Kara pushed past several tree branches and other bits of the thicket that ended up in front of her face. Though she should've been tired by now, exhilaration coursed through her veins.
It had been several hours since her search for Lily had begun. Despite their best efforts, they still hadn't found anything yet, not even footprints. Suddenly the dirt paths ahead merged into one, and markings appeared along the road, marks that sort of looked like-
"Footprints."
Peony touched the ground where the markings were, then picked up some of the soil and sifted it through her dainty fingers. "The beasts.
They must have been trying to erase Lily's steps from view." She let go of the dirt and turned back to face the ground, her eyes wide. "A few still remain, however.
Perhaps they thought we would not come this far to find her."
Sylvan seemed listless. "I suppose so."
Kara was encouraged by this exchange.
They had gone farther than even the beasts thought they would!
That had to be a good thing.
The group continued onwards, only pausing so that Sylvan could use magic to part the thicker groves of tree branches and bushes that stood in their way.

As the others picked up speed, Foster struggled to keep up. Kara tried to help him along, but he pushed her away. If he had to come on this crazy search, then he didn't want her to assist him. He didn't need her help, not anymore. Not for this trip, and especially not for just simply walking forward.
The group came to a halt as Sylvan held her hands out, ready to move the branches aside for them again. As she did so, she looked back at Peony as if she wanted to speak.
She never got the chance.
Peony stormed past the undergrowth with a ferocity that made Kara know that it would most likely be suicide for anyone to get in her way. Her expression was calm, but her eyes blazed with a quiet sort of rage.
Eventually, the sun began to dip below the distant horizon, causing the group to grow tired of looking.
Lily wasn't here, that was for sure.
Kara was beyond words.
She was mournful, acting as if the world had ended. Foster knew that it probably had-for her, anyway. The two had been closer than anything, sharing more than most friends.
It might not always be evident, but they were friends, regardless of the times they fought with each other. Kara was sobbing now, falling to her knees and burying her face in her hands. Foster tried to pull her up to her feet, but she would have none of it. Tiny whimpers came from her as she cried, whimpers that could've been funny had she not been so stricken with grief. She eventually calmed down, and moved into a sitting position, choking and gasping a little. "She's gone," Kara murmured.
"God, Lily's gone. She wanted to go home, but I told her that was impossible.
I should've tried to send her back."
She was shaking with emotion. "I should've at least tried to, but now I can't.
She's gone, gone because I brought her here in the first place. Foster, what...what am I going to do?" Foster started at the sound of his name. She wanted his opinion? That was surprising. What could she do, then?
"Well...you certainly shouldn't give up.
I'll search these woods with you more if that's what it'll take to find her."
Kara blinked up at him gratefully. "R-Really?" "Really." Foster grabbed Kara's arm, hoisting her up. She let him do it this time, her hand entwined with his.
It wasn't out of any lingering romantic feelings on her part, but Foster still relished in how it felt. He'd missed this.
"It's the least I can do after all that's happened."
After being pulled up by his steady hand, Kara was back on her feet again.
"Thanks," she murmured.
Before she could say more, Sylvan spoke.
"You two will need an escort. I'll come too."
Peony was quick to respond. "No, Sylvan. Leave them be. You're exhausted, and you need your rest."
The nature fairy's cobalt eyes were dull.
She yawned, but tried to hide it with one slender hand. "No, no...I'm fine, really. I can go with them." Peony shook her head. Amusement was visible on her face.
"Don't lie. You know you're tired.
Head back home, now, and get some sleep.
I'll watch these two." "Oh, alright."
Sylvan yawned, not bothering to cover her hand with her mouth now. "If I go, though, you have to promise me that we'll talk tomorrow about our...problem."
Peony stiffened, her shoulders going up a little. She relaxed soon enough and sighed.
"Fine...if you insist."
She smiled. "Shoo, now. Go on home.
Get your beauty sleep." Sylvan chuckled and obeyed, turning back and vanishing into the trees. Kara looked at the purple haired fairy. "What was all that about?"
Foster saw the pale fairy's face redden slightly, and he fought back a laugh.
She was so pale that it stood out a lot on her porcelain colored cheeks.
"Whatever do you mean?"
Kara smirked. "Okay, never mind.
It's not really any of my business, so I'll stay out of it." Peony was flustered, but she took a breath and was able to calm down. "Good."

The trio walked in silence after that.
The forest obscured them from the light of the moon, and most bugs couldn't tolerate the cold of the last couple of days, so there were no crickets to break into the stillness.
It should've been peaceful, but Kara couldn't help but feel frightened.
Something bad was going to happen, she just knew it.
The girl stayed close to Foster as Peony guided them with a purplish flame from her hand.
Her ex decided to speak. "Kara, are you okay? You've been really jumpy lately."
