Chapter 35- to the Rainbowberry Orchard Cloud and one chosen to get the rainbowberries

The Sky Domain

While Queen Lucy's group back on the land began their return journey with their apple from the Garden of Youth and Beaver's group travelled on the Narnian Moon with their four mushrooms they had obtained from the Forbidden Cave of the Treasures of Vanity, in the Sky Domain or areas that resided on the clouds in the skies of Narnia (half way between the Celestial Domain and the Land Domain), outside Asgard Sky City, Kushanku and his group were on their way to obtaining the Nine-Realms Potion-exclusive ingredient from said domain, the rainbowberries. An orchard of these exclusive berries grew in a garden accessible across a rainbow bridge by King Cumulus' castle and the group which included Kushanku, Alexandrite, Padparadscha "Paddy", Sordward, Sheilbert, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and Squea'tagnan the Talking Mice, Mjölnir the Lightning Pika and Rattus the Rat and his gang of Talking Rats, had walked across this rainbow bridge and were now outside the perimeter of the rainbowberry orchard. They were now on Orchard Cloud, the location of the rainbowberry grove. Their escorts included Cirrus the Cloud-Man, Azurefeather the Cloud Bird, some Flying Rods, and a beautiful colourful Phoenix species called a Fenghuang.

Fenghuang were a species of Phoenix that had features entirely unique to them. They were large; almost peafowl shaped in body build and had a long neck. Most of their plumage was red, like almost every other Phoenix species but Fenghuang had a metallic sheen to their red feathers. Their wing and tail flight feathers, known scientifically as remiges and retrices respectively, were colourful and metallic. These flight feathers shone in the colours of the rainbow and included orange, yellow, green, blue, violet and pink. Their wing contours were a bit different and shone in all the colours of the rainbow that changed with viewing angle, similar to the underbelly of a Rainbow Serpent which also had a metallic sheen to its scales and undulation membranes. Like peafowl which they resembled, Fenghuang exhibited sexual dimorphism or gender differences. In male Fenghuang, the tail feathers were long and ended in large feather clubs with an ocellus decorating each one. These tail feathers strongly resembled the large train feathers of a peacock and the males were called Fengcocks. The Fengcocks' feathers were colourful and shone in the colours of the rainbow. This trait was absent in female Fenghuang, called Fenghens and they just had a simple fan tail. However these were also colourful and metallic. Fenghens were also less colourful than the males and had fewer colours to their plumage but they were still colourful nonetheless. The heads and necks of both Fengcocks and Fenghens sported metallic scarlet feathers, bright orange beaks and legs, and piercing hawk-like eyes but the Fengcocks had a large colourful crest while the Fenghens' crests were smaller and only silver. Because of their colourful plumage, Fenghuang were also called Rainbow Phoenixes. Fenghuang were incredibly proud and noble birds and they do NOT like being laughed at or made fun of. However, the worst possible way to insult a Fenghuang, especially the males or Fengcocks, was to attempt to pull out their tail feathers. This deed was punishable by a blast of fire from these magnificent birds. It was analogous to insulting a Centaur by attempting to ride one without their permission as it was tantamount to treating them like dumb horses or donkeys, a BIG insult to these magnificent Horse-Humanoids. However, just like many other creatures not native to the Narnian land such as the Flying Rods, several Fenghuang got caught up in the clutches of the White Witch who had the GREAT AUDACITY to do the cruel and INCREDIBLY insulting thing to these beautiful Phoenixes. The White Witch had the tail feathers of some of the Fengcocks painfully plucked and she used them as part of her attire and wardrobe to the Fenghuang's UTMOST chagrin and disgust. However, those unfortunate birds were then subsequently slaughtered in the slaughterhouses and their meat processed by the White Witch and her minions for consumption, another BIG insult to these magnificent birds. The crime of killing and eating ANY Magical and Noble creature like a Fenghuang, Centaur, Kitsune or Kirin or any of the four Cardinal Creatures (Azure Dragon, Black Turtle, White Tiger and Vermillion Bird, another kind of Phoenix whose plumage was almost entirely vermillion and red) or using ANY part of them like their fur, feathers or skins for clothing or ornaments like carpets was punishable by death but Fenghuang had not been the only victims to be used as food and clothing items by the White Witch and her minions. Jadis and her minions had also done the worst thing possible to a Kitsune: the consumption of the meat of a Nine-Tailed Kitsune and using his magnificent nine tails of shining ivory yellow gold fur as part of her wardrobe. That Kitsune had been Gandalf the Great Kitsune and the Ancestor of the entire species of Magical Foxes including Wan's species, the Kumiho, but I digress. Like most other noble creatures, Fenghuang displayed an immense reverence to the Great Lion who they call the Great Cat with the Burning Mane in their language which was similar to the Human language of Chinese. They were among one of the long-lived Magical Creatures and could live for up to 500 Narnian years. However, like the Kitsune, their reproductive rate was very slow and Fenghuang had low fertility, even during their reproductive years. One egg was born per clutch and it was EXTREMELY rare for a Fenghuang to have two chicks in one clutch. This slow reproductive rate prevented the Fenghuang from reproducing too fast for they were powerful Birds. Juvenile Fenghuang, called Fengchicks, did not have the colourful plumage of the adults. Their juvenile plumage was pure white but this was shed during puberty which occurred late in Fenghuang, around 20 Narnian years, and replaced by the more colourful adult plumage. The juvenile Fengcocks develop their peacock-like tail feathers which unlike in peacocks were permanent in Fengcocks which were shed and replaced with new feathers regularly.

