Miho had walked up to where Ayami was. She was busy inspecting some of the Maple High School students fixing the tank they had and they were going to be using the time they had if they were to get everything up and running. Ayami turned to Miho and began to speak.
"Firepaw, you know why I brought you here?" Ayami asked Miho if there was something she wanted to talk to her about.
"Don't believe so, is there a reason you brought me here?" Miho asked Ayami if she had a reason why she was brought to her leader.
"Well, Firepaw, I was going to ask you that you said you weren't satisfied here with the visit so far. Is there a reason why?" Ayami asked Miho if she had a reason to think her visit to the school wasn't going so well and she better state her reason.
"Well, I always thought that we were coming for Azusa, but it turns out we've gotten more than what we had hoped for. These last few days have been interesting, but I always thought a simple conversation could fix it." Miho explained to Ayami about her friend. She didn't know what exactly she was expecting when it came to this kind of treatment. Ayami nodded as she began to think about what Miho had said.
"Well, Firepaw, a conversation regarding how we feel doesn't fix everything. While it does help, I don't see it as a solution." Ayami began. She decided to sit down with Miho and continued to speak to her. "It is clear that saying something can be rather pointless when in reality it's not. There is a point to something that some of us don't really see all that much. Even if it's very small. Now that I wanted to ask about Azusa, do you miss your old life?"
"Sort of… I don't want to go back just yet until you know you can defend yourselves. I know my time here is limited as I'm an Ooarai student through and through and I don't want to be away from my friends and teammates forever. We even fought multiple times to keep our school open." Miho explained that she did want to return to Ooarai but not at this very moment. She knew that Ayami and her school still had some way to go if they were to stand on their own feet. Miho continued to speak to Ayami. "What about you Bluestar? What about Dustpaw, Sandpaw and Runningwind? Have they seen their families in years? What happened to them?" Miho asked Ayami if she knew exactly what happened to her friends' families. Ayami closed her eyes and began speaking to Miho about what she knew about some of the students.
"Sandpaw got into a fight with her parents before this year began over her grades in Saunders. Her mother kicked her out and told her not to come back. Runningwind was abused by her parents, she packed up and left. Dustpaw served in the Saunders White Army during the Saunders Civil war. Got into a scrap with Kay and just abandoned her unit and was left wandering around until we took her in. And I was the last White Army commander before the Red Army captured Primorye. My army was defeated. I had a falling out with my parents, and I decided to leave after nearly being smashed with a bottle by my mother. I never looked back on it." Ayami explained to Miho what happened to some of the students including herself. "The rest I'm not entirely sure but you can ask them about it." Miho paused as she began to think about what Stephanie had said: Go to Siberia and live there, there's nowhere else we can go.
"Do you think Siberia is the be all and end all place you girls want to live in?" Miho asked Ayami if they were making the right decision to head off into the Siberian wilderness when there was another chance to redeem themselves with society and make amends with the people they have wronged.
"To most of us… it is. Since we can't get along with each other, I ask myself, is there a reason to go back to face the same abuse all over again? It's not worth it compared to living with what little we have. We prefer to watch life go by knowing we have our own two feet to stand on. With everyone else chasing the latest trends to become the next influencer or savvy tech CEO, we often look to ourselves and wonder, is this where we are going to go? Stephanie asked me this when I first saw her as she had her bags and when she was first moving in on a somewhat rusted bicycle of hers. She said she came here to escape the confines of political discourse of Kay and the irresponsibility of being a mere consumer in a hive mind that rewards in money and abundance, but it leaves out happiness and purpose. We're planning on dispersing once we graduate to the Siberian villages to find work that is meaningful to us. Or that's how Stephanie puts it." Ayami explained to Miho that their plan was to flee into the wilderness after graduation to get away from everything that they didn't desire and wished for.
"Is this something you all want? What about those that have good relationships with their parents? Is it really fair to them?" Miho asked Ayami if this was something that they could decide on as a school. Ayami closed her eyes as she lets out a sigh.
"I can't decide for certain. However, that is something that they will have to decide themselves." Ayami explained to Miho about their fate and their fate was something they would have to decide on their own.
"Okay then." Miho told Ayami. Ayami smiled before she looked at Miho.
