked for me out here…I'm behind a bush, getting used to what I can and can't eat. You could say I learned the hard way. I guess what I ate as a bear doesn't agree with my Wolf body, because I've been behind this bush for the last ten minutes being….well, what can I say? ...as sick as a dog. Good thing I was already out in these woods, because if I was still in the camp, I probably would have done something really bad.

Free of whatever didn't agree with me, I step out from behind the bush, only to see a bird fluttering before me. "My word!" The birds says, flying around me, "I do say you had a bit of illness, didn't you? My name's Quincy, you have a name, I presume?" "Lauren, can you please stop flying around my head?" "Yes." Quincy stops about my ear level. "You came all the way out here? To be ill? Why not tell someone about it back in the camp?" "Because. I was already out here when I felt ill." Quincy seems to accept this answer without question and he flies away from me. "Come on! Follow me. I have to show you something." "Show me what?" I begin to walk towards him. "I was there when the Wolf Pack found you. You were talking in your sleep. Something about a sword. Well, I found one. Maybe this is the sword you were speaking of?" Suddenly interested, I follow the strange bird into the thicket in front of me.