Chapter Thirty-Two
"Hawk." Great White summoned the slightly egotistical yet incredibly good looking Gaian forward. Night was closing in on the forest. Great White's hopes arriving at the village before dawn were slowly being eaten away with the coming darkness. There was no way her small band of Gaians would arrive before noon the next day. However, one moved much swifter than an entire group.
"Yes?" Hawk approached her a small smile playing across his handsome face. They had a brief romance shortly after he had joined the Gaians, but it had not lasted long. However, they had remained friends and kept the door open for perhaps another go somewhere down the road.
"I want you to go on ahead of the group." Great White stated her voice stiff. Now was not the time for flirtations. She had great fear in her heart that something dreadful had happened to the Gaians while they were away. "Find Silver Fox and let her know that we are on our way back. If something is amiss, hurry back and report to me."
"Of course." Hawk's face immediately turns serious at the sound of Great White's tone. "I will set off immediately."
"Wait." Great White pursed her lips together, her careful eyes scanning the trees ahead of them. "I want you to take Crow with you."
"Crow?" Hawk scowled with disdain. It was common knowledge that Crow and Hawk did not always get along, but so far on their journey they had been able to remain at peace. Of course that was thanks a great deal to Great White and her leadership skills. She had made sure she never paired the two of them up before.
But they were facing dangerous times, Great White sensed. And dangerous times called for drastic measures. Crow would be the perfect companion for Hawk. Hawk was well known for his constant ramblings and frequent loud boasts - they were the only thing that held him back as being the best tracker in the Gaians. But paired with Crow, who rarely spoke a word, especially not to Hawk, Hawk would quickly grow bored and be quiet.
"Yes, Crow." Great White stated firmly. She glanced over her shoulder to where Crow was taking up the rearguard. He had proven himself a skilled hunter and very dependable in a tight situation. Hawk would need someone with good eyes and skills with him.
"Fine." Hawk finally consented. "But you owe me when we get back to the village."
Great White's face broke out in a relieved smile. For one instant she thought Hawk was going to defy her orders. "Hurry. Be swift."
"I will." Hawk nodded, turning to fall back with Crow, explain the situation to him and then set off.
"Wait." Great White clasped his arm, effectively halting him. "Come back to me alive." She quickly pressed her lips against his, then released him. "Now go."
Hawk grinned, obviously quite pleased with himself. "We will see one another again soon and then we can finish off what you just began."
Great White blushed but refused to allow her thoughts to dwell on Hawk at that moment. She had larger concerns, such as why she had not been able to feel Silver Fox's presence in months.
~*~*~
Bray felt his heart thudding loudly in his chest as he spoke with Mara Jade. There was something about her that drew him to her. When he had first laid eyes on her he could tell she was a very attractive woman but not exactly his type. But as he spoke with her, watched the way her lips moved as she spoke, Bray found himself fascinated. Mara Jade was amazing and yet there was not a single thing that he could pin down that made her that way.
"Are you listening to a word I am saying?" Mara Jade's eyes were flashing with annoyance. "Or are you just staring at me like I'm your long lost sister?"
"Huh?" Bray closed his mouth and realized that she must have asked him a question. "I'm sorry, it's just, well, there's something about you that seems so familiar to me. I can't place it."
"Amber." Mara Jade stated, her lips forming in a thin line. "You, Ebony, and Lex have all said that. Then they discovered that I remind them of some girl named Amber, whoever she is."
Bray felt his heart lurch in his chest. That was it. Her eyes, her smile, even her voice was that of Amber's. She could have been her sister. "Yes, Amber." Bray whispered hoarsely, feeling the familiar ache begin to return to his chest. "That's right. You do seem a lot like Amber."
Mara Jade nodded as if she were expecting him to admit that. "So, this Amber? Who is she? I would really like to meet her."
"Y-you can't." Bray clenched his fist underneath the table. He had to be strong in front of this woman. She could be a potentially very strong ally. He could sense that about her. He would not blow it by blubbering about the only woman his heart would ever belong to. "She's dead?"
"Dead?" A look of shock mixed with sorrow flickered over Mara Jade's face. "I'm so sorry. Were you two close?"
"Very." Bray managed to choke out. He reached inside his pocket and fingered the keys that he had given to Amber shortly before she had died. She had left them in the mall, believing that he had been unfaithful to her. If it hadn't of been for Lex she would have died thinking that he were the scum of earth. "I loved her very much."
"I'm so sorry." Mara Jade echoed, her hand slipping across the table and taking Bray's free hand. Even the way she squeezed his hand tightly reminded him of Amber. If he weren't careful he could fall for this girl. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Unless you can raise the dead, no." Bray stated bitterly. It hadn't come out exactly how he planned, but he had grown tired of people asking him if they would help him with his grief.
"No. I can't help you there." Mara Jade murmured, removing her fingers from Bray's. He hadn't been aware of how tightly he was squeezing her hand until he felt its absence. "How did she die?"
Bray felt his voice catch in his throat. It would be so easy to pour out the entire story to this beautiful stranger, but he knew he couldn't. Not without sobbing on her shoulder like a baby. "It was an accident. An explosion. We never recovered her body."
Mara Jade nodded, blinking a couple of times. "So how do you know she's really dead?"
"No one could have survived an explosion like that." Bray whispered, running his fingers through his ever-growing hair.
"But you did, didn't you? And others?" Mara Jade pressed gently, her soft brown eyes holding his sympathetically. "And you blame yourself for her death, don't you? You feel responsible."
Bray nodded, biting his lower lip to keep the tears inside. It was true. He was at fault for letting Amber die. If only he had held onto her hand tighter, not let it go He should have gone back inside there and found her when he realized that she was not with him. There were so many things he should have done, but he had done none, and now she was dead.
"Bray, you can't live your life with 'if onlys' dictating your path." Mara Jade whispered in a low tone. "I know I never knew Amber, but I have a feeling she would not have wanted you to blame yourself for her death."
"But it's my fault." He squeaked.
"And how is that? Did you know the observatory was going to explode? Did you know that you would lose hold of her hand? Did you know that you would be rendered unconscious and unable to go back for her? No, you didn't. Bray, it wasn't your fault she died. Believe me. It wasn't."
Bray stared at Mara Jade in shock and confusion. He hadn't told her any of these things. How did she know? "I-"
"Hush, Bray. Don't say another word." Mara Jade slowly rose to her feet and looked down at him. "If you speak I don't know if I will have the courage to go through with this. My name is not really Mara Jade. It's-"
"Bray!" A loud voice interrupted their conversation. Irritably Bray turned his attention way from Mara Jade or whoever she was for a brief moment to see who had called his name. It was typically KC and he seemed just a little too excited about something. "Come here, Bray! Quick."
"Will you excuse me for a minute?" Bray looked back to where Mara Jade had been, an apologetic expression on his face, which quickly evaporated into complete disbelief. Mara Jade was no longer there. No one was.
"KC!" Bray yelled, leaping to his feet and running over to where KC was standing. "Did you see her?"
"See who?" KC looked at him dumbly.
"The girl! The girl I was talking to."
KC frowned, shaking his head. "Sorry, Bray. It looked to me like you were asleep or something. That's why I yelled at you, to wake you up and tell you that I was closing up the club for the night."
"What?" Bray stared at him in disbelief. "You didn't see the girl sitting with me. Long black hair in braids, green shirt" Bray trailed off seeing that KC was looking at him as if he were crazy. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."
"Maybe you should get some rest, Bray. You had a long night." KC patted Bray on the shoulder then turned and walked away, shaking his head, his shoulders rolling with silent laughter.
"I wasn't dreaming. I couldn't have been." Bray whispered to himself. "She was real. I know it. She was real. And she was Amber."
~*~*~
Amber panted heavily as she pressed her body tightly against the wall. Tears pricked the back of her eyes as she watched Bray emerge from the nightclub, his shoulders slumped and his head down. She had almost given herself away. Being with Bray like that had unnerved her. It had made her delusional, thinking she could just walk back into his life.
"What a fool I've been." She wept bitterly, biting her lower lip so hard she caused it to bleed. "What a fool. I can never go back. Never."
"Eagle?" Amber heard a faint call. "Eagle, is that you?"
"Pride?" Her voice cracked, not quite believing what she was hearing. Was Pride really out there someplace in the darkness?
"Yes, Eagle. It's me. Where are you?" His voice was closer now.
"Over here." Amber cried out to him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Please, Pride. Please"
Seconds later the tall and handsome Gaian had materialized before her eyes, his face set with concern and his spare cloak wrapped around his shoulders. "Eagle." He murmured, wrapping his arms around her trembling shoulders. "I've been looking for you."
