The 12th Eden rose above the horizon, nearly matching the moon in its light. The night was nearly silent, the only thing breaking it being the occasional bird, or small animal. and then it was shattered, completely obliterated, as a metal pod streaked across the sky, slamming into the ground at enormous speed. after a few minutes, the pod opened up, revealing Kabel, startled, dazed, and covered in sweat. he wanders into the forest, completely confused, stumbling this way and that, crashing into trees and bushes. finally he trips on a rock, and falls flat on his face, moaning.

Winter was walking through the forest for the hundreth time since her landing on earth. it had been 2 months from that day, and she still couldn't believe she had made it. when she heard the crashing she thought it was a bear that had eaten one too many honey combs. then she heard the moaning. at first she was stunned, she hadn't seen a human..... well, since she could remember. she walked towards the sound and made the trees and thorns around him. for protection she thought.

Kabel woke up, and whipped the leaves plastered from the spit on his face. His mind was sufficiently clearer, but he was still pretty dazed. When he opened his eyes, he found that he was no longer in the forest. He was in some mass of plants. "What the.. why is... what?" He put his hand against the plants, and drew back with a sharp pain. Blood was oozing from his hand, as was a bit of glowing let-ichor. He whipped in on his pants, and sat in the middle of the pod. Reaching out both hands, he tried to use his supposed "matter powers" to move the plants. Problem was, however, he had no clue what his powers were. He sat a while, trying to move the plants. Then he realized that it's plants; they're organic. He put his hands down and rested his chin on them, staring down the wall. Nothing happened.

Winter just stared at the boy in the middle of her little area. 'hmmm, does he not know what his powers are? should i help him? he may be a great ally, but then again. he could be a great enemy, that is if i don't help him.' parting the branches to make a little gate for her to enter stepped into the ring and closed the gap up behind her.

Kabel shot upright on the ground, then hopped into a Gollum-esque position as the stranger entered, backing slowly towards the wall of the pod. "Who are you? did you do this?" he said, eyeing her suspiciously. she didn't look particularly frightening. but he knew better than to trust just anyone. regardless of how they looked. the Mediator never looked frightening. and yet she had tried to kill him. then he noticed she had ley veins. "you're a Baka..." he said to himself.

glancing down at herself then looking back at the bloody boy "yes so i noticed, as are you. who are you? what is your power?" she made vines bind him "for safety." she explained then paused "oh and by the way. the residents of the forest will be drawn by the scent of blood. so you might want to uh. get out of there. don't look at me like that, and no i can't get you out of there. they protect me, i help them get food. sorry. that's the way it is. I will leave the door open for you… and them." she walks out then circles back around to where he was trapped and made the trees seem like they were alive and the vines like they were trying to strangle him

Kabel tried to break the vines, but they were too tight. "Wait! Whaddya mean they're attracted by blood?!?! Hello!?!?!?!" The vines kept getting tighter and the things kept moving in. No matter how hard he struggled, however, he couldn't get free. He started to panic as the tall creatures closed in. He couldn't tell in the dim light what they were and he didn't want to. "Hey! Hey you can't do this!!!" He shouted, but he doubted she could hear him. He curled as much as he could and clenched his fists against whatever blow he was expecting. He kept trying to use whatever supposed power he had, but nothing was happening. Finally he gave up and closed his eyes, tensing against whatever may come at him.

