Simon never thought that he would ever end up sitting in a gully talking to himself in any universe that was out there but here he was making that crazy scenario a reality. At least he thought that he would only end up talking to himself because there was no one else around him but he couldn't let that small sliver of a virus that the rabbit had implanted in his brain some time ago. The rabbit had mentioned Soothsayer but didn't really elaborate on its properties or how to engage this 'effect'. He lit a leaf on fire before so he figured that doing it again would potentially do something. To Simons complete utter surprise he did hear something in return. When the voice spoke it sounded like the voice was right at the tip of his ear, it was at an acoustic sweet spot for sound but it wasn't yelling. It sounded like the voice was completely surrounding him, like he was the water and the jar was the voice. He heard nothing else around him, no monkeybats, no fire, nothing but the voice.

"Lonely boy . . . I want you to see me. Take me away. I trust you . . . Under your feet. Look . . . Take me to the river. I am the water to the fox's flame. You and I, my dear lonely boy. You and I."

When he first heard the voice it was like a state of nirvana, he felt complete nothingness as he hung on every word that was released into his mind. As the word was still hanging in the air the sound of fire crackling slowly began to flow back into his ears. Simon was so entranced that he couldn't think clearly. Simon truly had no idea how he was going to take something to the river that he couldn't see with his eyes. There was nothing that was under his foot since it was flat against the ground. That was when he looked under his foot and discovered that there was a black necklace that was barely visible if the voice had not mentioned it to him, especially since Simon hadn't noticed it when he first entered the gully. Simon picked it up carefully and not wanting to harm it he placed it gently around his neck. When he put it on he had a slight eerie feeling, why had this necklace felt so snug perfectly on his neck. It almost seemed like it was made for his skin.

Simon had no idea if he could be able to communicate with the voice again in the future if need be so he emptied the rocks that he had taken for protection out of his pocket and stuffed as many flowers that would fit in his pants (that were an absolute disgrace). Simon stayed on his knees as he thought about what he was going to do while as he sat he couldn't stop thinking about one line that was said in particular to him.

"Take me to the river. I am the water to the fox's flame"

Was it just a coincidence that he had picked up the mask of the fox and happened to start the fire that was now running rampant throughout the forest. Even though he would love to see this place burn to the ground for everything that it has done to his companions and himself there were so many things that could be learned about this place if any straight information could be gained in this place. So many advancements that could be made in the herbal medicine world. He didn't truly know what was going to happen bringing the necklace to the river but he figured that it would be the safest thing to do at the moment. With this thought Simon decided to start this leg of his journey, Simon wasn't sure what way the river was but he figured that he should head forward since he hadn't seen any rivers aside from the one that seemed to have healing properties but that seemed inaccessible at the moment because of the flames that Simon had provided.

As he started to walk he could feel that something had been observing him intensely but as he slowly turned around in a complete circle he hasn't spotted anything besides trees and flames. However Simon knew from what he had experienced so far that even though you can't see anything doesn't mean jack.

Robin stumbled into the dance, feet kicking up detriment and not quite matching the the girl’s silent tempo. Fireflies fluttered around them in their own private dance, and a soft pulsating purple light blanketed them as if the entire moment was alive. The light shone right through the girl, only illuminating her dirtied dress and the untouched flowers on her head. The ethereal seconds she danced dazed her, but it quickly passed as they continued their trek further into the ominous forest.

The owl flew ahead, garland in it’s grip, as blood leaked onto the flowers and the forest floor. The fireflies continued their dance ahead. Where they were going, Robin didn’t know, but there was nowhere to go but forward. Taking a brief moment to look behind her, Robin noticed all the lights had disappeared. She paused and stared at the darkness behind them; it was as if any presence behind them had disappeared. Only the void remained.

The smell of fire wafted in the air from an unidentifiable direction and she rushed ahead to meet the rest; the owl flew clumsily and disappeared from view, past a particularly thick throng of trees. they had emerged out into a clearing, where the sound of rushing water clashed with the screaming of the burning forest.

Robin froze, lantern still tucked under her shirt. They had only moved in a straight line—how was this possible? She took in her surroundings; two across the river on the side of the rampant flames; two on the metal bridge, a sturdy thing over a chaotic river; and the rest next to her, staring wide eyed at the strangers. Her eyes fell upon the green light coming from the boy. He clutched the lantern tightly to his chest as orb pulsated from within a familiar lantern.

The fire roared, its hungry tendrils reaching farther up into the night sky. The girl across the rapids crumpled to the floor, a dart imbedded in her neck, and a flash of white emerged in the bushes. Robin slowly moved backwards, keeping a steady eye on the rest of the people; she lifted the lantern, and it’s light grew in intensity, mirroring that of the green lantern.

The strangers would have to move to their side of the river to escape the fire, but Robin was hesitant to turn back and head into the forest. It was a tricky one that would most likely lead them to disarray. The green lantern that so closely mirrored her own must have some purpose--She stood close to MC and the flower girl, grounded by the determination to discover the truth and readying herself to react at the first sign of malice.

Giggling Eveline gracefully disengaged from the strange dance the girl's found themselves being lead in. The mild annoyance and trepidation at dissappearing was long gone as she continued to absorb her new friends, even the owl watching them with an annoyed glare did not send warning signs fluttering through the girl. But the voice of a male echoing in her mind gave her pause, a flicker of a darker emotion at the thought of something or someone breaching her solitude and personal space. She cared little that the voice had asked for help, if it was caught in the forest then it was his problem. Her scalp tingled slightly as the owl's talons scrapped across it claiming her flowers and the voice with it, crushing the bright white flower in its grasp the others glimmered undeterred in the soft glow of flowers, lantern, and the fire flies linking their path.

'Follow the lights child, if you wish to live, follow the lights.'

Another whisp of her nursery tales echoed back to her as she followed the others aware of the strange vermin scurry behind them, retreating back through them seemed ill-advised at best and her concern for the owl mixed with wanting her flowers back pushed her forward. Being alone in the forest was of little concern to the small woman, she had spent most of her childhood alone in the woods, playing games with animals and chasing her own shadow.

The pleasure of company was something new to her something foreign, and as the forest slithered and shaped around them she had a dark thought on just how long would their little peace last.

The smell of fire still carried the wind towards them, they walked in silence serene and enchanted none of them wanting to break the spell. The silent girl looked at the hand she held, mystified, she had never held hands with a boy before. This Robin's hand was softer then she thought it be, the rough calluses gave it texture and a story.

'How strange.'

Everyone else ignored the strange girl but here she was between a woman earlier decked in extrinsic designs of ringlets and sparkles and a messenger boy with soft hands that paid her mind and seemed honestly interested in her. Perhaps it was the ridiculousness of their situation that they had all been cast into that gave them this closeness of perhaps it was something more.

Distracted from her thoughts as the owl dropped into the tree with a heavy thud, she found herself slipping away from the others and in the tree moments later. No one had said the small girl wasn't quick as she nimbly made her way across the branch where the owl eyed her with a mix of annoyance and distrust. A reaction she was used to for once, she held up her hands in a reassuring gesture though she wasn't sure the creature could see it. Either way he had settled down enough for her to reach him. A cursory glance told her that while it was a bleeder it was superficial only having grazed the webbing on the bone. A sharp clank of his beak was meet by a hard stare that boaded for little argument as she slowly shifted the owl onto her lap ignoring his disapproving glare as she gently spread the wing out enough to properly examine the poor creature.

'Best not tell him you thought him hapless.'

She chuckled once at the thought before neatly tearing off a strip from her dresses hem, giving the owl an apologetic look as the make shift dressing, her fingers moving tenderly and lightly against his soft feathers, the glow from her garland still glasped in his talons made them glow a pleasant gold as she applied a make-shift field dressing to the wound. The exasperated look on his face making it seem like her efforts were unneeded but as she finished he released her flowers back into her care begrudgingly. A small attempt to pay back the services rendered.

