Frostcrystal burst through the bushes. Her breathing was far labored. Her ears pinned back as she looked up at Ghost and her confused friends. "There you are! We need to go! Now!"

Deet stared at Frostcrystal in confusion. "What? Why should we?"

At that moment, a faint rumbling was heard in the distance. It was coming closer at a faster rate. Above them, there were vigorous flapping noises. Shrieks split the sky in a matter of seconds.

"Asked and answered," SkekTek said. He picked up parts of his robe. "Run!"

Ghost crawled onto Shield's back. She held onto his horns. Her whole body shifted as Shield wobbled for a moment. She had to balance on her feet. Her eyes went to the sky. She saw what looked like Vapran soldiers flying alongside what looked like a raccoon with a mantis body. They were right above them, weapons at the ready. Ghost felt across her hip. There was no weapon. She mentally cursed at her own brashness.

Everyone quickened their steps. Heavy breathing was met with feral snarls. SkekMal threw whatever weapon he had into the brushes. It was met by several hard cries of pain. Some of them are Landstriders. Before long, they were dodging spears and axes. The whine of metal hovered above their heads.

A hollowed roar was soon heard. Followed by a familiar orange shape with blue sails. It was coming towards them. The ground thundering underneath.

"Treesong!" Ghost yelled. She soon saw blue arms reach out and grab both her and Shield. She soon entered the doorway as the Forest Saurio ran. Ghost was hugged by SkekEkt. The muted Podling let out several sniffles. She hugged him back. Before long, Lazul was on her back once more.

SkekTek grunted as SkekMal helped him up. "What's going on?" He wobbled as the whole house shook. "W-where are we going?" He nearly fell over until Orchid snatched him from behind. "Phew…" He turned to Orchid. "Thank you, Orchid."

The other Skeksis stared at Orchid in shock. They stared at the tall Threader. Their eyes scanned the delicate up and down. SkekLach was the first to speak. "This is Orchid?! Wasn't she a little bug just minutes ago?"

At this Orchid gave a hiss. "Hmph! How rude! Listen here, you snot-faced excuse of a lizard! I'm no bug and I'm not little!" She crossed her arms. "The only thing that keeps me from smacking your-"

A spear appeared out of the wall. It was only a few inches from All Maudra's Mayrin's face. Tavra and Brea both stared in horror. Each Vapran princess holding their mother by the arm. Brea turned to the group. "Perhaps we should get out of here before getting awestruck."

"Bah!" Mother Aughra grunted. "The only one who speak sense." Mother Aughra hubbled over to the nearest window and opened it. She leaned forward. "Come on, you scrawny thing! Move faster!"

The house rattled as Treesong ran faster. Her bellows filled the air. Each turn proved disastrous as everyone began to slide around each section of the house. They had to close the windows and doors in hopes that nothing would break on them. Treesong even had to get over a few logs by making some small jumps.

After some time of screaming, SkekMal growled in fury. "Enough of this!" He turned to Frostcrystal. "Do you know any weaknesses of these creatures?"

Frostcrystal nodded. She maneuvered over to the nearest window. SkekMal close behind her. "Those creatures in the sky are called Cloud Cutters. They're nimble but if we can drive them into some tree trunks, they'll get stuck." She nearly yelped as Shield popped into view.

Shield banged his leg against the door. "Let me! I've been running in this body for the entire day!" He dodged a spear. "Let me in!"

Ghost looked at Razz. "Razz. Do you know anything about the magic on Shield?"

"Tricky," Razz said. He hopped from one furniture to another. "It be Earth Magic. Must be unmovable yet flexible."

Ghost smiled at mind was buzzing with an idea. "Sounds fitting for Shield." She ran over to the window. She poked her small head between Frostcrystal and Shield. "Frostcrystal. Can you and Razz relay some instructions to Shield?"

Frostcrystal flicked her ears up. "Shield?! That creature is Shield?!"

