Manta skidded to a stop as him and Tekai reached the east stable. Tekai threw herself off of him and burst through the stable door, a crowd of rivered trolls blocking her view. She rammed herself through the crowd and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Correy and Olive either side of Everest, her purple-blue eyes were struggling to stay open as if someone was pulling down on them, trying to force them shut. Tekai slowly walked to the old lykar.

"W-what happened?" Tekai asked Olive in a shaky voice, tears starting to form in her dark eyes. Olive took Tekai's hand and looked at her with a concerned expression.

"We just don't know..." Olive sighed, "Correy heard her gasping and whimpering and informed me immediately." Tekai stroked Everest's snout. Everest looked up at Tekai with tired eyes and let out a soft groan sound.

"It's okay girl, I'm right here..." Tekai whispered. Correy placed his hands on Tekai's shoulders.

"I'm so sorry Kai," Correy apologized.

Branch, Poppy and Iris pushed through the crowd of trolls and gasped at the sight of Tekai and Everest. Tekai didn't take one look at the three trolls, her eyes were half-closed and fixed on Everest. They came to comfort and support the young rivered troll.

"I should've been here..." Tekai stuttered, "maybe I could have..." Her words trailed off.

"Tekai, there was nothing you could have done," Olive reassured, "she's so old. It could have been anything."

A sound of silence plagued the stable, not a word or sound was made. Olive eventually broke the silence.

"We should give these two some time," Olive announced to all the trolls in the stable. Including the three music trolls. No one moved. Correy got up off his knees and started moving everyone out of the stable.

"Come on guys, the last thing Everest needs is to be crowded," Correy said. All the trolls left the stable, only Tekai, Olive and Correy stayed by Everest's side. Poppy, Branch and Iris waited outside the stable, hoping for the best.

"Do you think she's going to be okay?" Poppy asked. Branch and Iris looked at each other, then back at Poppy.

"I really don't know," Branch replied, "Everest is a very old lykar, it may...be her time." The three trolls sighed.

"Poor Tekai, she'll be heartbroken," Poppy said sadly.

The three trolls waited for what seemed like hours. Branch tried putting his ear against the door to try and hear something, but heard nothing. Manta was outside with them, he whimpered and nuzzled into Branch head. Manta himself had known Everest since he was a pup, she was almost like another mother to him. They had been waiting for just around half an hour, but it felt like a lifetime, most of the time none of them said a word until a creek sound broke the silence. The stable door slowly opened and Tekai emerged through, her eyes stained red, visible tear marks down her fuzzed cheeks. She looked up to face the trolls, judging by her expression it wasn't good news.

"Kai?" Poppy questioned. Tekai's pointed ears drooped as she turned her head to the ground, her eyes slowly closing. She shook her head slowly. The trolls didn't hesitate to embrace the young troll with a group hug as she sobbed into their shoulders.

"She...she passed away about twenty minutes ago..." Tekai cried, covering her face with her palms.

"Oh kid," Branch said sympathetically, "we're so sorry." He placed a hand on Tekai's back, but she didn't react at all.

"It's okay guys...I just...need to be alone right now," Tekai whimpered as she walked away toward the forest, Manta's ears drooped, his big eyes looking at his rider with concern. He caught up with Tekai and nudged her side. Tekai stopped and looked into his teal eyes, Manta lowered his head and Tekai placed a hand by his ear as they disappeared into the forest.

As night fell, there was no sign of Tekai. Branch, Iris and Poppy started to get worried.

"Maybe we should look for her," Poppy stated to the two other trolls, "it's been hours since she left." Branch looked doubtful.

"I think we should give her space," Branch sighed, "she may not want to see anyone."

"It wouldn't hurt to check on her, besides it's getting dark," Iris said, "where would she most likely to be?" Branch and Poppy looked at each other then shrugged. "Okay...then we'll split up and look for her."

The trolls looked around the whole rivered troll village. No sight of the tan troll. They asked some other trolls to keep an eye out for her and check on her if they found her. Branch looked around the outskirts of the village, where Tekai went hours before. He tried to be careful as he didn't know what was lurking around in the evening, he was just about to give up when he heard a small voice muttering. Branch's ear twitched at the sound, it was coming from behind a small bush. He peered through the leaves and found Tekai, sitting by the edge of the small cliff and watching the sunset, her leg and her prosthetic were folded into her chest, Manta was lying down beside her, his head by her feet.

"Hey," Branch said softly. Tekai didn't seem startled, she turned to face him for a second then turned back to the horizon. Branch slowly walked and sat down next to the young troll. "You had us worried kid, we had no idea where you were."

"Sorry... I just..." Tekai's words trailed.

"I'm so sorry about Everest, I know she was special to you," Branch apologized.

"She was the only thing I had left from my dad, I promised him that I would take care of her no matter what." Tekai spoke but her eyes were fixed to the ground.