"You have?" Amber looked up at Pride and locked gazes with him, seeing only love shimmering through his eyes at her. "But why?"
"I was worried about you." Pride pulled her closer to him, allowing her to rest her head against his chest. "I knew this would be so difficult for you."
"Y-you knew I was coming to the mall?"
Pride smiled a sad smile and nodded. "I would be blind if I hadn't seen the restlessness growing inside you. I knew that you had to come back. You had to say goodbye. I've actually been expecting it for some time. When you and Ocelot disappeared the other night I thought you had gone then, but when no one had seen you since this morning I knew. And I knew I had to come after you or I would lose you forever."
"Oh Pride." Amber crumpled against him, now allowing the tears to course down her smooth cheeks. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be." He soothed, rubbing his hand against her back. "Don't be."
"You're too good for me, Pride." Amber looked up at him, crystalline tears hanging thick on her eyelashes. "I don't deserve you."
"No, Eagle." Pride smiled at her. "It is I who does not deserve you." He quickly planted a gentle kiss on her trembling lips. "I love you, Amber, my Eagle. I love you with everything inside me, and I will wait for you for as long as it takes for you to love me back."
Amber melted against Pride, warmed by his strong arms. She could hear his heart thumping in his chest, slowly lulling her into an almost sleep-like trance. He loved her. He would always love her, and the thought of that love comforted her.
~*~*~
"Amber was at the party tonight." Cloe stated, entering Ebony's room without a knock. "Did you know that?"
Ebony looked up in surprise at the younger girl. "Really?" She faked innocence, studying Cloe intently. "I didn't see her."
"Yes you did." Cloe flopped onto Ebony's bed, a determined expression written on her face. "And you talked to her. Why was she here?"
Ebony smiled sadly shaking her head. Cloe was far brighter than she had originally given her credit for. "Honestly, Cloe, I don't know. She didn't let me know she was coming. She just appeared in disguise. It took me a moment to recognize her. I don't think she knew I did."
"I didn't let on either." Cloe nodded. "I actually didn't get a chance to talk to her."
"She said that her tribe needed antidote, but we both know that's not true." Ebony continued thoughtfully, scrunching up her forehead. "I can't think of why she would have come tonight. It doesn't make sense."
Cloe shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe she was saying goodbye."
"Goodbye?" Ebony's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't even considered that possibility. "What do you mean?"
"She was looking for Bray. Maybe she was wanting to say goodbye to him." Cloe stated in a flat tone, her eyes sad.
Ebony nodded. "Maybe you're right, Cloe. Maybe you're right. I hadn't thought of that."
"I saw them talking." Cloe frowned. "She looked sad. Very sad. And then she left him. I don't think he ever knew it was her."
"No, I doubt that he would have recognized her. Her disguise was quite good." Ebony let out a long sigh. Somehow she felt that Cloe was right, that Amber had come to say goodbye to Bray.
"Do you think she's in love with that other Gaian?"
"Other Gaian?" Ebony's eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't see another Gaian."
"He didn't go inside." Cloe commented. "He hung around outside, looking in. He was watching her almost the whole time."
"Hum." Ebony mused. It was slowly making sense. "Maybe, Cloe, maybe. But why don't you go off to bed now. It's pretty late and I don't think Danni will spare anyone tomorrow. She was in a pretty nasty mood tonight."
Cloe grinned. "Very true." She chuckled flicking her pigtail over her shoulder and flouncing out of Ebony' room. "If you see her again, tell her hello."
"I will." Ebony replied absently, her mind already working at the recent information added to her thought process. So Amber had come to say goodbye. It all made sense now. Amber was getting over Bray. She had found someone else.
Relief washed over Ebony. "I wasn't going to betray your love for him, Amber." She whispered into her the darkness, feeling released. "Thank you, Amber. Thank you for releasing us."

Chapter Thirty-Three
Morning dawned far too early as far as Bray was concerned. It was past midnight by the time he had managed to make his way back to the mall, and then the moment he stepped foot inside he was waylaid by Danni with ridiculous accusations he did not have the patience at the moment to deal with. He somehow had managed to put her off, but he knew she would be coming back to question him the next day with twice the anger and passion she had come at him with the night before.
Beyond Danni's accusations, it seemed that as if every Mall Rat had some sort of issue that needed settling right then. Ryan and Salene were fighting, KC thought he had completely lost it, Lex was drunk, which though not unusual but the occasions that he was drunk had grown further and further apart. He had been muttering things about roses and cinnamon, and to top it off, Ebony was acting strange It all just gave Bray a tremendous headache, and to top it off, he had not slept well.
His dreams had been haunted, tormented with vivid images of his past - a past he was not always proud of. He saw himself in school, flirting and talking with all the girls, playing basketball, skating He had known that Martin looked up to him but rather than encourage his brother in the things that he was good it, Bray had lorded over him all his own skills, almost challenging him to even try and do better.
His thoughts then turned darker, closer to the virus. Martin was reaching out, almost begging Bray to be the older, understanding brother that he should have been. But what had he done? He had ignored Martin, too involved with his own selfishness to see his brother struggling on the brink of sanity.
Bray was never certain to what exactly had pushed him over. Perhaps it was their parents' deaths. Perhaps it was the constant challenge of feeling like he always had to live up to his older brother. Or maybe, just maybe it was Trudy.
His dreams had turned even grimmer. Instead of pulling up images of his brother and the monster that he had become, he began to dream of Amber. The dreams had been so vivid Bray had to remind himself that it was only that and not real. She had been smiling, laughing, talkingliving.
Bray moaned soft as he rolled over, not wanting to get up. He knew Amber was dead, but she was always alive to him in his dreams. That was unless he had another of those reoccurring nightmares where he saw her die. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to force his mind away from such thoughts.
"Gotta get up." He muttered, throwing his thick comforter off from his lean body. He knew that if he lay in bed a moment longer he would quickly loose control of his thoughts. Besides, he had much to do today.
Twenty minutes later he was fully awake and dressed, wandering out of his bedroom and into the common area of the mall. Not many of the Mall Rats had stirred yet, but Bray was not surprised. Everyone had had a late night the night before.
The light aroma of freshly brewing coffee was in the air, however, and Bray knew that someone had to be awake. He slowly meandered over to the food court and was pleasantly surprised to see Ebony, her long braids tied back away from her face, busily making breakfast.
"I didn't know you cooked." Bray greeted her easily, pushing aside thoughts of what Danni would say if she saw him talking to her. She had become so paranoid lately. Bray couldn't understand why.
Ebony looked up, a brief flash of surprise flickering across her face. She quickly covered for it, however, and a wide smile replaced her shock. "Good morning, Bray." She grinned, self-consciously touching a stray braid that had come loose from her tie. "How'd you sleep?"
Bray frowned, walking over to the island counter and leaning against it so he could look directly into Ebony's face. She really was beautiful. If she hadn't suddenly hooked up with his brother, Bray wouldn't doubt that they would still be together to this day. "Not very good." He replied. "You?"
Ebony let out a short sarcastic laugh. "Ha! Me, sleep. Never." She winked. "No rest for the wicked, you know."
"You're not wicked." Bray found himself arguing.
"Oh, I'm not?" Ebony arched an eyebrow at him, amusement twinkling in her deep brown eyes. "Than what am I?"
Bray wanted to reply beautiful, but he suddenly stopped himself. This was not the same Ebony he had dated while in high school. She had changed, and he could never let himself forget that. She had become twisted, evil. She really was wicked.
Ebony's brow furrowed a little, noting the change in Bray's countenance, but he didn't remark on it. "So, what are you making?" Bray asked a little stiffly, straightening up.
"The usual." Ebony shrugged, the light dwindling from her eyes, her face falling just slightly. "Oatmeal. We've got some dried fruit, but I don't know how good it is." She wrinkled her nose.
"Oatmeal and dried fruit." Bray let out a heavy sigh. Their menu had vastly improved since they first moved into the mall, but it was still not all that appetizing - especially breakfast. "I think I'll skip breakfast this morning."
"Ah, I see." Ebony nodded with understanding.
Bray started to turn to walk away, trying to force thoughts of the lovely young woman in the kitchen out of his mind.
"Hey, Bray." Ebony called after him.
He slowly turned around. "Yeah?" Ebony looked nervous, worried about something, and whenever Ebony was nervous, Bray was a little on edge.
"I, uh, well, last night at the party someone came up to me and said they had some information that they wanted to give to you and I."
