(24468) "I am sleeping to accompany you," said Chirin softly, between deep belly breaths. He wondered on that, dreamless sleep, the state between realms that some called limbo. Where strange entities lurked, forever trapped. "You are my friend and I won't leave you alone in this...unless you feel you need to rest alone. Do you?" With the stones in place and Norra keeping watch int he waking world, Chirin felt all the safer lying on his stomach withhis tail resting on Artemis's side, and placing his head down by hers. He blinked his lights, closed his eyes and tried to funnel his soul through a tunnel of light, reaching out for the next realm, reaching out for Artemis...and perhaps also for the other ampharos that she saw so clearly in the glade with them. He and Artemis were both troubled and stalked by spirits angry with them, but neither of them were alone in the battle. Snake was quite happy that they were close to the lake. "I'll be back in just 'a sec," she said quickly, turning around and slithering towards the lake. She looked around wildly, and a cluster of trees caught her eye. She used her tail and got a particuarly large leaf, and then she dipped it into the water, and when it was full she carefully dragged the leaf back to Tod'd, careful not to spill a drop or tear the leaf. When she reached the poor blind totodile, Snake placed the leaf in front of him, and, since he was blind, first assured him that it was only her tail he was feeling, used the tip of her tail to gently steer Tod'd's hand into the water, so he knew where it was. "Okay," Snake began. "I'm going to get a friend of mine. He is very nice and you have met him before Tod'd. Chirin the ampharos? I'll go and get him." And she, once more, slithered at top speed, only this time heading for Chirin. She was going so fast that she almost collided with him, but she stopped and managed to gasp, "Tod'd...gasp...blind over...pant...there...brought him...water...then come and...pant...get you." Fluffy slowly walked up to Snake and patted her hood, which she figured was the closest thing she had to a back. It was easy, as Snake was bent low, and Fluffy guessed she had a painful stitch in her side. "Come on Chirin," Snake said, pointing with her tail to where Tod'd was and slithering back to him, waiting for Chirin. ~ Snapper snorted, muttering quietly "Even if we're safe from enemies...it doesn't matter if we aren't safe from these bozos." She looked at Cleomie, who had obviously struggled more than she had...and felt rather stupid herself. She could have run...could have struggled...could have done something! She would soon though... she didn't want to be a part of this flock where they would be beat down for doing anything the wrong way. She returned to glaring at the large yellow Pokemon surrounding them, wishing she really was a Growlithe... Ivy's eyes flickered to Cleomie she she moved closer, ears back. "Cleo... who were you guys with anyway?" she whispered, hoping not to be taken notice of. She frowned in Snapper's direction...it wouldn't do her any good to look out for her sister if her sister went right out looking for the trouble.. "Chirin and his oddball flock," Cleomie said out the side of her mouth. So what if the rams heard her? The names would mean nothing. They seemed more intent on watching Snapper anyway. Cleo could just tell they'd haul off and slap her around if she said one more thing. Just one more thing. Cleomie would relish it. Time someone else got a beating rather than her all the time. Life was like that--it wasn't fair. Someone up there really hated her. And Snapper's yipping and cheeking the rams was getting to be really, really annoying. They were approaching a forest, and Rye pondered the thought of making a break for it among the trees, but to his dismay the rams took a westward path around the copse. Every time he looked, one of the rams had their eye on him. ~*~ Artemis just sighed contently and started to drift off into a sleep, this time...entering with a dream. "Tod? Blind?" Chirin pulled himself partway up, his head pounding. His skin was bleeding sweat and sparks. Too much at once! It was all he could do to calm the waves of crisis, crise after crise attacking him. The ancestors in the glade must have been the ones helping him stay as calm as he was right now; even so he still saw the red dots that had formed on his belly in the first morning light...still felt the paralysis gripping him. His muscles tensed and every breeze stirred his instincts. Now Tod was blind and in danger. "I can't leave Artemis," said Chirin. "She is sick. Can you bring Tod here? Lead him in by your tail, perhaps, or he can keep his hand on your side. I will help him any way I can. If he wants water he should be led to the lake. I'm so sorry that I can't leave here right now. My dear friend needs me too." He breathed deep and took a look at his surroundings. Dark ones of Burakuru or not, he could not lose his grip on everything. They were ganging up on him, and trying to wear him down but they would not take this flock. They had come too far already. "Tell Tod that I would love to see him again and that we have healers here who might be able to help." He assumed that Tod was nearby...and from where Snake had come in from, and from where he'd heard that cry for help before, that Tod was near or even in the cursed glade. *Curse that evil spirit! Now it is afflicting my friends who stumble in there without knowing!* He blinked back tears and shed the angry flashing from him lights. He could not imagine the horrors of being blind. No one, anyone, should ever have to suffer losing their eyesight. Chirin lay his head down beside her again, his deep breathing and concentration on clearing his mind, his only defense against panic. He must not lose hope, must not give in to this feeling that everything was falling all apart. He let the fragrance of the flowers and his friends alike--especicially Artemis, who lay right next to him--comfort him through his nose. He clenched in shivers and sparks for a few moments, then fell into relaxation as he reached an equilibrium. ~ Gunya-gunya reached the wood's edge and stood there peering towards it, longish ears flicking, as Phalaris caught him up after grabbing some grass. Gunya smelled and heard too many different pokemon in those woods for it to be anything but enchanted--bewitched. He backed away, wishing that Boro had not picked him to come here. Phalaris watched the older ram hesitate. He had heard talk of how superstitious Gunya could be. ~ Privately, Norra wondered how many pokémon Chirin was friends with. Let's see, how many friends did Norra have........1. Pretty much just Chirin. She sweatdropped. Norra hadn't really counted anyone from Keel'alla's army as her friend. Well, Dosha was sorta her friend, but yet sorta not, and Boulder was sorta her friend, but not really, and Fallow...Norra wondered if Fallow had much of a grudge against her for being defeated. That Chomp or Champ or whoever had been a baka. Kuroirihi had taught her Fire Punch, but that really didn't count, and Keel'alla had been her master, as well as the master of all the other pokémon, and she didn't think that counted as a friend... she gave up. What kind of guidelines were there that set the line between friend and ally, anyway? Chirin, unable to sleep now, lay in wait for Snake to come back with Tod. He felt responsible for the poor totodile. Where would he go if the flock did not take him in? Would Snake stick with him, caring for a blind pokemon? He knew that among his people, lambs born blind were often killed or abandoned. They had no chance of surviving...and they had been cursed. Chirin knew he would never have the--apricorns--to do that himself. But would he? What if Tod came to him begging to be killed? One more death to join the rest, one more victim of the anguished who bled from the trees and soaked the ground with their dirt filled cries. His sides expanded and then sank in as he blew out a huge sigh. He would close his eyes and see the dead vomiting dirt. He would feel the crawling bugs of the evil gift gripping his body. He would feel it spying on him. He swatted the air with a spark. Why did they persist in coming after him? Why did they look on his worries and laugh? Was nothing sacred-- was there nowhere he could keep a few little feelings hidden from groping paws, sniffing noses? He