Chapter 16

The sun begain to rise and Leopard eyes snapped open. She sat up and noticed she was lieing with SteelWind and Nitaya. She sat up looking around for Hawk. Her gaze moved over to his pets by the, burnt-out, fire. And him sleeping soundly under his griffons wing. LeopardMask smiled slightly. And tapped her two compainions so they would wake up without stirring the others. She got up and grabbed her weapons. She hopped onto Abby. And motioned for her pets to get on the other two. Nitaya jumped up onto WildSky. And SteelWind leaped up onto OceanBreeze. The horses shifted slightly feeling paws on they're backs. The human kingdom trained they're horses to carry livestock, thus they coped with the animals on they're backs with ease. Leopard tapped Abby's shoulder and the horse broke into a canter. they headed down the beat road, from years of the children going back and forth.
A few hours later HawkIce woke up. DodgeingArrows felt him stirr. And lifted his wing off his masters, now, warm body. HawkIace patted his thanks to DodgeingArrows for keeping him warm. And stood up. DodgeingArrows saw HonestShadow still asleep on his back. So he stood up. And Shadow came crashing down. HonestShadow got up and pushed past DodgeinArrows to his master. Hawk laughed at the two and gave HonestShadow a few pets before realizeing. LeopardMask had left. He sighed and motioned for HonestShadow to hop onto DodgeingArrows behind him. DodgeinArrows got a good running start before takeing off. HawkIce clutched handfulls of DodgeingArrows feathers. On his hands, they felt as soft as the rabbit furrs they used as blankets. Soon he caught up to LeopardMask. He looked down seeing her pets holding onto the horses for dear life. LeopardMask sat on her horse clutching the reigns in one hand, and holding onto a bow with the other. HawkIce grins and jumps off DodgeingArrows. This time Leopard senses something, and just before he hits her, she wacks him away with her bow, and pulls her horse to a stop, "Shh.. Shh, Abby it's alright." She soothed the startled horse. "Hawk!" She exclaimed and ran over to the non-moveing figure. She bent down beside him. "Hawk? Hawk! Are you okay!?" she asked rolling him over. He didn't do anything. He just layed there. Leopard dropped her bow, and looked extremley worried at him. She heard a slight chuckle emit from his lips. She push her hair behind her ear, and smacked his stomach. Hawk jerked up gripping his stomach.
"What. Was. That for Leopard!" He asked in gasps. Leopard groans and smacks him upside his head. "You are such a little faker!!!" She yells at him pissed off. Hawk falls over laughing. "You're face!!!! I dont think you could get any redder even if you tryed!!" Leopard glared at him, got up, and stepped on his stomach walking over to Abby. Hawk let out a "Oof!" and watched Leopard go. Leopard walked over to Abby and gently stroked the horses, mucled, shoulder. Hawk walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Oh come on Leopard i was only kiddin'. Besides, you cant go off without me. You'll get lost!" He told her. She shrugged. "So? I'll find my own way. Go back to the kingdom. You're safer there." She told him before climbing onto Abby. Hawk grabbed her hand, and pulled her back off. She sighs. "HawkIce. Go back now!" She yelled at him. He shook his head. "You'll get yourself killed!" He yelled back. He had hold of both of her hands, and was trembleing. "So what?! At least I wont have to go be an assasin!" She challenged. He shook his head again. By now Leopard had felt his hands shakeing. And took her hands out of his grasp, she placed her over his, and said in a more calmer tone. "Hawk. You're shakeing. You'll only get yourself killed if you with me. Go back to the others and have a happy life." She told him. He stood there stareing at her like she was telling him to go die. "You're my happy life!" He yelled at her. Before kissing her. Leopard's eyes got huge. 'This is new..' She thought to herself, before closeing her eyes, and returning the kiss. After a minute HawkIce pulls himself back. "Leopard I-" He began to say. But Leopard cut him off. "It's alright.." She told him looking down. SteelWind and Nitaya had layed down on the other two horses, and were covering they're eyes with they're paws. HawkIce sighed. "So weather you like it or not. I'm comeing with you!" He told as if he was sealing the matter. Leopard rolled her eyes. "Alright. fine" She replied hopping back up onto Abby. HawkIce called DodgeingArrows down and hopped up onto him. Leopard nodded and the horses took off, with DodgeingArrows flying high above them.

Mean while....

