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The forest hummed. The night summoning up magic. This forest was getting ready to sleep, leaves littering the paths and spaces between the trees. A bleeding forest. A forest of dyeing trees. Tonight winter was closer. The winds howled down the treeways making the ancient trunks moan with the memory of a new winter. In the night the stars shown coldly down, not amused by the frivolities of autumn. A girl with light blond hair and blue eyes darted through the shadows. Her bare feet were light and soft on the moss. At her side ran a black dog. She was a living shadow. The girl and the beast ran. The girls name was Finn. The hellhounds name was iris. The girl reached the end of the path. The forest dropping away to the sea. The cliff falling away sharply. Finn and her dog skidded to a halt at the brink they were both panting and out of breath but grinning with joy. It had been far to long since they had gone for a run like this. The moon had just risen and was casting the sea into a blue froth. Iris through backs her head and keened. The girl stepped forward. She stood at the edge her toes curled around the tip of her world. Finn leaned forward and fell. Down toward the sea. The rocks stuck up like arms waiting to pull her out of the air and swallow her down to the green depths. As she fell she changed only a small change at first. Just her eyes. Turning from slate grey to a deep impenetrable violet. Then the girl unfolded her silver wings and let the wind catch her up and slam her into the stars. Finns eyes shown and violet light danced along her wings and back. She through backs her head and roared with joy,




The streets were still. Everyone had long scence gone inside. The curfue had been raised to 9:00 and the bells were already chiming 12.

Then a shadow. Moving with silent grace. A flash of life, in these otherwise dead streets. A girl, only a dark form. But still… The girl's hood fell back revealing a flash of silver-blonde hair.  She huridly tugged it back up into place. She was a shadow again.

Even though she's done this before, many times, her heart still beat faster and she had to keep herself at a human run. Her wings itched to be free. Her lungs burned to taste the night. At her waste hung a velvet pounch, safe and full. She touched the pouch absently, the sharp edges of the jules proding her finger tips. Their voices hummed through her, their energy making her wings pull and scratch beneath her human skin.

The jules were a payment for the work she loathed. She haited being reduced to this, working for humans. This world, and many others, were filled with humans like a plague they spred to every corner of the worlds. Their stentch was everywere. The rotting copse of humanity. It was better here, at least there was magic.

She slid around another corner. Silent as a cat. Just one more street, one more turn. She crept silently through the shadows hesitating to listen as she went. Finally the last corner, the last patch of shadow and dark street lamp. She slunk towards one of the alleys darkened door ways.

Then pawsed to wisper
"Pan"

The sound felt flat and loud in the darkness like a gavel on the stillness. Inside the doorway a shadow moved. It detatched from the wall.

The boy who had before been only a shadow smiled. His teeth flashing like white daggers. His eyes were mismatched, one blue, one green, they shawn with a golden light. His black hair was still damp from another worlds rain.

"lilly, what took you so damn long? I was beginning to think you had run off with some fancy Persian drake."

Lilly laughed tension seeping from her.

"it didn't take me that long. And even if it had I dought I could find a drake of any kind at this hour. And even if I could find one the bloke couldn't be Persian. Persia does not exist in Mackeb."

Pan's smile widened, "that makes no sence dear."

Lilly stuck her toung out at him, "yes it does you idiot."

A sound made them both jump, a cat darted from a pile of garbage at the end of the alley, lilly gave a startled lagh, her hand sliding from the knife at her belt.

Pan rolled his eyes, "alright bonnie, lets go before the coppers catch us."  

Lilly snorted "sure thing clide"

she slid past him into the shadows. Pan pawsed and glanced into the night. Then he turned and, grabbing the door frame, swung into the liquid darkness. A piece of white paper fluttered down to the street.

There it lay, unnoteced, till dawn began to beat back night. A women dressed all in white with short, feathered black hair and golden eyes darted to the mouth of the alley. She hesitated there a moment and glanced furtivly over her shoulder. Then she ducked into the lingering night of the alley. She rushed to the door way were Pan and lilly had been only the night before.

There she stoped and nelt. Her pail hand closed around the scrap of paper. It was a letter, addressed to her. This is what it said:

Dear Nima, my love,


I have been gone for several days now, and my heart misses you dearly. Soon I will be done with this business and be able to spend more time with you and Kirio. For now though, and as always, I ask that you not look for me or, if seeing me, call out to me. I understand this may seem strange but I assure you there is a justifiable reason for all this insanity. Soon I will tell you everything.

With love, pan.      

The woman quickly folded the letter and stuffed it into one of the folds of her gown. Then she straitened and, without a backward glance, sliped from the alley and
merged semlessly into the crowded streets.


The first taste of batrayl,
The first hint of darkness
Open your eyes you screem
But I say nae
What story would it be if every one knew who would betrey
So close your eyes
Fumble on
Let the story go
And only when its done let the fog be gone
And the shadows make way for dawn