was bruised from the inside, but what was it to them? Snake had slithered back to Tod'd and was coiled up next to him. "When you are done with your water, I could take you to Chirin? He does not want to leave Artemis, who is sick...I think you met Artemis before," she murmured. Petunia had taken to eating more flowers. There was nothing much for her to do while the rest of them waited for Artemis to recover. Chirin, knowing Artemis had gotten too far away in the sleeping realm for him to ever catch her up, sat up with her, thinking soothing thoughts to her. He chewed his cud and watched her breathe, absently studied the sheen of her fur in the dull, cloudy light. The stretch of waiting had let him find a hub of calm within himself. It was dawning on him that the evil spirits were not about to converge on them and slay them all. For a while there, it had felt like that. Selden sat near Artemis too, until he grew bored and joined Petunia, who had wandered to the west edge of the clearing and was sniffing curiously at the air. Selden didn't think to ask on it...he did not really notice. People always sniffed at things for no reason, as far as he was concerned. Especially his beloved chirin! Chirin, moving his head to catch the whole glade in his gaze, noticed something preoccupying the two sheep and bleated softly. "Is something there?" It was then that he smelled strange rams. ~ "Are we going to go in, or should we circle the woods?" said Phalaris, picking up after Gunya as he started north, honing in on the smell of sheep. They were not far, but their being within the forest troubled him. Their kind usually avoided close woodlands. One more thing wrong... "I have my reasons," said Gunya throwing a sour look at Phalaris, "for not rushing into a bewitched forest. Enemies and our kind side by side? Whatever has a hold on that woodland could curse us too!" He did not care if Phalaris thought him silly. They were out on their own now, and this wisdom to avoid odd things and places had served him well before. It was what his flock had taught him. It was all he had left of them. ~ "Whatta'?" Norra stood up militially and sniffed the air as the other three sheep were. She furrowed her brow. All she could smell was the same Ampharos/Flaaffy/Mareep scent, with a bit of Artemis' Houndoom scent and Boulder's...um...whatever-he-was scent. She smelled the other pokémon in the clearing, too. The average populus of Upper World pokémon, she assumed. "I norra' smell'a anna' thing'a badda'...." she reported, looking around the glade suspiciously. The pharas' noses were better then her nose. "Hhhmm?" Boiulder lifted his head, sniffing as well. He smelt the sheep, Norra, Artemis... nothing other than that. Were they smelling other sheep? He dook a whiff towards each sort in particular. He could only smell Karama for the Mareep. He was able to pick out each Flaafy scent, though he had no idea which belonged to whom. But he smelled more than one Ampharos, and there was only one here. It was faint, but there. Was it more of the flock joining them? "Other ampharos--a ram...or more than one probably, for my kind doesn't like to travel alone...usually," said Chirin, sitting straight up. The itch to run out and see who it was prickled all over him in a shower of little sparks. Maybe Norra's nose was not as good as his own, or, more likely, she wasn't as attuned to his kind as he was. "Not anything bad--probably not. I just want to see who they are..." He had a start. Had they been attracted by the scent of the ewes? Petunia? No one with them was in season. He would have been the first to smell that. He had been giving Fluffy a sniff here and there--no sign of it. "I wonder what's called them to come around here," he said. His feet curled and uncurled, his tail lashed and flashed. He took hold of his apricorn shell. "Cleomie and her group came to us after all this time," said Chirin. "Could it be even more have been called to the beacon tree?" A loud zap burst from his tail bulb as static discharged into the ground. "Artemis! She--" he lowered his bleat to a whisper, so as not to wake her. "She, she said she saw other ampharos here. Oh, Mother Megga, ohhhh." He breathed in and out. "She had a vision...it must have been that more would join us." He paused in a bit of hesitation. Rams at this time of year could be aggressive. They might try to drive him away from these ewes, even though none were on heat. Chirin was only a very young ram. But this was his own kind. He was sure that if there was any misunderstanding, that they could work it out fine. After all, there were fields and fields of grass. His caution was a mere flicker. His thoughts were drowned in not the possibility of finding more of the farm sheep. It was the spirits whispering to him that maybe, after all this time, someone from his flock was here. He knew it was so unlikely...but no, as he kept on sniffing, he realized there was something about this scent in particular. It was drawing closer, and the wind was blowing it in through the trees. Chirin's own smell had always differed greatly from the farm mareep--different bloodlines, different ancestors-- different scents. Whoever these strangers were they were not from the farm. Fluffy and Karama walked with Chirin, sometimes sniffing the air. "Other ampharos are going to come here?" Fluffy asked. Karama edged a small ways from Fluffy and Chirin and squirted a small amount of water in the air and let it fall back down onto her. She did this when she was nervous. Then she walked back to Chirin and looked up at him. "...Other ampharos...?" she muttered to herself, turning around and sniffing the air again. A few of the drops sprinkled one side of Chirin, little dots of cold. With a smile he hugged Karama and Fluffy close to him. There was a dreamy look in his eyes. They might even know of his family... Was this why the ancestors were gathered around him, too? Had Artemis simply seen this gathering but not known what it was for? "I smell other ampharos," he said. "After all this time...How I miss them... Oh, of course you're all my special light-friends. But there is that place in everybody's soul that longs for family. I don't know if they are family, but even if they are not...ohh," he sniffled, wishing his crying would not clog his nose and make it harder to smell. Chirin fumbled into his sack for his stones but found it empty. He then remembered that the stones were busily channeling special strength to Artemis while she slept. Maybe they were from Karama's flock. He gazed out eastward, ready for them should they come into the glade. His feelings tumbled over each other--eagerness, delight, fear, caution--all of it making him feel like he was sparking on the inside. He hoped Artemis would awaken soon...he could not wait to go see them! What if they ran off before he got the chance to meet them? No, he could track them fine. He must close his eyes, sit calmly and wait. His feet fidgeted with each other, rubbing and weaving. He hugged himself with his flippers. All of a sudden, everything's colors had changed. Karama was nervous. "I can barely remember...But I think my mum said that other rams sometimes chase away other rams from their own flock...Oh my God...," she muttered. "I won't let them though!" She puffed out her chest in an attempt to look fierce. Poor Karama! As helpless to stop any rams as Chirin was to stop the evil who waited until spring. He was glad he had suppressed his impulse to dash out there. Only the fact that Thyme was here, Selden, Karama, all his friends--and the dangers they had faced--had kept him from doing it. No matter what he would not leave them helpless here. Not even with Boulder around. It was not Boulder's responsibility. The smell had not really changed, so Chirin surrendered himself to just sitting here. If Artemis did not awaken soon, he would ask Boulder to briefly watch while he went out alone to see who the rams were. At that point it would be a matter of safety. Karama's fear reminded him that anything could happen. "Every flock is different," said Chirin, "and rams often fight with each other in the fall. I won't let anything happen to you, though Karama. We'll all be fine if we just stick together. Our lights have grown strong through our time as a flock." Karama sniffed the air one last time then huddled close to Chirin. Fluffy walked foward a little ways