She smirked and let out a blood curdling howl and more howls were almost immediate. she could hear paws pounding on the ground. nothing else could be heard. the trees started to stand back in their original position. the pounding stopped. not a thing moved or made a sound. the sky got darker and what little light was left, cast shadows that looked like they were demons. in the darkness at the entrance a pair of amber eyes glowed. then another pair, another… and another. soon the whole space felt like it was made of amber eyes, teeth, and writhing bodies. she watched the whole thing from a branch above his head, 'he really is hopeless' she thought. 'ugh i really don't want blood on my hands. but i can't intervene or they'll turn against me. i hate this. i really do. hmm. maybe i can.' she jumped down. the wolves got closer. forming a tight semi circle. they stopped closing. then the split so that a ferocious black wolf with blood and mud stuck to

Kabel stopped shaking, and opened his eyes. Somehow the night had managed to extinguish every last... wait. There's... there's eyes. "No, no no nononononono" he said, struggling to free himself from the vines. "Nonononono! No please don't HOLY crap nononono." The eyes seemed to multiply as time went on. But he couldn't take his own off them. "I gotta.. I gotta... crap, I gotta do somethinnnnn..." he looked around for anything he could use, but nothing was in sight. "Ok uh... powers activate!" He yelled, feeling stupid. Nothing happened. "Eh... uh... mm... shazglammitus! Expelliarmus! Plackerbacker! My gosh, JUST DO SOMETHING!!!" Then something miraculous happened: absolutely nothing. The eyes were closer, and he could hear sniffing, and the outlines of teeth as they neared. He knew he couldn't do anything, but the idiot called instinct drove to keep struggling

her pelt. the rest of the pack stepped back and she sat down in front of him smirking. she looked at him, her eyes drilling into his mind filling it with pictures of what would happen if he didn't get out soon. the look he gave her sent laughter into her eyes. he realized she would enjoy this. she laughed at this sorry excuse. "how do you expect to get out of this one boy!" she said with a manic glint in her eye "i have done this so many times." she laughed again "do you even know what your power is?!?!" she stopped laughing and looked like a statue waiting.

Kabel started breathing fast, his heart pumping blood so fast even his ichor was increasing. He started writhing in the grip of the vines, recoiling from the visions provided by this stranger. "No..." He moaned. "No... Please..." He hated this thing's voice with a burning passion. He hated it's mocking laughter. He hated it's apparent cunning. The thing was smart, and it knew that. "No..." He moaned again. "No... I... I don't... I don't know what it is..." He looked at the beast, face contorted
With fear. "I don't know what it is... I just... I just..." He couldn't figure out what he was going for. He couldn't reason with it he knew. Intelligence does not bring reasonability. All he could do is pray that either his supposed power showed up, which was unlikely, or the thing showed mercy--even less likely.

"well, well, well. hmmm. the girl's power came out right as she came. so why aren't yours?" she looked at the ground thoughtful "matter. why does matter choose this.. this... this pup." she spat out the word like crowfood. she looked at him "you're in thin ice." she smiled cruelly "and the water won't be crystal. feel the power that runs through your veins." she circled him "make it into what you want it to be. why can't you do that?" she stopped and paced in front of him "and why are you still stuck?" she chuckled, seeing the confusion and desperation on his face "yes, it does matter. if you are still trapped then that means that girl is still here. what you didn't know that as soon as your eyes leave the person you are released from their power? hmf. doesn't even know the rules of his own." she made sure she never took her eyes off of his face, contorted in barely contained fury and revulsion

"You... imma... imma strangle you... then cut out your heart an... ahmma spoon your eyes out n... gosh darn it, GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" He wriggled around, trying to get his arms out and use his bony hands for something actually useful. But nothing was happening. "YOU BUGGER IMMA GET YOU TOO YA HEAR ME!?!?!? I'LL CUT YOUR HEART OUT AND STUFF IT DOWN THE THROAT OF YOUR DEAD BODY YOU BLOODY..." he was getting hysterical, completely panicking. "I can't... I can't... what the heck is green matter-ichor even good for anyway!?!?!?" He stopped squirming, and tried to catch his breath. His cheeks were covered in tears and their trails, but he could do nothing about it. "Stop... get out of my head..." he mumbled through clenched teeth. "If you're going to kill me then make it quick. Why do you have to mess with my head??? Why not just end it now?" He was breathing hard. "I swear if you leave me alive and I get out of here I will personally see that you are hung on a wall." He spat at the things feet

"ahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahaha you wish!!!! matter is good for a number of things. for one manipulating a wall. others include creating a giant to help in combat and trapping someone in a matter of choice!!! plus if i kill u now that would take all the fun out of it!! also, doesn't it bother you that she's still here? watching you? she must think you're weak." she looked at the spit then a sprout came up, absorbed it and died. "how dare you disrespect me." thorns and briars circled up his legs cutting their thorns into his flesh making him cry out in pain. she left the brambles there a few seconds then released them. "be thankful it wasn't worse." she growled

Tears were starting to migrate from his eyes and down his cheeks and chin. "ok!!! ok ok ok i won't!!!" he was breathing heavy from the pain. he could feel a bunch of cuts all over his legs, blood streaming down with the force of a river. his head slumped forward, and he shook it back and forth. "no... no she left... she isn't here, she left..." he looked through the hair now in his face at the creature. "you are doing this, not her... it can't be her... you bloody monster it's you!!" he tried to punch it, but his arm was still in the vines. he jumped back, however, when they tightened, then slumped forward again. "why do continue to do this? just... if you won't let me go, then kill me. oh, and when you're done, tell Ms. Sylvanmancer there that she's a monster for me. " he tried to laugh, but nothing happened. the pain was getting worse in his legs. "well at least it won't take too long for blood loss to take me", he mumbled to himself.

"haha don't count on it. our blood is made to withstand even the worst of heart wounds. honey..." she said cooing '...i'm just trying to help you tap into your powers!" she smiled, red blood staining her teeth. one of the wolves leapt forward eager to sink it's teeth into his leg she bolted and snapped the wolf's spine as though it was a twig and left him to die, inches from the boy's calf. she trotted back around and sat in front of him "now where were we?" she cocked her head and smiled innocently.

Kabel flinched from the wolf, or at least what equated to flinching when you're tied to the ground by malevolent magic vines. "but what... what would you want the abilities for, anyways? its not like i'm going to use them to help you. if anything, id carve your heart out, shove it down the throat of your somewhat-alive body, then beat it to a pulp before tearing it to shreds." he tried to look confident, but was wincing in pain from the cuts that still covered his legs.

"listen, without your powers you'll die. with or without my help. doesn't it bug you that your girlfriend is still here and is watching you?" she cast him a sideways glance and smiled mischievously.

Kabel's face scrunched in a mixture of pain, disgust, and surprise. "well... 'girlfriend' is a little liberal, i must say..." he flinched as something brushed his cuts. "and... and yes... thats a bit disturbing, knowing shes there watching..." he opened his eyes and looked at the wolf. "though your mere presence is the most disturbing thing i have witnessed". he let his head slump again. he was getting very tired. 'i gotta figure this out... this thing won't put up with me much longer if i don't ', he thought. he lifted his head, and concentrated on the beast's muzzle. "alright," he spoke slowly. "if this works... then you... DIE!!!" he shot the volume of his voice way up, hoping his burst of self-confidence and hope would be enough to bring the power out. however, nothing hapened... or at least, itdidn't look like it.

Cocking her head. looking around her. looking back at him "well? was that supposed to do something?" she jumped up looking at the ground her figure flickering, a girl with raven black hair and pale skin shown briefly in her shock. "hmmm, something. i'll give you that. a small crack seeped from under the dead wolf's body, quickly expanding and swallowing it whole. the whole clearing went silent. you could hear the dust moving in the air as everybody stared at the crack in the ground despite his pain and shock, Kabel managed to smile. to laugh, even. just a chuckle, though. he was in too much pain for any more. "so, first off. you're not even a wolf. you're a frail little human like me, on this miserable mud ball of a planet." he smirked, a rare occurrence. "second, that, my..." he moved his head back and forth. "mmm... friend, i guess. that, was what i can do." he grinned wildly, and a light spread from underneath his shirt, in front of his heart, through the ley veins all over his body.
then, the crack closed, leaving no sign that anything had changed. a few seconds later, however, it came back, and the wolf-- or what once was-- crawled out, covered in dirt and stone. its eyes were open, but they were unblinking; it was still dead. "oy, looky here what I can do!" the crack closed up, and the wolf (barely) walked aver and sat next to Kabel, staring unseeingly at the wolf-girl. "cool."