"Information? What sort of information."
Ebony nodded, gulping loudly. "Yeah, he wasn't very specific, but he said it was very important that he meet with you and I on the outskirts of the city."
Bray blinked finding it difficult to believe her words. She didn't seem like herself. Of course, she had been acting quite strangely ever since she had been kidnapped by Spike. Bray had tried not to be nosy, but he couldn't help but wonder what he had done to her. "And you trust this contact of yours?"
Ebony nodded, her eyes glancing around the room nervously. "Yeah. So I was thinking maybe after breakfast we could head out."
"Breakfast?" Bray frowned. "I'm sort of busy today, Ebony. The soonest I could squeeze it in is this afternoon."
"Oh." Ebony's face fell. "Well, I suppose I could get a message to him, telling him that we're delayed."
"Good."
"But after lunch we're set?"
Bray hesitated. He really didn't trust any of Ebony's contacts, but he could tell this was really important to her. "Uh, alright. Sure. Why not."
"Great." Ebony relaxed a little, a small smile tweaking up the corners of her cheeks. "I'll meet you right after lunch by the sewer entrance."
"Okay." Bray sighed. He was not looking forward to this.
~*~*~
Amber and Pride had arrived back at the Gaian village shortly after dawn had broken. None of the other Gaians were awake other than the night watch, Manatee, who was showing severe signs of drowsiness, but the moment he laid eyes on Amber and Pride, he straightened up and offered them a cheerful but sleepy smile.
"Eagle! Pride! You're back!" He gushed, tugging nervously on one of his long purple spikes that was supposed to be standing straight up instead of drooping horribly.
Amber frowned a little, glancing over at Pride. "Did everyone know where I had gone?" She inquired softly so that Manatee would not hear.
Pride shook his head. "They knew you were gone, but only I knew where you had gone."
"And Ocelot and Caribou." Amber let out a heavy sigh. "They're the ones who helped me get fixed up like this."
"I like the real you better." Pride commented, glancing her over taking in her disheveled wig, smeared makeup, and torn stockings. "But you do look beautiful as always."
"I need to get some sleep." Amber stifled a yawn, her eyes turning to the horizon. "I'm going to be no use to anyone today. I just hope that nothing too major happens."
~*~*~
Hawk cautiously pushed back the green leafy foliage and peered in the direction of the Gaian village. He had been tracking Pride and the young woman who accompanied him for several miles, nearly since the moment he had separated from Great White and her group.
From their body language Hawk could instantly tell that Pride and whoever the girl was were close. How close Hawk would not even try and guess. He did not recognize her whatsoever and he found it very difficult to believe that not only would Silver Fox allow a new comer into her tribe but allow that new comer to steal Pride away from her.
Hawk shifted his gaze away from Pride and his friend and to Manatee. The younger Gaian had not changed much since Hawk had left the tribe with Great White and the others in hopes of finding Great White's little sister. But Manatee did seem to have grown a bit in the confidence level. He greeted the female with Pride as Eagle and seemed to know her fairly well.
Hawk glanced over at Crow who was kneeling close to the ground, his careful eyes scanning the village in front of him. Their eyes met and Hawk knew it was time to make his presence known, slowly raising to his feet and clearing his throat very loudly. "Hello there." He called in his deep tenor voice.
Pride, Eagle, and Manatee's heads all whipped in his direction, shock registering on all of their faces. Hawk couldn't help but notice that as Eagle turned her head her long black wig had fallen from place, revealing a mass of golden blonde hair tumbling out of a loose bun she had secured at the nape of her neck.
"Hawk!" A wide smile broke across Pride's face. "Good to see you made it back alive! Where are the others?"
"Crow is here with me." Hawk motioned to the younger Gaian who was clad only in black. "Great White sent us to scout ahead." Hawk fell easily into his normal casual attitude.
"Not Panther or Lioness?" Manatee looked confused, studying him with obvious distaste. Hawk had to chuckle. Same ol' Manatee.
"Yeah. Great White and I have, uh, gotten close you might say." He grinned.
"So, who's this lovely lady? A friend of yours, Pride?" Crow spoke up, arching a meaningful eyebrow in Pride's direction.
"My name is Eagle." She introduced herself, studying him carefully. "The leader of this tribe."
Hawk felt his stomach jolt inside of him. "Wh-what did you just say?" He stammered, not quite believing his ears. How could this slip of a girl possibly be the leader of the Gaians? Where was Silver Fox.
"Hawk," Pride began slowly, slipping an arm around Eagle's slender waist. "A lot has happened since you and the others left."
"I can tell." Hawk glared at Eagle, immediately taking an immense dislike towards her. "Where's Silver Fox?"
All three Gaians fell silent, Eagle looking down at the ground, tears pooling in her eyes. Finally, Manatee broke the heavy silence. "She's over there." Manatee jerked his head to a small cleared out patch of land.
Hawk's eyes traveled over to where Manatee motioned, fear gripping his stomach. "No." He moaned. He could already feel the grief sweeping over him as he stared at the small wooden cross planted firmly in the ground, a small mound of rocks covering what was obviously his now dead leader. "No!"
~*~*~
"Hawk should be back by now." Panther complained, folding her arms against her chest. They had taken a rest to eat breakfast, mostly for the younger ones. Panther had wanted to press on, but Great White had insisted that they stop.
"I agree." Lioness voiced after taking a long sip of cool mountain stream water. "He has been gone for hours. Something must have happened."
"We don't know that." Great White's brow furrowed as she pushed back a strand of brilliant blue hair. "He could have met up with one of the other Gaians. Or maybe he's heading back now."
"I don't trust him." Panther stated, eyeing Great White coolly. "I don't understand why you sent him."
"And Crow." Lioness growled, her dark thoughts turning to the mysterious young man. "How could he be of any help to Hawk?"
"I had my reasons." Great White let out a long sigh, glancing up at the sky. It was drawing near mid-morning. She had wanted to be back at the village by now, but she had overestimated the distance the younger ones could travel. "We do need to get going, though. We'll be to the village within the hour."

Chapter Thirty-Four
Amber was extremely tired but she knew now was not the time to rest. Both she and Pride had had to put their sleeping plans on hold the minute Hawk and Crow had stepped foot into the camp. Now, less than half an hour later, the rest of the Gaians had been awakened and were greeting the recent returnees excitedly.
"Why didn't you mention them to me." Amber inquired of Pride the first opportunity she had to speak to him alone. They were standing on the outskirts of the small circle that had formed around Hawk and Crow, each Gaian begging for news.
Pride frowned, looking down at her. "It was six months ago, Eagle. We really didn't think they would come back."
"Why not?"
Pride let out a long, heavy sigh, studying Amber carefully. "Great White was Silver Fox's best friend, but they parted on bad terms. Great White desperately wanted to find her younger sister, but Silver Fox felt that she needed to stay with the tribe. It was a huge mess. In the end Great White left without Silver Fox's blessing and took several of the key members of the tribe with her."
"Oh, I see." Amber digested the information he had given her. "So, how many of these Gaians will be returning?"
"Well," Pride seemed to be calculating something in his head, "If Great White left with seven other Gaians. Hawk and Crow whom you've already met, but also Panther, Lioness, Leopard, Bear, and Butterfly."
"I think I've heard some of the girls mention a few of them. Minxy especially. She was close to Panther, right?" Amber asked in a low tone, watching Minxy with careful eyes.
"Very close. They were best friends, actually. But Panther felt loyal to Great White. Panther, Minxy, Leopard, and Lioness were all very close. When they left Minxy was devastated. She wanted to go too, but Silver Fox forbade it."
"That's too bad. Poor Minx." Amber murmured softly, pity shinning in her eyes. She knew exactly how the beautiful Gaian felt. It killed Amber every time she thought about her friends, though that separation had been her choice.
Suddenly the small circle parted and Hawk and Crow made their way over to where Amber and Pride were standing. Crow still wore the same smug expression he had when Amber had first laid eyes on her, but Hawk seemed to have softened.
"Eagle, I must apologize for my behavior earlier." Hawk cleared his voice, speaking loudly so that all of the Gaians could hear him. "I was out of line. I did not understand the full circumstances of what had occurred since we left with Great White. Forgive me."
Amber smiled, nodding. For some odd reason Hawk reminded her of Bray. She shook her head trying to keep thoughts of her former lover out of her mind. "It's alright. I understand, Hawk." She looked up at him with careful eyes. He was very handsome and already many of the female Gaians had crowded around him.