"Yep." Shield confirmed. "Long story short, the spirits of air and earth chose me and Orchid to take their power." He smacked some creature hard with his leg. "I don't mean to be rude here, but-help me!"

Frostcrystal blinked for a moment. Then, she sighed. "Ok. Shield, I need you to listen well. Razz and I will help you, but you must listen to every word I say." Upon Shield's quick nod, she continued. "Earth magic means that you have to be stoic but must accept the path that the light shows. Plants follow the light. Mostly that of the sun. Look at a plant and make it work with you."

Ghost held her breath as she watched Shield vanish from sight. Razz fluttered out after him once Frostcrystal went out the window. She sent silent prayers to Thra in hopes that Shield wouldn't get hurt. Ghost held on to Frostcrystal's arm. Suddenly, she was lurched back by the force created from Treesong. Ghost wrapped her arms around Frostcrystal. Every instinct in her body told her to climb. She did just that. Then, she felt a cloth wrapped around her fingers.

A whipping sound was heard outside followed by a "woo-hoo!". Shrieks and curses were heard for a little while longer. The house continued to sway for a few more minutes until it was met with a screeching halt. A few objects crashed onto the floor, startling SkekAyuk and SkekZod. Everything soon began still. Heavy breathing was the only thing that broke the silence.

Ghost smiled as Razz fluttered back into the living room followed by an equally exhausted Shield. The duo held triumph in their eyes. Then, she shifted her fingers. She looked to see that she had accidentally grabbed Frostcrystal's blindfold. She turned to her. Ghost's mouth dropped into pure astonishment. To her surprise, Frostcrystal's eyes were the same shade of purple as the Amein's skin. Ghost held up the cloth for Frostcrystal.

Frostcrystal stared in confusion for a moment. Then, she spotted the cloth in Ghost's hands. She ran her claws around her face. Frostcrystal's fur stood on end. She snatched the cloth from Ghost and tied it back on. She faced everyone, but no one said a single word to her. They all shrunk back as if she was going to bite them.

Razz cleared his throat. "All safe now. Enemy fled."

Everyone heaved a huge sigh of relief. Some even flopped onto the floor. SkekAyuk and Hup groaned the loudest out of the group.

Shield laughed. "You should've seen the looks on their faces when I created a large web out of tree branches. It was hilarious." He let out another shrill laugh that echoed out.

Brea, The All Maudra and Tavra gave grim expressions to the enlarged Silk Spitter. They said nothing. Only looking at the floor with tired eyes.

At this, Shield shrank a little. "Sorry…I just…wanted to lighten the mood for you guys." As he said this, flowers suddenly bloomed along his head. A few fruits dangled above his eyes like strange jewels. "What the-"

Ghost chuckled. "I guess Earth magic must provide food when you feel embarrassed." She plucked a few off his face. "We'll work on that."

SkekSo sighed. His eyes became more tired than ever before but they remained of Frostcrystal. "I suppose we best clean up."

Outside the house, Treesong let out a low haruooo. The house shifted once more. However, it didn't shake as much. It was followed by a low rumble.

Frostcrystal began to pick a few objects up off the floor. She didn't utter a command to anyone, but the blindfolded stare caused everyone else to pitch in. She picked up a few shards and put them away.

By the time everyone was done cleaning, it was already dark out. The sky black as SkekSo's robe. A few stars and the moon tossed their light down through the trees. Sounds of the creatures of Thra filled the air.

Soup was the only thing everyone could afford to eat that night. Even SkekLach didn't complain about it. They all just sat in awkward silence. Drum handling a strange treat over to Peepers. The Peeper Beetle cooed happily as he took his favorite snack. SkekShod eyed the two wearily. However, all eyes were on Frostcrystal.

The Canimoon didn't say anything about her eyes. No one even asked. It didn't stop the questions that surrounded her. Why was she hiding them? Why was she so willing to help them despite earlier hostilities? More importantly, why did she always stare at SkekSo like she wanted to rip him to pieces no matter what he did?