Kara looked up at him, then looked away rapidly, embarrassed by her actions.
She had darted behind him or Peony whenever any little noise sounded.
Even the crackling of the dead leaves beneath their feet startled her. "Oh sorry, it's..just too quiet. Maybe if we talked a little, I'd feel better."
"Okay. Uh..I guess we could do that."
Foster looked thoughtful.
"What do you want to talk about?"
Kara was reminded of an event that had occurred months ago, back in September and close to its end.
She had kissed Foster on the roof of his house. It was her first kiss, and his as well, and she could still recall how his eyes had widened, and how he had nearly slipped off of the side of the roof from shock. It had been amazing then, but now she couldn't think of kissing him at all without wincing. A lot of things had changed, and her relationship with Foster was no exception. She looked back into his eyes, those baby blue eyes that could be gentle, but could also turn frigid in a second.
She considered her words very carefully.
"Foster..I still remember what you said before." Her ex was puzzled. "Before? When?"
"At your house.
Before the portal, and before I met Shade."
She smiled. "You told me about your favorite colors in the sunset."
Foster blushed. "Oh...I thought you'd forgotten about that."
"No." Kara laughed. "It feels like it happened centuries ago, doesn't it?"
"Yeah." Foster tapped his chin, then looked as if he were reminiscing.
"Those were the days."
Kara suddenly became solemn.
She really missed those times.
"Foster," she mumbled, "I've been meaning to ask you something."
"What?"
"Do you..want to go home?"
There was a pause as Foster took a breath, then released it, looking weary.
"More than anything, but...isn't that kind of impossible?"
Kara nodded. "Yeah, but if it wasn't...would you want to go?"
Foster didn't answer for the longest time. When he finally did, his voice was quiet.
"Only if you could come with me."
Kara looked down at her shoes. "I don't think that would happen. I like it here, and I'm safer in this world than I am back at home."
"I know."
There was a cracking sound from above them.
Peony skidded to a halt, stopping dead in her tracks. Kara stopped when she did, causing Foster to nearly run into her.
Peony turned back to look at them, and placed a single finger over her mouth to indicate that they needed to be silent.
Kara swallowed hard, and heard Foster take in a breath sharply beside her.
Peony's eyes narrowed.
She crept forward and whispered something, her eyes glowing.
Suddenly, the leaves in the tree before them rustled.
An arrowhead jutted out from the treetops.
The bow was drawn, and the projectile weapon released, aimed directly for Peony.
The Gifted fairy had fast reflexes, though, and was able to duck out of the way, dropping to the ground and rolling.
Foster, however, wasn't fast enough. Having been behind Peony, he had become the designated target of the unseen assassin.
The arrow flew forward and pierced through his chest, in the center where his heart must've been.
He looked down at it, as if it were some strange new limb, then fell over at once, blood sputtering out of him.
Kara went to him, tears forming in her eyes as she supported his weight, holding him up with her arms just as the bow disappeared into the foliage. Peony eyed where the bow had once been, and cast out purple tendrils of magic through the trees.
The tendrils reached out for the shooter, but they weren't quick enough.
She made them dissipate, and looked back at the boy whose injury was claiming his life.
Kara was grabbing at his shirt, screaming and trying to stop the blood from flowing out of his chest. Violet rivulets streamed out from between her fingers.
Kara's sobs grew in volume, and she lifted his head up. "Foster! Foster, no! No, no, no, I can't lose you too, not after Lily! Foster..."
She shuddered, but paused when the boy in question stirred in her arms. "Kara..." he mumbled. She heard him and cried harder. "Foster, oh my god! They shot you, oh my god-" The boy cut her off when his face contorted from pain. "I know...Kara, stop.
Stop it." The girl was frantically dabbing at the blood that welled up around the spot where the arrow had penetrated. "Kara, please. I'm sorry, but...you can't save me."
Kara could scarcely see through her tears.
"Yes, I can! I won't let you die!"
Peony came up beside them both, her face shadowed with remorse. "No, Foster is right. See how dark this arrow is?"
She touched it with one finger, showing the blackened lines running through it.
"It's been filled with demise beast venom, and most of it has gone into his heart. If the boy lived, he would only become your enemy."
Kara would have none of it.
She only looked at her ex, and choked back sobs. "Kara...she's right," Foster murmured. The gold bits in his eyes had enveloped the blueness, confirming that he was already being corrupted by the venom.
"I don't want to die, but...I don't want to be evil, either. I've hurt you enough."
He took in a single breath, a breath that caused more blood to gush out from around the hole the arrow had made.
Kara's sight cleared as she rubbed her eyes. "Foster...I-" 
"No...don't argue. Just stay with me...until I leave. That's all I need from you now."