"Look Tekai, I know what it's like to lose someone special, but in the end there was nothing that could be done, considering Everest's injury and her old age you gave her a wonderful last few years of life," Branch reassured, but Tekai didn't reply. "Look, I know it's none of my business, but what did happened to your dad?" Tekai shut her eyes tight.

"I was just a kid when it happened," Tekai replied, Branch's ears drooped.

"I know how that feels," Branch sighed. "I lost my parents when I was three years old and my grandma...she...died a few years later." Tekai looked over at Branch, a look of empathy in her brown eyes.

"Yeah, I don't remember my mom, she passed away when I was just a few months old. So it was just me and my dad, if it wasn't for him I would have never met Manta," Tekai said as she patted Manta on the snout. Branch didn't say anything, he kept his mouth shut but his ears open. "All I wanted to do was to race with Manta, feel the wind in my hair, accomplish new achievements...I...I didn't know then what I know now about those races." Tekai paused for a moment, looked out to the horizon then took a deep breath. "That day...it was my first race. As rivered trolls we can start racing by the time we're ten years old. I was so excited, I had been training non-stop. During the race, one of the other lykars went crazy, it might have been the noise, it might have been the blaring lights, no one knows. I don't blame him though, he was a wild animal. But he rammed into me and Manta and tried to attack us. We ran out of the arena, trying to escape him. My dad climbed onto Everest and ran after us. The lykar smacked into Manta's side and I went flying off of him, my dad protected me from the fighting lykars and tried to get me out of danger..." Tekai sniffed, she tried to keep herself together, Branch placed a hand on her shoulder. "The lykar grabbed the two of us in his jaws...and...that was the last thing I remember..." Branch's eyes widened, his face written with concern and empathy. "I woke up in hospital, I had scratches all down my arms, that's why I wear bandages on them all the time. And my left leg was completely gone."

"I'm guessing that's when you found out your dad was..." Branch said carefully.

"The doctor told me..." Tekai said, her voice breaking. "I had never felt so alone in my entire life." She rubbed her eyes with her hand to clear her tears. "D-do you know what that feels like?" Tekai asked the blue troll. Branch paused, flashbacks replaying in his mind.

"Yes... I know what that feels like..." Branch replied sadly.

"And just like my dad it was Everest's time to go," Tekai sighed shakily.

"Kid, I can't tell you how sorry I am," Branch started, his words were cut off by the young rivered troll.

"It's okay...I just need some time," Tekai said.

"Are you going to be oka-" Branch was cut off again.

"Just go..." Tekai buried her face into her knee, Manta nuzzled her ear and licked her cheek. Branch knew that Tekai just needed to be alone right now. He turned around slowly and left the rivered troll with her lykar.

...

Branch stared down at his own reflection in the shimmering waters of the lagoon. He was silent, listening to Tekai's story really hit him hard as he too understood what it was like to lose a family member at a young age. The only thing he could think about was if Tekai would continue to help. She may need some time to grieve. She may want to be alone for a while. Branch noticed Spirit's face staring back at him under the surface of the water, her blue eyes wide looking at him, bubbles rippling from her nose. Her head surfaced through the water. Branch smiled slightly at Spirit then slowly the smile faded as he let out a sigh. Spirit let out a low groan sound as she looked up at the blue troll with concerned eyes.

"It's okay girl," Branch reassured the lykar placing his hand of her snout, "Tekai's feeling a little down right now," Spirit looked at him and tilted her head slightly. "She's just lost someone special to her..." Branch explained, but Spirit's head was still tilted and she made no sound. Branch sighed. "You don't understand...it's fine, I just don't know what we're going to do without her help," Spirit nudged Branch's tail with the tip of her nose then sucked in some water and spat it back out at Branch. The blue troll wasn't in the mood, he turned away from Spirit but she just kept on spitting water at him. He started to get annoyed. "Stop that!" He snapped, Spirit obeyed. "I just...wish you could understand," a sudden shot of anger hit Branch, "the situation, what is going to happen to you if you don't take this test seriously...but you just don't!" Spirit backed away slightly from the angry troll. "I thought you lykars were supposed to be smart..." Branch sighed. He got to his feet and started to walk away.

Spirit felt bad, she understood the situation completely, Branch just didn't understand her. She knew what she had to do.
Branch was about to climb off the rock leading to the lagoon's edge when something stopped him.

"I...I do understand..." A voice said, Branch looked around confused. Who said that? He looked back at the still waters and saw nothing but Spirit with her paws on the ledge where he was standing with her friend in the water by her side. Both the lykars where looking at Branch.

"Wha...was that...you?" Branch asked, he was confused and a little bit frightened at the same time.

"Yes..." The voice came straight from Spirit's mouth. Was she...talking? Branch knelt down by the ledge and looked at the lykars.

