_-_-Awesome-_-_

Awesome flew in large graceful circles through the sky, his wings arching slightly to cup the warm drafts of air. He kept a close eye on the path to Saripea, the smoke still billowing up and over the blackened trees like a storm cloud just waiting to unleash an anticipated storm. It had been a two days since the surviving animals had moved into Crystal Sands, leaving the burning Saripea behind.
Awesome caught sight of Blooming near the shore, instructing the younger jammers on what to do if the phantoms come. She looked impatient, as if she'd be anywhere else than teaching the youngest survivors how to switch animals.
Blooming had been worrying Awesome latley. She wasn't her usual self since he told her what he had seen in Saripea, along with a zapped Little and a missing Snowflake. Her two closest friends were gone.
Well, she sort of has me, I guess...
Awesome was more Little's friend than he was Blooming's.
But at this time, any kind of friends must stick together.
He winced at the cheesiness of his thoughts and glanced back at the tree line. Still nothing.
A female owl called Rosy flew up and took over his position, relieving him of his duty for a break. He nodded his thanks and dove swiftly down to the sand below.
After about thirty seconds of diving, he landed gracefully, folding in his wings to sit and watch Blooming teach the young jammers.
"You access your switch animals tab... and you select a sea creature..." Said Blooming through clenched teeth.
"I don't have enough gems!" A little male green wolf stated.
"I can't! It won't open!" Wailed a little white and pink female tiger.
"I don't want a sea creature." Grumbled a stubborn male gray lynx.
Blooming looked about ready to tear the little ones apart, so Awesome stepped in.
"Do you want to live or not?" Awesome squaked to the lynx firmly.
"Yeah." The lynx yawned simply.
"Then I suggest you get a sea creature." Awesome stared at him. He then turned and handed the little wolf some gems from his bag. "Here. Is this enough?"
"Yep!" The wolf grinned. "Six hundred plus five hundred is... uh.. a thousand two!"
Awesome shook his head slightly. Close enough. He caught Blooming gawking at him from the corner of his eye.
What? Surprised I'm handling this better than you? He thought to himself, teasingly.
"It still won't open!" The tiger continued to wail.
"Mine won't open either." The lynx stated, not looking at all concerned.
"Mine either!" The wolf yelped.
"Were gonna die! The phantoms will get us!" The tiger screamed.
The little ones were attracting attention from the crowd.
Awesome glanced at Blooming to see how she was doing. Her ears were flattened to the sides of her head, and she was gritting her teeth angrily.
"Quiet down! All of you!" Awesome squaked. "One moment." He added as everyone calmed down.
Maybe it will be easier to walk them through as I open mine as well.
Awesome attempted to switch animals, thinking, Arctic wolf! Arctic wolf!
Nothing happened.
Blooming and the young ones were watching him expectantly, as well as some other nearby jammers who were disturbed by the ruckus.
Awesome twitched his wing self-consciously, feeling awkward with all of the stares on him.
He tried again.
Nothing. No signal, no thrill, no floating feeling whatsoever. Nothing.
"I- I can't switch either..." Awesome twittered slowly, surprised.
The other animals attempted to switch as well, but when they couldn't, cries of alarm began to ring out from the crowd.
The little ones began screaming along with the crowd, and Blooming looked ready to jump into the ocean.
"SHUT!! UP!!!"
A shout shushed the crowd.
Little's brother, Dudemanbro, stood at the edge of the crowd as his black llama with green lightning bolts, Lucky Icymoon. Blood was spattered all over him, and he looked enraged.
"The phantoms have taken over Coral Canyons!" He announced, staggering up to Awesome.
Silence washed over the crowd.
"A-any others fight with you?" Awesome asked, shocked and horrified that he was alone.
Lucky collapsed into a breakdown. "So much blood..."
"Lucky!" Blooming barked. "Were there any others with you?"
"So many bodies..." Lucky began to shake.
"Did you recall any usernames?" Asked a male blue fox, curious.
"I-I..." Lucky shook his head, his llama ears flopping around. "Apoc5287... fab4evr342... Appari..."
Many jammers screamed at the mention of Appari.
"Apoc5287?!" Awesome screeched. "That's my friend! We need to go find him! NOW!"
The crowd didn't hear. They were too busy freaking out about Appari.
"Are the phantoms gone from the canyons?" Blooming hastily asked Lucky.
"I.. I think so..." Lucky's head dropped.
"He's in shock!" A snow leopard leaped out from the crowd and ran up to Lucky.
A spark of recognition flashed in Blooming's eyes.
"Dancing Frozenstar!" She yipped, wagging her tail slightly. Then, turning to Awesome, she added "She saved Little from dying in Saripea."
Awesome nodded.
"Alright, Jammers! Rescue mission! Group up! Now!" Blooming went back to being alpha of thier odd pack. "Not everyone goes to find Appari! Fame no longer matters! We're all Jammers!"
Soon, there was a rescue party of fifteen animals trooping towards Coral Canyons... or what was left of it.
Rosy suddenly swooped down from the sky, purple feathers falling around them.
"The fire's almost gone!" She chirpped. "And it's your turn to gaurd."
Awesome nodded and gracefully swooped into the air without a word.
His mind was on Apoc. Was he alive? Was he alright?
He fixed his eyes on the remains of the once mighty Saripea Forest.
I don't want to lose any more of my friends...