she glared at him then her 'glamor' stopped "ha! you think that's you? wow! you're more naive then i realized. the wolf's Winter's doing. not yours. your power is matter. not life." she stopped and grinned. she laughed a bit then appeared to vanish. her laughter filling the space, the wolves for once crouching low hackles raised looking uncertainly around them. she appeared right above him grinning like a cheshire cat "am i here?" she disappeared and appeared in another spot "or am i here?" disappearing and in another spot "here?" she vanished and reappeared over and over again. driving him nuts. finally she appeared again leaning on his shoulder spinning a knife between her fingers, still smiling like a cheshire cat. "or am i here?" she disappeared again. maniac laughter filling the air thick

every time the girl-- the beast-- whatever the heck she was, he didn't know anymore, appeared and reappeared, he flinched, but bone could never move very much. "Alright you spooky son of a gun... imma... crap." He couldn't exactly do anything. Then he focused on the wolf that had come out of the ground. If it WAS the other girl's-- Winter?-- doing, then it sure was coincidental. But maybe, just maybe his idea could work. He concentrated harder on the wolf body, and, after a few seconds, saw the stone on it squirm, as if it were alive. He focused all his energy on it, and soon the wolf was on its legs, robotically stumbling forward with slow steps. The rock was slipping around its legs and feet, shoving it forward and holding it still as needed. It worked!! "Alright, then..." he said. "What about... this?" A spire of stone shot into the air in front of him, solidifying once it stopped moving. "Niccceeee..." he whispered to himself, then commanded the spire to bend down and cut the vines. It obeyed, barely missing him, and barely finishing the job. Then he made it sink into the ground, the spot where it once stood becoming nothing but solid rock. He flopped out of the vines, and landed on his face. His legs were in too much pain to stand.

"huh, so ya got some fight in ya." she appeared in the tree branch above him "spur will be pleased about this!!!" she flipped (literally) and appeared in front of him as a liger smiling. a leafy thorny tendril shot out and bound her forepaw, then another bound the other, and the hind paws. a girl jumped out of the trees. "Pyro stop it. there is nothing here for you, leave." her brow scrunched in concentration as more vines grabbed the liger/girl/wolf known as Pyro. the wolves started to back away and then ran from the area completely. "sorry it took so long. they change the place every stinkin day!" she laughed nervously

"you." Kabel shot forward, and before anyone knew what was going on, Winter's wrist was caught in a cuff of rock, which shot up from the ground and molded itself around. he shot another one up to grip Pyro at the waist, just in case she decided to get brave. "you too. sit. stay." he turned his attention back to Winter, glaring at her. "first off, this is pretty much your fault." he heard Pyro chuckle. "oy, you shuddup or soon you will find you lack the ability." he turned back to Winter. "now, i know i shouldn't believe everything this wretch says," nods to Pyro, "but she tells me that the net stayed up cuz you were still watching. or at least close enough that it wouldn't dissipate.-- shaddup." Pyro was chuckling again. "i mean it." he rose an arm of rock from the ground and smacked her across the face. "i could break your neck but i won't. that's warning one."

