Anethandez Adventure

"At least you know what line you're from..." Karana sighed, looking at the night sky. "I don't even know who my parents are..."

"Really?" he was asking questions, now.

"Yes. Something happened...several years ago, and...it erased my memory. I don't remember who I was, where I was, what was happening, nothing! There's just a blank picture whenever I try to recall it." She shook her head. "The first memory I have is waking up in Mariah's house with this mark on my back."

"Mark?"

"Uh-huh. Something must've attacked me or something, because I can remember a loud roar and this pain...I was in so much pain; broken ribs, scrapes and bruises all over my body, a slash across the back of my shoulder...I don't know how I got it."

Ryouku stared at her. "Seems we have similar stories, only your separation was accidental, and I remember my past." He sighed, turning his gaze back towards the stars. "Perhaps we can help each other. Who knows?"

There was a long silence; neither moved nor spoke. It seemed they weren't even breathing.

Then...

"Thank you," Karana whispered.

"Huh? For what?" Ryouku looked at her, a little bewildered.

"For being a great friend."

***Sorry I missed so much, my dad grounded me. I'm gonna back track so my character did some stuff way earlier***
"Sure, I'd love to teach you magic," she told Karana before following the group.
Luna, who was currently a human girl, could feel the gryphon's eyes boring into her back. She tried to read his mind repetatively, with little success. She decided to speak to him.

"Hello, I'm Luna," she said cheerily, shifting into a gryphon and flying up beside him. He glared at her, not speaking. "Alright then, don't talk to me. Although, I would appreciate it if you would stop glaring at me." She flew up ahead, to where Warren and Julia were 'playing.' While, Julia was enjoying herself.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, changing shape again, so that she was a cat. She fell out of hte sky, landing softly on Warren's lap (on all fours, of course.)

"Aww, you look adorable!" he said, petting her lightly. She purred, and noticed the rather angry look that Julia was giving her.

*You like Warren!* she said, using telepathy on Julia.

*Nuh-uh!* Julia exclaimed back.

*Sure looks like it from down there!* she mewed a goodbye to the both of them and leapt from the dragon's back.

"Oh my goodness, Luna!" Warren exclaimed, leaning over the side. Luna changed shapes quickly, changing into a bluejay, and began flying. She changed back into a human when they stopped to eat.

**Hey, sorry i was gone for so long, and im kinda confused, which story do i follow? Do i go with the one most recently written, or with the present time one? Someone please help me?** "cute kitty"

Lol. I suppose I could help =)

Julia

Evening came and we all crowded around a small camp fire a few miles further into the woods. I found myself sat between Warren and Luna and smiled widely at both of them. Then I fitted my hand into Warren's and phased it through before he pulled it back. I giggled at this and smiled again.

-You so like him- Luna's voice echoed in my head.

-He's fun to tease is all- I thought back and then noticed that Karana, who sat on Warren's other side, was glaring at me. I frowned a little and then tried to offer her a smile but it did not seem to help.

Warren frowned and looked down at his hand."I'll never get used to this." I muttered, while Julia laughed. I pulled my hand, and Julias closer to my face and examined it.

"Well, thats slightly disturbing."Said Karana from my other side,"Could you please stop?" She did this in a slightly forcing tone. Julia grimaced, but didnt move a hair. She turned her head, and started talking to the Shapeshifter Luna.

Ryouku laughed quietly as he watched the others. Karana heard him and asked, "What?"

"I just think it's funny watching your reactions to each other. It's like watching children."

(That's all I can post at the moment.)

Tyrin

The smoke rose in swirling tendriles from the dying ashes of our fire. I came slowly from the trees, in a pensive mood after the good meal i'd had. Julia giggled and I glared at the group from under my brows. They acted like children as Ryouku had so apply put it. Yet as destiny had it I was a hard young dryad, but at the moment my youth finally surfaced in me and I approached the group, sitting beside Luna the shapeshifter.

"Hey Warren."

The elf looked at me.

"So, how does it feel to be the center of attention of three young maidens as these."

He glared at me and was about to respond, but I didn't give him a chance.

"Now I, on the other hand, have no chance with such younglings as you; even though I'm only a young 126 years old!"

They all gasped, and I allowed myself a grin. Having spent most of my 126 years without it, I figured I deserved some fun every once in a while!

Julia

"Only 126? That is young," Ryouku commented, looking rather worried. "In fact, perhaps a little too young for such a dangerous mission."

"Actually that sounds rather old to me and as for acting like children, Karana is a child. I'd say she's about fifteen," I remarked with a sly grin.

"Sixteen," Karana retorted as expected.

"Okay, sixteen then and I'm pretty sure that Sonya, Seeker and me are the only others who are older than twenty."

(I'm switching to first person. It's easier.)