A quick shake of her head as the flowers settled nicely back into their place, a happy smile as the intruding voice from before failed to re-emerge. Giggling she carefully allowed the owl to perch on her shoulder purposefully moving slowly as she left the tree favoring the lit path below. The others were waiting at the bed of a river, the fire raged like a wild beast devouring all in its path. The only breach was a bright metal bridge shimmering red in the firelight.

Eveline disliked the idea of having others intrude on their solitude as she slipped her hand back into Mc's giving the strangers a wary look.

The bright green lantern danced in tune with their purple one as the messenger boy held it high to illuminate their position.

Taking the chance she glanced back as the fire flies hung back away from the small clearing on the bank. Even the vermin would not venture close, they were wise. It was best not to get close to unknowns. Reaching out she tugged slightly on the boy's hand wanting to draw him and the other woman away from this place. The shifting and fidgeting of the owl echoed her sentiment as she followed his gaze to the battle adorned pair in the middle of the bridge. She disliked them almost as much as the voice that had entered her head. The desire to flee was at war with the desire to stay with those who seemingly accepted her as she was.

Caught between the two she once more waited silently to wait what unfolded, yet without the same amount of glee and excitement as the first time.

And so it was a bridge. It was smaller than she thought it would be but the waters rushing neath it was deeper than she thought, for unlike the bridge she knew back home, there were no giant rocks breaking the flow of the loud, rushing river.

Hazel eyes widened as she caught glimpses of the silhouettes madly dashing away from the fire, panick-stricken and desperate to live. But she saw their fate unfold in cold dark splashes. And so tears streamed down her face, cutting bitter paths down her dirtied cheeks as she realized she could not save them. Animals were leaping into the rapids, swept away before even getting a few feet in. Dozens of bodies, hurtling downstream, tumbling, tossing, gasping and begging for freedom from this nightmare, but finding little to no reprieve. MC was watching them die and there was not a single thing she could do about it; for all her strength and athletic prowess, Mia-Canta was rendered helpless. Si, Mama was right. This was truly where the bad girls go.

This truly was Hell.

She was never going home.

They were going to be tortured here.

Forever.

And ever.

They had already lost one--

“--y nunca mas...! Me lo prometí a mí mismo!!!” For even in Hell, MC would never break her promises. Especially to herself. Grandma always said those were the most important ones because those were the easiest to break.

Quickly she swept the tears from her eyes, then covered them with clenched fists as she took stock of the current events and how to escape this predicament.

The fireflies that lined our path went no further; just at the shores. Senior Buho took the flower girl's headdress but did not harm it. The shooters most likely were after them. Banditos. Pirates, said the images from Mister Owl. (She gave a couple of kicks and stomped at the rats that followed them when she thought of the Banditos. These rats drinking blood and those following them would most likely love to see this Owl dead now, for all those rats cared). The purple light shone bright at the other light. The green one. Living. Trapped in steel, said the images from Senior Buho. On the other side. Fire raging on the other side of the bridge. The fireflies went no further. Shooters behind. Promise to new friends. Bridge over deeper water. Deeper...? For what reasons? Could something pass? Of course!!!

“Hello! We go!” MC had to raise her voice over the sound of the rushing waters. She pointed at the bridge, “That do... like this, no?”

Both arms she held at shoulder height and bent at the elbows, both sets of fingers touching each other just in front of her breasts; a straight but connected line in two parts. She made clicking noises as she broke that line by lifting her forearms upward and away from each other as if creating the letter 'A.'

She then flexed her arms, making her biceps bulge then she pointed at the three of them there. Again she pointed at the bridge then pantomimed turning a crank with much difficulty.

With her left hand, she then pointed to the way they came and pantomimed shooting arrows, them smacked her forehead, “Ay! Los banditos idiotos!” Then with her right hand she pointed across the bridge and threw her hands up, fingers twitching as if pulling on invisible harp strings, “Oh, peligro! Fuego! Whooosh!”

Once again she pointed to the bridge, “Okay. There,” she then looked away with a shy smile, “mis amigas be okay there...” But little did she know that there were two more beings upon the bridge, just near, oh so near the spot she sought.

She could not help but feel that sudden, yet strange comfort Eveline had felt earlier about their little group here. Suddenly she looked up and pointed to the green light. “Light verde need MC, Robin y... 'Senorita Florita Feliz.' Sooooooo... we take!”

The only sign of the flower girl now was the owl on her shoulder and the floating garments and headdress. She turned to the owl and gave shy smile and respectful nod, impressing upon it a mental hug after feeling its pain earlier; hopefully he was not too upset with Eveline helping him out. “You go? O quedarse con nosotros? Stay here? We help you, okay, Senior... Grunon... heheh...”

“Hello, Senorita Florita Feliz. You take away? No see no more?” she tapped the garland and the shoulders of Eveline's dress. She would take the items if given. Happily. With a smirk. And a sly raise of an roan eyebrow. Then a bite of her lower lip. Hazel eyes trying desperately to look away and not imagine what she could not see right at this moment. Si, she would take the items if given.

MC then turned to Robin and pointed to the sexless being's green eyes then pantomimed the spinning of a crank once more but this time turning it with much urgency, “We see like that? Fast, we do!”

Once to the left then to the right did MC stretch her long neck. Long strong arms spun in circles as she limbered up. Rapid popping noised sounded out as she cracked her knuckles. A nod to each of her companions. A wry smirk pulled up at the corner of her mouth as she punted away a bloodrat for good measure. She let out a slow calming breath as she lowered herself into a runners pose.

“Rapido, amigas, no?” MC said, muscles wound up like a spring under massive tension, “mas rapido que El Diablo.”

“Vamos!!” MC sprung away, hell bent towards the bridge.

"How many times will the ground swallow me up?", Talan muttered to himself as he got up from the wet metal surface. Rhea was still coughing as she leaned against the bridge railing before Talan helped her to her feet. "Are you alright?", he asked before carefully feeling around him. What he was hoping to find was unknown. A light source maybe? Whatever it was what he found was something else entirely. The only thing he could see was the violet light across the bridge and the familiar green glow. Could it be the light of the lantern? Before he contemplated his options Talan noticed the approaching inferno upstream. It was nearing fast and once again his instincts kicked in. He felt around for Rhea's hand and trapped her once he found it. With his eyes on the flames Talan's attention to his surroundings was limited which caused him to run into the handle and pull it down with him as he tripped slightly. He didnt pay much attention to it and simply continued on leading Rhea to the green light.

One minute she was there motivating him to continue. The next she was lying with a dart in her neck. Kituo cringed as he watched the girl fall but he did not dwindle on it for too long. Instead, he kept pushing towards the light in search of salvation from the hell that was torturing him. He wanted to feel bad for not stopping to check on her but he couldn't. As of right now his survival was of utmost importance for multiple reasons - or at least he thought so. At the moment he was the self appointed guardian for whatever was encased by the egg within the lantern. If it fell int the wrong hands then they would be finished.

The flames were at his heels, his skin peeling as the heat brushed against his ankles. The sound of water patted down his nerves. While it was unlikely, perhaps they would finally be able to extinguish the out of control blaze. Either way, when a fire was going on, water was never bad. All the more incentive for Kituo not to give up. He continued until he came to a bridge which hung above turbulent rapids. Kituo gulped at the thought of falling in and exhaled before taking another step forward. Towards the heart of the bridge he saw two people - one of them looking familiar. Were his eyes deceiving him? Maybe they were. He wasn't prepared to believe them.

The purple light still demanded Kituo's attention and he smiled as it beckoned him. Underneath its shine he could make out three figures which he assumed were also human. Relief settled into Kituo but it did not get comfortable. While his loneliness was short lived, the fire was fast gaining. Were the people before him aware of the inferno? Kituo did not know. Therefore, he decided to approach, his knees wobbling as he tackled the bridge. Hopefully he wasn't making another mistake. Odds were he probably was.