Peony watched as Kara lowered her friend to the ground.
She was gentle and slow, and was careful not to set him down too roughly.
The Hybrid turned to her, her expression displaying an unasked question.
"Should I take the arrow out?"
Peony shook her head.
She remembered the vision that Kara had had once, and knew that each of them should've seen this coming.
"No, that would only worsen the gash.
Leave it there." Kara obeyed, and crouched beside Foster. The boy's eyes were half lidded, and the flecks of blue that remained in them were shrinking as he stared up dazedly at the sky. "Kara," he rasped. "Tell my mom...what happened, in as few words as possible.
She won't believe you, but...she needs to know. Also...I'm sorry." Kara's mouth quivered as she tried not to cry again. "Sorry? F-For what?"
"For...all that's happened."
Foster's breathing grew more rapid and labored. "Ever since I've come to this realm, I've caused nothing but trouble for you, and the...fairies here. I blamed you...for so much of it, and none of it was your fault. It was mine." The boy coughed, and the arrow shook when his chest did.
"I was just always messing up. I...hope that you can figure everything out...everything about you and your mom, and...where you belong in this world." Kara smiled, but it was a broken sort of smile, happy and sad at the same time, an amalgam of emotion.
"I hope I can do that, too. Foster...wherever you're going, I hope you'll be happy there."
The boy straightened his glasses.
His eyes were almost completely yellow now, the pupils turning slitted slowly.
"Thanks, but..am I forgiven...for all that I've done? I've been a major jerk lately...and I understand if-"
Kara cut him off, wrapping her arms around him. She buried her face in his shoulder as she cried again.
"Yes," she murmured. "Yes, you're forgiven."
Foster beamed, his dimples showing themselves. Peony knew those words had released him from his guilt.
She had seen him brooding over many things, and Kara's grudge against him had to be one of them. "Oh, thank you. That's all I've ever wanted from you lately. Forgiveness..."
He coughed, and blood spilled down onto his shirt again. "K-K-Kara?"
"Yes?"
"M-My favorite color's ch-changed."
Foster brought up a frail hand to brush aside Kara's hair.
Kara put her hand in his and squeezed it. She was afraid to hear his answer, but she knew it might be the last thing he would ever say. She brushed aside her fear and looked into his eyes. Blood coated his shirt, staining it almost entirely. She hated to see him this way.
Forming words turned out to be a challenge, but she found the strength to do it.
"What is it?"
The boy was smiling again, smiling more than he ever had in the last few months. His dimples were showing themselves at the corners of his mouth.
"Your eyes...the color of them will stay with me always. I'll never forget..how green they were."
Foster was about to say something else, but he didn't get to before his eyes were flooded with golden colors, mixed with lavender hues.
His hand's hold on her hand weakened, but Kara kept his arm aloft before it could fall.
A pattern of gray scales flashed up and down Foster's face and arms. Kara shrank back.
He looked every bit like any other demise beast she might see in Lymeria.
All of this faded and fell away, and blood that had the color and texture of oil spilled out of his chest, pooling out around him.
The silhouette of horns were drawn over the sides of his head, but vanished as the wind from the forest swirled around them and made the leaves on trees shiver.
He made a noise that might've been words slurred together, but Kara couldn't decipher them before her ex's head drooped to the side, and the rapid rise and fall of his chest slowed and stilled like an ebbing wave.
His eyes were opened wide still, frozen forever in pain and shock at the venom's effects.
Kara turned back, half blinded by her tears. Despite this, she could still see Peony there. She had been watching them both as this tragedy had occurred. When she met with Kara's gaze, she turned away, sheltering her eyes. However, Kara had seen where she was facing, and spoke, her eyes glittering.
"The venom...that wasn't all that hurt him," she muttered. "You didn't...don't tell me you used your powers on him."
"I had to." Peony sat beside her, stroking Foster's shoulder with one pale skinned hand. "The venom would've killed him slowly, making him shake and convulse.
It could've lasted for a long time...you must understand my actions. I couldn't just sit by and do nothing, I..I had to stop his misery." She sighed, looking much older than usual in that moment. Tears were in her eyes as well.
"After all that has happened, I had forgotten how short Flightless lives can be if they come here to stay. I myself have lost many to demise beasts, but none have been so cruel as to use an arrow coated in venom to bring down one of their targets."
Kara was still dissatisfied. "But..you can raise the dead, can't you? Why didn't you bring Foster back?"
Peony froze, looking almost overwhelmed by the question. "Raise the..dead? Skies above, who told you that?"
"Reena."
"Oh..well, Reena certainly is the sort of fairy that would tell you that." Peony crossed her arms and looked down at her feet, looking displeased with this past statement.
"If I have learned nothing from my past, I have at least learned that necromancy is wrong.