"Other than this tangent and the fact that you're still willing to stay for us which means a lot to us Firepaw. While journeys must come to an end. This one is still going; you're more than welcome to have yourself, Graypaw and Ravenpaw accompany us to a meeting with Kay. She might be asking for something if you're up for it." Ayami told Miho that she was willing to invite her over for the gathering if they were to establish peace between the schools. If Kay was willing to give favorable terms to Cedar Lake.
"Sure, I'm up for it." Miho told Ayami that she was more than excited to do something important for her.
"Get yourself ready, we're leaving at sundown." Ayami told Miho. Miho headed off while Ayami went to see who else she was taking with her to the meeting. Miho walked out to spot Ritsu and Mio standing at the entrance.
"Well… what did she say?" Ritsu asked Miho what Ayami must've said from the meeting.
"Tigerclaw told us that you were talking to some of the students instead of doing your job." Mio teased Miho in a playful way. Ritsu elbowed Mio a bit to tell her that now wasn't the time to tease Miho. "Are you in trouble?"
"No… although Bluestar wasn't pleased." Miho tried her best to put it bluntly about the conversation she had with Ayami. "She thought I might want to leave this school and head back to Ooarai."
"You don't though? Do you?" Mio asked Miho if she wanted to leave but she didn't want to right? Miho began to think about it before Ritsu began speaking to Mio.
"Of course she doesn't." Ritsu told Mio that Miho had no intention to leave.
"Of course I don't. But it turns out I was beginning to doubt myself and my purpose being here in this school. I don't know how I will be able to get along with the students here and be there for Azusa. After the talk with her, I feel better about myself. That's beside the point, guess what she said. We're all going to the meeting with Saunders tonight." Miho expressed to Ritsu and Mio that they were going with Ayami.
"What? All three of us?" Ritsu began. She couldn't contain her excitement. "Are Sandpaw and Dustpaw coming too?"
"Nope, Bluestar made no mention of them coming. It's going to be us three tonight." Miho explained.
"Let me talk to them, I can't wait to see the looks on their faces." Ritsu explained to Miho.
"I can't believe we're going instead of them. Especially after what I went through today." Miho explained to the girls. Ritsu walked over and placed her hand on Miho's side.
"We have our moments of bad luck and self doubt. We're better sticking together when it comes to moments like these. Other than that, we did a good job with our assignments today." Ritsu explained to Miho that there were going to be moments like this sprinkled throughout their sessions.
"I wonder what the meeting would be like?" Mio asked herself.
"It'll be great. I bet all the students will have a chance to chat with each other about peace regarding everyone." Ritsu told Mio.
"Do you think that Tigerclaw was trying to test me when I was having my moment? Does she think I'm still loyal to Cedar lake?" Miho asked herself. She didn't know what the answer to that question was. She had to face whatever was going to be handed to her tonight during the meeting.
Ayami had decided to gather the girls she was taking with her to the meeting, Chika, Stephanie, Rowan, Chelsea, Mio, Ritsu and Miho. They had come to the Saunders base to talk about terms for the school.
"Hey there's Alisa, the school's best spy." Miho introduced the girls to Ritsu and Mio. The two girls were amazed by Alisa.
"She's small, I guess we can hold her in our arms." Ritsu explained to Miho that Saunders' Vice commander was adorable. Miho laughed before she turned to the person next to her as she gave her introduction.
"There's Kay, Saunders current commander. She's graduated and there is a rumor about who she will choose as her new commander." Miho explained to Ritsu and Mio. The two girls looked at the Saunders commander but they didn't like how she looked.
"Yeah she's screaming to the boys that she wants to be constantly laid. Who would want to do something like that? I wouldn't do it if I still had my studies to complete." Ritsu explained to Miho. She was grossed out at the thought of having boys constantly around her when she had more pressing manners to get done.
"There's the other vice commander named Naomi, Saunders best gunner." Miho explained to Ritsu and Mio.
"What does he look like?" Ritsu asked Miho if she had any form of specific appearance. Miho began to think and began to speak about Naomi to Ritsu. Mio began to wander off to find something to do.
"Well Naomi is a tall girl with short gray-brown hair and brown eyes. The school's tallest girl from what I heard." Miho explained to Ritsu. They looked around, wondering where she was. She was a stand out when it came to this type of thing among the crowd.