Fire thundered hot and wild behind Kituo. Its hellish reflection glowed in the roaring rapids. Silhouettes of animals ran crashing through the brush, flung themselves to escape from the fire, were swept away by swirling devouring water. They thrashed underneath the bridge and were gone in the spray.

The bridge was covered in runes that sparkled with each step Kituo took. The green lantern brightened softly. To each side, strings of little round light bulbs sputtered and flickered their meager light as he drew close; they reacted to the lantern's proximity, and faded again as Kituo passed.

Ahead, the dark figure of the monkeybat-slayer stood with another cloaked figure, shuffling and groping for balance on the damp bridge.

Far on the opposite shore, a violet lantern was raised up, illuminating the boyish figure that held it, a disembodied dress, an owl with a cloth-wrapped wing, and a fierce woman in a poncho that flung in the air while she gestured urgently.

The woman in the poncho suddenly sprang onto the bridge and sprinted barefoot toward Talan and the woman.

Talan stumbled over a protrusion in the bridge and then rushed toward Kituo, towing behind him a young woman in a deep cloak and high boots. She screeched something unintelligible over the deafening thunder of wind and fire.

The bridge vibrated under Kituo's feet. Should he look back, he would find that a portion of the bridge -- from just behind his heels to the edge of the shore -- had vanished. Where he had just been walking was now only rushing water. The vibrations stopped as quickly as they had come; the bridge remained solid and steady over the rapids, though it hung in midair above the rapids, disconnected from the shores.

Anise's unconscious body, left behind in the weeds, was dragged into the tall grasses by something unseen. Her feet disappeared into the brush. The nightstick was all that remained of the courageous princess.

Simon appeared out of the fire itself, or so it seemed. He was coated in ash, two masks hung at his hip, and something glowed softly blue at his chest.

The water that rushed under the bridge was shifting. Foamy sprays crashed up over the bridge and clawed at the shores.


Fire thundered hot and wild behind the green lantern on the shore. The inferno's hellish reflection glowed in the roaring rapids. Silhouettes of animals ran crashing through the brush, flung themselves to escape from the fire, were swept away by swirling devouring water. They thrashed underneath the bridge and were gone in the spray.

Kituo stepped onto the bridge toward Talan. As he walked, strings of little round light bulbs sputtered and flickered their meager light; they reacted to the lantern's proximity, and faded again as Kituo passed.

On the opposite shore, a violet lantern was raised up, illuminating the boyish figure that held it, a disembodied dress, an owl with a cloth-wrapped wing, and a fierce woman in a poncho that flung in the air while she gestured urgently.

The woman in the poncho suddenly sprang onto the bridge and sprinted barefoot toward Talan and Rhea. But Talan was already on his way toward Kituo, and had tripped over the crank in the bridge. The bridge under their feet began to vibrate and clink and clatter.

"Wait!" Rhea hollered, stumbling helplessly after him, weak and dizzy, slipping in the spray of water. "Are you insane? Who is that?!"

The last few feet of the bridge behind Kituo had drawn under and away from the shore, disconnecting the bridge from dry land. But the bridge remained steady and strong, despite the fact that it seemed to hang in midair above the rapids.

Talan might make out a figure stepping out of the inferno behind Kituo, but at this distance it was near impossible to make out Simon's face. It was clear that something blue was glowing at the younger man's chest. As Simon drew closer to the edge of the water, the rapids changed and swirled and tossed spray high in the air.


Eveline had completely vanished. The owl sat puffed on her shoulder, delicately leaning its bandaged wing against her head. But when Mia-Canta asked for the garland and the dress, the owl understood and flopped and fluttered to the branch of a nearby fallen tree. He sat there like a puff of feathers with glaring eyes.

Images from the owl's consciousness told Mia-Canta that he thought her flopping gestures were as helpful as a three-legged goat, that whatever she planned was insane, and that he would not help her if she got herself swept away by the current or skewered by the pirates in the middle of the bridge. These images were sarcastically vivid. But she might also pick up the owl's very strong desire to protect Eveline. He shifted a little closer to the invisible flower girl, and had no trouble knowing where she was even if she agreed to strip naked at Mia-Canta's request.

Mia-Canta rushed off over the bridge. Two pirates, silhouetted against the brightness of the fire, turned and ran away from her. They ran toward the green light, which was now clearly a lantern held up by a dark-haired boy, who moved steadily toward them. Little strings of lights hanging above the bridge flickered to life as the green lantern passed, and were dark again when left behind.

One of the pirates tripped over a crank but soon picked himself up and dragged the smaller cloaked one along. A female voice screeched something unintelligible over the roar of the rapids and the thunder of the inferno.

The bridge vibrated. From where Robin and Eveline stood, they could see the end of the bridge detach from the shore; the last four feet of the bridge detached from the shore with a click and a clatter of spinning gears; the detached length of metal dipped down and folded underneath the bridge. The bridge now appeared to be hovering in midair over the roaring rapids, with four feet of empty water between the shore and the bridge.


Fire roared hot and smoky around him; trees crashed behind him, heat scalded his clothes. The gully was long devoured by the flames. But Simon would feet a cool tug of guidance through the brush, toward clearer air to breathe, toward the sound of rushing water. The fire would not destroy him, a soothing reassurance echoed in his head. Trust me.

Eventually he came to the edge of rushing rapids, and a curious sight. A strong and steady metal bridge hovered in midair over the rapids. Each end was separated from the shore by four feet of emptiness. If Simon wished to get onto the bridge, he would have to jump for it.

There were people on the bridge: Kituo, with the green lantern, walked toward the center of the bridge -- strings of little lights flickered to light above Kituo's head, and went dark as he passed -- while Talan and another cloaked woman ran toward Kituo. Behind them, a tall woman in a poncho ran after Talan.

On the opposite shore glowed a violet lantern, held by a boyish figure. Next to the figure was a very familiar owl, sitting puffed with a wing bandaged.

Anise and Tyaelaem were nowhere in sight.

The rushing water swirled and splashed high, and Simon would have the distinct feeling that the water reacted to the pendant around his neck.

"Hold up the stone, my dear," the voice whispered in Simon's ear. She was eager and breathy, longing for the water. "Call them for me, for I have not the strength. Show them what shape to take. Call the spirits of the water, and imagine a beast of strength and speed."

After leaving the gully and wandering for a bit he felt like he was being guided by a rope tied to his wrist, gently showing him the way to the river. To be honest he had never felt this safe and relaxed the whole time that he had been in this nightmare, he felt like he was partaking in a nice stroll. As he walked along he could feel more warmth than he had ever felt yet however he was not getting burned physically, the same couldn't be said about his clothes. The shirt that he was wearing was now nothing but ash that clung to his skin, the full length pants that he wore were not longer down to his feet they now ended at his knee caps. He was no longer wearing shoes either, those he had kicked off along the way, he was currently enjoying how the earth felt under his feet. The only thing that stopped him from blending in with the surroundings was the baby blue light that the necklace was emitting from his chest.

Simon had made it to the crest of the hill and started to make a decent towards the river that had now creeped into his sight, he could now also see the light of green and purple shining, the former being closer than the latter. Simon was taking his time getting down the hill while there was other wildlife that was sprinting past him as fast as they could, like their lives depended on it and quite frankly it did. As he made it further down the hill he noticed that the green light was being coming from the side of what looked like a human being. Could it be the same one that had carried it before he had broke path from everyone else, could it be Kituo!?

He wasn't really shocked to see that there were other people next to the lantern again if it was Kituo, but what had shocked Simon a little was the fact that it looked like he was standing on a bridge that had been levatating in mid-air since there was nothing physically holding up either side of the bridge. Either that or his mind/eyes were playing tricks on him. He had started to head towards them slowly but the spirit had obviously detected what he was doing and decided to intervene. He heard that same assuring voice inside of his head that has done nothing besides help him so far.

"Hold up the stone, my dear,"
"Call them for me, for I have not the strength. Show them what shape to take. Call the spirits of the water, and imagine a beast of strength and speed."