closer to the ampharos and sniffed again. "Yep..definatly ampharos," Fluffy muttered to herself, walking back to Chirin and sitting down. These sheep were getting restless. They all wanted to go out and meet the strangers; that much was obvious, Chirin thought as he took a glance southward to see if Snake was returning yet. He should have warned her about the dangers of the cursed glade...the spell he had done on it. Ever since the assault on him here in this glade, it had crowded out the fears of the other spirit. Of course it would use that chance to pounce. "Boulder?" said Chirin. "I've got to go out thre and see who these sheep are. Would it be all right if you watched Artemis while I did? My stones are there giving her energy and power...and right now I can't do much for her, I'm afraid. She's busy healing herself." And that was as it should be. Their carelessness with the herbs had taught him some powerful lessons. The resident ampharos ram stood up to his full height, staring and sniffing and tingling all over as static tendrils banded him with their chaotic, fleeting stripes. His lights vibrated. Boulder nodded. "Alright, but be careful. If you don't show up again fairly soon, I'm going to assume something's wrong and go to look for all of you. Norra can always watch Artemis if it comes to that, but I hope it won't." He said, settling himself down next to Artemis. "I'll try to be as quick as I can," said Chirin, realizing now what he was doing--leaving the flock, even if for a short while. Hadn't he promised he never would? But what were the choices here? He could let them come to him here--and scare their lights out at all the enemy kinds. Or he could go out and meet this new flock, maybe integrate the two. They were only six--and could use a few more ampharos around. "I'll take good care of myself Boulder. In case I don't get back soon, Petunia, can you keep an eye out for things, just as you did with Thyme and the others when you led them out of danger? I hate to ask it of you..." "Not at all," said Petunia. "Goodness, Chirin, you've done enough. Everyone else around here's had their solo stroll! Go for a bit, we'll be fine in here. Go. Meet them. And...if they're friendly, why not bring them back and introduce us?" She grinned. Chirin gave Petunia a big hug. Was Petunia looking for what he could not provide her--a ram who would devote himself to her, make her his special ewe? She certainly deserved that if it was what she wanted. Not all ewes cared for that kind of company from rams--to them, rams were seasonal things, big ampharos who came around, mated them and left, as much a part of autumn as falling leaves. Chirin nuzzled and hugged all the others. "I won't be gone too long," he said. "I just--well, I not only want to meet them just to make sure everything is safe, but I just want to meet them because I feel so excited and curious." Chirin touched his nose to each of the stones surrounding Artemis, the he moved his flipper over them giving them a brush of static. He was charging them with his *denki* so that his soul would guard her from harm. He flashed a bright light from his tail as he stepped to the north end of the glade. "Phos's light to you!" Then he bounded through the flowers and into the forest on the other side. The bushes and trees around him were lit reddish by the ampharos they surrounded. The lights moved away through the shady woods. Karama and Fluffy saw Chirin head towards the ampharos, and they bounced after him. They wanted to see who these strange sheep were. "Yes," Snake said. "If that is what you wanna do." And she slowly, carefully, and gently guided him to the lake. "We are here." Chirin heard them. He whirled on them with pleading in his eyes. All of a sudden he realized that there was more to his wanting to go see these rams alone. He wanted to do just that--go *alone.* He did not know why but it was a soul feeling. These lambs were quite attached to him, but there must be some way...Some way to get them to stay, not only because he wanted them to stay safe--a violent ram could harass and hurt a ewe and Fluffy might be old enough to attract tht sort of violence--but because he suddenly wanted to go on his own, very much. "I can only ask you to remain here for right now," said Chirin. "I know I can't stop you. But--if these rams are not nice I don't want them to hurt you. And yes--you are still very young and small. If they are nice, I will lead them right back to meet us. And soon we will all be heading out to the grasslands. But..." he felt his sudden daggering impulse, subsiding...softening. "I cannot stop you if what you really want to do is come along. It's up to you. I guess," he smiled, "I guess I understand, because I'm just as curious about the world as you are. And I often romp into danger myself." Though it had the habit of finding him even more easily. "Thanks again.", Tod'd said before walking into the water. Washing away most of the dirt, sut, and what not, along with mostiurerizeing his reptillion skin. He made sure to keep his back to the shore, so he'd know which way to get back on land. After a few minitues of just standing in the water, he turned around and went back on shore. "If your still there Snake, I'm ready to go see Chirin now.", he said blindly looking around. Fluffy nodded, and turned around and headed back, but Karama, curious as ever, slowly shook her head. "I will stay out of the way...I just kinda wanna see them too...What if it is my old flock?" she asked. "Okay," Snake muttered. She, once again, carefully steered Tod'd towards where Chirin was, only to realize that he wasn't there. He saw Fluffy, Petunia, Artemis and Boulder... "I guess he left for a while...I don't see Karama around either," Snake mumured, looking around and flicking her fork tounge. "I guess we should just wait here...Oi! Fluffy! Where is Chirin?" Fluffy looked over at Snake. The silver flaaffy walked up to him and sat down, looking at Tod'd for a second before looking back at Snake. "We thought we smelled another flock of ampharos, and Karama and Chirin have gone to check it out," Fluffy explained. "Ah, I see," Snake replied, curling back up. "Kids," said Petunia, marching over to them. It was time she did something about this. "Karama, you too. I think Chirin wants some time to be alone, just like we were saying before. He's like the rest of us--he needs some time to himself. I'd like you both to stay here while he goes to see these strangers, please. They are that-- strangers--and Chirin is quite right when he exercises caution. These are wild rams." How she wished she would evolve, to help take some of the burden of protection off of Chirin. Something had to give. "If the rams are friendly," said Chirin, trying to cheer Karama up, "I'll bring them back here. I'll be sure to mention your name if you want me to, Karama, although they are strangers..I wouldn't want to reveal your name to someone who might hurt you. Why don't you let me fetch them. It'll be a lot safer?" The look in his eyes pleaded for her to let him go. Just this once. Karama looked at Petunia, then back at Chirin. She nodded slowly and then turned and walked back towards Fluffy, who was sitting next to Snake and Tod'd. Karama sat down next to them. Perhaps the hardest thing for Chirin to do was turn to go anyway. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "You stop that," said Petunia, to Chirin. "This is the best solution for everyone here. If the rams are of Karama's flock they're sure to be friendly, aren't they Karama? So Chirin will come back with them and then we can all head out to the fields. I'm as eager to get to them as you guys. Good luck, Chirin." She nodded to him. "May everything go safely." "I hope so," said Chirin, feeling stabbed by guilt every moment he looked at Karama. But what if things turned into a ram battle? She might get killed. He had the distinct feeling there might be a ram battle, if only through ritual, so that all knew their place. "Phos's light to you, and I will be back very soon," said Chirin. "Karama, know that I do this because I love you like I love everyone in our flock." He turned to go again. "Oh, and Petunia? If Snake returns, let her know what's happened and that I'll be coming back as soon as I can." "Of course. Phos's light to you," said Petunia, knowing it would help him to hear that. Chirin smiled at her and darted away into the trees again. She kept her eye on Karama at first, but her attention was soon diverted when she heard Snake coming back. ~ Chirin unhooked his empty sack and lay it in a bush by the edge of the glade where he had departed. He kept his charms round his neck-- and gripped the stantler antler, drawing ram might from it. Whoever he encountered would likely be dominant, for he was as young as amp rams came. He felt himself in a limbo of his own, this trail was more than just a trail to the grasslands. It was a bridge between the strange, rather unnatural life he had fallen into and the old ways he had been born to and raised for what was still most of his life. He paused frequently to sniff for enemies, and make himself relax. Boulder was with the flock now; they were far from helpless. Instead, Chirin got this strange free feeling--no one was here, just him and the forest. Even Crazy Lights was off doing something far away (Crazy Lights could travel pretty fast when he wanted to!). Just Chirin and the woods. "Forest so wise, hi, I'm Chirin," he said as he walked, still shadowed by caution that close plant growth demanded. It carried an age-old worry of knowing enemies could easily see you, but that they had too many places to hide. Ampharos liked to be where everything was in plain sight. "I'm Chirin-chirin--no, wait, no," he said with a grin in his black eyes. "I'm Denrai." He followed the scent easily as the wind told it to him--the bold musk of rams, stronger than his own. Chirin, so young, had barely begun to acquire the full strength and instinct a ram possessed, including scent. So long he had felt himself to be top ram, he realized. He hadn't thought it consciously, but he had felt safe and secure knowing he was the *only* ram--that Selden had not even developed an interest in the rut, and that all the ewes in the area would come to Chirin, and that he'd have no competition. Perhaps that was about to change, but he didn't feel more than a small twinge of regret for that. Too much weighed on him--he needed more moments alone like this one. He needed more help with this flock. Once they were all out in the open it would help a lot, but even then, being the only ampharos wore down on him sometimes. Chirin would not mind being subordinate if it gave him some freedom, and the rest of the flock, security. He only hoped that welcoming them into their flock wouldn't bring the evil on them too. His head jewel blinked brightly as he took a trail most of the way out, cutting through trees and bushes at times when the trail got too narrow or he lost it altogether. Trails mattered even more in a forest than they did in the long grass! "Well," he said struggling to step over a bush that proved a little too big to just step over. He stumbled out onto the other side, flipper landing on a tree trunk to catch himself. "I'm not really Denrai," he said as he collected himself. "I'm Chirin-chirin and I guess I'm a bit nervous. I'm excited, but nervous too...I wonder, do you ever feel that way." He stepped out onto clearer ground again, littered only by pine needles and pinecones. The sudden clearing spoke to him; the forest had just opened up to him--yes. And suddenly Chirin felt a lot better. "I guess we all do," he said, standing there in the wider, freer air between the trees. "I'm feeling a little bit like I have too much to do, and like there's too much to keep track of. I want more time to just run off and play...but things keep happening and this flock needs an ampharos with them in such danger. I just feel bad because-- because I often feel like I shouldn't feel that way. There's this ancestor in me somewhere who nags me, telling me I should always look out for them no matter what. Because there's so much danger But sometimes, other times, it just gets to be too much. I start to feel blocked in. Just--" he glanced back at the trail he had walked already. "Just--like before, when I got this itching sparking feeling that screamed at me, ohh--it seized me and pulled me to go seek out these strangers. But then I felt tied down--I--I almost started to get mad at them just for needing me." Chirin began to cry. "How could I do that--be so greedy? But I can't deny it. I don't want to spend years like this. I need this time." He walked on, his tears subsiding. "I guess Petunia's right, I can't carry too much for long, before it becomes this burden. This walk, this meeting will refresh me very much. Forest...are these rams friendly? Are they just out to take ewes? These are the things I need to know. For the flock's sake as well as my own curiosity. How i hope they come from my flock..." He perked his ears and softly inhaled through his nose, his arms spreading slightly, as if opening up to the wind that threw a sharper hint of their scent at him. Chirin knelt by the tree who must have helped to send him the message- -that he must go see for himself. That he had to know he could handle this. He passed droppings by the foot of the tree, flashed his light to it, "Phos's light to you," and he bounded a little faster into the forest, around bushes as he made a beedrill's line for the scent. He saw a light now, a red light answering. Chirin felt his body changing as he caught a glimpse of it--his whole being was reacting to this light--this presence of another ampharos. Another ampharos, oh Phos, oh Mama. It had been so long. His soul shook him to the bone and Chirin felt himself changing, making a metamorphosis from the ampharos back in the white glade, to a new ampharos, one made of instinct and communication with lights and postures and smells. He strode carefully up towards the other ram, who stood at the wood's edge. Suddenly it did not matter if he didn't know how to speak a single word. His approach slowed and the other ram took a sudden turn and bounded out of the woods, into the grasses that swayed and bent in the cold wind. He stopped out there, standing tall and blinking at Chirin. Chirin realized he had merely been trying to get clear of the woods. Chirin saw no other rams around. He did not know that Gunya-gunya observed them from much farther away, squatted down in the grass with his lights dimmed, peering at him from between the waving blades. Waiting until the ram got far enough away from the woods. Waiting until he was coaxed into a battle and then they would lead him, weakened, away. They could then come back for the others, having gotten all the information they needed out of this one. He stepped free of the forest, feeling its presence at his back. Facing the other ram with a good space of grass between them, he saw that the other one was older than he was; more mature, although still young and barely taller. His head jewel was smaller than Chirin's and his ears were shorter and fatter. His lights shone more steadily, not as prone to the highs and lows that constantly characterized Chirin's. Another ampharos. Chirin was just mesmerized looking at him, feeling his flock almost present. A living, breathing ampharos. He swallowed back a shine of tears and kept his gaze slightly averted. The other ram stepped forward and Chirin did not back away. He kept his lights friendly, but rather dim in submission, letting the other one know that there did not need to be a fight. They neared each other step by step, glance by glance, circling each other. Chirin studied the other's gait and bulk. He was not quite as large as he had seemed; they were almost equal in height, and in fact, in a battle Chirin might have half a chance at winning. If the spirits were really on his side. Still, he was the smaller and younger. Nothing here was worth a fight. He kept himself in submissive posture, always looking below or to the side of the stranger's eyes. "Hi," he finally said, blinking his lights appealingly. "I mean no harm or challenge. I'm coming from the forest by the lake--" "Who are you?" The ram asked it with some awkwardness, as if it was something he had forgotten, until now, to spit out. Chirin stepped back and even looked to make sure the forest was still solidly behind him, off past the grass. "I'm Chirin-chirin," he said, unwilling to reveal his flock. The other ram's eyes were turning to a look of challenge. Chirin gave every signal of submission that he could. He bowed deeply and hunched low, his ears forward and lights blinking childlike. He cocked his head. "Meet your new