"Weird, I don't see her." Ritsu told Miho. Naomi was nowhere to be seen.
"She's usually with the commander and vice commander. What's the reason why she didn't come?" Miho asked herself. They turned to the side to look for Mio, she was nowhere to be seen. "Well, let's go find our friend." Mio hadn't wandered far as she was surrounded by Saunders' first years. She was telling a story of her adventures.
"...and then we were heading through the snow as the howling wind was throwing snow on us. Redtail was running through the snow with the message that Brindleface had injured herself trying to drag the sled through the cold. I had to grit my teeth and bring the supplies to Spottedleaf's cabin so we can treat Brindleface's injuries." Mio would tell the story to the other first years. The first year students were excited at the notion of a student's bravery. Rowan was watching from a distance… silent.
"Wow, it seems to me that Rowan is quiet. Is there a reason?" Miho asked Ritsu, they found Mio and Rowan was watching her.
"Tigerclaw is usually very social with students that aren't Saunders. When Saunders students come over and demand something from them. There is a hundred percent chance that Tigerclaw will start a fist fight with the students and come out on top. Even pinned with three people on top of her, she'll throw them off. Tigerclaw is a beast in a fight and it's going to take a lot to stop her." Ritsu explained that Rowan would usually talk to the students but this time around she had her suspicion.
"Oh I thought Rowan got the message." Miho explained to Ritsu. They continued to walk, wondering where Stephanie was. Stephanie was talking to Helmet-Chan and a few of her friends. She wanted to see what exactly was going on.
"So we have to change a lot of what makes Saunders like Kay and change it to when it would come to her successor? I think there are a lot of things you suggested." Helmet-Chan began speaking to Stephanie as she was reading over the list of the changes.
"The changes are more than necessary but it will help in the long run. Changing the diet and limiting the portion sizes is step one. The fact that Kay filled the school with hard earth and strange flowers has decimated all of the herbs. The herbs I have known to use when it comes to treating injuries. Especially since the reports that more Saunders' first years have been coming down with coughs and allergies." Stephanie explained. She still resented Kay for filling the last few green spaces of Saunders in exchange for very sick students.
"We'll see what we can do when the new academic year starts up. I still resent Kay for making us more dependent on artificial medicine in a plan of keeping our profits up." Helmet-Chan explained.
"If our ancestors were here, they would have driven out any signs of money being used for their mega-corporations and would have slaughtered them to keep the forest alive." Stephanie explained to Helmet-Chan.
"Ancestors? Who are this school's Ancestors? Your school is still pretty new." Miho asked Ritsu as she seemed to be confused with the school and how it functioned.
"You know the legend of the school is something we're being decided on since we are pretty new." Ritsu began. "Since most of us want to return to the lands of Siberia thinking this is the birthplace for all of the students, there are three types. There are the snow girls whose hair are long and white much like the girls themselves. They are pretty tough and they seem to take a beating with their eyes made of ice, they turn into water in the warmer weather as they bring life to the school. Then there are the tree girls, they are tall with smooth brown hair. They are harmonious with the other girls as they seem to be at peace with the other elements. They are like birch trees swaying in the wind." Ritsu would describe the first two girls off of the top of her head. "Then there is the third group which I don't seem to remember the name of or what they are." Chika walked over to Ritsu, happy to assist her.
"I think you're referring to the wind girls, young Graypaw. Don't you youngsters know your ancestor history?" Chika began speaking as she was helping her friend out. They were lean and quick with shorter hair than most. You can thank the Wind Girls for your speed and hunting skills." Chika then turned to Miho as she had something to ask. "Do you know anything about Hyperborea?"
"Not really, what was Hyperborea?" Miho asked.
"Well young Firepaw. Hyperborea is the land far to the north where our ancestors called home. Surviving in the forest in their fur quilted huts. They were capable of hunting whatever creature called home in the lands. Even the Tigers and Leopards that settled the Amur. There are even legends of furry elephants that settled on Wrangel Island before they disappeared. The elephants they said as each generation went by, became more and more sickly until they vanished all together under mysterious circumstances. It seems to be that the fact is, the most that civilization comes in, the more restrictions get placed on the people. Thus we aren't allowed to live as freely. We still had rules, similar to the ones that we have here but we just liked to head out into the woods." Chika would describe the mysterious lands of the far north where their ancestors called home.