He thought this last request was a little strange, especially since he hasn't summoned anything that he had noticed since he was only an apprentice apothecary. He was just going off of what extremely little information was being whispered into his ear from an unknown entity. Summoning stuff wasn't something in his wheelhouse, however that darn rabbit mentioned some stuff about Sooth-saying whatever that meant. Simon hadn't seen Tyaelaem since he took off maybe the fire had fried his rabbit ass, to bad he wasn't around because he was quite hungry.

When Simon got 90 feet away from the river he could feel a strong emotion starting to course throughout his whole body, he started to feel fearless and strong. He started to start jogging down to the river. When he got to 60 feet away from the river he felt like he was going to win a marathon, he started to run towards the river with a smile on his face. He now started to notice that the closer that he got to the river the more it started to change. When he got to 30 feet he could feel his blood starting to rush through him faster than he could ever remember. He decided to do what felt most natural at the moment and got down on all four limbs and started running like a black panther. Instead of just imagining it his body took over and embodied the physique of the black panther. As Simon took one giant leap into the sprays of water leaping upward he shouted " Water Spirits I plead for your assistance! " Just before he made contact with the water a bright blue light blinded Simon.

Running across the bridge Talan watched as the forest became frenzied. Animals lunging into the river below to escape the flames. He thought about doing the same but not long after the waters became rough and surviving the current could be trouble. Over the noise of the crashing waves he could hear Rhea call out to him, "Are you insane? Who is that?!" Talan stopped not because he heard her but because he saw the flames behind Kituo and the figure within the blaze. Growing up he was told of stories about spirits of fire that would kill you if angered. Could this be the reason for the forest fire? Did they anger this fire spirit? It didn't matter because it began to run on all fours and to Talan's surprise it became a panther! "I hate this forest...", he muttered to himself before turning to Rhea. "I know the one who carries that lantern, he is not a Kith", Talan wasn't sure if Rhea believed him and before she had time to answer he continued saying "I trusted you now it's time for you to do the same!"

Talan began to wave for Kituo for him to run over to them. He wouldn't stay long as the fire was still approaching, he waited for only a moment before leading Rhea towards the purple light on the other side of the bridge. This was when he was out of ideas. Another human could be seen approaching them from the opposite end of the bridge but this person he was not familiar with. If it was a Kith he'd take his chances as he'd rather fight a Kith than be engulfed in fire. The gods truly have forsaken this place. He hadn't been running for long when an intense blue light originating from the water has illuminated the bridge and he caught a glimpse of the figure approaching from the purple light. It was a woman, at least it looked like a woman, Talan had no idea what a Kith really looked like. He glanced back to see if the fire spirit was still pursuing them but it had vanished. "One less problem to be concerned with at least", he said aloud although he wasn't sure if Rhea heard that.

A shrill crawled out of Kituo's mouth as he saw the section of the bridge behind that was behind him was no more. He was stunned, his legs locked in place as he tried to register what just happened. The lantern still snug against him and the fire close enough on his tail, he was prompted to resume his walk towards the purple light. Kituo's stomach felt jittery for he knew it would only be a matter of time before he was faced with his next trouble. He twitched while walking through the balls of the light towards his destination. Eyes squinted, he struggled to make out the details of those who awaited him at the center of the bridge. Okay - they weren't exactly awaiting him it seemed. Where they coming for him?

He heard a voice boom from the bridge's center. It sounded familiar. Was it one of the others from before? He thought back to the girl who was with him just literally a few minutes ago. She had seem so confident and capable of enduring their present debacle, but alas she too had fallen. Kituo was traumatized as he reflected on her. So far he had witnessed at least three deaths since his awakening in the forest. First there was that small man who had gotten devoured and then there was the spear bearer - who he really thought was the most likely to survive out of them all giving his strength. Now that girl was gone. Kituo shuddered. Cowards like him weren't meant to last long under circumstances. If the forest was taking out all of the strong people then a weakling like him was sure to die sooner or later.

Therefore, he had no choice but to make the most out of the time he had left. Even though he was always proven wrong, he was sure there was no way things could get worse. He was trapped on a bridge with a fire surging behind him. He could go forward towards the purple shine but there were unknown entities in his path. Since it was already established that the forest was home to some uncanny beings, he wasn't too keen on taking his chances. Alas, he didn't have any other options. Whether the fire could reach him or not was as much of an uncertainty as his probability of returning home. He just hoped that whoever was out there was at least human.

"M-my name's Kituo!" He shouted to those at the bridge's center, his voice a squeaky whimper. "I-I don't mean any harm!"

If they weren't of the same intent then he was screwed.

And so she had acted without thinking again. And so she had broken her promise. And so again, she was Sabana. Nothing to do but flop away in the wind like a listless white linen pinned to a string. Even Senior Buho let her know exactly what Mia-Canta was. It was just like back home. Sabana. I am useless as white sheet. And so she stumbled now, nearly toppling head over heels.

A dagger piercing her heart was the reason she stumbled now, not because she was sprinting barefoot upon the wet, metalic surface of the bridge. It truly was just like back home. In her secret heart, the voice of truth triumphed against her heart that she wore upon her sleeve: “They love her more than you.”

The impressions in her head from Senior Buho stuck with her. His protective, almost affectionate, reaction to the invisible flower girl. “Just like how Grandma would coddle Maria-Dulce when she was fallen... even Mama and Papi helped up your much better, graceful and worthy sister... and what would they tell you, Sabana? How did they help you?”

They did not. They just let Mia-Canta get up on her own. They left Mia-Canta on the dusty and dirty road. “Not because Mia-Canta was the youngest, no, o no... it was because Mia-Canta was--”

“¡¡Callate!! ¡¡¡Ay come mierda, callate!!!”

Hazel eyes widened, brown hands shot upward and covered up the offensive, dirty mouth of a bad girl. A bad girl that deserved her fate here. “Look at the fire. Of course, she was a bad girl, she was in H--”

Both hands blew away with her outrage, “¡¿Una y otra vez?! ¡¡¡Callate!!!” the Latina exclaimed at the top of her lungs. The power of words. And defiance from a good girl. A hard-working special girl. It was enough for her to regain her balance and begin sprinting again.

Both hands reached up to her braids and she unleashed the clickety-clackety things with all care cast away, abandoned to the whims of the howling winds. Feathers, beads, baubles, trinkets and shiny pretty things, dazzled away in the lantern light, dancing, flowing, freed now and chasing behind her.

The pirates in front of her stood in the way of her redemption. Hazel eyes shone with the reflection of the raging inferno now. Fists clenched tighter, eyes glinted brighter, as the intensity of her entire being draped down all over her, red-brown eyebrows lowering, scowling in time with her intent.

I screwed it up trying to be quiet. Trying to be something I'm not. Quiet down or the others will be killed by your actions... it did not matter in the end now did it...? It never does! I keep screwing up!!! It never changes!!

“¡¡¡Nunca mas!!!” she screeched as she untied her poncho. In this fight, the pirates would kill her, for she did not know how to fight pirates. But she was fast... and sneaky. A special girl... soooo special but she needed was some help to get by these two... Abuelita... help.. please... I know I was not the best child, but I am in Hell and I need your help! Please, I--

Her prayers were answered in a flash of blazing blue the colour of the Heavens above.

The pirate looked away towards the blue light just momentarily. It was enough. Strong arm muscles flexed and she screamed: “BOOOO~~!!!” as she flung her poncho at them. It spread out at the duo, like a wildly coloured phantom attempting to swallow both pirates whole, its bead lined maw whooshing towards them, special feathers MC hid therein angling out like soft teeth from the ether.

Mia-Canta ducked her head down low, skimpy top now exposed, clinking away, braids whipping behind her as she kept running but not towards the green lantern bearer. No, for she had seen the ploy of the scruffy looking pirate; he had kicked the handle and sent it spinning. That was the reason why, she was stranded upon this bridge. Her friends left behind with Senior Buho de Grunon and the Banditos that shot at him.