The Fenghuang who was escorting Kushanku's group to the Rainbowberry Orchard Cloud was a male or Fengcock and he served as one of the designated guardians of that forbidden area and he was also one of King Cumulus' officials and assistant guardian of the Bifrost Transporter to Asgard Sky City with Heimdall. His name was Yan Se and he had a mate and only one son. The Rainbowberry Orchard Cloud lay across the rainbow bridge emerging from the cloud just by King Cumulus' castle. A large colourful rainbow ascended from the cloud and curved into the sky, its foot indicating the location of the rainbowberry orchard garden. And that was Kushanku and company's destination. Kushanku, his wife and sister-in-law and the gang of Mice, Rats and Mjölnir the Lightning Pika continued walking along the beautifully glistening bridge in the direction of a cloud at the foot of a large rainbow which served as an indicator of the rainbowberry orchard's location. Kushanku carried a special capsule in his paws similar to the one to Queen Lucy's group's one for the Garden of Youth Apple. Behind him, Alexandrite and Paddy talked.

"I sure hope the other quest-goers going to the other Nine-Realms Potion ingredients in the other domains are alright," said the former, "especially Beaver and company going to the Forbidden Cave of the Treasures of Vanity to get some lunar mushrooms on the Narnian Moon. That cave is extremely dangerous didn't you know."

"Give in to the temptation of the treasure and you're buried alive," said the latter with a shudder, "Frightening."

"Frightening indeed, you two," said Azurefeather nearby, a serious look on his face, "But the ability for the Cave to collapse on you like that if you EVER touch the Forbidden Treasure is no accident. It is put there purposely as a testing tool to visitors after the lunar mushrooms. In fact every Nine-Realms Potion ingredient has a protective aspect both in and around their habitats. In the case of the Rainbowberry Orchard, we have three Gates."

"I don't think all of us will be 'llowed t' go through those gates t' access th' garden," said Rattus as he walked with Mjölnir and his Rat Gang.

"Only one visitor per group is allowed," said a male Red Flying Rod, his sparkling red undulating membranes waving at the air to keep him airborne with a serious look on his simple face, "Those Gates will NOT allow more than one person into the Rainbowberry Orchard Garden at one time."

"We'll have to draw straws to decide who will be the brave one to pass through those three Gates then," said Alexandrite. Then Squea'tagnan shuddered.

"Count me out," squeaked the Warrior Mouse in training, "I don't think I'd face up to such a challenge."