"Wow, you seem to have interesting folklore even if it's all made up on the fly?" Miho asked Chika if this was something she seemed to share an interest in.
"It is, since we have no specific theme or country, we might as well get creative with what little we have. It's always good to have very little because that will lead to so many possibilities." Chika explained to Miho. "There is a trace of the great girls in every girl today. You might as well ask me where to start." Chika would walk away as the girls turned to Ayami and Kay, the meeting was about to begin. Kay was just flanked by Alisa as Ayami was standing alone against Kay.
"Surely Kay wouldn't start the meeting without Naomi, but it's clear there is no sign of her." Miho explained to Ritsu that this was unusual. Kay was usually seen with her two vice commanders but tonight, it was down to one.
"I don't know where she went." Ritsu explained to Miho. Ayami decided to speak to the crowd which was starting to grow anxious.
"Students of the forest, welcome to tonight's meeting. While it's true that Naomi hasn't shown up, Kay wishes to speak to all of us at this urgent meeting." Ayami began. She was going to give the voice over to Kay. Kay began to speak.
"Students of all the schools. We have come to this school to retrieve the runaway students. All of them from Saunders. As well as any students who decided to betray us or were captured by the vile Ayami and Cedar Lake Academy." Kay began. Ayami recoiled with disgust at Kay. Her school wasn't vile. She made sure that it was fair. "Many Saunders students have begun to doubt our school's loyalty regarding the entire situation going forward. The students seem to wish to criticize the country and its founding principles that it was founded on, calling them unworthy and anarchic ways of living. One to stifle the minds out to say the word no and avoid consuming any of our school's great products, going to our splendid parties and giving all the students everything they had ever wished for under the sun. We have the highest standards of living for any school we have to offer. You can say what you please and your right to bear guns will not be infringed on any occasion." The students were angry at these words. Not to be infringed, was Kay really afraid of changing the rules to make it fairer for the average student?
"Kay. We would like to say that our definition isn't the same as yours. Why should we follow your principles if they only lead to more suffering? Why can't you let people live the way they want to live? Why do you need to go after them?" Ayami asked Kay why they can't just be left alone.
"Because the more students that don't follow the rules means more students for you or Katyusha, Trout or Mika. We can't have that as runaway students are our biggest problem as we speak. Now Ayami, I'll give you a choice, since our student army is growing stronger as the days go on, your options are, give back all the students that you have captured or ran to your arms or you will be invaded two sunrises now. This means giving back all of the people and shutting this school down to be reabsorbed back into Saunders." Alisa stepped forward.
"I think you should obey Kay's demands. Your school is weak and you're relying on foreigners to back up your numbers. You don't have the strength to stop our school." Alisa explained. The students spoke among themselves, they were rather concerned.
"Obey Kay's demands, who would give into such demands. Alisa and Kay are pushing themselves too far." The students chatted. They weren't sure about what was going to happen regarding the school if they were going to keep going. Ayami began to think about it. "Ayami, are you going to give into this tyrant's outrageous demands, what is your answer Bluestar?" Was Ayami going to give into Kay's ridiculous demands? Ayami began to speak.
"I have made no proposal to these demands and I do not agree to give in. I wish to speak to my students after this meeting is over on how to consult this. I say that our school will remain firm if it means trying not to give into what you may say." Ayami expressed that she shared no interest into Kay's demands as she in fact, rejected the demands. Kay felt enraged that her demands were rejected. She wanted to give into her rage and she felt her anger beginning to boil over.
"Very well then traitor. Hear my warning. Saunders will attack at any moment and we will take back what we have come here for. In fact our spy within the school is giving us all the information that we need when it will come to this. That mangy old lady has a wolf's bite like fury." Kay told Ayami that she was willing to destroy everything this school had to offer when it would come to that chance. Miho turned to Ritsu.
"Is she talking about Tomori?" Miho asked as she was worried about what was going to happen.
"Kay seems to be correct Ayami, we shouldn't have let that mangy old rogue into our school. She's a danger to us all. We need to deal with her this instant." Chelsea shouted. She didn't want to see anything regarding this rogue.