I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand Julia and her smart remarks. Did they not even realize that I was raised in these woods, that I had grown up with a troubled life, that I was the only girl, the only elf, the only half-breed in my village?

No, of course not. 'Cause I haven't shared a thing with them, aside from Ryouku. I scowled. But I will let them know soon that I am more mature than they seem to think I am!

I did my best to hide my emotions. I could let go of them after they were all asleep.

Tyrin


I stood up, towering above the rest of the group.

"Hey, when I was sixteen I wasn't even up to your waist Julia...and that isn't very high," I teased; everyone laughed. Karana was looking a little dark, but I hoped my comment had helped.

"Well you younguns can stay up as late as you want, but I'm old and have to get my beauty sleep. Plus," I added, winking at Karana, "we'll being going double time tomorrow, of course."

They all groaned, and I walked off into the trees, within sight of the camp, but far enough away for some peace. I stretched my tired limbs, reaching for the sky. I planted my feet square on the rich earth, reaching deep with my roots. Slowly I took form and slept.

Karana

I couldn't help but smile at Tyrin. For a creature of the woods, he was certainly a helpful, if not agreeable, person.

I returned his wink with a smile, and my temper lessened considerably; alas, I still had my hard feelings towards Julia, who was obviously the most flirtacious and obnoxious of the lot!

Funny who my friends are. A dragon and a man who can turn into a tree! I scoffed at the humor of it, still smiling.

Julia

"Well goodnight everyone and I hope you all sleep well," I trilled as I laid down on a soft, springy patch of grass and closed my eyes. I snuggled deeper towards the ground, breathing in the smell of fresh, moist grass and allowing my heart beat to slow to a calm, rhythmic thud thud.

'She doesn't like you, you know,' My mind told me during one of my strange, pixie dreams.
'I know. I think I upset her. Any chance we'll make it up in the future?'
'You can't force a vision.'
I know but what do you think?'
'What do you think?' My mind mimicked and I giggled.
'I think she'll forgive me. She seemes like a nice girl.'
'I agree.'
'Well of course you do, you're my mind.'
'That doesn't mean I have to agree with you.'
'No... but you're obliged to. I'm tired now. Goodnight.'
'Night Jewel.'

Once everyone was asleep, Karana went back into the forest to let her emotions go. She was frustrated with the way Julia was acting and needed some sort of outlet.

When she left she found Ryouku looking into a nearby river. He just sat there, as if hypnotized by his reflection.

Karana came up to him. "Ryouku, what are you still doing awake?"

"I only need sleep once every three days." He sighed as he stared at his reflection. "I wonder where it all went wrong?" He shook his head and looked at Karana. "What about you? Half elf or no, you still need sleep like everyone else."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Why don't you sit with me? We can talk until you feel it is time to sleep." She nodded and sat beside him. "You seem upset about something."

"Yeah."

"Is it Julia?"

Karana looked at the dragon. "How did you know?"

"I've been watching your reactions toward her. I've watched humans long enough to know you are upset with the way she has been acting." Before she could protest he added, "Elves are in some ways similar to humans, especially the way they act toward others."

"I just don't like the way she's been flirting with Warren."

"All people are different, there is no changing that. I know Julia isn't meaning any harm by what she is doing, she merely wants to be liked by everyone, to have friends. If you give her a chance, I know you two could be good friends."

I chewed on that thought, trying not to show doubt. It wasn't just her flirting; I should have said the whole truth. But what if Ryouku was right?

"I just don't know. I want to believe what you say, but...at the same time, it's so hard!"

"How is just trusting the possibilities hard?"

"I don't know. I want to be her friend, but the things she say...they cut deeper than any blade..."

We were silent for a while. I tried to think of ways to befriend her, but nothing came to my head. I couldn't think straight, I wanted to cry, to run, anything that would distract me from Julia. And then the fact that Warren was injured...it made everything worse. Worrying about him kept me awake...

"Ryouku?" I finally asked.

He turned away from his reflection and looked at me.

"What should I do?"

Julia

I woke with a burning fever but shivered as chills ran down my back.

'Not now. Not now. I don't want one now. I don't want the pain,' I mumbled to myself but it was too late. My vision went hazy and then incredibly sharp but it wasn't my surroundings that I was seeing. A rotted, mangled corpse loomed in front of me. The fact that it was walking didn't surprise me even though I knew, in some corner of my mind, that it should have but then I gasped. There were others and all of them were closing in on a familiar group of people who were all asleep.

Pulling away from the vision hurt even more than usual because of the speed with which I dragged myself away.

"Zombies. Everybody wake up!" I screamed at the top of my voice and sleepy, confused faces turned to me as the group around me sat up. Ryouku and Karana rushed over and I took two deep, slow breaths.

"Julia... are you okay?" Sonya asked.

"Don't go back to sleep. Stay awake. There are zombies on the way," I breathed deeply again, dragged myself to my feet and pulled my daggers out.