It wasn't long before I began to sink a little deeper into my own mind, powerless against the pull of the the from that had taken over me. It was like sinking into a ocean of just pure darkness. Eventually I hit some sort of bottom. There was nothing around me and inside me, but darkness. I think at some point I closed my eyes but there was no difference so who knew.

    I was so alone.

    "I'm sorry." I whispered. "This is all my fault."

    I don't know who I was talking too. There was no one there. Whatever this space was, it was somewhere inside me, so of course I would be alone. Why hand't I seen this coming? Glamora strike me down, I'm just really gullible.

    "I guess a huge part of me just... just really wants to see you again." I was talking to Zach. "Glamora, I miss you. I miss you so much." Apparently it wasn't possible to cry in my own mind.

    "I miss you too."

    I blinked rapidly and looked up. There he was, sitting poised with an expression of pure disbelief in his face. He blinked, and we both stared at each other. Then I scowled and growled under my breath.

    "Ha ha. I get it. You have me, and you're going to torture me in me in my last moments." I bared my teeth in disgust. "Why don't you just kill me already."

    Zach shook his head in confusion. "Z-Zara? I'm not sure I understand? Are you okay? How long has it been since I died?"

    I glanced back briefly on his form, I don't know how Tenebris managed to conjure up something that looked so realistic. He seemed pretty darn real. I quivered my whispers in annoyance and thought about entertaining him- or her now I guess, it was my body.

    "It's been two years."

    Zach's eyes widened. "Oh geeze, I... I knew I had been gone I never thought... oh geeze."

    Something about the way he said it bothered me. I don't think Tenebris would know words like oh geeze. Whatever that meant. I flicked my tail, then stared back at him, he looked so worried.

    Something in me really wanted to click this together.

    "Zach? Is... is that really you?"

    He grinned lopsidedly, it was so familiar that it made my chest hurt from longing. "Of course it is? Why wouldn't it be? Has something happened? No wait you have to tell me how everyone's doing first of all, and be fast I don't know how long this will last or... what is this-"

    He cried out in surprise as I jumped on him like a small kitten. We rolled a bit and laughed. I tried to take in this sacred moment Glamora had given me. I don't know why but here was here and I wasn't going to let him go.

    "I've missed you so much you idiot!" I cried out, climbing off of him.

    "Me too!" His tongue lolled out slightly when he grinned. "But seriously what's going on? I fell asleep and now I'm here."

    "In Glamora?" I frowned.

    He frowned. "I'm not in Glamora."

    I paused, then he quickly explained. "It's not like...bad either it just kind of exists? Also time is weird there because it definitely doesn't feel like two years. There's also a bunch of other claws there and they're nice, and oh! I met Barranca and she's way more of an old bat than you would think, just all around a very grumpy claw, but she's okay I guess."

    I shook my head in amazement. "Are you... happy?"

    The smiles faded off of our faces.

    "It's okay, what's been going on though? How are mom and dad? And Jay? What about Skylark or Arroyo and the four? Did you guys kill Tenebris?" He asked.

    "Mom and dad are okay these days, so is Jay. It was really hard for a while and it's still very hard for me but they've been helping me through it. Skylark spends most of her time away from the Hill and over at the Mountain Sound. I haven't been keeping tabs on Arroyo, the four returned to their respective homes and as for Tenebris... uh..."

    His face fell. "What?"

    "I thought... well we couldn't find him afterwords... and everyone forgot. Now I've kind of... um well... it's in my body."

    Zach looked completely heartbroken. "Oh... oh no. Oh Zara..."

    "I know." I bumped my head against his sadly.

    "What are you going to do?"

    "I don't know. I don't think I can do anything. Hopefully someone can get me out of this. It's a omg a story but basically I... I really wanted to see you again. I'm sorry."

    "Don't be sorry." He sighed. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't also thought about it."

    We were both staring at our paws in a sudden awkwardness. There was something there, hanging in the conversation, but I didn't want to look at it, I didn't want to think or event consider it.

    "I've made friends, wherever I am." Zach started. "One of them, her name's Eliza, she's taken me under her wing, she's teaching me how things work in their world. Her friends are my friends, it's not that bad honestly."

    "That's great." I replied, numb.

    "Sounds like everyone's doing okay from what you've said. I don't want them to be sad because of the decision I've made."

    "What are you saying?" I demanded, I could finally bear it no longer.

    "I'm saying... Zara you need to get out of here, you need to kick Tenebris' butt, and I don't think I can help you." He finally forced out.

    I glanced up, and noticed he looked as fearful as I felt. He didn't want to believe this anymore than I did.

    "No..." I could already tell what he was going to say next. "Zach I can't, you can't ask me to do this."

    His eyes squeezed shut, and little dewey crystals appeared in the corners of them. "Zara please. We have to learn to move on."

    "No we don't." I begged. "I don't want you to leave me, I can't go through that all over again."

    "You have to... I'm sorry." Watching him say this was worse than watching his blood pool onto the grass.

    "Please!" I was getting desperate, I reached towards one of his paws.

    To my horror I passed right through his form.

    "No!"

    Tear were rolling off his fur in bright streams of agony. I clawed at him, pulling in whatever I could manage. It was to no use, it was like he was a ghost. It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair.

    "Take a deep breath." He smoothed. "I will always be with you, no matter what happens."

    I sucked in a deep wheezy breath, and then let it out. Zach bent down and touched his nose lightly to mine. I could almost swear I felt it.

    I squeezed my eyes shut as he melted away.