Amber turned and looked at Crow wondering if he too had come to apologize, but he kept his mouth shut, only eyeing her with a careful eye. Finally he spoke, his voice smooth and well practiced. "Thank you, Eagle," He said her name slowly, "For taking on the mantle of leadership after Silver Fox passed away. If Silver Fox trusted you with her tribe, I too will pledge my allegiance to you."
Amber was flabbergasted. Not one of the Gaians had officially 'pledged their allegiance' to her. She blushed a deep crimson color and ducked her head a little. "That's really alright, Crow. Just to know that you are loyal to the tribe and the good of the tribe is enough for me."
Crow nodded in approval, his cool faade breaking just a little. "The others should be here at any moment."
Amber nodded, turning her attention to where Caribou, Minxy, Cougar, and Robin all stood looking as if they needed something to do. "Girls, go and prepare food and drink for our friends. I am sure they will be tired from their long journey."
Amber then turned to Hawk and asked him, "How many were with you?"
"Eleven." Hawk informed her, picking at stray leaf that had snagged onto his long sleeve dark colored shirt. "The original eight as well as Great White's younger sister and her friends. They have all taken on Gaian names already."
"I see." Amber arched an eyebrow. "And those names would be?"
"Kola is Great White's sister," Hawk stated in a confident voice, "Then there is Chipmunk and Moose."
"I see." Amber murmured, suddenly feeling very weak. She knew she needed to rest and rest soon or else she may collapse, but duty called. "I look forward to meeting the rest of the tribe. Why don't you two go to your lodges and rest until breakfast has been prepared?"
Hawk and Crow both seemed greatly relieved at her suggestion and immediately began making their way over to where they had once called their home up until six months before, Amber watching them with a steady gaze as they left. At least she understood why the Gaians had always felt as if they were incomplete - because they were.
"Amber," Ocelot had slipped up beside Amber and looked up at her with wary eyes. "Perhaps you should take your own advice and lay down for a bit. You look exhausted."
"I am very tired, but I can't afford to rest now. Great White could return at any moment and I must be ready."
"At least go change." Ocelot pressed. "You look awful. I know Great White, she will understand if you are not here to greet her the moment she steps foot in the camp."
"Alright." Amber at last consented, casting a longing glance at her own lodge. It would feel wonderful to take a long hot shower and change out of her mussed clothing. If she hurried she might even have time to put her hair up in her Zulu knots. "I'll be back in a bit."
With that Amber slipped of, hurrying to her own lodge to change and refresh herself before meeting the new mysterious Gaian members.
~*~*~
Ebony paced nervously back and forth in her bedroom, waiting for the appearance of Tai-San. She had asked if they could have a moment to talk when Ebony had found her after breakfast, and Tai-San had assured her that would be possible. But now the young mystic had not shown up at her designated time and Ebony had begun to fret.
"This will do no good." She murmured to herself, glancing sideways at herself in her mirror. Dark circles lined her eyes, her face was pale and drawn and even her hair seemed to have lost some if its life and vitality.
Ebony stopped her pacing and sat down in front of her vanity, determined to at least do her best at hiding her dark circles and fix her hair. This was the position Tai-San found her twenty minutes later, breathless and a little disheveled.
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, Ebony." Tai-San greeted her with an apologetic smile. "You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?"
Ebony nodded, studying Tai-San with a careful expression. "Yes. There was." Ebony responded, her heart trembling inside her. Suddenly she didn't know if she would be able to say what she wanted to say. "I, uh, need your advice."
"Alright." Tai-San began carefully, her dark inquisitive eyes watching Ebony.
"I, uh," Ebony hesitated, glancing over Tai-San's shoulder and out the door. No one was passing. "I want to tell Bray how I feel, but I'm scared."
Tai-San seemed a little taken aback at Ebony's sudden statement, but then her face broke out in a wide smile. "That's wonderful, Ebony! You two would be so wonderful together."
"But what about Amber?" Though Ebony felt that Amber had come back to the mall the night before as a way of saying goodbye to Bray, she wasn't certain and she still felt uneasy about making a move on her best friend's boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend. She really couldn't figure out what to call them.
Tai-San took a deep breath, considering her response to Ebony's inquiry. "Amber left, Ebony. She is dead to Bray. She knows that she cannot come back to him. And I'm quite certain she would not mind you and Bray pursuing a relationship."
"I don't know." Ebony rubbed her temples with her fingers. "It just doesn't seem right, but I suppose it is." She decided not to mention to Tai-San how she saw Amber the night before. Amber had not revealed herself to anyone so obviously she did not want her presence to be known.
"Is that all?" Tai-San glanced over her shoulder as if expecting someone to come up behind her.
"Not really." Ebony pursed her lips. She was still worried about Bray's response to her declaration of love. "I don't know how to tell him. I've sort of tricked him into coming away with me this afternoon so we'll be alone and it will be private, but I'm still worried. How do you think he'll respond?"
"Bray is a good man. He will see your honesty and if he does not return your feelings, which I firmly believe he does, he will be kind. And though it will hurt at first, I think you will be stronger from it. But it cannot hurt to tell him." Tai-San advised.
"You really think he likes me? Even after all I've done?" Ebony worried, her eyes pleading with Tai-San to say yes.
"He'd be a fool not to." Tai-San assured her, reaching out and squeezing Ebony's hand. "So, what time are you supposed to meet him?"
"After lunch." Ebony replied. "I was just trying to get these horrid dark circles to go away."
Tai-San grinned. "I have just the perfect thing. You sit tight and I'll be right back." Tai-San winked, leaving Ebony alone with her reflection, crossing her fingers and praying that Tai-San was right.
~*~*~
Forty-five minutes later Amber emerged from her lodge, fully refreshed. She had changed into her usual Gaian garb and had taken a long shower, removing all traces of Mara Jade. She hadn't bothered with her Zulu knots, rather leaving her hair down and wet to dry in the warm sunshine.
"Eagle." Minxy approached Amber with a cautious smile. "There you are. I was just about to go look for you."
Concern flitted across Amber's face. "Is Great White here?"
Minxy nodded, swallowing hard. "She and the others got here a couple minutes ago."
Amber nodded, seeing worry etched in Minxy's eyes. "Is something wrong?" Amber pressed, suddenly feeling not nearly as confident as she had when she had stepped out of her lodge.
"Just be careful. I've never seen Great White so upset." Minxy cautioned. "She's grieving over the loss of my sister and I don't think she's thinking rationally."
"Thanks for the word of warning." Amber murmured softly, her eyes drifting beyond Minxy and to the common area of the village. Immediately she was able to pick Great White out of the gathering of Gaians by the bonfire. She was taller than the rest and appeared far more mature. Her long brilliant blue hair was swept back away from her face in a practical ponytail with only a few wisps left out to frame her face.
Great White was dressed in a pair of sturdy navy blue Levi's and a pale blue tank top with just one strap. Over the top she wore a darker blue jacket that seemed to have been stitched specifically for her.
Amber slowly began making her way over to the group, Minxy trailing her at a safe distance. Amber noticed several other Gaians that she did not recognized, a tall and beautiful blonde with bright blue highlights, a shorter girl with thousands of delicately done braids swept back away from her face, a young boy with a long curtain of brown hair covering his eyes completely, and others. Amber did not have time to take them all in for at that moment she was standing face to face with Great White.
"Hello." Amber swallowed hard, determining not to show her uneasiness in front of this stunning young woman who was at least two or three years older than Amber and many inches taller. "My name is Eagle. You are Great White, I assume."
"You assume too much." Great White stated stiffly, her pale blue eyes flashing with fire.
"I know you are upset, Great White," Amber pulled out all her diplomatic skills, trying to sense how she could best reason with this obviously hurting and angry individual. "And I know you and Silver Fox were very close. I am deeply sorry for your loss."
"Do not presume to know anything about me, Eagle." Great White spat, looking down at Amber with contempt. "You know nothing about me, nor my tribe."
Amber felt a fire burn inside her as she heard Great White's words. "You have been gone for six months, Great White." Amber stated in an even tone, careful not to let her passion turn into anger. "A lot has happened. When Silver Fox died she asked me to take over as leader."
"Something she would not have done if I had been here." Great White eyed her evilly.
"But you weren't here." Amber continued on with the verbal battle, knowing that she would be more than exhausted once it was over. She only hoped she would have a place to rest at that point. "And I was. She appointed me the leader. She trusted me with that responsibility. Though I was reluctant to accept it at first, I realized that it needed to be done."
"You are not fit to be the leader of the Gaians, Eagle." Great White stated with contempt, small gasps escaping from the Gaians who had circled around the pair. "I feel that it is best that you leave the tribe."