"Now, Squea'tagnan, do you recall an important point in the Warrior's code you learned when you started your training to become a Warrior Mouse?" asked Athos with a frown.

"A Warrior does NOT run from fear?" replied Squea'tagnan.

"Exactly," said Porthos.

"Running from battle unnecessarily is cowardice," added Aramis.

"Although there are times where retreat is necessary," said Sordward.

"Especially if the battle is too much such that a LOT of battlers on our side is easily overwhelmed," said Sheilbert.

"Our Rat fighters ha' to retreat when th' White Witch was throwing her petrifying magic 'bout turning a LOT of us int' stone statues," said one of Rattus' underlings, "Until Edmund, despite being a BIG traitor t' us t' begin with, bravely confronted her an' destroyed her weapon, but he sadly ended up mortally wounded."

"'Twas th' BRAVEST thing he had ever done which garnered respect from all of us an' earned 'im as place as King," said Rattus. Then the Lead Rat's gaze turned to the Flying Rods as they hovered nearby. "By th' way, you mentioned sommat 'bout our four Monarchs havin' tasters to help taste any food given t' them t' see if they are poisoned or not?"

"We did, yes," replied a Blue Flying Rod, "King Cumulus has a Cloud-Man, a Gulphog and a few Flying Rods who are in charge of that job. ANY food gifted to our King ALWAYS has their first port of call with them."

"We did discuss about having a band of tasters for our Four Monarchs back home in Cair Paravel," said Athos, "Preferably Talking Beasts that have an excellent sense of smell and taste such as us Mice and Rats, but while we were in the process of establishing the group, that cursed cake purchased by Voltasu the Yatagasaru (Three-Legged Crow) slipped by and wound up in our Kings and Queens' kitchen and unfortunately, High King Peter fell victim to it too quickly."

"It has become one of King Edmund and Queen Susan's topmost priorities while we deal with other matters back home and of course these quests," said Porthos.

"It is clear that you still have the remnants of the White Witch's minions running amuck back home," said a Green Flying Rod, "And they can be VERY sneaky, ESPECIALLY Nogitsune. Martian wasn't kidding when he mentioned the slyness of those evil Kitsune."

As the Green Flying Rod spoke, a colourful iridescent Peacock-like Rainbow Phoenix walked in.

"And also any possible accomplice the White Witch may have had according to some of our inhabitants who had been kidnapped by her minions but then rescued and brought back here," said Yan Se the Fenghuang, his voice flavoured with a Chinese-like accent. Kushanku walked in.

"Accomplices of Jadis?" asked the male Nekomata or Tom. The colourful Phoenix turned to him.

"Remember how some Flying Rods and other creatures mentioned they were kidnapped by the Witch for nefarious purposes?" said he, "Rosa the Magenta Flying Rod is one of them."

"Many of us had been UTTERLY traumatised as a result," said another Red Flying Rod, "And one way of trauma was through disturbing experimentation."

Kushanku's group were washed with the wave of confusion.

"Experimentation?" asked Alexandrite.

"By whom?" added Paddy as the Rodent members looked on in horror. Ahead of the group, Cirrus and Azurefeather continued to lead.

"Well, according to the reports of most of the kidnapped victims from here," said Yan Se, "Their experimenters were mostly Nogitsune and Manananggal, HIDEOUS Humanoid Horrors who had the ability to turn their arms into wings and send their upper bodies into flight at night, much like how Nukekubi can send their heads into flight from their bodies. One variant of the Manananggal had tentacles for hands and feet, curved hair braids similar in shape to a Ram's horns, and deathly green skin. But the main leader of the experimenters was, according to an unfortunate Fenghuang, a male or Fengcocok who had his tail feathers insultingly ripped out by the White Witch for use of her INSULTING wardrobe and who had managed to survive but had been traumatised by these experiments for life, led by a strange person resembling a Daughter of Eve."

Horror tore through Kushanku's group.

"A D-D-Daughter of Eve!?" blurted out Athos.

"WH-wh-why would Jadis hire a DAUGHTER OF EVE to lead her hideous experimentation groups!?" added Kushanku.