Pyro shut up but the laughter in her eyes was at maximum. Winter sighed and slumped to the ground "listen, this place has provided for me. i had an agreement with it. who or what ever came, i would trap it and the animals..." glaring at Pyro "... would eat, it return, they would help me learn and control. yes, i was close... ish, i guess... i don't know. i was underground. i had to visit the forest's elders and ask for permission. and they change the stinken place every day so don't blame me that it took so long. i've gotten good at making stuff happen, even when i can't see it." she looked at him then to Pyro "how are we even related?" ley veins shined bright and all kinds of animals and plants started to come out of everywhere. the plants broke her bounds and she stood up, then they bound Pyro even more so she was panting and gasping for breath. the animals surrounded Kabel and held him down. " so sorry it had to be like this. i really wanted to try and help you. but i protect
this forest and it protects me... and my family" she glared at Pyro who had begun to laugh again "she ate a mild poison berry when she was little." she explained " listen. i know you have no reason to trust me. or even more so this creep" nodding to Pyro " but you really need to get out of here. this is where all of them crash and it's the first place they look. no matter how many i disable, they always have backups, even backups for their backups." shaking her head. and the animals let him go. the walls collapsed and the plants retreated, breaking Pyro's bounds. she took one look at Kabel then at Pyro who was laughing in human form "oh and one more thing boy, what ever you see from her is just an illusion." she ran off into a hole created by a plant and disappeared down into the darkness. Pyro started laughing at him "you look like you've seen the devil!!" she laughed so hard her face turned purple

Kabel blinked, then glared at Pyro. "yes. and i believe they have black hair and can turn into a wolf," he said, almost spitting the words. he looked down at his legs, which were still bloody from the briers. "gosh darn it..." he tried to stand, but he couldn't. he didn't think he could muster the strength to make a stone legman for himself, either. so instead he lied on his back, and stared up at the night sky... keeping tabs on Pyro, of course. above, Eden-12 was at its zenith, while 4 and 6 were

were fast approaching. "question. so, what does she mean by the elders, and them changing this place? and why can you lead wolves? where does that hole go? why do the things always land here?" the questions just kept comin out, like a gatling gun on an endless belt. "...why do the Kal test us? when did they get here? was does this forest feel... alive? how do you defeat Hunters? have you ever seen the Layo Kal?"
Pyro started laughing like a maniac again "so many questions and so little time!!! haha!!! oh and that's rude. just saying" she stopped suddenly and thought for a moment "well let's see, the Elders are the oldest animals predator and prey alike who gather and discuss matters. i don't know where the hole goes, but if i had to guess probably to my sister's 'secret chambers' or something like that. i don't know why the pods always land here and i don't know why they test us. and usually around sun down so ya better get moving." she stood up, looking serious "i sure hope this forest feels alive because it is. i f it weren't we'd all be dead long ago, thanks to them the Kal can only hover a mile above the treetops. hunters? are those the guys with loud sticks sometimes with pointy things on them? cause that's easy! and who the heck is Layo Kal?!?!?!" she cocked her head like a dog looking curious

Kabel turned his head on the grass to look at Pyro. "Layo Kal is their full name. They are the Kal... I think. Maybe the Layo Kal are higher Kal, I don't know. They're all alike to me: nasty buggers who should keep their grubby paws on their own planet." He turned back to watch the sky. "Mm... perhaps you're right. I should get goin here." He sat up, and looked at his legs again. "Gosh darn it..." he said again. He tried to get up, but it was difficult. And it hurt. He decided he'd be in more pain if he stuck around, and so limped into the woods, unsure exactly where he was going.
seeing him limping off she smiled a devilish sort of smile she turned and skipped the other way humming and muttering to herself "he ain't gonna survive out there! hehe! he ain't gonna survive!"

Kabel turned around, and lifted an eyebrow. "Whatcha say?" Pyro didn't seem to feel like responding. Kabel shrugged and turned around, limping off in whichever direction he chose. This place was weird. It was like it was sentient. The trees seemed to watch him, observe his every move. He didn't particularly care for it.