Ghost swallowed her spoonful. The warm liquid gave her some relief, but the question she was going to ask made the contents feel like she swallowed an egg. "Frostcrystal?" She felt a little guilty as Frostcrystal turned her head to Ghost. "Why do you hide your eyes? I know you're not blind since your reaction says it all…"

Frostcrystal was quiet. Her spoon rested in her bowl as she put her claws on her lap. Her lips drawn into a thin line. Ears lowered slightly. Head bowed to no one.

As if on cue, Amien popped out of his pot of water. He crawled over to Frostcrystal. Arms wrapped around her shoulders. "It's getting late everyone. Perhaps we shall turn in for the night."

Mother Aughra nodded. "Some answers are best to wait in the morning." She hefted herself out of her chair. She let out a few pained grunts. Mother Aughra was soon met by Spark and Drum. The two creatures supported under her arms. "Careful now. I appreciate the gesture, but you might be new to generosity."

Ghost smiled as she watched them amble up the stairway. It was nice to know that Drum and Spark were starting to develop an understanding of helping others. I just hope Mother Aughra's back isn't aching after that wild ride. She was about to go back into her soup when she noticed SkekVar staring in the distance. Her ears picked up the slightest chuckle.

"You seem to enjoy that Felidawn," SkekZok said. Next to him, SkekShod nestled his head underneath his arm.

SkekVar snorted. "What?!" He turned his attention so quickly, he nearly knocked over his bowl. "Don't be ridiculous! I practically had claws stuck into my shoulders as we were out running the Vapran soldiers! It took hours to pry her off of me and the wall." He pointed at his shoulders which were bandaged tightly.

SkekOk tilted his head. "She does follow you around alot."

"And you don't seem to mind," Brea added. "Even when she started to curl up against you."

Deet giggled at this. Even Hup let out a full blown laugh alongside SkekAyuk. This only made the General sour his face.

"It's nothing like that, ok?!" He picked up his bowel and downed the last of his soup in three fast gulps. He set it down and walked off.

Ghost smiled. "That's the first time I've seen Hammer get like that." She propped her elbow against the table. "If I didn't know any better, I think he's attracted to her. He rarely focuses on anything else aside from food and fighting."

There was a brief laughter in the air. But the reality of their situation still lingered. The Vapran Army was now in the Chacellor's wretched claws. There is no known info about the other Clans. Stonewood could be in serious danger. Especially now that the Arathim is under enemy control. Slowly, the happy mood began to evaporate and everyone began to turn in for the night.

As Ghost made for her room, she heard several thumps and crashes. She turned to see Orchid down the hall. The tall Threader struggled to get up. She even noticed a few soup stains on the long, slender legs. Shades of pink and purple made Orchid look extremely regal. Ghost tilted her head. "Orchid? Do you want to bunk with me for the night?"

Orchid sighed. "Sure. I really don't want to topple on top of SkekTek again." Her voice tinged with a hint of regret of leaving The Scientist alone. She wobbled a little longer. As she lifted her head, she bumped head head against a beam. "Ow!" Orchid rubbed her head. "Now I know why the Skeksis get so grouchy when they go into a Gelfling house."

They both laughed as they made their way to Ghost's room. Once both settled in, Ghost grabbed a few pillows and set them down on the floor. Ghost hopped onto the bed, Grumble and Fearless joined her. They all nestled beneath the curtains.

"Ghost?" Orchid's voice was small. Her large pink eyes staring at her friend. "Are you ok?"

Ghost took a deep breath. "I feel like I've taken a few steps in a forest, but I'm so far from the mountain." She stared at the ceiling. Then, she lifted her hand. She tried to create a fireball but nothing appeared. Ghost looked at her other hand, no ice formed. She flopped both of them down. "You?"

