Evening shaded the town in oranges as dark clouds rolled over the horizon. Aya had spent hours comforting her best friend, but it was to no avail. Aya herself felt funny just standing around rather than taking action, but she had taken Jeeg's advice to wait until the town came up with a unanimous answer to dealing with the elder wolfhound and Buck's kidnapping. Jeeg said the elder was more than just an ordinary beast as the powers she possessed were almost demi-god level and was tethered to the planet as a whole. Aya leaned against the soft cotton bed in Flora's room as she paced back and forth, carefully lifting her dress so she would not trip over it in the midst of her frantic episode. "My lord. This is probably the worst thing that could happen," she said in her high and wavering voice.

Aya looked around at Flora's room. The neat order everything was in betrayed her friend's emotionally frayed disposition. She looked at a large painting that hung parallel to the bedroom. In watercolor, the Du Bois family was depicted. Mr. and Mrs. Du Bois stood with Flora, the father in his formal wear and the mother in a large frilly pink dress. Flora was the third tallest in her large floppy hat that mirrored her mothers. The children stood below them all in a line, two brothers in their early teens, two sisters in their pre-teens and Buck, the youngest of them all. At first it was just Flora, but Du Bois wanted to make his children plentiful so his blood could run the planetoid. "Flor, it's ok," Aya said, trying to gently talk to her friend so she wouldn't have a conniption. "Just know that it's more my fault than yours."

Flora turned around from pacing to face Aya with pain-stricken eyes, "Is it though? My father is right. I only have a few simple tasks to perform and I can't even do this one right."

"You have the hard job, Flor"—Aya nodded—"Animals are a lot easier to look after; human children are far more fussy and selfish."

"I need to take my mind off this." Flora paced over to her sewing table where a needle, coal iron and scissors laid next to a hooded poncho draped over a majority of the table. Reaching for the needle Flora began to work on the rather complex pattern embroidered into it from the chest to the fringed bottom. The pattern constituted of a colorful figure dressed in blue and green with elfin ears. A circle surrounded each figure, representing a bubble- the primary magic power of Aquans. Flora had nearly finished the whole thing, as the patterns had reached the bottom with a few more figures to go. She observed a small piece of cloth separate from the poncho with similar patterns that were woven more expertly than hers. Frantically, she began to thread as Aya calmly walked over to her table.

"I'll still remember how I first met you, Flor"—Aya smiled softly and her normally commanding voice grew relaxed and mild—"Everyone stared at Jeeg and I when we first came to this planetoid, but you said..."

As she embroidered, Flora managed a sweet smile back. "Those clothes are so cool. I've never seen them before."

Aya nodded in agreement. "And as a future seamstress, you wanted to know how to make them."

Flora gave a tense laugh, her nervousness seeped through as hard as her as she tried to restrain it. "Haha... yeah."

Aya walked closer to her friend and leaned on the poncho with a smile. "You know, I came to realize over the years how much that meant to me...for you to keep our tradition alive."

"Even if I can't match the skill of an Aquan seamstress?" said Flora ceasing her sewing to hear her friend's answer.

"None of them are making clothing anymore," Aya said with a gentle sadness, "This means the whole planetoid to me, Flor."

"Well...I do say," said Flora as she gave another smile back and her cheeks turned crimson, "I'm glad I can make things that remind you of home."

Aya began to lift the poncho and feel its soft texture. A sly look crept onto her elfish Aquan face, "Can I use this? I know you're not finished, but I think I'm going to need it."

"Why?" Flora's eyes illuminated with questions.

"My ears, they're very sensitive to humidity"—Aya pointed to them—"It's going to rain soon, and I need to get going."

"Where are you going?" Flora's eyes expanded like they often did.

Before Aya could answer, Flora's mother, the spitting image of her daughter in aged bony flesh spoke stood in the doorway. Her face was full of terror as lightning crashed through the sky. "Flora, dear, your father. He won't listen to me."

"What is this about?" Aya answered for her friend.

"He's outside in the town square right now and he says he's going into the spirit woods to find Buck"—the middle aged woman grasped her heart—"He's been telling the villagers he'll stab the beast right through its heart in order to get back his son."

Flora's mother walked into the room and stood before her. Her long hoop skirt was soaked from the oncoming rain and her hat hung soaked over her head. Her long hair remained dry for the most part indicating that the hat had done its work. "Please Flora, you're the oldest. Please tell him he can't take on a monster like that."

Flora held her head as low as her stitched patterns. "Dad likes me least of all. He blames me for all that's happened to Buck. I doubt he'll listen to me."