"I have to go find her and warn her what is going to happen." Miho told Ritsu that she needed to find Tomori and tell her about what she heard. Without a reply, Miho hurried off to find Tomori. She hopped onto her bike and disappeared into the night.
Miho spent the frantic part of a few minutes trying to find the cabin that Tomori was located in. She remembered where it was and pedaled up. She parked her bike before running over and knocking on the door. The door opened to reveal Jake inside the cabin.
"Miho, you look like someone has scared you in the woods out there. Is there a reason why you have come?" Jake asked Miho if she had a reason to come.
"I need to speak to Tomori immediately. I think she's in danger." Miho told Jake that she thought that her friend was in trouble.
"Well if your word is urgent, I'm not stopping you." Jake told Miho. Relieved that she was going to have access to her friend. Miho headed inside to find Tomori on the couch.
"Tomori, I need to speak to you, it's important!" Miho began speaking. Tomori lifted her head up to look at Miho.
"Miho? What is it that you need to say?" Tomori asked Miho what was important for her to speak to her about this? Miho began to speak to Tomori.
"Kay is trying to turn the entire school against you." Miho explained to Tomori.
"It's clear Kay has kept her promise." Tomori would begin.
"What promise?" Miho asked Kay.
"Kay is trying to drive me out of all of the schools from what I can gather. This was the last school I believed she wouldn't find me at." Tomori explained to Miho that Kay wasn't going to stick her nose here.
"It's clear that Kay said you were a danger to us all. I got worried thinking it was you, so I came back here thinking it was you that was in danger. You need to get out of here before it is too late." Miho told Tomori that she needed to leave the school before the other students returned and decided to turn on her.
"You mean they actually believed Kay?!" Tomori asked as if she was outraged by this demand.
"Chelsea says that you're dangerous. Everyone's scared of what you can do. Rowan's planning on coming back and I… I… I don't know what they can do. You must go before they get here." Miho would explain to Tomori that the best course of action would be for her to leave before it became too late and the other would turn on her. "Does this mean we have to keep a close eye on the first years that Kay seemed to suggest when it came to a person like you?"
"Would I what?" Tomori asked. "Would I really hurt the first year students to be considered a threat to them?!"
"Harm the first years when you are given the chance?" Miho asked Tomori if she was capable of harming them.
"Do you think so?" Tomori asked, her voice seemed to be softer and much more calm.
"Of course not, I don't think you can harm anybody." Miho told Tomori about this. "But why would Kay or anybody from Saunders say such a terrible thing?" Miho asked. Then the voices were heard as the party had returned back to camp.
"We should have never sheltered that mangy old lady, especially when she is a threat to the first year students." One of the voices would sound out.
"She's a fugitive!" Another student shouted.
"Tomori will pay for what she has done!" A third voice rang out. Miho knew they were in trouble. "She can't stay here!"
"Oh no! They're here! You have to get out of here Tomori!" Miho shouted to Tomori that she needed to flee if she was to find safety outside of the school.
"Miho wait!" Tomori shouted. Miho turned her head to Tomori. "You believe that I am innocent?"
"Of course you are. You never would lay a finger on the first years despite the fact that you seemed to be irritable, I never believed you were capable of harm." Miho explained to Tomori that she didn't hurt anybody despite everyone's opinion of her.
"I am grateful for that." Tomori told Miho. "If you believe me, then others could too. I know Ayami will give me a fair hearing. I can't run forever, I'm much too old. I shall stay here and decide whatever your friends decide is best for me."
"But what about Rowan? She's…" Miho began before Tomori cuts her off.
"She's headstrong. She knows the power she has over the other girls. They are in awe of her. But even so, she will obey Bluestar." Tomori explained to Miho.
"But Tomori!" Miho shouted.
"Now go Miho! Don't get yourself into even more trouble by being seen here with me. There is nothing you can do for me. Have faith in your leader and let her decide what is right for me." Tomori told Miho. Miho was left with a difficult choice. Tomori in the end was right. Miho got up and left. She went to go find Ritsu and Mio.
Miho popped herself out of the cabin as the entire school was on high alert. Ayami and Chika raced past her to raise the alarm. Kiara bolted in the other direction to check on the first year students. Rowan and Chelsea appeared and headed for the cabin that Tomori was in. Ritsu and Mio appeared to speak to Miho about what happened.