Orchid's legs were curled inward. A soft whimper came out. "I…I'm not sure…I…I'm happy that I got out of that dark web…" She began wiping her eyes. "But at the same time, the Ascendancy is trapped with that…thing!"

Ghost sat upright. "I know how you feel…I wish I could do more with my power."

"Me too… At least you don't have to translate for me anymore." Orchid heaved a sigh. "Goodnight, Ghost."

"Goodnight, Orchid."

—-(The Next Morning)-

The sound of Thra's birds were the first thing Ghost heard as she awoke. It was comforting to know that the creatures of Thra weren't too scared to continue their daily lives. She lifted herself out of bed. Ghost craned her head to look over the left of her bed.

Orchid was curled up in the pillows. Her soft breathing gave a few faint whistles as if she was singing in her sleep. She slowly turned and grabbed one of the pillows. Orchid snuggled into it and mumbled something hard to make out. From the words, it seemed like she was talking to SkekTek about something.

Ghost moved Grumble over. The brown Fizzgig barely protested as she rolled him. Fearless, on the other hand, gave a hard huff and hopped onto Ghost's head. Ghost had to pry Fearless off before she got out of the bed completely. In a matter of minutes, she was able to get dressed. This time, she wore a simple green tunic and pale blue pants.

She quietly opened and shut the door. Her ears strained for any sound of movement in the house. Ghost could hear faint rustling in the walls. No doubt Amein is taking the time to patrol, she thought. Suddenly, a lone eye appeared along the wall on her left.

"Good morning, Ghost!"

"Gah!" Ghost jumped at her name. Her hearts nearly exploded at the sight of the large, purple eye. She touched her chest. "A little warning next time."

Amein gave an apologetic look. "Sorry. I was just thinking about what you've said last night. Lazul warned me that you'll get more curious about it. Maybe press Frostcrystal for answers."

Ghost thought for a moment. She was curious about what caused Frostcrystal to hide her eyes. The purple orbs reminded her of her own eyes when she was corrupted by the Darkening. However, the Canimoon warrior didn't seem to show any corrosion as yet. Maybe it was earlier? She looked at Amein. "Can you tell me about it? If I want to learn spells from her, I want to understand more about her."

Amien was silent for a moment. "Meet me outside."

Ghost silently went down the steps to make sure she wasn't followed. Ghost knows that she can keep a secret and she thought it was best if Amein was the one to tell her. She was immediately surprised when she saw Lazul, Razz and Shield up and about. Lazul and Razz sat on Shield's head while the Silk Threader was in deep concentration.

Razz was the first to notice Ghost. "Hello, friend Ghost!"

Shield snapped out of his concentration. As he did so, the plant before him flopped over. "Gah! Curse it all, Razz! You made me lose it."

Razz gave annoyed sigh. "Come now! Friend Shield was able to make little grass grow. Plus, vine web back in chase was amazing!"

Shield grunted. "Yeah…But you know that's not going to be enough if we have to cross over a river. I need to make sure nothing else goes wrong." His eyes clouded with the dark memory of what happened to him.

Ghost walked over to Shield. She placed a reassuring hand on him. "I'm sure things will get better. Right now, I have to discuss something private with Amein."

"No." Amein soon appeared before them in his original form. He was standing as best as he could, eye facing them. "I also wanted to talk to them as well."

"Anyone else joining in on this secret party?" Shield asked.

As if on cue, a heavy thump resounded. Laying dead on the ground was a creature that seemed to be a cross of a rat and a rabbit. It seemed to have a cloth over its eyes. Landing next to it was SkekMal. His robes and weapons were stained with blood. His face looked tired. "I hope you don't mind the intrusion. I just got back from hunting some prey."

Ghost stared at him. The blood did make her cringe a little but she was worried about the scratches on his face. His latest kill must've put up quite a fight. It was nice to know that he was still ok. Heat crawled into his cheeks once more as his eyes laid on her. By Thra, she mentally cursed. Why is he so attractive?