The green lantern bearer stood before her speaking words that just would not translate in her head right now. A strong brown chin snapped up at the stranger, braids clapping with her curt motion, affirming their defiance at the lantern bearer. She held herself up to the strangely exotic dark skinned male. Exotic and curious yes. But she would deal with him later. She held up a palm to his face; there were a couple of friend she needed on this bridge with her right now.

Mia-Canta spit in one hand, then the other. She rubbed her palms together quickly as she glanced at the animals tumbling helplessly in the churning waters, lit up in gorgeous orange just before they bobbed out of view into the darkness or dipped under the demands of the choking waters for the final time. I cannot save you... I am soooo soorry... but please at least let me save them. Mis amigas. Bring them to me. My friends.

Both hands grabbed at the handle of the giant gear. With every fibre of her being, she spun that thing in the opposite direction.

I keep screwing up...! I keep screwing up...! I keep screwing up...! was her cadence and focus as with each turn of the wheel.

I keep screwing up...!

His eyes stung with smoke; his tattered clothes scraped and singed; his tender feet bled; intense heat pushed at his back; an inferno and the snarl of a panther roared in his ears.

The shimmering ghost of a panther -- sparkling blue -- enveloped Simon's body. His hands were its paws, his teeth were its fangs, an ethereal tail sliced the air behind him, his eyes seemed to glow the same blue as the stolen stone around his neck.

Water thundered, seethed, hissed, and crashed below.


Rhea's face turned momentarily to his, open with wary confusion. What she saw in him was a madman, or a man on the verge of madness: painted in blood and gashes, draped with bones and skins, with a promise in the set of his shoulders that he wouldn't hesitate to kill for his own survival. It was why she had chosen him. He had something to live for.

Their ears were full of the roar of flames and the thunder of water, and the screams of a banshee woman that ran full-tilt along the cold bridge. Rhea stood close to Talan, a dagger in her free hand intended for the banshee approaching, but a blue flash over the water reflected horrified disbelief in her eyes.

She knew what that blue stone could do.

"Get down," Rhea whispered, her voice nearly drowned by the crashing, roiling water. Waves lashed up into the sky, glimmering red in the firelight. The foam had teeth.


clank . . . clank . . . click, click, click, click . . .

The bridge vibrated under their feet, and gears turned.

Robin and Eveline would see the missing piece of the bridge extend toward them, lifting up out of the darkness below while the water hissed and splashed and snarled higher. Behind them, the fireflies had gathered.

The fire illuminated everything now; the wet bridge glistened orange and red. The green lantern glowed brightly at the opposite end.

Something bright and blue dove off the cliff at the opposite shore and plummeted toward the rocks below. It was ethereal, like the spirit of an animal throwing itself into oblivion to escape the devouring inferno. At its chest, a blue light flashed bright.

The owl suddenly flapped and screeched, a piercing sound so close to Robin's and Eveline's ears. But it was Mia-Canta who understood; he was screeching at her: Hurry!



The green lantern flashed bright, as if to counter the light of the falling blue stone.

The ethereal panther disappeared into the seething water. The rapids illuminated from within; the water itself glowed in the same way the panther had glowed before it had sacrificed itself to the waves.

The water suddenly went very still, and very bright, like the moon glowed from beneath it.

click, click, click --

Mia-Canta's efforts had nearly repaired the bridge. The ends once again touched the shores, and had only yet to lock in place --

And then, in a blink, chaos erupted.

For Robin, time slowed down. Just like the moment when the pirate's arrow had drifted spinning toward her, everything now moved in slow-motion. She would see the paws, teeth, and glowing blue eyes of the giant watery panthers that surged out of the waterbed. The water itself had formed into the shape of hundreds of panthers -- each the size of a small house -- that now leaped up and over both shores.

They rose up just in front of Robin and Eveline, towering high and curling gracefully over them, blocking the light of the inferno, reflecting the violet light of the lantern. No fewer than four of those watery beasts would soon crash down on top of Robin and Eveline. Droplets of water sprinkled their faces.

The violet lantern glowed bright, and the fireflies so slowly moved forward, but whatever they might possibly do would not be in time.

Meanwhile, the panthers had surged up beneath the bridge, and the bridge was moving and twisting away from the shores. Robin could see the end of the bridge curling away from the shore in front of her, and the people on it slowly losing their balance, only just beginning to realize something was wrong.

To everyone else, it all happened in an instant.

ROAR CRASH RUMBLE CREAK-CLINK-GROOAANN SNAP!

Torrents of water suddenly surged upward all around the bridge, soaking it and everyone on it, and all anyone could see or hear was water and foam.

The bridge twisted and shook and tilted and snapped.

The bridge ripped away from the shores, fell among the watery torrents, banged against the rocks to either side. The gears splintered and hurtled in all directions.

CRASH

They were momentarily underwater, before the current ripped the bridge along the strengthened rush of glowing water.

The bridge hurtled like a runaway toboggan down the deeper tract, carried by waters wild and deep.

The purple light from the lantern mingled with the orange of the fire, casting an eerie shade on Robin and what was left of Eveline. She stood staring silently at the scene in front of her, unsure what to do when MC rushed past, her poncho and trinkets violently whipping in the wind.

“Wait!” She exclaimed and reached out, merely to brush the tips of the flowing cloth. She could do nothing but stand by Eveline and watch as the woman ran to the crank in the middle of the bridge after the first section of the bridge on either side had folded onto itself.

The bridge groaned with each turn on the handle, and the folded sections of the bridge slowly stretched themselves to the shore; it happened in the span of a few seconds, no one showing any signs of ill intent. She heard the faint proclamation of good will from the boy holding the green lantern behind the metallic sounds of metal grinding upon metal.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a blue light on the other side of the bridge, and watched breathlessly as a large panther shaped itself around another boy with a stone hanging around his neck. It leapt into the water, and MC still hadn’t finished securing the bridge. Robin clenched her hands tightly, nails digging into her palms, and crouched, preparing to whatever action she deemed necessary.

The water shone an impossible ethereal blue as the rapids calmed momentarily, overcoming the violent light of the hungry flames. There was a palpable stillness in the air; the fire raged on in front of her, and her heart skipped a beat, eyes tracing each individual—something was coming. The first panthers broke the water’s surface faster than she could blink, and dozens of the animals ripped themselves away from the indiscernible mass of the river.

Robin’s eyes dilated. Her heart rate stilled and the only thing she could hear was the sound of rushing water. Her head felt like it was about to split and the roaring of something intangible overcame her entire being. She watched listlessly as the panthers threatening to crush her and Eveline came to a halt, soaring so slowly above of them. With practiced ease, Robin picked up Eveline and walked to the forest to set her down near the light of the aggregated fireflies.

Her mind was steady as she returned to the front of the bridge. It was slowly breaking away from itself as the torrents of water leapt above its surface and consumed all it could. She moved swiftly, dodging the panthers that loomed over her and reached MC, who had let go of the lever and was about to fall into the water. Robin looked back at the shore—it would splinter to the point of no return before she would be able to bring MC back with her; a tangle of shapes in the water pushed incessantly at the side of the bridge and would inevitably destroy the only pathway back to safety.

As she gazed upon the still images of falling humans, panic etched on their faces, and the forms of water that threatened to overtake them, the lantern in her grip glowed gently, unburdened by time. She grabbed MC and continued moving forward, holding the lantern high in front of her. Robin felt an immense calm envelope her being as she approached the boy, face twisted in an expression of fear, and felt the orbs inside both lanterns react with intensity as she got closer. She did not look back, but knew that Eveline sat safely on the other side, and that the water had reached the surface of the bridge, crushing it in an instance that felt like infinity.

Holding tightly to MC, Robin gripped the hand of the boy, letting the lanterns clink against each other in a moment of what she felt was euphoric satisfaction. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, letting the combined, increasing light of the lanterns blind her, as the sound of rushing water and crackling fire roared back to life.

In An Instance

Eveline barely registered MC offer to hold her clothes, displeased at the thought of having her flowers taken from her again before the strange woman took off towards the bridge.