"We don't know if this person WAS a female Human or Humanoid or something else," said Yan Se, "But according to the Fengcock, this person was dressed in red, gold, silver, purple and violet robes, had silver hair going down to her feet and a golden mask with black eyeholes and mouth hole. Although that woman's dress sounds beautiful, her tasks were NOT."

"Thundersparx and the other witnesses who looked into the White Witch's ways of life and areas such as Nanu when he had been a Wolf Pup, the now-late Dionaea and her friends, Teal'c the Kamataichi and Ahhuayo the Ahuizotl never mentioned some sort of experimentation project the White Witch had organised," said Kushanku.

"Um, about that, my love," said Alexandrite, "Teal'c did mention the White Witch having top secret groups that he and the other rebels had been unable to access and the experimentation project must be one of those areas."

"Either that or they knew nothing about it except the Kamaitachi," said a Yellow Flying Rod. Then Kushanku's confusion boiled more and he put a paw on his chin in scepticism.

"But if the White Witch had been carrying out these secret and without-question and doubt HIDEOUS experiments on her kidnapped victims such as those Flying Rods, that begs the question," he said, "What was she using them for? To test some food? Maybe some potions the Witch had concocted?"

"That theory would sound accurate, Kushanku," said Paddy, "But one thing is clear, especially based on the behaviour of certain survivors around certain creatures. Some of the experimenters apparently under this woman's leadership had been Nogitsune."

"That would explain why Rosa is always nervous around Kitsune, even Nine-Tailed Kitsune," said the first male Red Flying Rod.

"But her strongest reaction had been when she had seen Alcina," said Kushanku, but then another spout of confusion appeared, "But why Alcina? Maybe Rosa had faced a traumatic experience with three-tailed Nogitsune?"

"We don't know but Rosa ABSOLUTELY refuses to discuss it," said Yan Se, "and neither will the other surviving Flying Rods, Poptart Cats and other surviving victims of other species. What they had been put through had been UTTERLY inhumane to say the least."

Kushanku and the others with him gazed at the Fenghuang and their other escorts apart from Cirrus the Lead Cloud-Man and Azurefeather the Cloud Bird ahead of them. It was clear that Jadis' minion occupations such as the secret police forces including the search-and-rescue, search-and-destroy and spy forces such as traitorous Dryads, Drop Bears and Slender-Men, reporters like Siren-Heads and Mimicbirds, groups in charge of the unfair food offering collection and groups in charge of the hideous labour zones had merely been the tip of the iceberg of the White Witch's army (pun intended). The rest of that iceberg had been formed by FAR darker, more sinister and secret occupations established and organised by the White Witch such as the groups in charge of the HIDEOUS and EXTREMELY CRUEL experiments on kidnapped victims from other domains such as the Flying Rods. Many of the experimenters had been Nogitsune and Manananggal, hideous Horrors resembling Humanoids that came in two forms: one with the ability to change their arms into bat-like wings and separate their upper body from their legs. This form had deathly pale green skin, hair resembling a mass of disgusting worms especially on the females, and long tongues. The diet of Manananggal was unmentionable and too disturbing to write. The other variant also had pale green skin but they had what can be best described as tentacles in place of hands and legs, and in the females of the subtype, curly hair braids resembling the shape of the horns of a Ram or Satyr. I daren't mention the attributes of this tentacle variant but to say the least, they were bloodthirsty and murderous. However, few Manananggal had been placed in the surface areas of the police force and food collectors by the White Witch as she preferred to have many of them take up the occupation as dark experimenters under the woman-like person Yan Se had described earlier. Then the Flying Rod escorts moved on to another subject with a male Magenta one starting the new thread.

"Have you guys heard of the trouble and seeds of doubt sewn by that anti-Great Lion Noodle-And-Meatball Monster named Spaghettiamong some of the Star People and Aurora Sprites in the Celestial Domain?" he said, "He has been causing them to doubt the creation account of Narnia in order to make them believe the alternative (but wrong) story that Narnia had formed as a molten lava disc with the sun too close to it millions of years ago."