Amber narrowed her eyes and put on her most fearsome face. "Are you challenging my authority?"
"Yes, I am." Great White emphasized each word.
"So be it." Amber said in a low, deadly tone. "Let's settle this the only way it can be settled."
~*~*~
"Alright, Ebony, where's your contact?" Bray frowned down at the nervous girl who was scanning the horizon anxiously. "Aren't they coming?"
"They should be here any minute." Ebony lied, swallowing hard. Her heart was quaking inside her and she didn't know if she would have the nerve to tell him all that was on her heart. She looked up into his angry pale blue eyes and froze. "They will be."
"I don't know, Ebony." Bray was getting more and more upset with each passing minute. "I was really busy today. I didn't have time for this. Who is this contact? What tribe are they from?"
"Tribe?" Ebony whispered weakly, wracking her brains for a name of the tribe.
"Yes, Ebony. Which tribe? The Demon Dogs? Gulls? Who?"
"I, uh-" Ebony began to panic. She was going to loose him. She had to say something fast. "Bray, I, uh, I lied. There is no contact."
Bray's face twisted in anger as he stared down at her. "Then why the hell did you waste my time like this, Ebony?"
"I needed to talk to you, Bray." Ebony wanted to turn and run, forget all about telling him what was on her heart, but she had come to far. She had to go on. "And I knew this was the only way I would get you to listen."
"Then make it fast, Ebony." Bray spat her name as if it were filthy inside his mouth.
Ebony took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She could not look into his angry face and tell him. Instead she imagined a smiling Bray, a Bray dressed in the pale blue dress shirt of their old school uniform, his regulation red beret sitting pertly on his head.
"Bray, I love you. I always have and I always will. Since the first moment I saw you I knew that you were the only one for me. I've been acting so strangely lately because I didn't know how to act around you. I love you, Bray." Ebony gushed hurriedly, still not opening her eyes.
Bray did not respond, silencing hanging like a wet blanket around them.
Ebony summoned the courage to open one eye, hoping to see a positive reaction. But as she did so she wished she could close her eyes again, never to open them again. Instead of joy or even amusement on his fact, Bray was staring at her in complete disgust and annoyance.
"Bray?" She whimpered. "Please, say something."
"I can't believe you." Bray curled up his lip in an ugly sneer. "I can't believe you would stoop this low. What sort of game are you playing this time, Ebony? What are you trying to make me say? What is it?"
"It's no game." Ebony felt her heart begin to shatter inside her chest. "I do love you. I love you so much." She knew she sounded pathetic, but she had to find a way for him to believe her. She reached up and touched his face, wishing that he would be tender instead of angry. "Please, you have to believe me."
"I can't believe you, Ebony." Bray pushed her hand away. "Everything you say is a lie, Ebony. I would rather trust a snake than you."
"But Bray, please, no..." Ebony made one last desperate attempt. "I've changed. I really have. I'm not the same Ebony any longer. Please, can't you see how much I love you?"
"All I see, Ebony," Bray stated with much hatred in his voice, "Is a manipulative pathetic human being. You don't know the first thing about love, and you never will. You can't love. You are incapable of it. And I don't care if I ever see you again."
And with that Bray spun on his heel, leaving Ebony crumpling to the ground in a heap, tears streaming from her eyes.
"You stupid fool." She moaned, hugging herself close. "You stupid, stupid idiot."

Chapter Thirty-Five
"Eagle." Pride put a settling hand on Amber's forearm, looking down at her with calm and steady eyes. He then shifted his gaze to Great White who was watching them with a murderous look. "Great White. This is a way to settle this, but not the way that you are thinking. Silver Fox did indeed charge Eagle with being leader of the Gaians as she was slipping away. Great White, you need to respect her decision."
Great White's gaze narrowed as she eyed Pride with a look that would more than intimidate any lesser of a man. "I do respect Silver Fox's decision, I just do not respect this Eagle as leader. I will not submit to some floozy who has turned your head, Pride."
"She's not some floozy!" Ocelot shouted, leaping into her the conversation, her pale green eyes snappy with cold fury. "She is my friend and an excellent leader."
"I stand by Eagle also." Caribou added in her quiet way. "And I'm sure that if you ask the rest of the tribe you will find that they too have testimony of what a great leader Eagle is. If it weren't for her we would all be dead by now."
A murmur of agreement went through the Gaians that had remained when Great White had left six months before. "It's true." Manatee spoke up. "She was the one who took the risk to contact the city tribes in order to obtain the antidote."
"Antidote?" Panther arched a curious eyebrow in Manatee's direction. "Antidote to what? The virus?"
"Yes." Robin answered for Manatee, taking Great White by surprise. Robin turned her gaze evenly to the challenging woman and stated in an even tone, "We were stricken with the virus. All of us were dying, but Eagle, Amber at the time, knew there was one slim chance. She contacted the Mall Rats and was able to get enough antidote for all of us."
"It was just too late for Silver Fox." Cougar murmured softly, her blue eyes downcast, a golden curtain of hair falling over her face. "But she tried."
"And if it weren't for her we would have continued to be duped by that craterous Wolf." Jaguar put in confidently.
"Wolf was a traitor?" Great White seemed a little surprised at this.
"A spy for The Chosen." Ocelot nodded from her position by Amber's side. "And it was Amber who uncovered him."
"I never did trust that little sneak." Lioness grumbled, shooting Amber a look of approval. "But no one would ever listen to me."
"Now is not the time, Lioness." Panther rolled her eyes at Lioness. She then turned to Great White and murmured softly, "Great White, I know that you are upset about Silver Fox's death. I am too. She was a dear friend to me also, but she would not have wanted this to happen. She obviously had enough faith in Eagle to entrust her with her beloved tribe. You knew Silver Fox best. Do you really think she would have made her leader if she wasn't confident that she could do that job?"
Great White let out a deep sigh, the fire that had been sparking in her eyes slowly dying. "I suppose you are right. I am sorry, Eagle. I should not have challenged you like that. It's just-"
Amber shook her head, her stern face melting away quickly and being replaced with a weary smile. "It's just nothing, Great White. You were tired and emotionally wrung out. I would have reacted the same if it had been me returning. You have proven your loyalty to Silver Fox by your display here. I will not hold it against you."
Great White nodded weakly. "Thank you." She murmured, suddenly appearing a gentle and kind young woman, not the fierce warrior she had been only moments before. "I am concerned about these Chosen. That is what they are called, correct?"
"Yes." Amber nodded. "They are lead by a crazy former Loco by the name of Jaffa. He calls himself The Guardian and they worship Zoot."
"Zoot?" Lioness went pale at the mention of the now deceased leader of the Locos' name.
Amber stared at Lioness, a look of recognition washing over her features. "You were once one of them, weren't you?"
"Yes." Lioness admitted. "But after his death I left. I went to try and find two of my friends that had been banished from the Locos long before that, but I was unable to find them. Instead, I found Silver Fox and she took me in."
Amber frowned a little. Silver Fox had not seemed the type to just 'take someone in', but perhaps she had changed much in the period of time that passed between Lioness becoming a Gaian and Amber becoming one.
"Now," Pride cleared his throat, looking over at Minxy who had remained silent during the entire exchanged, cowering slightly behind Amber. "I do believe breakfast has been prepared. Why don't we all eat and then rest. I know Eagle and I were out until the wee hours of the dawn and I am sure Great White and her party are exhausted also."
"Yes, very." Great White agreed, loosening her long blue hair from its tie in the back of her head. "We have traveled steadily for the past four days. But first, I would like you to meet my little sister and her friends."
Great White turned and beckoned a young girl with brilliant pink hair to come out from behind her. "This is my sister. She has taken the name Kola."
"Welcome, Kola." Amber smiled down at the younger girl. She appeared to be about thirteen or fourteen years old and obviously carried much of the strength that Great White had.
"This is her friend Moose and her friend Chipmunk." Great White now motioned to the younger boy who had a long curtain of chestnut hair draped over his face. He looked to be eight or nine and watched the rest of the tribe with fearful eyes. Chipmunk, however, seemed far more confident than the little boy. She appeared to be about the same age as Kola but far more mature. Her short red hair was spiky on top yet long in the back, framing her face beautifully.
"Welcome, Moose, Chipmunk." Pride greeted them, slipping his hand into Amber's and squeezing it gently. "You three will be a welcomed addition to our tribe."
"Thank you." Chipmunk voiced, looking up at him with obvious admiration.
"I heard something about food." Kola broke in, a sour expression on her pretty face. "And I'm very hungry.