flock, Chirin-chirin." The other ram leaned forward in the shoulders and charged him. Chirin watched dumbfounded as this ram thundered towards him, all hooves and sparks and rage. He bleated loudly as he beat down the grass towards Chirin. Without thinking Chirin lowered his own head. His legs bunched up and he took off towards the stranger. The opposing ram, eyes and lights angry, grew bigger and bigger, circuiting sparks from his head jewel. Chirin realized he must look like that too, all anger and buzzing and bleating. Their heads collided with a bang that could be heard a while away. Their bodies released *denki* upon the impact. Thrown back by the heavier ram, Chirin bleated loudly, shaking his head. He and the other ram circled again, and Chiirn realized belatedly that this was a fight over who got to return to the ewes who waited in the forest glade. He did not care that Boulder was there to protect them. Chirin would not lose to this one. Suddenly as he circled the other ram, in a cloud of musk, all that mattered was winning. They circled out and charged again. Out the corner of his eye Chirin glimpsed another set of lights standing up from the grass. Then his head jewel was colliding with the other's, sliding off to the side. The other ram leaped at Chirin, trying to ram him again; they scuffled with their flippers, each trying to throw the other down. Chirin broke free, bleating angrily. They prepared to butt heads again, and Chirin knew his body could not stand up to many more of these head-butts. He steeled himself and charged to meet the other one. When they smashed heads Chirin's electricity ripped out of him, tearing up the air in a loud bolt that found ground behind the other ram's tail somewhere. Nevertheless, Chirin staggered back, weakened and tiring. He panted clouds of frost and the wind chilled his sweating skin as he stared at the other one, all but defeated. But he had more in him than this. This stranger fought for breeding... Chirin fought for his friends. The other ram did his best to stand tall and he grinned. "Where's your flock," he said. Chirin stepped back, his peripheral vision on the forest. "You cannot hurt them." "Ah, I was hoping we could settle this without really having to beat you up." The other ram made a clicking noise with his tongue as Chirin caught his breath; he was in excellent shape and did not remain winded long. He stood his ground. "Why?" Chirin stared at him and let the tears flow. "You don't even know who they are. I have no ewes with me ready to mate. Who are you? I don't even know your name." The other was about to answer when a third voice stopped them both. "*Ysgard!*" Gunya-gunya tore out from his hiding place in the grasses. He bounded up towards them at top speed, heedless of where he was going or what he was doing. "Phalaris no!" "What?" The other ram gestured to Chirin in confusion. "You told me to weaken him, well I did! And I weakened myself in the process." Told him to weaken Chirin? So they were acting in cahouts? Why? There was something here he was missing... "Stop, Phalaris no, no--" Gunya screamed hysterically. He stopped a good many paces away from Chirin, and he stared at the younger, roughed-up but recovering ram. He stared a long time. "Ysgard?" "*Amp?*" Chirin regarded him with fear. He took a step backwards. This seemed to frighten the other one, despite his being obviously older and larger than Chirin. This made it all the more frightening. This one was obviously seeing spirits. Chirin cast his gaze about, looking all around. He reached out into the air with his gift. "What is going on?" cried Phalaris. "Gunya what is it now?" Gunya stepped shakily towards Chirin. "Ysgard...is it you? It is really you?" "I--" The cold cloudy sky blew down on the three rams out there in the grass. The west wind carried the hint of rain. The three rams, each one confused, each one thrown. Each caught in the middle of the other two. Chirin opened his mouth and all that came out was an honest answer. "I'm Chirin-chirin of the beacon flock of Pharos," he said, and the look in the other's eyes said that that meant something. Chirin began to cry again. ~ "More'a phara?" Norra asked, and smelled again. Yes, there was more then one scent that she had originally labeled as Chirin's. "Maybe yorra' clanna' 'scape fromma' humans?" she suggested, shrugging. Chirin went off to check "Fromma' knowing'a Shirinna', they must'a be kind'a-sweet. Norra' problemma." Norra announced to the rest of the flock after smelling the wind a bit more. Her grip was very loose on her bone, she was dead set they couldn't be a problem. Besides, sticks and stones might break Norra's bones, yet electricity could never hurt her. "I think that's what Chirin hopes too," said Petunia, sitting down with them while she waited for them to return. A distant smacking noise, coupled with a spit of thunder, gave her some doubts. "What was that?" Norra's head snapped to the direction where the noise had come from. "I really norra' know'a...." she clutched her bone tight, breathing quickly, and stood up, ready to defend the flock, just like she told Chirin she would, if it came down to that.... The racket repeated a fre more times...like bone clubs, maybe, thought Petunia looking at Norra's club. Yes, only marowaks out there or something... Or rams fighting. She listened for it again, but it did not come. And Chirin was still not back. "I wish this hadn't had to happen, Norra." ~ His whole body ached from the impacts, but suddenly he did not feel it. All he could do was weep as he stared at Gunya, who also was weeping. Tears beaded down the fully grown ram's face. "It's you," he stepped towards Chirin with his flippers out. As Chirin smelled his musk , he realized the scent was similar to his own--very similar, the type of closeness that said he was family. His flock! This ram was not of his flock--but he was of the same area! Chirin suddenly remembered that his father's family had never been with Chirin's flock. "Oh, good Phos and Watakko," said Chirin..."my..." "Ysgard," gasped Gunya-gunya, "...brother, is that really you? You have his voice...and his lights. Say it's you Ysgard. It has been a long, long time. I...I thought I would never see any one of my kin again." "It's--I'm Chirin-chirin," he said again. "Of the--" "Beacon flock of Pharos! Yes...Ysgard went there! That became his flock! Ysgard--Chirin--" Gunya rushed through the grass to meet Chirin at last. Chirin stretched his legs and neck and touched noses to Gunya. The ram was quite tall--well over a head taller than Chirin- -and what was more, he had a long buildd and a large head jewel whose lights swung expressive, although not as much as Chirin's did. And he had longish ears similar to Chirin's own... for a moment there, Chirin even saw them wiggle like his own often did. "Oh..." He let his tears do the talking. "There...he's ours now," said Phalaris, circling in behind Chirin to surround his back. Gunya, his face still wet with tears, stepped around Chirin and started at Phalaris, almost mock-charging. "You will not hurt my brother." He whirled on Chirin again, who realized that Gunya had mistaken him for a brother. Yet--this one had to be kin. He was kin. That Chirin knew. "You are Ysgard--my brother--you are him. You have another name, you are much younger...you are him reborn. I would swear you were his spirit if I had not heard your heads clash so loudly. Who is your father?" "I...oh, sweet Mother Megga..." Chirin clutched his apricorn charm and his stantler antler, hugging them together in both his flippers. "I lost my entire flock when I was only a lamb. Through a lot of hardship and darkness I evolved very early. And...I don't remember my father's name. I only knew him as Dah." "Was he a tall fellow?" Gunya gestured excitedly, hands still trembling and lights flickering wildly. "Always laughing, loved to tell stories? Always up for a clash of heads, just for fun? Always...always wiggling his ears?" "Yes..." Chirin's own lights were glaring brightly, as bright and red as they had ever shone, it seemed. "You are Ysgard's son. You are Ysgard. That was him, that--" Gunya grabbed Chirin in a hearty hug. Sparks rang out from him. "Brother...Nephew!" he sobbed, and before he knew it, Chirin was returning the hug, sobbing loudly as he clutched this ram he had never met, didn't know the name of, and somehow, had