Winter, after she had gone down the tunnel to a 7 foot drop, tumbled onto a bed of moss and sighed looking over at the fox pup in the corner she motioned for it to come over "come rye! it's only me, i don't think that boy will come down." sighing "i can't believe Long Snow died, now Raging River took his place. he's impulsive and arrogant. i don't like him." stroking Rye's fur "good news though, Shadow Leap of fox has had kits. now you have litter m8s!! isn't that great!" she paused "i know that you don't want to go back. not after what Fierce Tooth did to Graceful Leaf." Winter got up, Rye prancing behind her and left the main room. //Pyro// Pyro walked through the forest, she had heard about the bears and the Raging River had taken Long Snow's place. "thank the river stones! i thought that old hunk of meat was never gonna leave." she continued on, passing other animals paying tribute to the new leader of the bears. "Raging River how's the salmon run? good goo. now listen, its time for your part of the deal." she grinned a big black bear stepped forth and let off a menacing growl "Pyro of the protectors, do not antagonize me here. we all know i can beat you in a fair fight." she lifted his nose "and what is this about that i hear you let a Star leave your place?" giving her a suspicious look "he was headed toward your territory River and he was weak" she grinned

Around. It looked like a riverbed. Or valley. Whatever. Geology wasn't his strong point right now. He crawled forward, his legs feeling like they've been amputated. He didn't care to confirm that, either. Finally, he got to a small stream, and shoved his face into it. Something of comfort, finally! He lifted his face to breath, then shoved it back down again. When he came back up, a bear was standing in front of him. "Gah!" He flung himself back, but it was difficult without his legs functioning

the bear cub looked at him and let out a small yelp then ran back into the woods and came back tugging something "hey! White Water stop it! Rye! can you help me please! UGH FINE!" the cub came back looking behind him every few moments, then Winter walked through the underbrush "ugh White Water what..." she looked up "ugh you again." she shouted over her shoulder "Rye! get Moon and Shadow!" turning back to him, "why are you here?" looking past him she said "you know that your on bear territory right? Long Snow just past and Raging River has taken the leadership. he doesn't like sharing his land" the smug look on her face turned to fear as the earth started to tremble and the thudding of many paws sounded. "uh oh, White Water! help me get him off the territory!" the cub lunged into the water and started swimming across while Winter started to make vines grab him and drag him across the water to where she was standing "RYE! MOON! HURRY!! THEY'RE COMING!!!!" then a whole troop of bears charged through, the head of them a big black bear with scars over his body and a familiar face grinning from his back "oh hello Winter!" she glared at the cub now dragging him back across "White Water. why are you helping this new commer?" Pyro hopped down from the bear's back "were you on your way to pay tribute to the new leader of the bears? Raging River?" then a golden fox kit, silver wolf pup and a bronze tiger kit broke through the bushes "oh how cute! you brought your little rag tag team what were their names again? Reject, Half Pup and Blind Eye?" Pyro sneered taunting them to do something

Kabel flopped on the riverbank, and lifted his head to see the bears. "who... why... what even?" Pyro was sitting on top of a freaking bear. in what context would that make sense? "why are you on a bear? i thought you were Ms. Wolf-alpha-pack-leader-dude? what do you mean territories?" he dropped his head. "y'all are gonna kill me aren't you? territory n stuff." he heaved himself up, and raised a little stone chair back to support him. then he looked at the little team of foxes, then the bears. "oh my... well. that isn't gonna turn out well at all now is it..."

Winter looked at him "technically she is, but apparently the wolves have sided with the bears. Rye" gesturing to the little fox kit "is on your side, so is Moon" pointed to the wolf pup "Shadow" nodded the tiger kit "and White Water. who you might want to thank for saving your life" she patted the bear cub on the head "if the Wolves have sided with the Bears, then if the Tigers should side with the Foxes." she sighed "the Outsiders will have to choose also. Pyro, don't do this. we've had such a long time of peace." Pyro had a smug look on her face "oh sister. you're just like Long Snow. always looking for peace, love and giving charity. you and your filthy rejects should leave. to the north where the Ancients will get you." she hissed and spat "that's where you belong, up in the frigid north, or where the Fire lives. go to the Ice or the Fire i don't care. but leave this forest or we will wage war you the Outsiders and you won't have a chance." she crossed her arms and lifted her nose as Winter backed off and started to walk away muttering "when the snow runs with water, and the shadows become willy. the ancient ones will have to side, until the battle is won." she gave Pyro a forlorn look and growled something to the cub, kits and pup as they left having the setting sun to their left