"Mistress." Lazul broke her thoughts. "When are you going to tell the Hunter?"

"Tell me about what?" SkekMal lowered his head. He didn't seem interested in lies and secrecy. He might even know what Ghost could be thinking right now.

"It's nothing important. Just…" Ghost decided to say something that seemed to be true. "Glad that you're ok."

SkekMal eyed her for a moment. Then, he lightly ruffled her head. "You seem to be doing better yourself from yesterday. Your hair's almost back to normal too."

Ghost's face turned redder at this. Her wings began to give off a slight orange glow. On her back, Lazul began to flinch a little from the uncomfortable heat. She cleared her throat. "Amein. Care to tell us more about Frostcrystal's behavior."

Amein was silent for a moment. Then, he cleared his throat. "You know that Shadow Madness can cause creatures to turn their eyes the same shade of purple as my eye." He pointed at his center. "However, Frostcrystal was born naturally with that eye color."

Ghost instinctively touched her eyes. She remembered the stares the other childlings would give her around seeing her for the first time. Shock. Fear. One even asked her mother if it was normal. "Kind of like me…"

Shield gave Ghost his best hug. He hated seeing his friend like this. Shield knows how hard it was for Ghost at times to love her eyes when others aren't showering her with compliments. The whispers that he even hears makes them want to rip any Gelfling, except Rian, Gurjin and Mira since they treat Ghost well.

SkekMal tilted his head. "How does it cause her to wear a blindfold?"

"Because my eyes are cursed."

Everyone nearly jumped at the sound of Frostcrystal's sharp voice. Next to her was her own fresh kill. Her arms were crossed. Her lips pulled into an annoyed expression. "Amien…How much have you told them?"

Amien's eye sparked with guilt. "I just only told them about your natural eye color." He huffed. "Come now! You need to take that thing off eventually! You're being ridiculous. Even the Grunack saw your eyes and liked it."

Frostcrystal bowed her head. She let out a heavy sigh. "Fine…But be warned. It was because of my eyes that my own mother was killed." She pulled down her blindfold to reveal her purple eyes once more.

Ghost gulped. "What do you mean?"

"I'd best be the one to talk since Amien is finding this to be complete torture." Frostcrystal picked up the Djinn and let him settle along her back. She sat down as she wiped the blood from her mouth. "It all started with my mother. She got caught by the Canimoon prince while try to steal food from the royals."

"How pathetic," SkekMal hissed. "Stealing food like simple rats rather than hunting."

"Mal!" Ghost growled. Her eyes glared at him.

"Most of the hunting land was horded by the royals," Frostcrystal explained. "Anyone who was of low birth or cripple were to be killed if they so much as step foot into their land." Frostcrystal walked up to the Hunter in a slow manner. Her muscles tensed. "I would ask you very kindly, dear Hunter, not to mock those weaker than you. For some have a strength that is unseen."

SkekMal lowered his head. His eyes stared downward. He even had a hard time to look at Ghost. A sense of shame crawled into his body. "My apologies. Continue…"

Frostcrystal's lips twitched. Her ears flicked slightly. "Instead of killing her, the prince made her his personal servant."

Ghost gaped. "That's horrible…"

Each word grew heavier as Frostcrystal spoke. "I was born within the castle a little after the newest Ice Spirit was named. The moment everyone looked at my eyes…They would ostracize me. Bully me. Beat me…Most of them being worthless royals that laze about." She sniffed. "My-My mother did everything she could to comfort me. A few times, she would sneak me away to meet the Ice Spirit…He was the one to teach me everything I knew up until now."

Ghost lightly touched Lazul's arm. "So that's why you went wild at the scent of the Ice Spirit on me…" Her heart sank as Frostcrystal nodded. "I'm so sorry."

Frostcrystal took a breath. "Sometime later, my mother found out they were planning to kill us now that the prince was gone and that his sister will be birthing a new heir soon. We left."