missed for a very long time. ~ Petunia's statement somewhat puzzled Norra. Was Chirin fighting another Ampharos? She decided to ask. "Yorra' think'a Shirinna' fight'a otherra' phara?" she asked the Flaaffy. Chirin was so nice, could he actually fight? "He fights when he has to," said Petunia softly. "He's fought to defend us before. I just wish it weren't so...I just hope it ends all right, if that's what it is." She listened again. No more clashing came from the fields beyond the forest. Whatever it was, it was over. "Yah, I hope'a so, too." Norra agreed, straining her ears for more sound. But the noise had come from too far away, and she couldn't hear anything else.. ~ Gunya grabbed Chirin in a hearty hug. Sparks rang out from him. "Brother...Nephew!" he sobbed, and before he knew it, Chirin was returning the hug, sobbing loudly as he clutched this ram he had never met, didn't know the name of, and somehow, had missed for a very long time. They rocked as they hugged, nuzzling each other's faces, feeling each other's sobs. Chirin squeezed him, in the hold of the uncle he'd never known he had until his arms started to go numb from squeezing. Artemis had indeed had a vision. Everything had come together to lead him here to his uncle. "Oh, I had given up...I never thought I would ever see my family alive again. I never thought...I never knew," he blubbered. At last they pulled apart--and flung themselves together, hugging again. Phalaris stood there watching them and just hoping no one from the Mure found out about this. Gunya the cold, merciless interrogator, who marched on in cold and rain with lack of sleep...Gunya who obeyed without question. Phalaris felt his role model moving astray. He could not have known that the Gunya he had known was the Gunya who had lost everything when the Mure took their flock and killed almost everyone who resisted, sending the survivors away to some other place while Gunya was broken and trained--trained into the ideal Mure because he had had nothing else to live for. He had just stopped caring. "Oh, Chirin-chirin," said Gunya pulling back from him. "I haven't even told you my name. I'm Gunya-gunya of the flock of Hanekonë. We were the flock who roamed the edge of the fields by the forest, further inland and north from where you wandered. Ysgard, my younger brother, he left us when he was about your experience--and from there I saw him once or twice, now and then. He was a wonderful denryuu, Chirin--and you are him. You havehis soul and blood, Chirin. I thought I had seen his spirit--I thought I heard his spirit--when you came out onto the grass and bleated. As soon as I heard you--I knew it was Ysgard." "Ysgard," said Chirin. "My dah's name--I never knew it, goodness Gunya--I can't...Gunya, this day has changed me forever!" Chirin flopped onto the grass and touched his nose to it. "Oh good spirits! The good and generous who love me! You have led me onto the light-path I had given up on!" He got up when Gunya held his flipper out. "I missed my brother...I don't so much anymore," said Gunya. "You say that he was taken too, with your flock...but he came back. He's right here, Chirin...As crazy and shining as ever!" Gunya and Chirin scooped each other up in a hug again. "Oh, you don't know how my heart and *denki* are dancing," said Chirin. "I must show you my flock! You have to meet them! I--I have made friends with pokemon from the Eerie Lake! And yes...some of them are of enemy kind. But through our light-paths and companionship and helping each other, we've become friends, We have, really, and it is a beautiful thing..." "Oh, Ys--Chirin..." Gunya flickered his light, giving an uneasy smile. "That really is what Ysgard would do. He loved to wander all over, his curiosity..." Just like Chirin was. "I feel so excited," said Chirin. "I love to tell stories too. And I--" He stopped short of mentioning the evil. "Our flock has encountered many strong evil spirits, though. I've done my best to hold them away from harming us, but I feel I must warn you before either of you comes to join us." "You...you say you've made friends among enemy kinds," said Gunya, his smile fading, "that's a reason right away why the spirits are in unrest. The ancestors...Our ancestors...Chirin...I know you probably didn't set out to befriend everyone who hunted you, but still...making friends with enemies can offend some spirits. The ancestors may be displeased." Gunya's fearful tone gave Chirin pause, but he only had to remember the fun he had had with Artemis and Boulder last night, Iris's shining smile, and Tachiguy's endless love and wisdom. "Oh, Gunya, there's so much I have to tell you, I met each of these as a denryuu to an enemy, and we came round as friends in light in ways more special than I could ever express to you. The great beacon tree...the fight against Bangaa...oh Gunya there's so much I have to tell you. I could talk for a whole moon without stopping, that is how much has happened!" "I guess you didn't evolve within a couple of seasons by just chewing your cud," said Gunya. "And, granted, I have heard of such friendships happening before. Just...not so close within my own family! Phalaris--come meet this ram you, well, already met. Come. We are not going to hurt him." Phalaris stood to face Chirin again, no longer as a challenger. "Well met, Chirin." He stepped over and sniffed noses with Chirin, who remained cautious, but friendly; he sniffed noses back, reflecting the ram's friendly blinks, in wihch he sensed some grudginess. "I'm so glad that everything is coming around for the better," said Chirin, smiling at Phalaris. He understood the ram's sullen feelings-- the situation had changed abruptly and Phalaris was no longer a conqueror, a winner, but an odd one out. Chirin had never understood why so many got such soul power from winning fights--being able to hurt others more than they got hurt themselves--but perhaps it gave them confidence that they could survive, when they might lack confidence otherwise. Everyone needed to know in their heart that they had what it took to live. He gave Phalaris a bright shine and open flippers. "Inside I am dancing," he breathed. He spun away and leaped in the air, laughing. He ran at Gunya and hugged him, giggling as he shot back away, capering around. Suddenly all of the darkness no longer mattered. A brighter light had shone it all away. He had a piece of his family back--a connection to his flock, just like one of his flock was back. "And I am dancing on the outside too!" Phalaris looked a little less elated than Gunya did. "Enemies? You've made friends with enemies and you want US to meet them? By the eerie lake?" Still diving and dancing in the grass and loving the soft blades brushing his legs, Chirin landed and looked at Phalaris with ears a bit drooping. One twitched. "You don't have to come," he said. "I understand if you're unesey...even shocked. I would love to tell you the tale of how I came to befriend enemies...I realize it must be hard to understand if you didn't live here and experience all that I did." "So, what kinds of enemies are they. Marowaks?" "Phalaris, please, give him a chance," said Gunya. "The Eerie Lake is a strange place, full of magic and powerful spirits. We've always known that. Look at Ysga--goodness, I keep calling you Ysgard--look at Chirin. He doesn't mean us any harm!" Gunya gav the other ram a long deep look. The two of them had meant Chirin harm. "If they're friends of my brother, who lives on in my nephew, I could in time make them my own friends." "You'll make friends with a marowak? How are you so sure this ram here, isn't bewitched himself?" Chirin felt his belly jump. He chewed the cud that came up...to help take his mind off his nervousness. The evil spirits...should he tell them? He must tell them...in fact he had already told them, in short. "No one said anything about there even being a marowak involved here," Gunya was saying when Chirin touched his arm. "Well...yes," he said. "I do have a marowak friend." Phalaris looked at Gunya with an 'I told you so' look. Gunya gave both of them a look of unease. "Do you know," the big ram told Chirin rather sternly, "how serious an offense taking sides with a marowak can be? It's so...so...out of the question, out of possibility! that no one's ever considered it. You speak of ill luck, your ill luck is coming from our ancestors squirming