"Wasn't there... wasn't there some prophecy, or like... like one of those things where like... I don't know, stuff happens? Anyways wasn't there one about the world ending in fire an ice? Or something like that? Winter? Winter where ya goin?" He looked at Pyro, then at Winter. "Crap." He looked at his legs, which he realized were bent at weird angles. He couldn't feel them either. "For the record, I blame you," he said, pointing at Pyro. Then he summoned some small pillars of stone to serve as a pair of crutches as he hobbled off after Winter. "Wait, who are the Outsiders? Winter?" He looked at Pyro again, across the stream. He hoped that that was the boundary. Bears always frightened him.

Once she was deep in the woods she snapped at him "what do you want. you've already caused enough trouble starting an all out war! i didn't want to get them involved" gesturing to the animals sitting next to her "they are the Outsiders, this forest is an Outsider. I am an Outsider!" she glared at him then left the clearing "Rye, get everybody out in the eastern section. Moon the northern one, Shadows the southern. White Water get the western. meet me at the safe house." the little animals dived into various holes in the ground, "oh and Rye," the fox popped up "can you get Wildfire for me? thanks!" he went back down "as for you"turning to him "you are going to stay on this side of the boundary while i go get RedRage and or BlackIce. hopefully both." she sighed and waited for Wildfire to come.

Kabel stopped dead, and looked around. "Wait, how did I start a war? I didn't even do anything... ok, I spat at Pyro... and more or less resurrected a wolf... but I didn't start a war!" He looked back at the stream, and the malicious-looking warlord or whatever he was, the bear, which were just barely within sight. "What if the Layo Kal come, though? Or more pods? What then?"

"you started a war that was already going to happen. first you angered Pyro, the alpha of the wolves. then you walked onto Bear territory 'on purpose'. if the Layo Kal, or the Landing Stars as we call them, come, we can defeat them and have been for many years." a girl popped up from a hole "oh hey Winter! ya needed me?" she got out of the hole "who's this?" Wildfire asked pointing to the boy "he's one of the ES. like us. i need you to watch him while i try to get RedRage or BlackIce on our side" she crossed her fingers "hopefully they're in a listening mood." laughing nervously "hahaha! so ya, ummm hey i don't even know your name. i know you know mine, and hers" she said gesturing to Wildfire and herself "but neither of us know your name. so please grace us of whom we are in the magnificent presence of?" she smiled mockingly and bowed, cocked her head and raised an eyebrow laughter in her eyes

the crutches Kabel had been using molded themselves into a chair, and he sat down. "you don't need to bow, mate. and seeing as you--" he gestured to Winter "--saved my life, and you--" gesturing to Wildfire--" don't seem too bad of a person, and seeing as i know y'alls names, i guess i can tell you mine." he righted his glasses, which had gotten unbearably bent and broken in the fall. "my name is Kabel. Kabel Durra. or so i have been told. the Mediator was quite an odd fellow, to put it lightly." he hefted one leg over the other, and looked at Wildfire. "so. you've been put on guard duty, hm? well, i can assure you it won't be too daunting a task, considering..." he patted his legs, which were limp. "yeah... can't exactly run far. of course, i COULD beat you with stone and take off on a wave of liquid rock... buuuuut thats a lot of work, i don't like killing people, you seem like a nice person, and plus i'm 90% sure i’ll fail and you'll kill me so yeah." he chuckled nervously, realizing what he just said.