Aya put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Flor, like I said, it's my fault. I take full responsibility for what has happened."—Aya pointed to the poncho—"Flor, give this to me."

"Oh, ok." Flora lifted up the poncho, with a few Aquan symbols missing, and handed it to Aya, who slipped it over her midriff and her long, toned, and slightly muscled arms. It fit perfectly over her body, hanging just below her cargo shorts. Just as she was getting adjusted to her clothes, Mrs. Du Bois raised her voice. "Aya what are you planning to do?"

Aya pulled up the hood on her Aquan poncho. "I'm going to get Buck back. And no one will have to die."

"You can't just go out in this storm," Mrs. Du Bois shouted at her. "I don't want my husband getting murdered or struck by lightning, and neither do I want that for you."

Aya began to walk away. "I'm responsible for what happened today, Mrs. Du Bois and I'm going to fix this." She turned around with a glare of passionate fire and a commanding voice to match it. "I'm not going to allow a mother, a mother just like you who was just protecting her child to die. Neither will I allow that to happen to Buck or Du Bois."

Flora raised her voice for the first time since she sat down, "Please Aya, I don't want you to risk your life like this."

Aya immediately changed her tone from passionately angry to gently considerate. "Flor, no one's going to get hurt. I'm a protector, not a killer. The elder wolfhound will understand that." She raised her soul staff in triumph. "I'm going to get to the root of all of this. Thanks for the poncho, Flor." She waved farewell to her friend before slamming the door accompanied by a blinding crash of thunder and lighting. Walking down stairs and out of Du Bois manor, she could still hear Mrs. Du Bois shouting "Be careful Aya, I hear the Noctursa are extra ravenous and dangerous these days."

Once she set foot outside, Aya stamped her staff. A dome of rain water formed above her, shielding her from the deluge. Her ability to manipulate water allowed an Aquan like her to create a simple convenience for herself. She advanced to the center of the town where the fruit hoister was. It was a long pole with a rope securing a large net of soul fruit at the top. Soul Fruit was best left exposed to the light of the planetoid's tiny moons, but the ongoing threat of a ravenous Noctursa meant they should be secured and out of reach. For someone who was skilled in the aerobics of her tribe, these fruits were easily obtainable.

Aya dove into the levitating ball of water she generated with her staff and rode in the bubble up to the net. She reached through the bubble, squeezing a fruit through one of the air holes in the net. Staring at the fruit as it shimmered in the moonlight, Aya began to salivate over it. She dropped down quickly with her bubble splashing all around her. She scanned her surroundings for anyone. Du Bois had already left town and made haste into the woods and Aya did the same.

Seeking shelter under a small Atma tree at the foot of the forest, she scarfed down the moon charged soul fruit. This mission required both speed and endurance, which meant it required enhancement. She especially needed the power of the fruit since she intended to scale the white mountain in a single night. Reaching the mountain alone was half the challenge because of the nocturnal foraging patterns of the night bears. If what Mrs. Du Bois had said was true, something had made them tense and extra ravenous. "Just my kind of challenge," Aya said under her breath. She could feel power surge through her muscles as she bit the fruit, making them convulse and glow slightly blue as her metabolism sped up. In a split second, she tore through the trees running on the tops of her feet in order to be swift and quiet as she ran.

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Sudden growling made her stop and take shelter behind a tree, she peered out and observed to see a Noctursa- dark and burly and the size of the smallest cabins in her village. Blue markings shone under the bears fur making her take notice. They resembled tattoos in some kind of ancient calligraphy and they illuminated as blue as the moonlight enhanced soul fruit itself. The bear surveyed the landscape with equally blue eyes, bending down to sniff the air as rain poured overhead, matting its fur and making it smell musty.

Aya slid up against the tree, her long body twisting and turning to match the way the tree stood. She leaned her head out from behind the tree and quickly peeked right back. The bear grunted and reached towards the Atma tree, but before she was found out, the creature stopped. It stood upright and began to swat at the air almost in a drunken stupor. Aya squinted hard, trying to see what the Noctursa was fighting. It looked like nothing; but faintly shining through the pouring rain, Aya could see a light. Lighting flashed and the tiny light exploded into a wolfhound made entirely out of spectral green light. It hovered in front of the bear to let out a ghostly howl as a warning before zooming through the Noctursa, making a bear as dark as it was turn pale. With a shiver, the lumbering giant moaned and lumbered off into the forest.