"Right this way." Ocelot smiled at the girl who was only a year or so younger than her but far behind her in maturity. Ocelot led the weary group of travelers to the long wooden table the Gaians shared their daily meals at, leaving Amber and Pride standing behind watching them.
"You did very well, Eagle." Pride whispered in her ear, nuzzling her neck a little with his nose. "I'm very proud of you. Great White is not normally like that. She was intensely loyal to Silver Fox. She must be more exhausted than she is letting on. She normally would not loose control like that."
"I see." Amber commented, her eyes following the stately blue-haired woman. Somehow she knew that she had won a very large battle today. "Thank you for your help, Pride. I couldn't have done it without you."
"I know." He smirked a little, lowering his head and gently caressing her lips with his own. "You are a true jewel, Eagle. I love you."
Amber responded to his kiss, closing her eyes so that the tears that had begun to form would not slip down her cheeks. "I know." She murmured at last. "I know."
~*~*~
Ebony did not know how long she sat at the beach, staring at the sun, watching is make it's slow trek across the pale blue sky, marking off the hours as it went. It was only when the sun began its downward descent, casting long shadows along the sandy shore that Ebony realized she needed to head back to the mall, though everything inside her never wanted to step a foot inside that mall again.
'Stupid Bray.' She thought to herself, brushing away the single tear that had slipped down her cheek as she spoke his name. Tai-San could not have been more wrong. And now Ebony was suffering. But she knew it was not Tai-San's fault. Tai-San always tried to see the best in people - even Ebony.
"Maybe he was right." Ebony murmured, her voice sounding strange and thick to her own ears. "Maybe all I am is some deceitful, manipulative human being that is incapable of love." But even as Ebony spoke the words she knew they were not true. She was capable of love and she was not what he thought she was, and somehow she had to prove it.
"Prove it." She chuckled ruefully at the thought. She had been struggling so long to prove to everyone that she was the ice queen, that she was incapable of being affected by others, incapable of sympathy, that she was strong and powerful and that nothing could faze her. And now she was trying to prove the opposite. She did not miss the irony.
"Alright, Bray," She spoke to the golden-orange sun that had already disappeared halfway into the cold unforgiving ocean. "I will prove it to you. I will prove that I am worthy or your love, that I am not the cold hearted witch you think I am. And when I do, and you fall in love with me, I will crush your heart just as you did mine."
~*~*~
"Bray, where have you been?" Danni demanded, her dark eyes flashing dangerous as she studied the handsome young man standing in front of her. "I've been looking for you all afternoon."
Bray shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head with disinterest.
"What is wrong with you?" Danni frowned, stepping closer to him and looking up into his eyes. "Did something happen?"
"No." Bray shook his head again, his pale blue eyes conveying his lie.
"What is it, Bray?" Danni asked, her tone softer this time as she looked at him with concern. "Something did happen. What, Bray? You can tell me."
"I-" Bray broke off, his gaze shifting down to the lower section of the mall. Ebony had just walked in. Her face was completely washed of its makeup and her braids were a little disheveled, but other than that she looked her usual self. "I don't know. Danni, you know that I love you, right?"
"You do?" Danni murmured, her eyes shimmering with hope.
"More than anything." Bray planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "I've been doing a lot of thinking today and I realize that I've been unfair to myself. I've been grieving over Amber all this time, but I know that she would want me to move on." Bray hesitated, watching Danni's expression as he spoke. "And I want to move on, but the only person I want to move on with is you. Danni, I love you."
"Oh Bray!" Danni squealed loudly, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you too." She kissed him fiercely on his lips. "Come, I want to give you something."
"Give me something?" Bray looked at her curiously.
"Yes." A coy smile played on Danni's lips. "It's this way." She took a hold of his hand and began leading him down the hall in the direction of her bedroom.
~*~*~
Ebony watched in silent agony as Bray disappeared into Danni's bedroom. "So this is why." She murmured to herself, suddenly feeling grossly inadequate in comparison to Danni. "I should have known."
Tears began to sting the back of Ebony's eyes but she refused to allow them to fall. Instead, she made a silent vow that she would prove to Bray, no matter how long it took, that she was not the deceitful creature he believed her to be.
"I will." She murmured. With one last look at Danni's bedroom doorway she spun on her heel and stormed off in the direction of her own room. She had better things to do than watch for Bray to leave Danni's room once he was finished with her.

Chapter Thirty-Six
The days began to grow shorter and cooler as the warm golden richness of autumn began to slowly fade into the chilly bleakness of winter. It promised to be a long one, and the Gaians were hurriedly preparing for the onslaught of freezing cold weather that their village, higher in altitude than the city, would be subjected to.
Never before had Amber been so grateful for an extra pair of hands, and she realized that if it had not been for Great White and her party arriving when they did the Gaians would not have been prepared for the long months ahead.
The initial animosity that had been born between Great White and the leader of the Gaians had also begun to fade away as the autumn leaves began to loose their strength and begin their slow descent to the hard packed earth below. A mutual respect had now replaced the mistrustful feelings and Great White had slowly begun to accept Amber as the rightful leader of the Gaians.
On one chilly morning, shortly after the Gaians had broken their fast, Great White approached Amber, a stern expression painted on her face, mirroring the expression she had borne the day she arrived in the village.
"Great White." Amber looked up from her task of stitching together several furs that would soon be turned into a warm blanket for one of the younger Gaians. "What's wrong?"
Great White cleared her throat, her eyes fixated on her seated leader. "We must speak."
Amber frowned, but nodded, handing her needlework to Butterfly, the beautiful young Gaian sitting beside her. "I'll be back soon." Amber murmured, glancing around the small circle of people she who had become so dear to her.
Amber followed Great White away from the common area of the village and to the more secluded section that was used by the Gaians when they needed to be alone, a quiet solstice away from the everyday hectics of the tribe.
Crow was already in the glade, but when he saw Great White and Amber approach, he nodded at them and slowly rose to his feet. Without a word he slipped by them, not even looking back.
"What's this all about?" Amber inquired, hoping that her voice did not reveal how on edge she was. Though she and Great White had come to an understanding they were far from being close and trusted friends.
"I have just spoken with Panther," Great White murmured gravely, her eyes reflecting a deep sorrow that Amber had yet to understand. "She was out on patrol with Lioness early this morning."
"Yes." Amber nodded, her brow furrowing. Though Great White had taken charge of the guard duties, she kept Amber informed and she was well versed in who was on patrol at what times during the day.
"She saw something that may interest you. May interest us." Great White hastily added, flipping her long wavy hair over her shoulder. "That tribe, the one that held you and Ocelot captive for a time, they are on the move again."
"On the move?" Amber felt her heart catch in her throat. They had been scouting the woods for several weeks searching for any sign of the Chosen's camp, but they had suddenly seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Amber had consulted Ebony on this matter, and though the Mall Rats also had not seen any evidence of the Chosen, neither of the strong leaders believed that they were truly gone for good.
"Yes." Great White frowned and at once Amber saw that Great White's stern expression had not been because she was angry or upset at her leader, but rather concerned for their tribe as well as the city full of unsuspecting teenagers and children. "They seem to have increased in number also. Panther said she counted at least three hundred."
"Three hundred?" Amber gasped, not able to mask her astonishment. It was quite an accomplishment to hold together a tribe of just ten or twenty. Over thirty was unheard of, but three hundred? Amber could scarcely believe her ears. But she also knew that Panther had a keen eye and would not report news as grave as this unless she was absolutely positive.
"Yes, three hundred. And she said that their leader, what did he call himself again?"
"The Guardian." Amber supplied, feeling her heart thudding loudly in her chest.
"Yes, The Guardian. He was not with them. This mass of forces, as Panther called them, seemed to have been a secret force. They were led by someone else. Someone by the name of Luke."
"Luke?!" Amber's eyebrows shot up at the mention of the young lieutenant that had held herself and Ocelot prisoner nearly two months pervious.
"You have heard of him?"
Amber nodded. "He was responsible for Ocelot's and my captivity. But it makes no sense to me as to why he would be out hiding in the woods."
"I know." Great White's brow knitted together with concern. "I do not trust these Chosen. They are an unstable element, and if what you tell me of their leader is true, we can not take anything for granted."
"Agreed." Amber swallowed the hard lump that had formed in her throat. The last time she and Ebony had met they had discussed this very thing. Ebony had pleaded with Amber to stand behind her if it came down to a showdown between The Chosen and the city tribes, and Amber had instantly agreed. She no longer cared to keep her identity secret from the Mall Rats - not if it was a matter of life or death for them.