Wildfire just laughed good naturedly while Winter stood up and smiled "ok then Kabel, don't judge a book by its cover. her name's Wildfire for a reason." that just made Wildfire laugh harder and double over clutching a tree for support and accidentally set it on fire, Wildfire looked up "shoot!" Winter rolled her eyes and made vines smother the flames "it happens a lot" she explained

Kabel nodded, eyes going wide and an eyebrow cocked. "Ever since the Mediator, I've learned that you can't determine actions based solely on appearance and personality," he said. "So then you're a heat energy, hm? Neat. Just don't melt my rocks, please. I may not be able to use my legs but I prefer to keep them there."

Wildfire started up in a new fit of laughter "Wildfire did you eat a jumping beetle? go i swear to god! if you ate them all!!" Winter shook her fist in the air. Wildfire was doubled over she was laughing so hard so she couldn't answer

"Um... what? Ok. I'll just... be over here..." well one thing was for certain: Wildfire was easily amused. "Hey uh... Wildfire... don't uh... please don't die. I don't need any more people hating me then there already are..." he glanced at Winter, then back to Wildfire.

"oh! sorry i forgot you don't know what those are. jumping beetles are a type of beetle that makes you laugh at anything when eaten. i give them to the cubs/kits or pups that REALLY NEED THEM" *coughWildfirecough* "no one really holds a grudge here don't worry!" she stuck out a hand to him "welcome to the Outsiders. here if u don't have a group you die!" she smiled "so ya! umm crap i gotta get going, uhh Wildfire can tell you about what certain traditions are here. you're gonna need to know them" she turned and left.

Kabel raised a hand to shake hers, but she had already up and left. He drew it back, shrugging, then turned to Wildfire. "This is such a cheery place, y’know? Genocidal, pyromaniacal... emphasis on the maniacal... werewolves, sentient fauna, a landscape that I feel bloody watches me... what a place!" He flopped back, into his stone chair. "So. Tradition school, hm? Sounds fun. What now."

"well... when a new leader rises to power everyone pays tribute! when a leader has pups/kits/cubs everyone pays tribute......" (few min later) "...... and when a leader dies can you guess what happens? everyone pays tribute!" Wildfire paused "wow. we give a lot of tribute. anyways when a new litter is born or someone joins a group or if a war ends there is a gathering under the big oak." she smiled at him then started laughing "UGH I HATE JUMPING BEATLES!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" she started to cry

"so basically if the big dude does anything, there's tribute to be paid. gotcha." he nodded, cocking an eyebrow. "and if you hate the beatles so much, why did you like... go crazy on them? that seems kinda counterintuitive, yknow?"

"haha!! very funny. no, they are for animals that have lost everything and nothing can cheer them up. that's when we give them a jumping beetle. plus they taste good. and in my defence i only had..." counts on her fingers " 3!" she crossed her arms and made a pouty face then remembering something "oh and you better get cleaned up, we have a gathering to go to tonight and i gotta send out the mail! so much to do and so little time" she said looking up at the setting sun "oh! sorry i forgot about you! umm. i guess you could help me? or actually you should get cleaned up. imma gonna get sombody! you stay there. Winter's not the only one that's the best at her power." she glared daggers at him

Kabel shrank back into his chair, nodding furiously. "yes, i think i will. don'tyou worry." he waited till she was gone, then let out a long breath. "why are people so... frightening?" he mumbled to himself. he looked up at the Edens rising in the sky. "why are THEY so frightening?" he said to himself. he looked at the trees around him, then back to the barely visible creek. no one was there anymore it seemed. he was alone. again. but then again, he never was really alone. even the Mediator was someone. or it tried to be. looking back on it, the Mediator wasnt THAT bad. "alright... it... kinda was..." he said to himself. "it did kinda... y’know... try to brutally murder you... indirectly or otherwise..." he sat up, leaning his chin on his hands.

Wildfire popped up suddenly "ya know talking to nobody is the first sign of madness!!" she smiled like 'i'm gonna go kill something now!' and went back down into the hole