"I guess even Noctursa believe in ghosts," Aya muttered with a disbelieving expression. The ghostly figure of the wolfhound zoomed off and Aya followed, heading towards the mountain. Sensing an uneasy presence, Aya decided to investigate. She smelled the raw fire of burning wood and using her acute sense of smell, she tracked down the source of it. She headed deeper and deeper into the hollow and when she arrived at the center, she gasped.

The Matriarch tree, the one that had been ok several hours earlier, had been demolished. Torn and twisted, fragments of wood and fire burned everywhere as it had collapsed. She could smell the ash raise in the sky through the humidity, but could also feel the humid air grow cold as more spectral light wolfhounds appeared around her. "This is horrendous..." she stifled out.

Aya trembled to her knees and prayed for the great tree. She reflected on the centuries it had lasted until this tragic night. Memories came flooding back to when she would voyage there as a child and play with Jeeg. Shaking her head, Aya quickly leapt to her feet. She knew there was no time for nostalgia. She ran further past the downed tree, knowing there was no way she could soothe the spiritual unrest alone. Soon, she arrived at the foot of the white mountain. The Aquan warrior knew a quarter of her stamina was depleted so she had to be careful when using a bubble to carry her to the ensuing confrontation. With a sparkling silver movement of her diamond fish tattoos, she expanded the watery shield she had created over her head to become a bubble. The rain was pouring down on all sides and she leapt merging with her bubble. She began to concentrate and ascend with her eyes closed.

Having taken a deep breath, she meditated with her legs crossed inside the water bubble as it flew up towards the peak of the mountain. She knew she couldn't break concentration or she would fall to her death. It was hard enough to know when and where to release, but she kept one eye open to stare at the cliff.

As she ascended higher and higher, she began to feel ice across her bubble. The rain in the darkened night sky had become bits of hail. Another crash occurred, and Aya could feel the same uncomfortable presence around her again. A visible streak of lighting lit the sky, and Aya found herself face to face with a spectral wolfhound. It shrieked like a murdered animal and flew through her bubble and into her. As she lost her concentration, the water around her dissipated, and it was only her enhanced reflexes that allowed her to react in seconds. Jamming her staff in a hole between two rocks on the side of a crag, her life hung on a single piece of wood as she gripped it tightly. The staff began to bend as Aya moved across it with tense, subtle hand movements and even tenser breath. Aya looked further up, seeing the bluff was a short distance from where she was. She bent the staff down further, and then with all of her strength invested, took a single leap up and grabbed her staff with her feet. She sprang forth grasping the cliff with the edges of her two fingers. Her strength had been depleted further, but with a swift swing of her staff by her feet, she had created another water bubble to raise her back to the top of the cliff.

She dropped out of her bubble and fell to the ground. Breathing like a fish stranded on dry land, she rose from her knees on the muddy ground. She had come to a cave that seemed to tunnel through the mountain. The stone white mountain was etched with dark paint, or was it blood? Aya wondered for a second if it could be Buck's blood, but thankfully it looked like it had been there for a very long time. The blood or paint was etched into small humanoid figures, cave drawings from times long passed. Aya had little time to ponder them. Her priority was finding Buck.

She exhaled and observed the altitude. Up on the mountain, thunder and lightning battled each other with great intensity. The moons shone red through the darkened sky and endlessly pouring rain and hail. Aya heard a roar from above. The dragon-like wolfhound descended upon the bluff, flying at Aya with her teeth strewn maw. The projectile beast missed her by a head. The elder landed lacking grace a winged animal normally had. Her legs scattered and limped before crashing down into the muddy gravel with a sickly growl. Aya gave a dutiful bow before speaking, "Oh great elder wolfhound. Please allow my presence."

She looked over the creature as it gathered itself. Her majestic wing span was torn. It was unbelievable how she could still fly. Brutal scratches were cut into her body. The ancient markings glowed brightly in spite of the rain and darkness. The creature turned and gave an intense glare from its injured eyes. They pierced Aya even if they could no longer see clearly. The beast spoke with a voice brutish and primal, yet feminine and motherly, "Spare me this reverent nonsense, Aquan. If it wasn't for your people, my child would be beside me."

Aya touched her cold face. Was this a dream? "How can you speak to me, great one?"

The creature continued to glare through Aya. "I can barely see you, but I know you are a naïve child. Your ancestors could commune with the forest elders."

"My ancestors?" Aya's voice drew higher, "But I'm not from here."

"The Aquans, Sylphens and Acridians were a nomadic race and lived on many planetoids," the elders voice grew spiteful, "They were caretakers, but they were driven out by humans."