Mean while back at the castle.
Even the orphanes were haveing fun. The humans had come through a secret passage, built many years ago. The women were adopting shape shifter left and right. River found a home. That had a shape shifter as a father and a human as a mother. ScarHeart found a home with both humans as parents. Justin and Guiga were brothers now. And they're parents were both shape shifters. IceMask found a home with a human for a father. And a shape shifter for a mother. Menentar was now IceMask's sister. Hannah's parents had recently died on a patrol when wild cats attacked them. So ScarHearts parents gladly took her into the family. One week had gone by and nearly all of the children had been adopted into good homes. The celebrations were still on going and every one was happy.
"Man HawkIce, and LeopardMask, sure are missin' a great party." Menentar told IceMask. IceMask laughed. "More like she wouldn't have come. HawkIce I'm not sure. He probably would try and get her to come." She replied and the two laughed. "So where did they go?" Menentar asked Ice. "They went to go get the charms" She told her right as Dusk walked up in a more perkyer mood. "Sup! I couldn't help but over hear that LeopardMask went to go get the charms?" He asked. Both Ice and Menentar nod. Dusk sighs "Poor girl. Dang. The idiot promnised herself as a assasin. They're gonna wipe her memory clean of ever being a shape shifter.." IceMask nods slightly frowning. Menentar groans "Stupid girl" She mutters. Suddenly. SharpHorn stood up and calmed everyone's excited chatter down.
"The kingdoms are now united against the wild cats. And we have come up with a plan to stop them!!" He announced, just as the horse clan arrived. The horses winnied with excitment. The two leaders of the horse clan, Were black and white. They also had nacklaces that had a K and Q charm on them. They walked through the parting crowd up to the. Kings and Queen of the shifter and human clan. The king horse, CloudFather, spoke first. "It is good to see that you are on bored with us SharpHorn." He said in a deep voice. The horse queen, Lady Kiorah steped over to the shifter queen. And nuzzeled her. "It has been a long time Lady Janessa" She said, in a silky voice, as the shifter queen mounted Lady Kiorah. "Yes it has." she replyed. Lady Janessa stroked Lady Kiorahs strong neck. while SharpHorn, CloudFather, And IceShadow continued talking. Lady Janessa turned to the men and said "We are going for a ride out in the forest. We will be back before supper." She told the men and cantered out the gates, not giving them a chance to protest. The two rode through the forest in the direction HawkIce and LeopardMask were. Lady Janessa was wearing a beautiful white flowing gown, that looked like a flowing stream of moonlight in the wind. Her hair was, also, a fine shade of brown. Lady Kiorah could run faster and farther then normal horses, Because she was born and raised a normal horse of horse clan. Soon they caught sight of three horses running. And Lady Kiorah sped up. Lady Janessa looked up and saw a griffon, with a boy of about sixteen and a jaguar sitting proudly behind the boy. Lady Janessa stood up on Lady Kiorah and lept up. Landing in front of LeopardMask a few feet away. Leopard tugged Abby to a stop. The other horses were very suprised by this and came to a sudden stop. The horses became very nervous and begain rearing up and throwing they're heads around. Soon HawkIce heard the horses winnies and squels. He tapped DodgeingArrows to come down and the three desended. Once they landed HawkIce hopped off DodgeingArrows. And stood by his griffon with his hand on its shoulder. After a moment Lady Kiorah lept over the three horses and stood by Lady Janessa. Leopard recognized the two and nodded her respect. She hopped off of Abby. And glanced back seeing that SteelWind and Nitaya had fallen off. Abby by now was calm and stood still. WildSky, being the stubbern, alert, horse he was. Continued to be nervous. Leopard walked over and gently started strokeing his neck. Soon he calmed down and started grazeing. As did OceanBreeze. LeopardMask walked back over to Abby and stood still. Nitaya and SteelWind came and sat next to her. "My lady's. What buisness brings you here." She asked. Lady Kiorah was the first to speak.
"We have come to help you on you journey to get the charms" HawkIce chuckled. "You don't even know where they are." He threatened. Leopard frowned walked over and smacked him. "Watch your tone Hawk! These are the queens of the shifter and horse clans!" She yelled at Hawk. Hawk blushed and apologized to the two. Kiorah and Janessa laughed. "It has been a while since any one has talked to us like normal people. I think we both prefer it that way" lady Janessa replied smileing. Leopard nodded and returned the smile. "Well it will still be a good one or two weeks. Better go tell the kings" HawkIce told the two. They nod "Stay here we will be back" Lady Janessa says before mounting Lady Kiorah and took off. Leopard sighed "Better make camp" She told Hawk, and gave her horses the signal to go ahead and relax. The horses began to move around, Leopard walked over and took the bridle off of Abby. She walked back over to the camp site, and sat down and begain to brush Nitaya.


Lady Kiorah dashed through the gates and came to a halt, danceing slightly, in place, with adrenaline. Lady Janessa hopped off of, Lady Kiorah. And went to talk with the males. Lady Janessa, hair slightly ruffled because of the wind. Walked up to the males with an, unreadable, mask on her face. CloudFather looked over at the queen, with her arms folded into her flowing sleeves, as she walked up. She turned to IceShadow, and said. "Me and Kiorah are going to the horse kingdom. She wishes to gather a few things" She told him. He hiesitated. He knew she was a powerful shape shifter. And combined with Lady Kiorah, she was un stoppable. But after a few minutes deliberation he nodded. "Be carefull though" He told her. Lady Janessa nodded and turned around. She mounted, Lady Kiorah, again, and the two took off. As soon as they were through the gates, the celebrations continued.