at such a--friendship, if that's what it can be called. It..." Chirin stepped back from Gunya and Phalaris both. He was beginning to cry again. "I have a houndoom friend too," he said, and added as their lights flashed in shock, "one I feel proud to call my light- sister." The rams stared at him. Gunya was the one who finally spoke. "Ysgard...poor brother...you have fallen under the wicked spell of the Eerie Lake. I must help you, Chirin! I must! It isn't your fault, it's the evil." "Let me explain," said a teary Chirin, almost chouting. "I have to tell you--have to talk to you about this! I know I'm not enchanted into siding with the enemy. I do not hunt, nor do I like the fact that some of my friends do. But none of them would ever harm an ampharos. They respect me and my kind. In turn I've come to respect them. They cannot help being born to a life that demands they kill so they can eat. Were we born to that life, we would do the same. We're all just trying to live, and when our paths crossed, I was given the chance to make friends with them. I could have refused, I could have walked away. But I would not be here if it weren't for their help. I doubt any of us would. "Bangaa arose here by the eerie lake. There was great unrest and darkness and Bangaa possessed a marowak to destroy the forest and field." Chirin flunghis arms out and paced in a small circle. "He commanded packs of marowaks and another creature too, called sandslashes, he was marching to destroy the guardian tree too. But the guardian tree called a pokemon of every kind to help defeat Bangaa. It called me and some other sheep, who are my flock now, it called furrets, houndooms, nidorans, pikachus, all kinds came together as friends like in the very first days of creation. We all came together and pooled our powers, and we guarded the guardian tree from harm. Then a great old pokemon cast a spell--I cast one too, to help it along, but it wasn't so powerful--this old pokemon cast a spell and gave the spell to my best friend, a furret. This ootachi took the spell down into the caves underground and he challenged Bangaa and defeated him!" Chirin's head jewel cracked a bolt. "He pulled the darkness into a trap within himself, where it shriveled and died. Bangaa still exists, but as he was before he rose up for vengence. It was thanks to all of us as friends, not enemies, that Bangaa was defeated. The magic pulling us together was not a dark magic. It was Light." Lights waxing radiant for a moment, he wiped his eyes dry and regarded the two rams. Would they believe all this had happened? They had to know he wasn't bewitched! "That is...outrageous, and if this wasn't the eerie lake...and you weren't my dear brother...and if I didn't see that you are clearly not making this up, I wouldn't believe you," said Gunya. "But I can't see anything else allowing all pokemon kinds to meet as friends. It's obviously magic." "And the Pidgeot who helped rescue me, as a yung lamb, when I first came here," said Chirin, hugging himself. "He's my great and wonderful friend too." Mecha--how was he doing now? Chirin still had the protective charm round his neck, it had gotten tangled with the antler and he'd left it that way. Its protective powers must have been attracted to the great ram powers coming from the antler. The journey it was meant for had not happened, but the spell was still cast. The link still lived. "So...you judge for yourself on whether the ancestors would be displeased that we stopped darkness in its tracks. It was poised to destroy everything alive and good... only all of us together could have done it. Enemies included. It is sad that we are born to a life that places them against us, but all the more beautiful when we can overcome that, even just a little, and make friends with them." Chirin blinked wetness out of his eyelashes. "Just like in the legends," said Gunya, "of friendships rare and unheard of nowadays. Well, all legends were new once. Brother," he clapped Chirin on the shoulder and gave a wry smile, "you always did have an uncanny way with words. But you have to understand that I can't just go in there...with marowaks and houndooms! Good Phos! they are still creatures of death and darkness! Marowaks in particular hurt us...I remember them killing members of the flock I ran with. I can never look at a marowak and call it friend, I'm sorry Chirin." "I understand," said Chirin. "If I had not come here so young...I would probably feel the same way." He looked down. "But I can't abandon them. For now they need me and regard me as a friend too. I'm just doing my best to help them stay safe and happy. I have five other sheep with me too, and they have also accepted the presence of my...other friends. It wasn't easy. But our light-paths crossed and came out of the darkness, aligned. And they have been ever since." Chirin ducked down to graze, nipping tasty seed-heads off the grass stalks. When he didn't know what else to say or do, he just started eating if he could. It helped to sooth him and remind him that life went on. Life without grazing would be full of holes where something should be smoothing it over...or something like that. "I'm so happy to meet you, Gunya, you don't know what this means to me, to find an uncle I never knew I had, when I thought everything was lost," he said, going over to Gunya and hugging him again. "You just don't know." No wonder the spirit messages about his family had been vague--he had lost his flock but had close kin in others, who still thrived. At first when they had met, questions about how Gunya came to be here, where the rest of their flock was, had not come at all. Gunya had appeared out of nowhere, spirited here to come and let him know that his family still lived. Now he wondered more things. "Are there others? More of your family?" said Chirin. "Is it you two who came here alone?" "I lost my flock, Chirin," said Gunya, "like you lost yours. I...I'm not sure how it happened, but..." "Humans," said Chirin. "Humans took my flock away in the night. They-- " He breathed out, leaking shivers. "It feels like so long ago now. They are gone and I was the only one who got away. Because of the spirits helpin me. They brought me here to the lake. I didn't know it then but I must have been called there because they knew that Bangaa would be rising and I was one of the ones chosen." Was that the only reason he had been spared? What about this evil thing and Mure? Destiny...? "I don't know why I survived, but..." Gunya glanced at Phalaris and made up a lie, quickly. "Phalaris and I were the only ones who got away." "I'm so sorry to hear the darkness touched your lives," said Chirin, and the tender stroked of his flippers on Gunya's back made Gunya squirm a little, feeling like he didn't deserve such affection. And he didn't. "So you escaped with the spirits' help to the lake, here, like me?" "Yes...like you, Ysgard." Chirin hugged Gunya tighter, feeling less alone than he had in a very, very, very long time. "There are so many things I've forgotten...many tales of Denrai, the songs, the dances and all of those denryuu things. I would love for us three to do them, sing and dance the stories again! I may be Ysgard reborn, but I don't know all the things he knew. But if you don't remember all those things that's fine, I don't care. I'm just so glad to have my family again. We can make new songs!" "Ah, Ysgard, that's you all over!" Gunya swatted him on the shoulder. Chirin giggled through his tears. "The storyteller and damn good brawler! Eh...I sense a little more of the storyteller about you than the brawler... but you're sure full of energy!" said Gunya, shaking his head as Chirin backed away and leaped in the air just for the sheer exhilaration it gave him. "Are you ready?" He took Gunya's flippers in his. "Ready to meet my flock? If you would like, I can bring them out here to meet you rather than your venturing into the forest...we have had some bad times in there, although many good ones too. The forest path calls to me now, it tells me that my flock is waiting. They may be nervous that I've been gone too long. I need to go back regardless, just to let them know everything's all right. Would you like this time to stay here and prepare yourselves to meet us?" He paused. "My houndoom friend...she's a bit sick right now, she's resting and might not be able to come out." "Er...yes, I'd