"And then tha' sun moved away from th' molten disc, th' disc cooled t' form th' land, th' rains formed an' filled th' basins t' form th' oceans an' then a large comet came along an' seeded tha' primordial ocean wi' microbes that were the ancestors to the different variety o creatures in Narnia?" said Rattus, "We 'ave learned tha' story."

"And then those microbes gave rise to all the different sorts of creatures over millions of years with one sort giving rise to the Cats, another to Dogs and so on and that we seintient creatures and Talking Beasts evolved from savage dumb animals?" said Alexandrite, "We know that heretical story."

"It was taught a LOT during the Age of Winter," said Paddy. The male Magenta Flying Rod hovered closer, a frown on his beady eyed face.

"Many of Spaghetti's species, the Noodle-and-Meatball Monsters, are very anti-Aslan and mocking of him," said the yellow creature with eel-like undulating membranes arranged laterally, or along the sides of its body, "In fact many call the Great Lion a 'Puny Puddy Tat with a messy hairdo infested with fleas'."

Disgust coursed through Kushanku's group like a shockwave and made them wince.

"Such DISRESPECT!" Mjölnir spluttered.

"Yes, disgraceful!" spat Athos.

"Disgusting," added Porthos in agreement.

"Desss-picable!" burst Aramis, "NO-ONE mocks our mighty Lion Lord like THAT!"

"Yes, disparaging," added Squea'tagnan.

"Are ALL these Noodle-and-Meatball Monsters like that?" asked Sordward.

"I've read that the original conceiver of this heretical evolution story of Narnia was one of those creatures and he formed his lies and wrote his book about them a few decades after Narnia's creation," said Sheilbert.

"Few Noodle-and-Meatball Monsters do believe in the Lion and even respect him and furthermore," said the Yellow Flying Rod, "they, thankfully, DESPISE the White Witch and abhor her system but many don't believe that Aslan sacrificed himself on the Stone Table and resurrected and defeated the White Witch once and for all."

"At least these atheistic Noodle-and-Meatball Monsters have some sense of morality and wisdom I suppose," said Mjölnir.

"Yes, but tha' does NOT make a lotta 'em admirable, 'specially if they're gonna mock our Lion Lord, adopted bro," said Rattus, "An UTTER shame to ALL Magical Creatures able to live for centuries such as the Centaurs, Nekomata, Kitsune and Elemental Birds like the Phoenix." (Noodle-and-Meatball Monsters were able to live for up to 300 Narnian years on average)

"Here we are," called Azurefeather's voice. The attention of Kushanku and company was pulled to what was ahead of them. They had come to the end of the sparkling rainbow bridge and were now on the cloud they were headed.

The Rainbow Orchard Garden, just like every other area of the Sky Domain or Skyland, was atop a white cloud; that cloud being called the Rainbow Orchard Cloud based on what it held, and Kushanku and company were now on the rim of it. Ahead of Kushanku and company was a clearing. Stretched out before them on the clearing was a carpet of grass but unlike the grass back on the land domain of Narnia which was green, this grass was silvery and white and resembled the ice crystals of snowflakes more than mere green needles. However, they were not hard and not sharp and just like the land domain grass, they were soft and comfortable enough to walk on. Across the icy grass clearing was what appeared to be some sort of hedge. That hedge was also of an unusual colour. Instead of green back on land which Kushanku and company were most familiar with, these hedges were also silvery and glistened in the Narnian sun's light. Then Kushanku and company noticed that there was a break in this fence of silvery mass of crystalline 'leaves'. Rising from the edges of the gap were massive statues. They resembled birds facing each other and their 'wings' rose and curved towards each other. The surface of these birds, apparently statues, glistened in the colours of the rainbow like a Fenghuang's plumage. The beaks of the Fenghuang-like statues were agape and both their feet were in contact with the ground. Behind the Fenghuang statues was a MASSIVE glistening ribbon rising from the horizon into the sky, curving on its ascension. However, the rainbowberry orchard itself was obscured. Kushanku tried to get a glimpse of the orchard by flying upward with his signature flight ability of spinning his tails but even from an elevated standpoint, the rainbowberry orchard seemed invisible.