It all seemed unreal, the shimmering blue light choosing the murky depths, much like the torrent cries of the animals damned to choose between the burning flames and the turbulent waters, the bridge folding on itself, the green light holder yelling words that failed to reach her ears as he made his way towards the two warriors in the middle, the strange woman who smelt of spice and dirt letting her hair fly free behind her yelling out something in that harsh tongue of hers, attempting to stabilize the bridge, the harsh clanking of gears seemed to summon a fury of blue specters, wild cats in shape, to the shores and air around all of them making the flower child back away from the shore back towards the safety of the forest as the messenger boy picked her up, granted she weighed little to start with, and placed her back within the circle of fireflies their soft glow gleaming off her dress and flowers before taking off towards the bridge leaving the slender girl alone as she watched the boy take off into the water.

'The forest isn't happy...'

Her thought was accompanied by the sharp cry from her owl friend as he warily circled the area the rest had disappeared at in the river, before returning to perch on a branch nearby. Eveline watched as the waters lapped at the edge of the shore bed taking a note from the owl's page and seeking safety in higher ground scaling a nearby tree the familiarity of the rough wood under her feet offered slight comfort as she watched the wild cats curiously.

'Magic? Maybe...but it seems wrong...harrowed..'

She mused softly observing them before shaking her head. She had better things to worry about. flower child had a decision to make. Should she seek safety in the depths of the forest, still unsure of its wonders and dangers or follow the river in hopes to find where her friends would wash ashore at. She fidgeted slightly debating with herself, she had little need to keep others as company, she would be fine on her own but they had been nice to her. There was no scorn or begrudged kindness to their actions, they seemed genuine, the rest of them she could care little about but the other lantern was interesting to her as well.

The owl clicked its beak at her in annoyance, watching the ghostly figures as his feathers ruffled in displeasure before flying off as if called away by an unheard source flying low and fluttering over the river, even the fireflies below her soon dissipated down stream as if falling the same call.

'Perhaps they know something I don't..anything is better then this..'

Nodding slightly at the thought the flower girl gave one last glance towards the blue specters before leaping from her tree to another, running a hand along the trunk for balance as she followed the fireflies and owl. As she moved the roar of the river and fire seemed to dull, all that she could focus on was the soft sound of her breathing and the soft crunch of bark under her feet. The constant thrum of her heart seem to egg her on after them. The thrill was back, the wonder of a new forest, of one not truly tainted y the greedy hands of humans, a soft giggle escaping the girls lips as she continued to travel through the trees the soft light of the fire flies illuminating the way in front of her.

The darkness around her felt uneasy as if something was lurking patiently content with watching the outcome of the days events, after all the day never ended and the sun never rose.

“Hurry!!!” the single word from Senior Buho was an arrow piercing through her thick skull.

Of course she was hurrying, but from what that word and... experience the owl relayed to MC, she could tell that what she was doing was actually helping. And as tired as her arms were now, as much sweat that dotted her upper lip and brow now, as much as her mind told her her attempts were futile, si, she would keep going, but no, she would dare not keep her hopes up.

She dared not yet.

The bridge rumbled and the gears grumbled as she spun that wheel, fighting to halt the unstoppable and attempting to defy the impossible. But she was almost there. Almost there. Senior Buho's anticipation filled her mind like wings of hope spreading, daring to fly into pitch black and howling stormy skies. But she dared not smile.

She dared not yet.

A single glance she afforded over her shoulder and she saw what her endevours had accomplished. The bridge connected! Her friends would have a chance to jump onto the bridge. She would have saved them. Sabana could shed that name and they would love her, they would hug her, for she, Mia-Canta Suzanne Risalinda Lasperritas, would have saved them. And now, only now under the dark skies, against the raging rapids, flaming inferno and murderous pirates chasing them, only now did she dare smile. MC did something right.

And so now she dared.

A fond smile, would soon begin to break into a full grin for she did not screw u--

ROAR CRASH RUMBLE CREAK-CLINK-GROOAANN SNAP!

MC was unceremoniously tossed away from the crank and flung painfully against the railing on the other side of the bridge. But somehow she managed to hold on and keep from hurtling over the edge. And now another somehow, a miraculously curious somehow, the sexless beautiful Robin appeared and was clutching desperately at her arm; the messenger's fingertips were digging deep into MC's bicep enough to make the Latina yelp. It was like a death grip.

Regardless of how impossible it was that Robin seemed to 'blink' into existence out of nowhere, MC did not feel relief. Not yet. No, for right now there was no time to feel but only to react. With her other arm she looped it tighter around the railing as if she were giving the metalic bar some kind of headlock. This reaction was her saving grace because the bridge was caught in the current, broken free and about to--

CRASH!!!

Oh, the water. Sooooo much water. Wild rampaging amounts of it by the tonnes, driving into her mouth and nose. For a second she thought she was going to die, die in Hell, but the cold surging wet let her go and she coughed out violently most of what had forced its way into her lungs. And still she held on to the railing for dear life and hopefully against all hopes, her dear friend was still latched onto her arm.

The roar of the rapids sounded like an insane beast promising more madness and pain to the survivors, laughing in time with the glow and pulsing light of its slick, wet insides. Survivors not for long, it seemed to taunt.

Survivors...

She had not given up a name and so MC had called her Senorita Florita Feliz.

If Robin was still beside her, MC would summon enough strength to pull the messenger close enough to fondly, if but only momentarily, brush her brown cheek against the other females olive one. A promise she kept for one friend. And for the other...?

Hello, Mister Owl, long, dark lashed lids snapped close over hazel eyes, red-brown eyebrows furrowed together as she spread the wings of her thoughts towards the others back on shore, We will find you. Please be safe. Green and Violet lighted lanterns will hopefully be with us. We will find you and Lil' Miss Happy Flower...

The titan panthers plummeted, thundered and surged into the woods. Water foamed and roared and swirled between the trunks of the trees, while Eveline made her nimble way among the branches above. The cool air filled with sprays of water, and though the stars above were shadowed by smoke, a rainbow glimmered in the light of the inferno.

On the opposite shore, the wild watery panthers leaped and darted among the roaring flames. Steam hissed and rose in white clouds with the smoke; charred broken trees emerged, crackling, as the fire gave way. As the panthers conquered the flames, the light dimmed behind Eveline, leaving her with only the pulsing glow of the fireflies and the peeking glimmer of stars to guide her.

The water that had been thrashing the trees below her slowly calmed, and then receded; the tide pulled back, away from the trees and into the ravine where it belonged, leaving behind a carnage of broken bramble, mud, and deep shining puddles on the ravaged ground under Eveline's high path. There was no more sign of the bridge or those that had been swept along with it, whether they were alive or dead.

The forest had been silenced by fear of the flames; the only sounds were the rush of water in the ravine, the creak of boughs under Eveline's gentle weight, and the quiver of the owl's feathers as he led the way through the dark.

And then, he stretched out his talons and lighted, flapping, on a low branch. "Hoo-ho-hoo," he muttered, and he shifted and blinked and tilted his head at something shining in a puddle below. It was a dark stone on a dark metal chain -- and attached to it was a boy.

The unconscious boy was fair-skinned with dark hair, and he wore charred and tattered clothes and no shoes on his feet. The dark chain with the dark stone was around his neck. A crumpled white flower peeked out from the hem of his trousers. A white wooden mask in the likeness of a fox was pinned under his shirt in the mud.



While the water sprayed and roared all around, the glass of both lanterns shattered; both lights brightened and blinded like little hot suns.

The thunderous noise of the water became muffled; the bridge no longer thrashed against the rocks, although it still raced among the churning rapids and showers of foam and spray drenched them all.

They careened between the high black rocks of the ravine for hours, or perhaps only a few moments -- time moved at an uncertain pace when the world rushed by as wet dark silhouettes in a flash of green and purple light.

And then, quite suddenly, they were falling.