A heavy silence filled the air. Ghost could only feel a lump in her throat. She couldn't imagine having that sort of life. Never ending hatred just because of your strangely colored eyes. She was truly lucky to have Rian, Gurjin, Orchid and so many others at her side.

"What happened after that?" Shield hesitated. He rubbed his front legs in a guilty manner. "You said your eyes killed your mom? How?"

Frostcrystal blinked, more than she normally does. "We…traveled for a bit. I got to meet and learn about the other clans. At a distance of course." She gulped. "We were on the border of the Felidawn and Flowerweavers when we were attacked." Tears leaked out. "I-I was running over to play with a few butterflies. A blade came at me…My mother ran to me with her twisted paw and…" Finally, she sobbed loudly. She tried to muffle the noise with her paws.

Ghost ran to Frostcrystal and hugged her at once. "It's ok. You go ahead and get cleaned up. I'll wait here."

Frostcrystal bowed her head. Then, she slowly turned to SkekMal. She raised a brow when SkekMal simply bowed and dragged away his kill. Frostcrystal soon followed after. Amien simply hung over her head.

Ghost stared at the plants before her. They were so listless. Her fingers lightly touched the stalk that could barely peek out of the dirt. I wonder if the Darkening did this. Her ears soon picked up some noises coming from the house. A few voices mumbled through the walls. She spotted a hint of movement from one of the second floor windows. Was that- Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of paw prints.

Frostcrystal was now cleaned up. She was wearing an icy blue tunic with a skirt of aquamarine. Amein was nowhere on her and it seems that the blindfold was in her hand. "Alright. Let's get started on the magic."

Shield sighed. "Great, because I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING!" As he shouted this, the ground shook beneath him. It caused the house to rattle. Even Treesong raised her head and let out a startled cry.

Frostcrystal cupped Shield face in her paws. "First of all. You need to calm down. Your powers were only able to work for a short time because you were worried about Ghost and Orchid." She rubbed his face in small circles. "Your powers can be linked to emotions. The stronger your emotion, the more pontenant your power becomes."

Razz nodded in agreement. "Makes sense. Shield and Orchid are Thra. Ghost is Thra. Make magic work here, no?"

Ghost shook her head. "It's a bit more complicated than that. Gelfling are closest to Thra, but we are all called home." She thought back to the conversation the Skeksis had when they were younger. "Most of us…"

"You still worry for them, mistress?" Lazul shifted around so his eye came into view. "After all they've done?"

"Blue, Ekty and Hammer…But for the others…Even Mal…" Ghost let out a frustrated sigh. "Can we continue with the lessons?"

Frostcrystal stared at Ghost for a moment. She knelt down by Ghost and took a few sniffs. Then, without saying anything, she went to the green stubbles on the ground. Frostcrystal grazed them with her claws. The dirt slightly twisted around. After some time, she stood up.

"Like Razz said, you're connected to Thra as much as Mother Aughra is." Frostcrystal glanced at Shield. "For now…try to clear your head. Close your eyes and take a deep breath." She turned to Ghost. "The both of you."

Ghost blinked. It was a bit of a strange request. She had fire and ice that she needed to control. It didn't seem necessary to perform Earth magic. Ghost shrugged the strangeness off. Ghost closed her eyes along with Shield.

Frostcrystal giggled softly. "Now, I did say that Earth magic requires you to be sturdy, yet flexible. Similar to the trees above you. Maybe the threads you weave or your own arm. Treat the plants around you like they are a part of that arm or thread. Link it to your soul. Make it reach the sun on your behalf."

Ghost made a mental image in her mind. She could almost see the roots and grasses wrapping around her arm. They reached one of her hearts. The fire heart. The one that made the three suns powerful. Ghost moved her fingers. It felt strange having plants brushing her skin in a way it hadn't before.