"You won't be able to see the rainbowberry orchard from here," said Cirrus and with that, the Cloud-Man reached up with a long, fluffy white arm and pulled Kushanku gently down to the grass by the leg. Kushanku landed onto the grass and his spinning tails resumed their usual bifurcated appendage from. Then Azurefeather and Yan Se went before the group and began to give the instructions on how to access the Rainbowberry Orchard Garden.

"Okay, listen up," said the former, the Cloud Bird, "We're now on the Rainbowberry Orchard Cloud. As you can see across the ice crystal grass clearing, the first gate and entrance, the Rainbow Gate, is clearly visible."

"Those two statue figures look like Fenghuan," said Rattus as he took in the appearance of the two giant statues."

"Indeed they do," said Azurefeather, before a frown formed on the Cloud Bird's face, "The main job of the Rainbow Gate is to serve as the first line of defence against intruders intending to pick the rainbowberries for selfish motives. Through the first Gate is the Riddle Gate which will tell you a riddle that you MUST answer correctly. Finally, there is the third gate and the actual entrance into the orchard garden: the Golden Post Lightning Gate which casts a special, impenetrable force field around the orchard to protect it further. It requires seven rainbow colour keys to be shut off."

"Yes," said Yan Se, "touching the Lightning Force Field will result in a NASTY injury and even death if you attempt to penetrate it. It is FAR more powerful than an Incluser Barrier."

"The other two gates are also deadly," said the first male Flying Rod, "One wrong and foolish decision when dealing with them could well be your last."

Gulps sounded from Kushanku's group. The quest to retrieve some rainbowberries for High King Peter's potion was more perilous than they initially thought but it was no surprise. The rainbowberries were one of the HIGHLY exclusive Nine-Realms Potion ingredients. Then Cirrus stepped in front of the group.

"As our Flying Rod assistants will have told you," said the Cloud Man, "The Rainbow Orchard Garden will allow one and ONLY one person from a visiting group to access the garden."

"Yes so that means that that person will have to deal with those three gates alone, and you MUST do so WITHOUT fail or you will NOT be able to get some berries for your High King's antidote," said Yan Se.

"Indeed," said Azurefeather, "Any second person that tires to access the garden will just be driven away or worse."

Shocked and horrified looks formed on Kushanku's group's faces.

"Yes, you are right to look horrified," said Yan Se, "This is a VERY serious mission to undertake."

"Seriously!? To deal with THREE gates ALONE to access the garden," said Alexandrite, "That's... an EXTREMELY frightening task to face."

"Indeed," said Rattus.

"And life-risking," put in one of Rattus' underlings, a female who held some medical supplies in her satchel. The other Rats, the Mice Warrior Gang and Mjölnir discussed amongst themselves and Squea'tagnan trembled from trepidation. Then the Flying Rod group came forward. One of them, a Green female, had a large lock of silver ribbons clutched in the fore part of her undulating membranes. These ribbons were 'person selection ribbons' and just like in drawing straws in which members of a group would quite literally draw these straws until one pulled out a short one, members of a group had to draw these ribbons until one pulled out a specific ribbon. That ribbon had a black spot painted onto its end and was the equivalent to the short straw in drawing straws. If an individual chose this ribbon, they will be the one to enter the garden through the three dangerous gates. Yan Se took the ribbons, thanked the Flying Rod and prepared to present them to Kushanku and his group for them to pull. Before this, he made sure that all the ribbons' ends were level with each other and that the black spot marked one was hidden in his metallic and colourful wings.

"How we select a member to enter the Rainbowberry Orchard," said the Fengcock, "We draw silver ribbons. Only one of these ribbons will be marked with a large black spot on its tip. If any of you draw that marked ribbon, YOU will be the one to enter the garden. Everyone will get one turn each but if one round fails, then you will have to draw another ribbon until one of you draws the marked one."