"Am I going crazy? Are you actually talking?" Branch was wide-eyed. Spirit hauled herself onto the ledge and stood up, Branch stepped back a few paces startled, he tripped back landing on the small of his back. Spirit lowered her head to meet the small troll's eye level.

"It really is me," Spirit said calmly as she stared into Branch's eyes, "you're not going crazy," she reassured. The other lykar stood beside Spirit and smiled at the small troll.

"We are sea lykars, we have the intelligence to communicate with you guys. I'm Askar by the way." The other lykar added in. Branch's scared expression soon turned to a smile.

"I-I can't believe it. I can understand you." Branch was so happy. Since Spirit hadn't learned to speak before she was captured as a calf, this was the first time Branch had ever heard her talk. After a moment Branch started to become hesitant. "But...but why have you kept so quiet all this time?" He asked. Spirit sighed.

"Branch..." Spirit began, her sparkling blue eyes pointed to the ground beneath her paws, "things have happened, things you could never understand...it's...hard to explain." Branch looked sadly at Spirit. What could she mean? What had happened to her?

"Well...you don't have to worry about any of that," Branch perked up slightly, "because in just a few days, you'll be out in the ocean in no time." Spirit smiled, but her smile soon dropped into a frown. She wasn't sure if she wanted to leave now. The time she had with Branch made her realize how much she had missed him, the trolls and her first home at the lagoon. "I'll see you in the morning," Branch smiled as he patted Spirit's snout; he then walked away, climbing down the rocks and made his way back to the forest. Spirit sat on the edge of the lagoon and watched Branch as he walked back to the village and let out a sigh.

"Remember what's best Spirit," Askar said to her, "we need to get out of here as soon as we can." Spirit nodded at her friend.

***

"Just please don't freak out about this," Branch said to Iris as they made their way to the lagoon in the morning light.

"So she really can talk?" Iris asked. "She never did when she was a calf, are you sure you didn't just imagine it? It was pretty late last night." Branch just looked at his sister with an eyebrow raised.

"Very funny, but I promise you it was her." Branch replied.

"And have we actually figured out where this other lykar came from?" Iris added on.

"You mean Askar?" Branch asked.

"Wait...You named it?" Iris asked back dryly, bringing her hand to her forehead.

"No, Askar is his actual name," Branch explained, "he's a friend of Spirit's. They were in the marine institute together."

"And Clay doesn't know he exists?" Iris questioned, smirking a little.

"Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?" Branch groaned, "no he doesn't and hopefully he's not going to find out." The two trolls arrived at the lagoon to find Askar and Spirit chasing each other around in the water. Branch stepped toward the glass panel and patted his hand against it, catching the lykars' attention and causing them to swim to the glass to meet the trolls. "Alright Spirit," Branch pointed Spirit to the top of the panel, Spirit responded by swimming towards the top of the panel and standing her front paws on to it. "Good girl!" Branch called to her, he then pointed to Iris. "Now prove to Iris that I'm not crazy and say something." Spirit had a concerned look on her face as she landed back into the water and slowly backed away. Iris knelt down in front of the glass panel and looked at Spirit in the eyes.

"It's okay Spirit, you can trust me" Iris reassured the lykar, "it's me, Iris, from when we were kids." Spirit swam closer to the glass looking at Iris, her pupils were slightly slitted as she was a little unsure. After a moment Spirit's pupils dilated again when she remembered Iris and stood her front paws on the glass again, her long tail wagging in the water drenching the two trolls.

"I remember you Iris," Spirit spoke, her face full of excitement. Iris' face lit up as she heard Spirit's voice.

"Oh my goodness!" Iris exclaimed, "you can talk!" Spirit lowered her head so Iris could touch her nose. Branch smiled at the sight. Spirit's eyes then focused away from Iris. Branch and Iris both looked in the direction that Spirit's eyes were looking in. It was Poppy and...Tekai? Branch and Iris ran over to greet them.

"Look who I found," Poppy laughed, placing a hand on top of Tekai's head.

"Tekai! You've come back?" Branch was a little puzzled, "we thought you would have needed more time." Tekai smiled at the two trolls.

"Everest was forty-three years old and never got the chance to be wild and free like a lykar should be," Tekai said firmly. "and I'm not going to let the same thing happen to Spirit." Tekai placed her hand on the glass panel where Spirit's face was. "I'm helping you guys get her out of here even if it kills me!"

"We're glad to have you back Tekai." Spirit said cheerfully at the tan rivered troll. Tekai and Poppy both looked at her with wide eyes.

"Okay did I hit my head or did she just speak?!" Tekai questioned.

"It's a long story." Iris laughed. Branch turned to Spirit and Askar who were both behind the panels looking at the four trolls.

"Don't worry guys. We're going to get you out of here!" Branch announced. "Just a few days. You'll be free."