The bridge flung over the edge of a minor waterfall, snapped the limbs off of a few trees, crashed with a lurch into a tall stoic rock and with a mighty heave dumped its passengers into shallow waters.

The green lantern was thrown from Kituo's steel grip. The violet lantern wrenched out of Robin's grasp. Both splashed and clanged into the shallow water, to rest glowing among the stones.

The wolf mask floated among the river stones, along with a few crumpled white flowers. A pair of spectacles lay submerged in the water.

The trees were scarce enough here among the rocks and brittle brush that the stars shone bright above them.

The lanterns -- full of jagged glass -- had quieted. They glowed in slight pulses, as if breathing, as if enjoying the feel of fresh air. Now that the glass had been destroyed, it was clear to the sight and the touch that these were, indeed, eggs: their shells were slightly rough to the touch, and should they be touched they would glow just a glimmer brighter for it, like a cat might purr at being petted.

But there was something else to distract their attentions.

There was a light not far away: the small, familiar, golden glow of a lit hanging lamp. The warm lamplight illuminated a wooden door, a house, and the faded sign of an inn -- though there were no paths here, and no signs of sound or human life.

To Robin, this place was home. So very far from home.

He had felt as if someone had put him inside of a washing machine for a full load. He was full of water and was knocked around, now covered in grass and moss. All of his clothes had been charred from escaping the flames that he could no longer see or even hear. What could have caused such a thing to stop that kind of forest fire. He couldn't remember anything that had happened after running down a hill away from fire.

He sat up and noticed two things. The first thing that he could feel was a long grumble of his stomach since he couldn't remember the last or even what the last thing that he ate, the other being that he was missing some items, some important some not so much. The most noticeable was that fact that everything was quite a bit fuzzier. Simon quickly realized that he no longer had his glasses that helped him see things from medium to far distances away. This was going to make things a little bit more difficult. He also noticed that he was no longer in possession of the wolf mask that he was bringing back to Talam. He noticed that he also was still wearing his necklace since it was the item that held the most weight on his body. He was going to take out a flower and speak to some spirit but realized he only had one flower left in his pocket but of course worse ... No fire. Not even the stick that he had used to carry the flame.

How could things get much worse than now. When Simon realized the messed up things that had occurred so far he thought he wouldn't test his luck.

Since his shirt was charred and the smell of burnt clothes was making it even tougher for him to concentrate at the moment so he decided to take off his shirt and put it in his pocket since there was so much missing that it was now small enough to fit. Instead of having the mask hang from his pants since they were now looser he decided to place the mask on his face. He was no longer sure of which way to go through the forest since the necklace was no longer guiding him anywhere, which slightly saddened Simon since he was virtually lost in this forest. He knew that standing still wasn’t going to help any causes, so he started walking in the direction in which he was facing; forward.

After walking for two minutes, tripping over dozens of roots that were slightly to low to make out properly to avoid. After falling down the fourth time he landed right in front of a frog of unusual colors. He stared at it for ten seconds making sure it wasn’t some weird illusion, even to make sure he took the mask off of his face but rest assured it was the same colour. It was a cyan blue frog that he two orange stripes that started at his forehead and separated at a thirty degree angle and went over the back of its head.

After examining the frog he decided to take him along as a travel companion. He picked the frog up with extreme caution and kept on walking through the forest.

It all happened so quickly, before he had any time to react or prepare it came over him. The powerful waves of the river carried him and Rhea away within the blink of an eye. As he struggled to get his head to the surface Talan realized he was no longer holding Rhea, "Hopefully she fairs well" he thought but only for a moment as he had to keep focus on staying above the water. For a moment it felt as if all that would happen was that he'd be carried downstream somewhat and the waters would calm. What he did not expect however was the sudden drop of the waterfall. He couldn't even hear the waters as it collapsed towards the bottom. Upon reaching the end Talan was plunged deep below the water and almost hit his head on a rock. Fortunately he managed to resurface with only a few small cuts from the shrapnel of the bridge that whizzed past in the currents.

Finally after what seemed an eternity Talan was able to reach the riverbank and with all the energy that was left in him he plopped himself onto the ground. The mud got on his skin and one side of his face but he didn't care. After what he just experienced a bit of mud on the face was nothing. As he watched the passing waters Talan noticed something familiar. A mask, it was in the shape of a wolf, could it be the same one he had before? Talan rolled over into the water to grab it before it was carried away and once it was his again he held it tightly in his embrace. "Emas Katan", he said thanking his gods but instead of putting it on he simply held it in his hands looking into the eyes. The mask had an almost hypnotic attribute to itself, causing Talan to gaze for a time longer that he intended. Eventually he was able to break the stare and after washing the mud off his face he stood up to get an idea of where he was. "Still in this damn forest...", he thought as he frowned slightly. Surveying the river he saw no sign of Rhea, just flowers and various articles of clothing.

"No bodies, perhaps everyone survived? If so where are they?", Talan reasoned they'd either be further up the river or further down. The problem was which way to head: up or down? Seeing as he was never unconscious during the entire ordeal he was perhaps the first to get ashore. With that he inferred that everyone else must be further down the river if they survived the fall at all. "First, weapons", Talan was not going to venture into this forest alone without weapons. Yes he had the mask but that alone was not enough. Just as before Talan fashioned a spear from a branch found lying nearby. Unlike the ones before they were not flimsy and thin. This one has thickness to it and fares far better as a two-handed spear. Once it's construction was complete Talan took a moment to thank his father and moved on.

Water slammed into her sides, and dragged her into its depths. She released a panicked breath as the water took her deeper and deeper, pounding into her sides as she struggled to come up for air. She could no longer see MC or the other lantern bearer near her while the water stung her eyes. The lantern was ripped violently from her hand and she blindly grasped at the handle, having it brush the tips of her finger before it was washed away.

Gravity took hold as she fell down a small waterfall. She gasped as her head peaked out of the rush of water, and briefly had a chance to open her eyes before roughly tumbling into another pool of water.

As the rolling water slammed into her from above, she could no longer tell which way was up or down, but she had the fortune of having enough breath to last her the few seconds she needed to orient herself. Her bones ached, a salient reminder of her situation; she was very much a prisoner to circumstance.

The current of the water pushed her to rest on rocks in shallow water, and there she sat dazed, her head peaking above the water. It was still dark out, and the glow from the fire dimmed until it disappeared completely. The night sky was dotted with complacent bright stars, unaware of the chaotic happenings on the ground, and the only similar feeling of comfort was only found in the soft glow of the lanterns that rested in the water nearby...

The dark blue hue of the water rippled to intermingle with the fluorescent glow of green and purple as Robin waded back into the water towards the source of the light. The lanterns were tucked between large, smooth stones, and she carefully extracted them; the glass was broken, but the orbs inside seemed to have an increased vigor with exposure to the air. She tucked the green lantern under an arm and held up the one containing the purple egg, to trace her fingers on the delicate cracks and patterns on its surface. It was warm under her skin, and seemed to thrum in response to her touch—for a second she was reminded of the few alleyway cats that were kind to her, eager to be pet and pampered.

She turned back to approach MC and the other boy and froze. In the distance was a building that looked strong and proud and painfully familiar. A hanging lamp illuminated the swinging, creaking plank of wood, that read in bold, new paints, “The Dowager”.

Robin scrambled back to the far side of the water closest to the building. She held both lanterns up above the water and moved clumsily, occasionally stumbling in slow motion. She spat out curses as she waded to MC who rested near the edge of the water, and handed her the green lantern. Having both her hands full would surely be burden, she decided—

'And', she thought, giving a cursory glance to the boy nearby, 'I don’t trust him.'

She struggled to pull herself onto the grassy banks and landed in a heap on the floor, struggling to regain energy. Robin laid in a fetal position for a few moments, clutching the lantern close to her chest, and closed her eyes. Seeing the inn had almost made her careless, but the pain prevalent in her bones made sure she went nowhere in a hurry. The egg glowed against her chest, and she huddled against it for a few seconds, relishing in the warmth it provided. She glanced up at the sky and stars reflected in her eyes—compared to the chaos of the past few minutes, the present was a gift of stillness.