"You went to warn Tomori didn't you?" Ritsu asked Miho if she left the meeting early to tell her about what she did.
"Yeah I did, but she won't leave. She believes that Ayami will treat her fairly and there is nothing I can do." Miho explained to Ritsu and Mio what happened.
"Well if Ayami believes we should treat her fairly, then we should too." Mio explained to Miho that their friend was going to be worth it.
"It turns out that Kay has mentioned that she will attack us! We must prepare for the battle!" Satsuki shouted that she wanted to put the school on high alert.
"She also mentioned that we have a dangerous rogue that we are sheltering in the school!" Emiko explained that the dangerous rogue was indeed Tomori.
"It must be Tomori! I know it!" Yasha shouted. All of the students were awoken and gathered in the center. They were sure that the danger to them was Tomori and it was truly her. Rowan and Chelsea were spotted dragging Tomori out to the center. Ayami was outraged at them for this action.
"Put Yellowfang down this instant!" Ayami shouted to Chelsea and Rowan. "What's going on? I have given no order to attack our prisoner."
"Thank Starclan the kits are safe!" Annabella told the girls that there seemed to be the commotion and that the first years weren't harmed. Tomori was released as she seemed to get up to face Ayami.
"Of course they are, why did you think they weren't safe. Why would you panic over this?" Ayami asked the group.
"She is dangerous, we should throw her out before she harms any of us." Makalia would explain to the group.
"Throw her out? I say we should kill her this instant!" Chelsea shouted that she prefer to end Tomori this instant if it meant keeping themselves safe.
"And what has she done to us?" Ayami asked the other what she did to deserve this.
"You were at the meeting, Kay said she is a…" Chelsea spoke.
"Kay said nothing about Tomori. She mentioned a rogue in our school. That person isn't Tomori as Kay didn't mention her by name. As long as she's in my custody, Yellowfang, will not be harmed by anybody under any circumstances." Ayami would explain to the others. Tomori looked at Ayami as if she had overstayed her welcome.
"I will leave if that is what you wish Bluestar." Tomori told Ayami that she was willing to go if that was okay with her.
"There is no need to leave Tomori, you have done nothing wrong." Ayami told her. "It is time we discuss the real threat to our school. Saunders. We need to prepare for an attack for Kay as we think she will strike us at the heart where our tanks are located. We will have all of our fighting vehicles ready to fight. We must patrol our ship more frequently, I don't know who else would want to join and form a coalition against Kay but at this moment, Cedar Lake Academy stands alone against Kay."
"And we're not giving into Kay's demands are we?" Rowan asked Ayami if she was willing to stand and fight against Kay even though their foe possessed more strength than they could count on.
"We're not. It turns out that our training will be put to the test on a large scale. With the large number of Ooarai students and others that have decided to give their services to us. I like our odds just fine." Ayami explained to the others that she seemed to be willing to stay on her promise and defend her school with all of her might.
"Other schools aren't so sure, we're mostly unknown and we only have light tanks to use. Are we confident our school will hold out?" Sophie asked if this was their best option.
"It's the best option we have as we don't have any other options at the moment. Now I will travel to the moonstone tomorrow night to see the wisdom and strength of the warriors from Starclan. Perhaps they might hold the key to how we can survive the onslaught from Kay. Get some sleep everyone. We need to prepare ourselves tomorrow." Ayami explained before she headed off.
"Is Kay serious that she will attack us?" Yukari asked if this was a possibility.
"Based on how Ayami is putting it, Kay is not bluffing if I will reply." Tanya explained to Yukari.
"We might have to do a recon mission to see how many tanks we will be facing against and whatever tanks we might face. If Saunders brings more, then we might as well spend all day and night preparing the defenses of the school." Yukari explained to the others that they needed to get themselves prepared if they were to face Kay.
Miho knew that Ayami had baited Saunders to them by provoking them into conflict. She hoped Ayami was making the right decision.
[A/N]: Another chapter completed which takes place on the same day as the last chapter. The school must prepare for Kay and what she was going to bring with them. Now a larger battle is being decided between the giant and a small cobbled together school that doesn't have any decent tanks. Next chapter will deal with Ayami's trip to the Moonstone. See you later.