Rowan truly is magnificent. It's like he can sense anything and he guides me in the right directions. He comes to a halt within the wooded area. I slide down and look around. "Now where could it possibly be?" I ask aloud.

He nudges his head in the other direction. As I am searching I hear a rough little voice. "Excuse me...you are one on the quest am I right. I can show you where it is if you like." The little being is half my size and is looking up at me with suspicious eyes.

"That's alright I can find it myself." I don't mean to sound rude so I add, "But thank you for the offer."

"Very well then...but I can help you...we all know where it is."I look around me and there are several others, apparently I am in their living quarters. I wish they could help however I will be penalized and that is not happening. I just don't want to waste any time.

"Would you like a bite to eat then...or something to drink?" He holds up a flower filled with water. I nod and take it from him to get a sip and then hand it back to him.

"Thank you kind sir."

"Now...the gem is..." He starts to tell me.

I stop him before he gets out another word. "I really don't need your help...but really thank you."

"But it's just beyond the trees...over there." He says quickly.

I turn to look in the direction that he is pointing. Well since he already spoke might as well check it out. I nod at him and then turn to fly in that direction only once I get close to the tree it's limbs comes down and encircle me, trapping me in its branches."Let go of me!" I demand.

All of the little beings come around me and start laughing. "You will be free on the count of one hundred." Then they all cackle and roll all over the ground with fits of laughter.

I huff loudly and try to pull away but there is no use. Fine whatever. And it would have been fine if they would just count the right way. One starts off, "One...two...uhm...uhm...three." Then another takes over. It keeps going and going on like this and I am getting really annoyed with them.

Half way through counting Jade shows up and slides off her dragon; I watch as she prances around and when she sees me tangled up in the tree she as well busts out laughing. "Well....well...well...what do we have here. Awe...did you ask for help." She taps her chin with her finger and starts giggling again. "Really Azurite...you know the rules."

"They tricked me. " I huff. I still try to fight my way out but the branches hold me tighter. "Agh...fiddlesticks...just finish counting already."

One of the little beings comes closer over to me and tickles my foot and I kick him away. "Sixty- one...Sixty-two...uhm...wait was that forty-two?"

"Its sixty-three...dear goodness just come on already." Counting to a hundred was more like counting to a million if I ever made it out before daylight it would be amazing. While the one keeps counting another is trying to trick Jade.

I guess I could warn her but what would be the fun in that after all she laughed that I was tangled up in the tree so it will do her some good to get all caught up as well. And sure enough she falls for the same thing. By the time they get to a hundred the branches loosen their grasp on me and then I can squirm my way out. I flutter my wings to make sure they are still in tack.

"Don't leave me here with them...Azurite...you can't leave me here." Jade begs.

I turn around and smirk at her, "Actually I can...see you." I take off in the direction and search high and low and nothing...but then I see the opening in the tree all of a sudden and I just know it must be in there. I fly up and try to look inside. I debate on reaching in and doing a blind search just by touching. I know this is something that Malachite would do, thinking we wouldn't have the nerve to put our hands in there.

So I do it. I slide my hand in and then up to my elbow and then all the way up to my shoulder. I feel around and touch something prickly. Ouch! I quickly remove my hand and there is this little round thing on the tip of my finger. "Oh...sorry...just looking for something dear friend." I slide him off and set him on the tree branch. He is round and full of little prickly things. His little eyes barely poke through all the spikes to look up at me and then he looks back to the hole, almost daring me to reach back in.

So I do, this time I feel something gooey and I force myself to just pick it up. The stuff oozes between my grasp. As I pull it out it drips this bright green color. And in the middle of it all is this amazing stone. It sparkles of a reddish orange color and it's spectacular. It's the stone. I am holding Painite.

I gasp in my tighten fist and fly towards Rowan. I look back at Jade and she is highly aggravated that I am going to win and I only flash her a smile. I know I will have time to get back because the little beings are only halfway through. I jump on Rowan. "Alright...take us back...we did it...we actually did it." I slide the gem in my pouch and tuck it nicely between me and Rowan.

As I enter the mouth part of the cave I feel something hit Rowan and he falters to the left. I glance behind me and sure enough it is Jade. How did she manage to get out so fast from the trees grasp?We fly past the area where we are to take the gem and go deeper into the cave. Rowan hits the side of the wall with one of his wings and tumbles down. I guide him back up and we stop in one of the rocky areas.

Jade brings Thristle to a stop in front on us. The two look at each other and I know they are going to start fighting at any moment. Rowan and Thristle never did get along with each other and I know it's because of the two of us. "Give me the Painite...Azurite...you know it's meant for me to have it." She throws her hands on her hips and then with one hand holds it out as if I am just going to give it up just like that.

"Not in this lifetime." I hold the pouch tighter to me.

"Seriously...Azurite...you know I'm in love with Scolecite...you can't do this to me."

"Then you know that he is in love with me. I found the gem first...I am not just going to give it to you." I sneer at her.

"Fine we shall fight for it." She flies towards me and raises her fist...I feel a strand of my hair being pulled out so I in return pull hers. We tumble and she is not giving in. Glitter is falling all around us.

I manage to get away and fly towards Rowan. "Get us out of here...NOW!" He starts to fly and she is right on top of us. Jade is just not going to make this easy on me.

Somehow she makes Thristle hit Rowan and we get pushed into another area of the cave. As I guide Rowan back in the direction we came from Thristle blocks us. There is only one way out of here. He keeps pushing and pushing us farther back and then when he turns his tail he hits Rowan just right and he falls backwards. Unfortunately for me I lose my balance and fall off, dropping the pouch just inches in front of me.

Jade reaches over and snatches it up right in front of me and cackles. "I told you...it was mine."

I force myself to get up. I can't let her have this. I just can't. Scolecite and I were meant for each other. There is no way in creation that I am going to let her get by with this.

I fly over towards her and just as I am about to pull her off of Thristle he swings around and his tail pushes me so hard that I tumble in the opposite direction. I go to stand back up and take off only not realizing that I am headed the wrong way.

I see the water. I see it coming down extremely fast and I don't know why I do it but I do. I fly right through. Maybe because I am so confused at the moment and my emotions are all out of wack. I don't know but I do and suddenly I am falling to my death.