After a few seconds, she stood with her brow furrowed with determination. The creaking of the sign continued, taunting her, and she strode forward with lantern in hand.

She reached the front of the building with a few, long paces, and hesitated briefly before pushing the wooden doors. They swung smoothly without any sounds of rusting hinges, and warmth rushed to blanket her as she entered. She lived here, but it felt so long since she had stepped inside The Dowager. It was a decently sized inn; more efforts were put in maintaining the spaces it had, rather than expanding to accommodate more people, which made it a cozy place. Instinctively, she wiped her boots on the welcome mat at her feet, not that it would do any good. She was still dripping like a wet rat.

Robin approached the counter in front of her, and ran her hands on the polished wood. To her left was the hall that led to the rooms on the first floor and the stairwell up, and moving right would lead her to the main restaurant and pub. She walked into the restaurant and surveyed the silent room. Lights were hung around the restaurant, and a fire crackled gently. The smell of delicious spices wafted by, and she set the purple lantern down on a table before moving to the kitchen where the air was even warmer. It was stocked with foods and resources, much more than usual, but she was drawn by a wonderful smell. In a metal pot on the counter there was lumps of beef in vegetables soaked in a thick broth of curry, and loafs of warm bread sat nearby on clean cloths. She took a hearty amount of the curry and 2 loafs of bread, poured herself a mug of beer, and returned to a seat at the table where the lantern sat.

The first mouthful was what she imagined heaven to be like. She ate slowly, using the loaf to scoop the rich broth and savored the sound of the crisp crust; despite her voracity, Robin couldn’t bring herself to shovel the food in her mouth. It was a comforting taste—her mother’s recipe, which her father replicated in perfect form whenever he visited. A similar version was served at the inn, but it was always missing some spice that her father managed to bring from wherever he was in the world...

She ate quietly and fell into a meditative state. As she chewed on the tender beef, she thought of her aunt and cousin, who treasured the inn in their own special ways. She thought of her foolhardy father, who probably had no idea that she was missing. She thought of her mother, whom she hadn’t seen for years. She thought of the alleyway kids and the forest and her new companions—and as she contemplated over the bowl of hearty curry, Robin thought of home.

A pair of spectacles? White flowers?

Out of nowhere the strength to reach out and snatch the white flowers came to her and she found herself kneeling in ankle deep water hunched over and shivering now. Oh, how she wished she had not tossed her poncho earlier. But white flowers... Senorita Florita Feliz...

MC reached into the water with her other hand and grabbed the spectacles and tried them on. Instantly her head snapped back as if she was punched. Shaking her head and inwardly scolding herself for being so curious, she folded the glasses and hung them off of the left strap of her skimpy, showy, yet lovingly decorated bra top. The flowers she shook off gently and tucked them behind both ears.

With a grunt she tried to get to her feet, but after wobbling about for a bit, she promplty splashed back down, butt first into the water. Hazel eyes were shut tight and elbows rested upon knees as her hands chutched her cheeks. MC's fingertips pressed into her temples and rubbed in circular motions to stave off the disorientation and nausea.

And suddenly she realized just how quiet it was. Not out here. No, it was too quiet in her head. Senior Buho... ohhhh... I cannot sense you... ay, I can only hope you and Lil' Miss Happy Flower are okay still--

Splashing. She could hear someone splashing. Someone or something coming closer. One hand lowered from her head and into the water to grab a river rock from beside her. A big one. Her light brown hand grasped it tightly then--

--the humming of a something pleasant, something familiar, something lovely and metallic was gently placed into her lap. MC opened her eyes now. The Green lit egg...

...and Robin!

But the sexless beauty did not utter a single word to her. Instead she bumbled over and collapsed onto the grass at the water's edge. Mia-Canta half crawled, half-stumbled her way over to Robin's side. As Robin lay prone, clutching the violet lit egg to her chest, MC lay down in front of her, clutching the green lit egg to her own chest. With her other hand, she stroked both the messengers wet oak-hued head and wet back gently. All the while, MC held her eyes tightly shut and repeatedly counted softly neath her breath to 10 before inhaling deep and exhaling long.

Robin rolled over and stared at the gorgeous open sky. MC opened her eyes and openly stared at the gorgeous thing beside her. The Latina soon found herself breathing deep again, but this time to not calm the pain in her head, no, this time she was trying to still her fluttering heart. “...belleza a mi lado...” she mumbled through softly smiling full dusky lips.

She reached for a white flower behind her ear, thinking that it would be nice to place such a thing behind Robin's ear. Also it would be so nice to stroke her brown hair again. Touch her olive cheek with her own again. Feel her breath against her neck--

Robin struggled to her feet and rushed over to enter the building, whose sign that she could not read, lit by a golden lantern wh--

MC's eyes popped wide and she shook her head several times before rubbing her eyes before once more opening them slowly and staring at-- yes it really was there.

Soon enough she struggled her own way over to the building and cautiously opened the door. Instantly the smells of goodness, goodies, drink and warmth rushed her and set her mind aglow and tummy grumbling.

But the first thing she did was rush over to a bench and snatch up a blanket that stretched out over the bench back rest. After gently laying down the green lit lantern, she started to towel herself off as she made her way to the fire to kneel before it. She rubbed her hands together and held them out to the fire before rubbing her cold arms and tummy. Ohhhh... such a comforting feeling was warmth.

Her long braids, she wrung out into a pan meant for firewood. Then without second thought, she undid her trousers and rolled onto her butt to slip them off. Like her hair, she wrung them into the pan. Her head darted this way and that, looking for a place to hang her decorated trousers and the rest of her garments. But then the smell of the food wafted over to her.

Her mouth watered as she sat there in her underwear. The temptation to rush over and gorge upon bread and spiced meats was great but her fear and trepidation was even greater. She had to respect the owner of this house. But her fear of the owner was greater than her respect.

Begrudgingly, Mia-Canta put back on her trousers, plucked the green lit lantern off the floor and stood up. The soft blanket she wrapped around her shoulders before reaching over to grab a second blanket. Bare feet padded past her own wet footprints as she went over to Robin. The other female was happily munching away without a single care it seemed.

Mia-Canta wrapped the blanket around Robin, patted her shoulder, then kissed the top of her head before sitting down across Robin.

A deep breath she took then hazel eyes locked into green ones with a steady gaze.

“Robin... amiga...” she started off slowly, “no for us. No nuestra casa. No house for us. No take like this-” --she pointed to both their blankets-- “we will do like this-” --she showed how she dried her own head and arms again-- “-y adios, amiga! Mia-Canta and Robin go.”

She licked her lips to keep from drooling; the smell of the food was fantastic and just watching Robin scarf it down was killing her. Ohhh... and that beer...

“This no home. This... no live here for us. This... peligro...” she sighed in frustration not being able to communicate properly. But she steeled herself and gazed a dead calm and serious gaze into Robin's green eyes.

“Estamos en el infierno, amiga. Y estamos en la casa del Diablo. No good to eat. No good to stay. Bad girls. Monster get us.”

MC slowly tore herself away from the temptation at the table, picked up the green lit lantern and padded back towards the entrance, head held low. A sigh escaped her lips as she pulled the blanket off her shoulders and hung it by a waiting chair near the door. Her tummy rumbled as she spun around and looked back up at Robin with heavy hazel eyes. Light brown hands readjusted the white flowers behind her ear and the glasses hanging off her bra strap. She did not want to abandon Robin but...

“Robin! Please! Vamos! We go...! Por favor! Please, amiga ahora! No for us! We go...”

...for anyone who eats at the table of the Devil in the house of the Devil is sure to be damned forevermore.

“Please, Robin. You go with Mia-Canta... find Senior Buho y Senorita Florita Feliz...”

...or Mia-Canta goes without you. I am sooooo sorry, my friend... but I will not remain in damnation with you regardless of my promise.

I'm sorry.