The crowd cheered as my father finished his statement. Jay shrunk down on the ground as Sarah walked up to the rock. She looked happy, but Jay looked miserable.

"Jay, Sarah will be your mentor, may Glamora brighten your path."

Jay walked forward and touched noses with Sarah, which I learned meant he accepted her as his mentor. The crowd started cheering his name into the air. Zara and I joined in halfheartedly. We watched as Jay walked away to the Meðal den to start his apprenticeship, we ran after him and eventually caught up to him.

"Jay, we tried to change his mind." Tried Zara.

"He's stubborn though." I added.

"It's ok, I know you tried." He sighed dejectedly.

"Oh come on! Being a Meðal-claw isn't half bad, you do get to learn to fight you know," cheered Sarah.

"I do?" Jay exclaimed.

"Yeah, going out for herbs is dangerous business, you could run into all kinds of trouble."

"Like what?" I asked, curious.

"Stuff like poisonous snakes, foxes, badgers, trolls, any remaining bees, goblins, or unfriendly birds." She listed.

"I had no idea this was so dangerous!" Zara exclaimed.

"Are you kidding me? Being a Meðal-claw is one of the most dangerous groups of all!"

"Wow, maybe this won't be so bad after all, see, or not, you guys tomorrow!" He said as he walked into the Meðal den. Zara and I just stood there for a few moments before heading back.

"Now I'm jealous, he's going to be out there doing cool stuff and we're stuck here," said Zara.

"We could go flying," I suggested.

"Technically we're not allowed, Dad let us show you how to fly, but he's strict on staying in the Hill, unless there's an emergency or to go to the sun rock."

"Oh, so there really is nothing to do," I sighed.

"Pretty much," answered Zara.

My mind wandered back to the black winged Ice-claw I had seen during breakfast, I hadn't seen her before.

"Hey, who was the black she-cat, from breakfast?"

"Oh that's Eudora, Jay's adoptive mother," she said.

"Ah."

That got me thinking on the topic of mothers, and I realized I still hadn't met mine. Why didn't I notice this before?

"Hey, where is.... our... Mom?"

Zara stopped in her tracks, and I crashed right into her.

"Mom is..... gone," her voice cracked when she said it.

"Oh...... How?"

She suddenly took off and I ran after her. Eventually we came to our den, she curled up in her nest and whispered to me.

"Zara? Why did you-?"

"Ssshhhh, I couldn't tell you in that tunnel, for no one knows, and it happened just after we were born, listen closely Zachariah, as I tell you our mother's fate...."