Aya took a step back in shock. The rain soaking her clothes added to the feeling of heaviness she possessed. The wolfhound took a step in Aya's direction. Her mouth hung open, growling while bits of foam and blood seeped from her maw. She lowered her head and lunged at Aya but the Aquan's reflexes allowed her to swiftly roll. "I don't want to fight you, oh great one," she whispered softly.

The beast's wings spread open and she flew at Aya again. Her mouth opened wide in an attempt to crush the invader's face. Aya remembered Jeeg's words as she swiveled away: "A wolfhound never backs down in a fight against a perceived foe. They are not creatures of flight, contrary to their wings."

"Do you wish to fight me, oh great one?" Aya yelled as the elder turned preparing another attack. The elder wolfhound shook her head in disdain. "I will not take formalities from a fiend who assisted a kidnapping." The beast opened her mouth wide, and expelled a frosty wind. The wind transformed the soggy ground to ice, and rain to snowflake. Aya gasped as she found her clothes ensnared in ice. Aya quickly banged at the ice with her staff before remembering the powers she held in her hand. She remembered the training she went through with Jeeg and began to concentrate.

She closed her eyes and raised her staff, beginning to focus her soul into it. "I know you're wounded, elder wolfhound. But the place you're hurt the deepest is your spirit." Aya grimaced as she felt the elder's jaws clamp down on her wrist. "You robbed a blind woman of her child," cried the beast in a disarmingly feminine way.

Aya ignored her and continued to focus. The pain was intensifying but she quickly removed her soul from that part of her body and numbed it. "Be at ease," Aya's eyes locked with the wolfhound's damaged sockets. The creature's chest began to convulse less and less. "An Aquan caretaker has your child," Aya said. "His name is Jeeg. He is a gentle being"— Aya's voice though mellow remained commanding as well—"We are protectors of all of nature, including humans. We will do all we can to prevent harm of either for as long as we live."

The wolfhound's jaws began to relax on Aya's arms. The creature's eyes closed gently. "The wood of an Atma tree," said the beast breathing out. "Its properties are the very essence of life itself. Only someone in tune with the energies of nature would be able to wield one."

"I'm nowhere as close to the big dream as you," Aya's face began to drip with tears, meshing with the rain, "I only know what's precious because of what I lost"—Aya lashed forward—"And I look down on those who squander the same thing I lost."

The wolfhound's face though built in a permanent scowl softened through her eyes. "Are you speaking of the human child who was with me?"

"I don't want to lose anyone else." Aya rubbed her eyes.

The beast looked down as the rain pounded on her. "He was so scared he leapt off the mountain to the trees below. I don't know what became of him."

Aya grimaced and walked to the edge of the cliff to gaze at the forest beneath them. The emotional pain and adrenaline had numbed her bleeding, punctured hand. She didn't blame the wolfhound or Buck for what happened, but grief emanated through her.

The elder wolfhound howled as she fell to the ground in a heap of matted, soggy fur. Aya turned around and ran to the beast's aid. "My injuries," the elder growled "They're finally doing me in."

"Who...who did this to you?" Aya asked, resting her hand on the creature's body.

"Something slashed my eyes and separated me from child in the process" the beast said, "I didn't see who or what this monster was, but they had enough speed that they could get away with it."

Aya gazed at the beasts dulled eyes and followed the injuries onto the giant slash marks on her body. The elder struggled to keep still as she tried to rise to her feet. "As I was searching for my pup, a Noctursa came between me. With my eyes in such a state, I could barely fight it."

Aya looked pained. "That's cruel" she said, speaking up. "That Noctursa shouldn't have disrespected you like that."

"I harbor no resentment. It was defending its own child," the elder responded. "What parent wouldn't want to bring absolute destruction onto the one who threatened their child." In a sad, resigned voice the elder added, "Whether they be wolfhounds, Noctursa or humans."

The beast howled to the heavens as it spilled out its tears. "Please. I just want to see my daughter again."

Aya rose from her crouched position. "Can you fly? I'll take you to her."

The elder followed suit, rising from where she had fallen. "I will give it my all."

Aya with tentative movement approached the great white beast and climbed upon her back. The wolfhound snarled, "Normally I'd tear anyone who tried to ride me limb from limb." The proud beast's voice grew coarse, "But my daughter is all I have left."

Aya gripped the wolfhound's rain drenched fur, leaning forward as the beast began to charge towards the precipice. She knew it was too late for Buck. Those who were dead could no longer be helped, but as long as life remained in the elder, all she could do was help the distraught mother. It was something she wished she could have done for Buck and her friends and family back on her home planet in their last moments. Aya bowed her head in lament as the wolfhound spread her wings for what may have been the very last time.