"The Guardian," Amber began slowly, reviewing the facts that Ebony had told her about the blonde former Loco over the past several months "We cannot him to infiltrate the city. If he does he will quickly learn of all their weaknesses. They are just now beginning to stabilize. A tribe like the Chosen coming in and taking over would throw us back to square one."
Great White arched an eyebrow at Amber's use of the term 'us', but made no comment. Instead she said, "What makes you think he will attack the city?"
"Gut instinct." Amber told her truthfully, but omitted the part that Ebony had felt the same.
"So what are we to do?" Great White questioned her, pursing her lips together in a fine line. "Do we make ourselves known to the city tribes? Offer them our support? Give them all our information?"
Amber hesitated, watching Great White's eyes carefully. "I don't think so. Not just yet."
"But we must warn them somehow." Great White insisted and Amber could already see the beginnings of a fire crackling up in the older Gaian's eyes.
"I know." Amber frowned, wondering if it was at last time to reveal her secret alliance with Ebony. Lowering her gaze from Great White's intense eyes, Amber remained silent for many minutes.
"Eagle?" Great White beckoned her softly from her troubled thoughts. "What is it?"
Amber looked up, determination in her eyes. If she was willing to allow the Mall Rats to know that she was truly alive, she could at least tell her own tribe that she had been in contact with one of them for many months. Already many of them knew, but it was not common knowledge and none of the recent returnees had heard anything about Amber's secret meeting to obtain the antidote.
"I have a contact in the city." Amber stated in a clear tone. "Her name is Ebony. She and I meet quite frequently. At least two or three times a month. I will warn her that the Chosen are on the move again. She will be able to convince the tribes in the city to unite their forces and stand strong against them."
Great White nodded in approval at Amber's plan. "That makes sense. And this Ebony, is she trustworthy?"
"I would trust her with my life." Amber stated without hesitation, her mind racing as to how she could contact Ebony within the next couple of days. It had been becoming far more difficult to send message to Ebony for her to meet with her and Amber had the feeling that she would have to risk another trip to the mall under thick disguise.
As Amber was mulling over her thoughts, Great White was also thinking, replaying Amber's words in her head. "You said something about the Chosen infiltrating the city. Do you think that this may have already happened?"
"No." Came Amber's instant response, but her heart stopped in her chest as she said the word, her mind reeling. "Wait Trudy"
"Trudy?" Great White questioned, puzzlement showing on her face. "Who is Trudy?"
"I must warn Ebony!" Amber stated with alarm.
~*~*~
Humming a soft tune to herself, Danni strolled through the lower section of the mall that had been turned into the daily market for vendors representing many of the different tribes across the city. Several people she knew and was acquainted with raised their head and smiled at her as she passed, but Danni did not stay to talk. She was in much too big of a hurry today.
A secretive smile spread across Danni's lips as she scanned the huddles of people, searching for that one special individual who had the power to make her day even better than it already was. She spotted him talking to Jet, the tribe leader of the Gulls. A brief wave of jealousy passed over Danni as she observed just how close Jet and Bray seemed to be, but she quickly dismissed it. She was determined not to let her jealous thoughts get in the way of her and Bray's relationship.
Danni pushed away any hindering emotions and slowly began to pick her way through the busy shoppers. It seemed that the mall was a bit more crowded today that it normally was, but that was only good news for her and the rest of the Mall Rats.
"Good morning, Danni." A young blonde girl smiled up at Danni as she passed. "How are you doing today?"
"Wonderful, Ellie." Danni grinned back at her fellow Mall Rat, glancing about sure that Jack would be somewhere close by. Since Ellie and Jack had gotten together a few months previous the pair seemed to be inseparable, but Jack was no where to be seen. "And you? What are you up to today?"
Ellie flipped a long sheet of her flaxen hair over her shoulder before responding to Danni's question. "Alice told me of this really fascinating person who just arrived at the mall earlier this morning. He's a ventriloquist from up North. I'm hoping he can give me some information on how the tribes are doing up there."
"Ventriloquist?" Danni felt her mouth go dry as cotton. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"You know, he operates a dummy." Ellie chuckled, thinking that Danni had not known what a ventriloquist was.
"Right." Danni blushed, gnawing on her lower lip while her thoughts took a darker turn. It was impossible that he tracked her to the mall, wasn't it? She thought she had covered for herself
"Oh there Alice is." Ellie broke into Danni's thoughts. "And that must be him with her. I'll talk to you later, Danni." Ellie flashed Danni a bright smile and waved, pushing her way through the people to make her way over to her older sister who stood with a young man wearing muted colors.
Danni found her eyes straining to see his face, but someone in the crowd kept blocking her view. "This is not good." She murmured quietly to herself, daring to move a little closer to where Alice, Ellie, and the ventriloquist were speaking.
Suddenly it seemed as if the crowds parted and Danni finally had a clear shot of the stranger whom Ellie had spoken of. Her heart chilled in her chest as she stared hopelessly at his face. "No!" She murmured, blinking away the tears that she knew must have already been forming in her eyes. "No!"
~*~*~
Ebony stifled a small yawn as she stretched lazily on her lounge chair by the Horton Bailey Hotel pool. The late morning sun was making her sleepy and she wished that she had time to take a quick nap by the pool and soak up some rays. But her schedule would not permit it. She only had a few brief moments before she had to return to the dark confines of the hotel and continue her investigation of The Chosen.
Things had only gotten worse for Ebony at the mall after Bray's cruel rejection. It seemed that Danni took particular delight in gloating her relationship with Bray over Ebony, and after only a few short days, Ebony could take no more of it. She told Bray that she was moving back to the hotel and there was nothing he could do that would stop her. Surprisingly, Bray had not been that opposed to the idea, though he insisted that Jack tag along to help set up the hotel security system.
"I wonder what he's up to." Ebony murmured softly, her thoughts focused on the brilliant redhead who had become so vital to both the Mall Rats and Ebony's militia. Ebony could really use a person with Jack's skill, but she highly doubted he would ever be swayed into forming an alliance with her. He seemed to loyal to Bray - and too afraid of her.
Ebony's brow furrowed as she swiveled into an upright position and focused her attention on the small window that she knew was the window to the room that Jack was supposed to be working in. Twice Ebony had already caught him in her office and she had the sneaky suspicion that he had planted a bug. She just couldn't be sure where.
"Axl." Ebony called in a loud, commanding voice.
"Yes, Ebony?" A younger militia soldier suddenly appeared at Ebony's lounger.
Ebony squinted her eyes, looking up at Axl. It was at times like these that she sorely missed the loyalty of Spike. A wave of regret washed over her as she thought of how she had framed him for Bob's death. 'But it was either him or me.' She thought ruefully to herself.
Ebony forced her thoughts away from Spike and to the individual who stood before her at that moment. She didn't trust Axl. In fact, she didn't trust any of her militia soldiers. She couldn't shake the feeling that The Chosen had already slipped into the city and set up a network of spies. Axl, or any one of her militia could be one of them.
Ebony paused, trying to recall why exactly she had called Axl over. She had seen him passing out of the corner of her eye and instinctively had called out to him. "Uh, never mind, Axl. It's nothing important."
Axl frowned a little but nodded, turning on his heel and continuing on in the direction he had originally been heading. Ebony watched him go, noting with satisfaction that even if he were not completely loyal to her, he still obeyed her every command.
Ebony sat up and allowed her slender legs to touch the warm concrete of the poolside. She slowly stood up and slipped into her cover-up and kicked her feet back into her flip-flops. The concrete felt wonderful at first, but she knew she would burn her soles if she attempted to make it all the way back to the hotel barefoot.
She cast one last longing gaze up at the sun. She knew it would not last much longer and pretty soon the city would be thickly wrapped up in the clutches of winter, but that didn't matter. "Until the spring." She whispered softly, almost sadly, then turned and walked towards the hotel, determining in her mind to find a time to meet with Amber before the week was through.
~*~*~
"You're what?!" Pride stared in astonishment at Amber, his eyes widening at Amber's words. "You can't go back to the mall. They'll recognize you for sure this time. Last time you were lucky that only Ebony was able to see through your disguise."
"I have to, Pride." Amber tried to reason with him, pacing back and forth in her small lodge, her face downcast. After her discussion with Great White that morning she had realized the importance of her contacting Ebony as quickly as possible, and that way would be to go herself. She could not be bothered to wait for a messenger. "There's no other way."
"You could send someone else." Pride suggested, his tone thick with worry and another emotion that Amber did not have the time to analyze. "Panther or Minxy perhaps. Or even one of the younger ones. Chipmunk has proven herself responsible on more than one occasion."