Ghost grew a little unsure about the sensation. Ok…Let's see if I can make something grow. Maybe if I picture a flower… She recalled the picture in her mother's diary. The blue-ish green petals that formed a beautiful lantern. She dug her nails into the ground deeper than before.

She felt a little bit of her soul drill into the unknown. Ghost pushed herself with one mental command. Grow! As she did this, a weird sensation crawled in. It felt like her soul momentarily left her body. For a moment, she could see Shield having his eyes closed in deep concentration. His body glowing before her eyes. Suddenly, she was being lifted into the sky by a pair of white wings.

The sky opened before her. She twirled and twisted. The land of Thra sprawled out. The sands, the sea, even the city of Ha'rar was below her. It gave her a sense of freedom. A whistle of an old song reached her ears, telling the story of Thra's beginning. Along the forest border, something red flickered in and out. Suddenly, she heard Razz's voice.

"Friend Ghost wake!"

Ghost gasped in shock. Her body shook as if she was splashed with cold water. She leaned back. Her hands soon brushed against something cold. Ghost looked down to see a ring of ice around her. A few plants peek beneath it. "What happened?"

"Magic went crazy!" Razz screeched. "You dove too deep."

Ghost blinked. "Too deep?"

Frostcrystal brushed away the ice from Ghost. She knelt down with great care. "He means that you have tapped into a magic far more complex than Earth magic alone. Can you describe what you were feeling?"

Ghost couldn't exactly describe the moment. It felt like she was free. A happiness that could never die. The wonder of seeing Thra in new heights. Before Ghost could say anything, she heard a rustling noise. She turned her attention back to the small plants before her.

The small sprouts began to grow into ferns and tree saplings. Standing proud amongst the cluster was a lone flower. It held its head low. The blue-light glow turned golden in the light of the three brothers. Heart-shaped leaves curled outward. They continued to grow. Even when Shield opened his eyes.

"Woah…" Shield gasped. "I…really did all that?" He brushed his leg against the growing tree. It was able to stop just above his head.

Razz let out a low whistle. "Not bad."

Frostcrystal looked at all the plants. Her eyes stared in shock at the flower. She knelt closer to the ground. Nose twitched as she got the scent. "How were you able to grow a Lantern Flower?"

Ghost felt her entire chest twist. Her breath trapped in her lungs. "M-my mother drew this in her diary. It-It was a gift from my father…" She gulped hard, her sorrow going down like a hard rock. "She was simply holding it, but then it disappeared right from her hand."

Frostcrystal turned her gaze back to the flower. Her claws shook as she picked it up from the ground. She twirled it around. The flower bobbed with every movement. Frostcrystal handed it to Ghost.

Ghost was confused. How did Frostcrystal even know about this flower? The Canimoon had only been here for only a short time. She put the delicate flower into a pocket that was sewn into her dress.

Shield turned his head to Frostcrystal. "How did you know about that flower?"

"It was local to our home," Frostcrystal answered. "Or was. The Bone Court ordered these flowers to be destroyed because it would hold evil power."

Ghost's eyes went wide with shock. Evil power? How can that be?

Shield let out a low hiss. "That's got to be a lie! Ghost isn't evil! She never was!"

Ghost stared at her friend with a hopeful expression. "Shield…"

Frostcrystal held up her claws. "I'm not saying that intentionally. It was said by the leaders." She gave Ghost a small pat on the head. "You're the best thing ever since I came here. Let's just work on that magic."

Throughout the day, Ghost and Shield began to practice more of their magic. Each spell started to become better. Their bodies weren't worn out from the strain. However, they nearly grew one too many plants that almost blocked the road. Smells of breakfast soon filled the air just as they finished their lesson.

"Time for food," Frostcrystal said. She got up from her spot. "Drooling isn't going to help with the spells."

Ghost laughed as she got up from her spot. Suddenly, she felt a sense of urgency. She looked up to see the Crystal flying over to them. What could it want?