That made nervousness boil within the group, especially Squea'tagnan. The trainee Warrior Mouse wanted to retreat but then he remembered Athos and company's word about the Warrior code: 'a warrior NEVER runs from fear'. Reluctantly the young Mouse prepared to select and pull a ribbon from the Fenghuang's wings. However, Squea'tagnan wasn't the only member wanting to back out of this quest. Then Kushanku prepared for the selection process.

"Okay, guys, let's see who will be chosen to enter the Rainbowberry Orchard Garden," he said.

"Not a chance," Mjölnir whispered.

"Look, Mjölnir the rainbowberries are an ESSENTIAL part of High King Peter's antidote," said Kushanku, "without them, the potion will NOT work so we don't have a choice. Prepare to take a ribbon."

Mjölnir and some of Rattus' underlings murmured nervously and shook their heads. They clearly did not want to face the deadly three gates.

"Okay, you can be selfish cowards and allow our High King to continue down the heartbreaking path of deterioration and death," said Kushanku more firmly, "Take a ribbon from Yan Se's wings."

"Yes," said Azurefeather, "You can't back out of this now. The health of your High King's at stake."

Yan Se, Cirrus and the Flying Rods nodded in agreement. Mjölnir then reluctantly relented and extended a yellow paw to the lock of silvery flat pieces of fabric snaking out of the colourful Rainbow Phoenix's wings and towards the crystalline grass and clamped his paw onto the end of one. Then the Lightning Pika pulled a ribbon out of Yan Se's wings. Luckily, the ribbon did not have the black spot. A sigh of relief exited Mjölnir's mouth as his nerves calmed. However, that moment of relief was snuffed out by the thought of having to draw another ribbon if the others fail to pull out the marked one and Mjölnir's ears lowered in disappointment. Rattus then took his turn and got an unmarked ribbon. Then Athos, Porthos, Aramis, Squea'tagnan, Sordward and Sheilbert took their turn and all six took out unmarked ribbons. Squea'tagnan also breathed a sigh of relief but that relief didn't last long. Then the three Nekomata took their turn and they decided to take their turns together. Kushanku took the end of one ribbon while Alexandrite took another and Padparadscha, a third. After this, it will be Rattus' gang's turn.

"Okay, you two, let's see what we get," said the Tom to his wife and sister-in-law and with that, the three pulled the ribbons from Yan Se's wings.

"That's it," called Cirrus' voice. Kushanku, who held his eyes shut, then turned to look at his ribbon. To his surprise and sudden rise of nervousness, he saw that his ribbon's end had that indicative black spot. A crestfallen look formed on the Nekopmata's face and his ears lowered as he gazed at the rest of the group including Alexandrite and Padparadscha "Paddy", their ribbons unmarked. The ribbon process selection was over and Yan Se handed the rest of the ribbons back to the Flying Rods who took them.

"Kushanku," said the Fenghuang, "You're gonna be the one to face the tree Gates and enter the garden."

Kushanku at first was reluctant to accept this challenge but then he realised the importance of this mission as he remembered High King Peter and his need for the potion and all nine of its ingredients, and that because he had been chosen, he knew there was no turning back now. Alexandrite, Paddy and the Rodents waved sadly to the Tom Nekomata as he prepared to make his way towards the first Gate, the Fenghuang Rainbow Gate. Nervously, Kushanku bade his group goodbye.

"No, don't say that, my brave tiger," said Alexandrite.

"If you were a Terror Bird like Neutrophil and his siblings and cousins, you'd be amongst the most honoured warriors of your clan," said Paddy. The Rodents nodded in agreement. Then Alexandrite came forward, seized Kushanku in her arms and surprised him with a passionate kiss. After breaking his embrace with his beloved wife, Kushanku took the capsule from Rattus and Mjölnir and prepared to go across the ice grassland to the Rainbow Gate.

"Be VERY careful when you face the three gates, Kushanku," called Cirrus as the Tom left, "Make sure to do what they tell you."

Kushanku, nervousness boiling within him, nodded and continued towards the first gate. His quest, perhaps the most IMPORTANT and DANGEROUS one he had EVER attempted in his life, had begun.