Echo stepped forwards, inclined to help Karry, but looks back at Luna, then back at Karry. A clatter sounded behind her, and Echo turned to see her unicorn sword on the ground, and Luna was racing towards Karry, silver talons replacing her nails and wings sprouting out of her back. Echo turns into a cheetah and follows Luna, ignoring the Night stars, who are getting closer and closer.

Panting, Echo arrives at the fight not a moment too late. Wolf-Karry was pinned onto the ground, Tiger-Eclipse preparing for the final blow. Roaring, Echo transforms into a snow leopard, leaping onto Eclipse's back. She heard a swish of wings and knew that Luna had arrived. Using Eclipse as a diving board, Echo pushed off of her, twisting in mid-air and landing, face to face with her enemy. 

Echo leaped at Eclipse, jumping over her opponent and raking her claws down her side. Eclipse growled with frustration, and Echo resumed her attack on her enemy, only to be interrupted by Karry's shouts in her mind.

Echo! Echo! Look at Luna! He shouted mentally, and Echo whipped around to see her new friend surrounded by Nightstars. She was fighting them bravely, but none of her blows could deal any fatal damage to the shadowy creatures. Behind her, the roar of a tiger and the barks of a wolf could be heard, and Echo knew that Karry was fighting Eclipse once more.

Echo was torn. Who do I save? My boyfriend or my friend? As she hesitated, Echo saw that Luna was becoming a shadow. Her arms were gone, and the shadow was slowly spreading to the rest of her body.

Then a mental reassurance from Karry made her mind. Go help Luna, Echo. He told her. I'll deal with the dirty cat!

I'm just going to remind you that a snow leopard is a dirty cat, and therefore you're calling me a dirty cat. Echo said amused in a dark twisted way as she leaped for the Nightstars. Or more like over them.

Landing squarely onto her unicorn sword, Echo popped into a human and released the sword from its sheath, swinging it around and around. Stabbing and whipping, Echo made her way slowly to where Luna was surrounded, not noticing the danger behind her.

Together? Echo asked.

Together. Luna confirmed.

With a bright glow, Echo turned into an albino dragon, her scales reflecting the little light they had. Luna pulled at the heat that was roaring in her stomach. She bared her teeth at the oncoming enemy, and released a growl that shook the cavern. The heat in the pit of her stomach screamed and twisted, begging to be let out.

Luna let loose the golden flame inside her and let it fill the room with a burst of light just as Echo opened her jaws, bright white flames sprouting from her mouth.

The white flame of Echo mixed with Luna's golden fire, turning into a brilliant shade of pale gold. The fire spread from one Nightstar to the next, killing them instantly. No pain caused to them, just making them drop, defeated to the hard stone ground. 

Echo stopped the flow of fire in her mouth, glaring with satisfaction at her dead enemies. Eclipse had escaped, but it didn't matter. Turning back into a human, Echo wobbled from the intense transformation, and fell down, tired. Dimly, Echo felt someone probing at her mind, but wariness covered it up. Shaking her head, Echo looked up and saw Karry, still unconscious.

Right. Echo thought. Tend to the injured.

Pulling herself together, Echo felt around for her medicine bag, and found it with Karry. Okay, let me see. Echo thought, looking through the bag for the right herb. Marigold for infection, feverfew for fevers, watermint for bellyache. No no NO! None of these will do. A burst of gold sparked somewhere near the top of the cavern, but Echo didn't care. Searching around, Echo found her unicorn sword. Oh good. Let's see if the old fool's words were true. Jett, the only other Metamorphic in her tribe, gave Echo the sword, telling her it had the abilities to kill as well as heal.

Sword of light, drive away the night, take away the fright, and show your bright. She swung the sword up, determined to save Karry, but a pair of arms restrained her, pulling her back.

"Luna!" Echo shouted, impatient. "Let go!" But Luna didn't, instead began to pull her back. With desperation, Echo did the only thing she could. Echo threw the sword towards Karry, and closed her eyes, prepared for the bright light that engulfed them all.

There was no sound as her sword struck her boyfriend. The arms around her dropped silently.

But a moment later the light that had shone from the sword dimmed, and Echo looked up to see Karry holding the sword in his hands, looking at the two with amusement.

"Can someone explain what the HECK is going on here?" Karry asked, confusion and an urge to laugh showed clearly from his voice. "Are you two trying to kill each other or WHAT?"

"Well, I was trying to save you with the sword." Echo replied, looking at Luna. "But I don't know what you were doing..." A realization came to her mind, but she didn't speak, since Luna just did.

"I-I thought you were going to kill Karry, you had such a crazed look in your eyes when you held the sword to him." Luna stuttered. An expression came onto her face, like she was thinking, but Echo didn't probe into her mind. I won't invade her privacy. She thought.

"Yeah, it was kinda my fault." Echo apologized. "I didn't explain before I did it. See, the guy who gave me the unicorn sword said that it could heal as well as kill, and I just said the spell in my mind."

"So, how come none of the Nightstars became stronger when you killed them with the sword?" Luna asked. Echo paused, and looked to Karry for help. She didn't know the scientific stuff about her sword, whereas Karry studied it a lot when she got it.

"I think it's because the Nightstars are shadow creatures, and anything of light hurts them. Also, Echo has to say or think the spell for it to work, and everytime she does that, the unicorn sword dims in energy, and Echo has to replace the energy with phoenix or dragon fire." Karry explained. "But I don't know for sure. It's hard to navigate in the seas of magic."

"Ahh... okay then." Luna said, a bit distracted. I don't think she even listened. Echo noted with amusement to Karry, who smiled in return. "So, one more thing," Luna continued and Echo turned her attention back to her friend. "I might've accidentally burned the roof of this cavern down... So we do have an escape." Luna said, and Echo could hear the sadness behind her voice.

Sadness began to creep up onto Echo as well, and Karry put an arm around her. Echo reaches her mind towards Luna to catch her thoughts.

I really don't want to leave them, we might not ever see eachother again after this. Luna thought.

Echo replied, trying to be as positive as she can manage. I don't want to leave either, but we have our own lives to go back to. And I'm almost positive this won't be the last time we see each other. We were both picked by the Creators to meet up here today. I think that our paths are going to be permanently intertwined now. And Echo knew that it was true. Her ancestors above who lived in the Stars are surely the ones who have done this.

Luna looked at Echo. Her green eyes were filled with endless emotion. Echo felt her own gray eyes fill up with tears.

"I'll miss you, Luna, but I think that, no, scratch that. I know that we will meet again, if not in life, in the Stars."

Luna looked down, and Echo could not control herself anymore. Launching herself towards her friend, Echo wrapped her arms around Luna and gave her a big, warm hug, sobbing at the same time.

Echo knew that she and Luna's paths were tied together, but she could not bear to think about when she would see her again. She felt someone else join their embrace, and knew that Karry was joining them.

"I'll see you soon right?" Luna said, smiling, Echo backed away from her, giving her enough space to fly up.

Echo rolled her eyes. "Of course, whenever you need me, I'll be there... Even when you're sleeping!" She joked, trying to cover up her sadness.

Luna opened her magnificent wings, and flew upwards. Right before she left their view, she looked down. "Don't be a stranger guys!" She laughed, and Echo smiled, waving, as Luna disappeared from sight.

Still looking up, Echo's mind filled with thoughts of their next adventure together, and pulled out her sword.

"I forgot to tell Luna that my sword is also a compass." Echo said.

"I'm sure Luna will find out, and besides, you won't be launching that at anyone, right?" Karry said, smiling, and the two followed the direction of the sword, walking further into the cavern. Until we meet again, Luna.

THE END