I had shaky night after that. I kept waking up, with visions of that horrible bee. So many creatures lost their lives that day. And for some reason it seemed like my fault. I just couldn't shake the feeling. Any way I felt somewhat better once the sun rose. Zara didn't clearly. We continued walking with little conversation.

She didn't want to let anyone in on her personal life, I could tell. And that memory had been a painful one. I felt invasive, seeing it, I wish I didn't. I just wanted to resume my normal life. My father probably missed me by now, it had been two days. If he even realized I was gone. He was buried in his work most of the time he barely had time for his only son. I barely even knew what he was doing most of the time.

My stomach growled, I was hungry. I hoped wherever we were going it had food. I hadn't eaten anything since two days ago. So much had been happening I didn't even stop to think about food. Now it was all coming back full force.

I dragged myself up most my wet and uncomfortable bed of moss. Not a suggested sleeping material. My bones creaked and snapped from lack of movement in the cold morning air. I was also wet, hungry, cold, wet, and stiff. This was going to be a rough day. Zara probably slept the farthest away from me as possible. I could tell she was awake by the speed of her breathing. I contemplated shaking her till she got up, but something told me I would lose my nose. So I let her be.

In order to stretch my muscles I took a short walk. Carefully marking my way so I didn't get lost. I wanted to help her, before I was human again. If I'm ever hum-

I banished the thought before it finished. Zara would find a way. I wouldn't be stuck like this forever. Walking on four paws instead of two feet. Unconsciously, my claws slid out and grasped at the soft moist earth of the early morning. I am a freak. A mammal with wings! Things like this only happen in stories and fairy tales. I led a perfectly normal life until...

Until I decided to help Zara.

I blinked away the tears that had nearly threatened to come. And let go of the ground. Despite what happened, Zara could have died if not for me. I walked a little more calmly back to our makeshift camp. Where I found Zara, giving me a patient look.

"Look, I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday, and pretty much ever since I met you. I realize I've been really mean, and probably driving you crazy." She said. "I was judgmental and thought you couldn't possibly help me with anything, but, now, I was thinking we should start over, maybe be friends?"

"Okay," I said, rather smoothly if I do say so myself.

"Great, now, we're almost back to the Hill, that's where we Ice-claws live, and I just wanted to give you a few pointers. First of all we don't shake hands, claws will think you're delusional if you try that."

"Figured that one out already," I smiled weakly.

"Just don't do anything humanish, and you still smell like a human. Try acting normal," I gave her a questioning look.

"Normal? My life has been anything but normal for the past week, sorry if I'm a little out of practice." I answered.

"Look, we're almost here!" She suddenly screeched in delight, running foreword.

I looked ahead and was surprised to see sudden weather change. Right in the middle of a rather humid forest, was snow. It wasn't gradual or anything, there was just a line of snow as far as the eye could see. Zara leapt over it and began darting around in the snow. I tentatively put a paw across. And was surprised to find how cold it was on the other side.

"How is it doing that?" I asked Zara.

She jumped into the air right in front of me. "I'm not quite sure, something about a chief who lived a long time ago, I'm sure we can get a Scribe-claw to tell us."

"Scribe-claw?" She kept using terms I didn't understand.

She stepped back over the border, and I followed her. Shivering as I realized how cold it was on this side.

"It's claw tradition that when you turn fourteen, you are chosen for three categories. Battle-claws, who are trained to fight against our enemies. Meðal-claws, who know a lot about medicine and herbs, they heal claws. And Scribe-claws, who know a lot about everything, and make sure our archives are always updated." She explained.

"Oh, so you want to be a Battle-claw?" I inquired, understanding.

"Yeah, pretty much," Zara answered.

I nodded in comprehension. We walked for a few more minutes before I spotted something large and covered with snow. Zara got all excited and I had to pick up the pace to keep up with her.

"This is it," she breathed, "this is my home."

I gasped when it finally came into view. It looked like a giant pile of snow. I could pick out small entrances here and there. It appeared the vast majority of her species lived underground. Strange for something with wings but who was I to question it?

Zara's excited face dropped for a moment. And she scowled.

"My father is going to be so angry," She sighed, walking towards the hill.

"Won't he be glad you're back?" I questioned, she had been missing for quite some time.

"Well, yes, but since I'm technically the daughter of the chief and only surviving heir..."

I stopped and blinked. An heir? Like a princess? Did I just rescue a damsel in destress? Wait, she wasn't really a damsel, or in destress. Hmmm, and technically she rescued me from my father... I shook my head in confusion. Heir was definitely more appropriate

She showed me into one of the entrances, and I could actually feel her nervous excitement rubbing off on me. I personally felt like spitting out the spastic butterflies that darted around crashing into each other from the bellows of my stomach. Then I stepped on something squishy that glowed.

I am embarrassed to say I may have sprung backwards, into more squishy glow stuff. Letting out a surprised scream. Until Zara clamped her paws over my muzzle.

"You're fine, it's just glow moss." She pointed at it.

Seeing no harm, I cautiously observed. From a distance away of course. It did look like moss, but it pulsed with a strange fire-like quality. Flickering, one might call it.

"Right, I knew that," I chuckled, nervously, stepping over the glow moss.

She then went first. Sighing at my lack of mythical knowledge. Then tunnel started to get wider. And a soft wind blew against my fur. Where it came from I have no idea, and the tunnel finally opened up into a larger cavern. With Ice-claws sitting in the hundreds. All eyes turned on us, and then chaos erupted.