Bringing others back to the land of the living when they were supposed to pass on has unforeseen consequences. If it weren't for that, then I would have done that in an instant, but..my brother is not the same as he was when he was alive. Foster would be different, too. Does this make sense now?"
Kara was starting to understand, her anger dissipating. She nodded, still upset but coming to terms with it all. Peony continued to talk. "Hurricane's followers wanted to kill me with this, but...I haven't the slightest idea why."
She touched the edge of the sharp pointed weapon and started to pull it out of Foster's chest. Kara suppressed a sob, and turned away until the fairy had gotten it out completely. "They tried to turn Foster into a beast too, but why would they want to do that?" she wondered aloud. "Oh, Never mind.
The Council...they'll put this arrow to good use. We can use it as a way to track the demise beast that did this.
For now, we should bury Foster."

Kara's heartbeat sped up. Her head began to hurt, and she felt as if the ground were crumbling away beneath her feet, causing her to tumble down into a nightmarish abyss.
She shook her head, and mouthed words that she couldn't bring herself to say. When she forced them out, her expression was a pained one. "No," she cried. "No, I..I can't do it." Peony took her hand. Her fingers were cold, but somehow comforted her anyway.
"Yes, you can.
You need to help him now, as Foster once helped you. He needs your strength."
Kara looked back at her friend and boyfriend of a few months. His face was contented, and his hand was over his heart, plastered over his wound. From where she stood, she could pretend that he was only sleeping.
Tears came up to cloud her sight, and Kara rubbed at them furiously.
She was tired of crying.
Peony was right. She would be strong, and honor his memory through it.
"Okay. I'll...do my best."
Soon after, a moderately sized hole was dug by Peony, and flowers were placed around his grave. Kara kissed Foster's forehead, her grief making minuscule tears dot his torn shirt collar. There wasn't much left to do after that but place him properly.
Peony lifted him up with magic, magic that tinged him with lavender light.
She set him down in the hole, and dirt was quickly shoveled over the top of it.
Kara watched Foster disappear from view, and she gasped, a hand over her mouth as she sobbed, falling onto her knees.
The hole was covered entirely, and Kara felt as if she were dreaming, but pinching her wrist did nothing to rouse her.
The strangest thing of all occurred next.
A light surrounded her, one tinted in pale shades of green and blue.
The light turned clear, and a humanoid figure appeared to her.
She couldn't tell who was there, but she knew at once when familiar hands held hers.
Blue eyes looked into hers, the face with it looking peaceful. The being had the same dusky brown hair, and the same gentle disposition.
Her dear friend's glasses glowed, as if they were covered in starlight, and he smiled.
The apparition went away. He had cast a multitude of colors all around her, like a light show, or a series of fireworks meant just for her. They dissolved as he did.
Kara's sorrow was gone, only relief remaining. He was alright, wherever he was, and that was good enough for her.

In a wooded area not far from where Kara resided, Kyle gasped for breath.
Hurricane had his hands locked around his throat in an attempt to strangle him.
"You mongrel! Do you realize how close those fools came to seeing you there? Do you?"
Kyle's vision was going dark. He choked out words, even though it felt like all of the inner workings of his neck had been crushed.
"Yes, my..lord."
Hurricane dropped him abruptly, and he fell upon the floor, wheezing and doing his best to ease the pain of the bruises on his throat.
"You are an idiot, Kyle Corey, but you have done as I asked. Regardless of your mistake,
I am pleased."
Kyle coughed raggedly, one hand up against his chest. "Pleased? How can you be pleased? I didn't even hit the right target."
"Yes, but you have killed someone close to the Hybrid child. Over time, grief will weaken her, making her easy to capture."
Kyle sat up, then raised one eyebrow as he moved into a more comfortable position.
"Um, my lord? I apologize, but if you don't mind me saying so, I don't think that will work."
Hurricane turned on him immediately, his teeth bared and his claws outstretched. He held his sharp pronged staff up to his throat.  "What?"
Kyle hardly flinched. "You heard me. Killing off people Kara cares about won't weaken her. Sure, she might be sad for a while, but that would only make her stronger later on. Not only that, but it would give her a motive to fight us."
Hurricane smirked, moving away. "My boy, death only lends so much strength. Too much of it only weakens those who survive to bear its weight. The more friends and family the girl loses, the less will she will have to live."
Kyle looked down at the bow he was still holding. Despite his status as a member of Hurricane's army, he had never had to kill anyone in cold blood before. His hands began to shake, and he dropped the weapon, letting it clatter to the floor loudly. "I don't know about this, my lord," he murmured. "Maybe..we should come up with a different plan."
Hurricane scowled. "No, you imbecile. This will work out fine. Even if it doesn't, I still have my backup plan. You'll see.
Things will go in our favor."