My hands felt cold and sweaty as I stared at the remains. It looked it used to have been a small hut of sorts. As we walked closer to inspect it I noticed the shards of glass and general dampness of the soot-covered earth.

Aurora started digging through the debris. "We have to see if the guy is all right. I don't care if you this lady did something terrible against you guys, she could be seriously hurt."

I followed her lead immediately, watching where I stepped and pulled away blackened timbers. Chubby used his massive head to clear the area away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jason hang back. He had turned a few shades paler than normal.

"What if she's the one who did this?" He asked quietly.

Aurora paused to stare at him. "You think they're not the same person?"

"J-just think about it." He stuttered, sounding frustrated and kinda scared.

It stuck me as off-character for him. He never stuttered. That was my thing.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to say Eddie set the fire?" Eryan asked.

"Who's Eddie?" Aurora questioned suspiciously.

"He's with the lady we're trying to find. He..." Eryan trailed off.

"He can hold fire." Ryan finished for her.

Aurora's eyebrows flew up. "Seriously?"

She put her hand on her forehead. "That's impossible though."

"We don't know how he did it." I shrugged. "He just did."

"You guys." Ryan gasped, her voice was shaky.

She held up a charred, human-resembling skull. We all fell silent and stared at it in solemn respect. I didn't know what to think. Who would do this? Why? What did this apothecary in the middle of the woods have anything to do with Felix? Why had she kidnapped Felix in the first place? Why could things just be easy?

    We were still standing there in silence. Then Jason turned and started walking away.

"Where are you going?" Eryan demanded.

He turned, hands balled into fists. "I'm leaving."

My heart skipped a beat. "Wait, what?"

Jason seemed oddly shaken up, I took a few steps closer to him.

"I can't do this anymore." He insisted bitterly. "Nobody told me...nobody told me people were going to die. That isn't what I signed up for."

"What did you sign up for then?" Ryan questioned, cold and calculating. "What did you think this was going to be?"

He opened his mouth and gaped at her, like a fish out of water. Except his hands were shaking and looked near tears. I wanted to go over and comfort him, hold his hand or something, I don't know. I wish Ryan would cool it, she was obviously making him uncomfortable.

"Well?" She repeated, even Lucy looked dangerous from her shoulder.

Lafayette suddenly landed on the branch above Jason's head, his dual colored eyes glaring down at our group. I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably, has Jason always been ready to just leave like this?

"Leave him alone." I swallowed my discomfort to stand next to Jason.

He glanced down at me, and softened a bit, I swallowed dryly and realized my sister was giving me a look. She had something to say to me but I couldn't read her mind.

    "Thanks." He said gently, rubbing his arm.

    I nodded, smiling at him in support.

    "None of us expected it to go this far, alright? Can we just...calm down?" I asked shakily.

    Peri nipped at my ear gently. He also had something to say, I twisted my ear away from him, this was not the time.

    "Should we go back?" Eryan asked. "Figure something else out?"

    "No, no." I said slowly. "Can we figure out where Eddie went from here?"

    Oratio jumped out of Eryan's bag and onto the ground, sniffing around the perimeter. All of a sudden Chubby's head lifted and he stared off into the trees. Aurora glanced up in that direction.

    "We're being watched." She said softly.

    "That's what I was trying to tell you." Peri sighed.

    "Who?" I inquired.

    "Snow leopard, about five meters out that way." Peri gestured with his beak.

    I stared off into the snow blanketed woods. It took me a long time to finally spot the big cat crouched between a log and a large boulder.

    "She a familiar, but she's presenting threateningly." Peri continued. "I can go and try to talk to her if you need."

    "Is that a snow leopard?" Jason asked, quieter but no longer in the act of leaving.

    "Do you think she might be snake lady?" I pointed out.

    "Maybe." Ryan said gruffly, she was obviously still angry at me.

    The snow leopard sat up all of a sudden, realizing she was being watched. Then all of a sudden she started sprinting away through the trees. Peri jumped off of my shoulder and flew after her. Lucy and Lafayette following his lead.

    "Are we gonna chase after them?" Aurora asked, alarmed, as we started running through the snow after them.

    "The leopard could lead us to Eddie, who can lead us to Felix!" I yelled behind us.

    It didn't take long for her to overtake us on top of Chubby. He was faster then the rest of us of course. The big bear ran ahead us. I glanced up to what I thought was Lafayette circling. There was a clearing up ahead. We walked towards the snow leopard. She didn't move. She just stared at us from the egde of the woods.

    "Hello?" Eryan called out.

    I swallowed dryly. "Eddie?"

    Nothing happened. I was half relived. I really, really did not want to see him again. Two times traumatizing enough.

    "Why isn't she moving?" Aurora demanded.

    None of us could answer. She simply stood posed, tail flicking back and forth. Then all of a sudden I heard the tell tale noise of a blade being unsheathed. So did everyone else apparently because we all turned around.

    Standing there, blade in hand, was a person. A short, completely clad in black, red haired little assassin. They didn't look happy.