rather we stayed out here than went into those woods. If there's been bad vibrations about the place, it's best that we meet in the open...I never cared much for forests myself." "Forests can be friend or foe," said Chirin. "They are capricious. Their feelings run strong, and they have a lot of wisdom. Well...I'll go in and see how they are now...but goodness, I don't want to leave you!" He laughed. "Promise me you'll still be here? That you won't...let something spirit you away? It's just that after all this time it feels too good to last...too good to be real. Like this is all an illusion, some clever trick by cruel spirits..." "It's real all right," Gunya clapped Chiirn on the arm again, "real as my hand here, and there's no way in Bangaa's caves I'd lose my brother now!" His lashing tail flew aspark. Chirin gave him a last tight hug, and ventured over to Phalaris, who allowed him to touch noses to him. Chirin reached out to hug him but the ram shrugged him away. "I understand if knowing I have hunter friends makes you wonder about me," said Chirin. "It's made me wonder about myself at times. But I hope that in time you can come to understand. I know it must be difficult." His head was spinning and his feet were full of Pikachus. His tail waved high, perked in the air almost parallel to his back. Chirin hugged Gunya yet again, nuzzling him behind the ear as Gunya bowed his head down over his shoulder. ~ Fluffy and Karama were huddling close together, shaking uncontrolably. Snake spoke soothing words to them. "Shhh," she hissed it a soothing way. "Chirin is just fine." But the lambs were not listening. Snake looked away from them, and looked in the direction of the noise, which had just stopped. She remembered Fluffy telling her that Chirin had fought with another ram named Willy once before...She never got around to saying if he lost or not, so Snake was rather nervous. ~ "Go to your flock," said Gunya as Chirin tried to give him another hug. "I'll be here for you to smother in kindness when you get back, I promise. Brother to brother promise. Your flock awaits! Now go on." Smiling he made a shooin motion with his flippers. Chirin laughed. "Phos's light to you many many times over! I'll be back as fast as I can, Pikachus are in my feet! Phos's--" Chirin cut himself short and turned for the woods, taking the trail back through the forest. The trees passed him by on either side, in a whirl--so much was going on inside him that no part of him could stay still. He ran most of the way, leaping up and down, even twirling. His uncle! And Chirin had never even known he was his father reborn. Sometimes that happened--an ancestor put so much of themselves into a new body that they became it. But Chirin knew he was himself as well-- that there were some things in him that were not Ysgard. Every new lamb was a unique mix of ancestors; they channeled their blood into the bolt that was the soul. A chain of lightning bolts reaching back to Phos and Watakko. The bushes were easy to cut through, Chirin made a running leap and bounded clear over a few of the smaller ones. He was so happy! He had the spirits to thank a million times over! His lights glittered and his face shone, flushed with excitement. He cried, he laughed, he leaped. "*Amphaa! Amphaaa! Pharaaah!*" he called to the flock as he approached the glade. ~*~ Artemis twitched often, more from the grass that dug at her skin. Sneezing here and there from things entering her nose. Including the weird, fuzzy, unexplainable feeling from the greens that lay around her and the cotton. The cool air whiped at her skin, now that Chirin wasn't there anymore the houndoom became slightly chilly. ~ Artemis spinned, light fading from all sides. A blue twirl surrounded her and she looked around curious, yet not scared. This is how she often entered a dream. She appeared in her dream, near a wonderful river. Yet in dream world she didn't fear her rivers...they were hers. She looked around, suspecting to see Chirin. For he was supposidly going to sleep with her, then again who knew? Artemis walked along the river that rushed passed, gazing down she saw fish of all colors, makikarp of the color blue and ever other color. Dewgongs and Seels, Dratini and oh so much more! The river thrived with wonderfuls and good things. Things that didn't threaten her, and even so in dream land Artemis could walk again. The sun blazed down on a wonderful brillance that didn't scar her. The buzzing feeling dissappered...and ever other symptom as well! "Wonderful! Now only if Chirin were to arrive...ah well...I can at least wonder around peacefully now." Artemis walked on...behind her lay the massive waterfall, raising above the ground, like a water path to Luna of Light. And ahead lie a beautiful meadow. Flowers of many colors lay across this plain, grass as green as...well, the greenest green ever to be seen! The sky a brillant dark blue...the water crystal clear. The mountains behind her that bordered the waterfall a vibrant color of dark steel. Luna of Light lay at full light, and the Sun just oppsite. Today in her dream, Lunar of Dark wasn't talking to his twin, Luna of Light, perhaps though she would speak to Luna of Light sometime in her lands. This would be like her valley when she traveled the path to the moons, although time could change and it all could dissapper into a merciless horror filled land. All Artemis did for the longest time was walk...watching the herds of Stantler and Cows. Looking up as the birds flew by, and the other predators nod a greeting in hello to her. Seeing the flocks of many Chirin's and younger rams run and play. ~Is this what Chirin missed so much?~ She thought to herself, seeing a herd of Ponyta and rapidash reminded her of the journey the would be taking as soon as she felt better. Time seemed to never age and grasses of many beauty's seemed to hug her in hello. "I wish this was the way at home...at Lake Eerie. Yet isn't my home perfect already? And when I take the path to the moons I can live here forever with whomever else I want to." ~ Artemis had rolled to be laying down on her back, and suddenly out of no where her stomach grumbled deeply. Loud enough for anyone within a foot of her could hear. Artemis had begun to chase the grasshoppers and all the little bugs. Having fun jumping through the grass that was taller than herself. This is what she missed out on in her life as a puppy, now being older...it was slightly harder, espescially with all the worries that flooded her now. While she was getting ready to leap, she heard her stomach grumble at the exact time it did in reality. And that awoke the houndoom from the lovely dreamlands.... Artemis stirred a few times, her eyes seeing the back of her eyelids as the houndoom came back from her dreams. Small pain swept over her, and she opened her eyes to the cloudy day. Artemis shook her head and blinked her weary, blue eyes a few times to rid them of sleepiness. Rolling over and lifting to her feet. The houndoom could see better again, and she wasn't as wobbly. Plus the buzzy feeling had left her and Artemis howled in joy. Her eyes closed as she lifted her head up to sing, finding out her voice was still uneasy and crackly. But the side-effects had gone down and for that she was most thankful for. The howl died slowly, for that's when she thought of her stomach grumbling once more. And her throat burned with thrist. Strechting and giving a tremendous yawn, she stood up fully and looked about. Thinking she'd see Chirin nearby but unable too. Artemis yawned again...and walked around a bit. "Boulder? Iris? Selden? Chirin? Anyone?" ~ Fluffy telling her that Chirin had fought with another ram named Willy once before...She never got around to saying if he lost or not, so Snake was rather nervous. Petunia was personally surprised, pleasantly so, that neither silver sheep--especially the more headstrong Karama--had attempted to sneak out of the glade. She was relieveed--she had not been keeping a close eye on them, what with Snake and Tod's arrival. Hearing Chirin's happy bleating from a distance, Norra relaxed. "Itta' look'a like'a Shirinna' wonna'. Orra' somma'thin good'a." she said to Petunia. Artemis heard the very happy Chirin come bounding down along the trails path. She smirked. "Hey, Chirin! I see your very happy...tell me what adventures you sought while I dreamt of journeys." (24583)