"It has to be me, Pride. Don't you see? Ebony won't listen to anyone else." Amber sighed heavily, looking over at him, refusing to allow herself to be distracted by just how incredible he looked that afternoon. "The Chosen could attack at any moment. We have to warn them. It's the least we can do."
"And that's exactly why you shouldn't go!" Pride declared, his voice raising. He strode across the room and gently placed his hands on Amber's shoulders, locking her in position and meeting her gaze evenly. "The tribe needs you. I need you. What would happen if the Chosen attack while you're in the city? I may never see you again."
Amber shook her head, trying to break Pride's intense gaze. "That won't happen. They're not ready yet. Panther and Lioness' reports have stated that they are massing forces right now. They're not all together yet. The Guardian is brilliant. He will not strike until the perfect opportunity, and that is not yet. This is the only chance we've got. I have to go."
Pride let out a deep sigh, his eyes clouding over. "I know." He whispered, his voice heavy and thick. "It's just that I couldn't bear to loose you. You mean so much to me, and I" He trailed off, his words failing him.
"You're important to me too." Amber told him, wishing she could commit more to him. "But Ebony's my best friend. I have to warn her."
Pride nodded, dropping his gaze, his hands slipping down Amber's arms from her shoulders. He took her hands in his own and squeezed them tightly, saying nothing.
"Please understand, Pride. It has to be me."
"I understand, and I agree with you Eagle. I just wish it didn't have to be you." He whispered hoarsely. "Every time you go to the city or even to meet Ebony I die inside. I am so afraid that you are going to realize that you don't belong here with the Gaians - with me - and return to the Mall Rats Return to Bray."
Amber stiffened at the mention of Bray's name, her thoughts immediately going to the handsome young Mall Rat she had once fancied herself deeply in love with. She had thought she could never another as she loved Bray, but now she wasn't so sure. She looked up at Pride, a small stirring growing in her heart as she did so.
"I could never leave you, Pride." She murmured softly, stepping into Pride's arms and slipping her own around his lean body.
Pride held Amber for several long minutes, neither Gaian uttering a word as they just soaked in one another's presence. It was at times like this, in an embrace with Pride, that Amber felt that she could completely forget about Bray, cast aside all the feelings for him she had once bottled up inside. It was only when she was by herself that she would once again visit those feelings, not knowing what to do with them.
"Go, my Eagle." Pride pressed a kiss against her temple and whispered in her ear. "Fulfill your duty to your best friend, but return to me. Please, return to me."
"I will." Amber promised, snuggling deeper into his arms. "I swear it."
"And when you return," He added in a soft voice, "Will you consider what we discussed last night?"
Amber's heart stopped at the mention of their discussion the night before. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to force her emotions from herself for the time being, but they would not leave. They could not. She was too torn between her love for Pride and her loyalty to Bray.
Last night had been a night of unmatched beauty. The stars had shone brightly and the moon was full, casting long beautiful shadows about the forest. Amber had slipped away from the village shortly after supper and retreated to her private meadow, intent on spending some time in deep reflection.
After about an hour or so, however, she was joined in her sanctuary by Pride. He was the only person she did not mind sharing her glade with, and when he had appeared at the meadow's edge she had beckoned him in.
Pride had remained silent for a great while, they both laying still on the grass staring up at the sky, tracing the constellations with their eyes, and then he had spoken, slow and determined.
"Eagle." He had said, rolling over on his side, the tall grass being the only thing separating them.
"Pride." Amber had giggled back, feeling a bit giddy under the pale moonlight.
He had closed his eyes, almost as if summoning up the courage to say something. "Eagle," He repeated, "I love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anything before in my life. You are my life. Without you in it, my life would be meaningless, empty"
"Pride, I-" Amber had tried to interrupt him, but he had silenced her by placing his hand gently over her lips.
"Eagle, there is a tradition with the Gaians. It is not a long practiced tradition because the Gaians are not a very old tribe, but it is well honored by all of the members. When two people love one another and know that they want to be with only one another they pledge themselves to one another-"
"Like marriage?" Amber had broken in, her heart quivering in her chest.
"Sort of." Pride had frowned a little, stumbling over his words. "But not completely. We-I believe that marriage is a very big step. Marriage is a sacred thing and since the virus it seems to have been cheapened by many. I do not want to cheapen it. Pleading oneself to one another is a step towards marriage, a deep commitment, but not taking the sacred vows of marriage - not yet."
"I see."
"Eagle, I would like to be pledged to you." Pride had murmured, his voice husky. "I would like everyone to know, the whole world to know, that you are mine and that I am yours.
"Now I know that you said you were not yet read, and I respect that and I am still willing to wait for you." Pride hesitated, his eyes glowing with the great love he held for her, "Eagle, you know that I would wait for you for as long as it takes, but all I ask is that you will consider this. Please, consider it."
Amber had nodded, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Everything inside her had been screaming at her to tell him yes, to throw herself into his arms and to become lost in his kisses, but she had restrained herself, her thoughts consumed by a pair of piercing sky blue eyes.
"I will consider it." She had said, however. "I promise."
Amber opened her eyes, brushing away the cobwebs of last night's memories. Her vision was filled with Pride and a small smile spread across her face. "I have considered it, Pride," She found herself replying, "And my answer is yes. More than anything I want to be pledged to you."

Chapter Thirty-Seven
Danni felt the panic begin to rise in her throat as she quickly ducked behind one of the larger stands operated by one of the tribal vendors. She pretended to be interested in the wares, which happened to be old electronics that had long ago ceased to work, as she watched Ellie talking very animatedly with her older sister, Alice and Marcus.
"What is he doing here?" She whispered, squeezing her hands into tight balls.
"Danni? Is that you? Are you alright?" A friendly sounding voice came from behind Danni. Danni slowly turned and forced a smile as she faced a rather good-looking young man she seemed to recall his name as Eli.
"Oh, hi." Danni greeted him weakly, her heart still pounding in her chest. She needed to get out of the mall quickly. If Marcus were to see her everything would be ruined. She had been unable to warn The Chosen against Marcus' intent, but she had gone back to the Pandorax Company one final time to report back and pretend to go on a new assignment. If Marcus saw her now he would surely tell them that she had deceived them.
"You don't remember me, do you?" Eli chuckled a little, running his fingers nervously though his long sandy blonde hair, causing it to fall over his forehead and into his light green eyes. "That's alright. You seemed a little distracted that night anyway."
"Excuse me?" Danni pursed her lips, realizing how rude she was being. Her mind was just very preoccupied by the individual now making his way across the mall courtyard with Alice and Ellie in tow.
"Let me reintroduce myself." Eli continued on smoothly, seeming to loose a little of his earlier nervousness. "My name is Eli. I'm the leader of the Black Hawks out in sector seventeen. We danced together the night of the party. Do you remember me now?"
Danni nodded, though truthfully she could only remember him vaguely. "Of course." She blushed a little, wondering why she had not paid closer attention to her dance partner that night. "How have you been?"
Eli shrugged. "Busy. With the coming of winter all the tribes have been collecting as many goods as possible. They're afraid that the mall isn't going to be here forever and are starting to hoard."
Danni frowned, wondering just what Eli was hinting at. "Why wouldn't the mall be around much longer?"
"This city has learned not to count on anything, Danni. You of all people should know that. The Mall Rats, sure they're giving us a great thing now, but how much longer will it last? When will a larger or stronger tribe come into the city and take over? The tribes are just a little worried. That's all."
Danni let out a tight, restrained laugh, trying to act natural as she watched Marcus edging closer and closer to where she stood talking to Eli. "We'll be here for much longer, Eli. Don't you worry about that. But if you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to attend to. It was nice talking to you."
Danni waved a little at Eli, determining that she would not forget him so easily next time as she hurriedly ducked around a corner just as Marcus was passing. She followed him with her eyes as he, Alice, and Ellie all took a seat near the stairs less than a hundred feet from where she had been with Eli. If she had stayed a moment longer she would have been done in for sure.
"Danni? What are you doing way back here?" Danni whirled around, half-afraid that she would see Marcus standing behind her, but instead there stood Salene, a worried expression creasing her face. "Are you hiding from someone?"
Danni's mouth dropped open, very relieved that it was only Salene. She nodded, remembering what a strong shoulder Salene had been to lean on earlier when she had to deal with this problem. "Sal, I need to talk to you. It's important."
~*~*~
Amber felt as if she had wasted half of the day figuring out a new disguise to wear to the mall and getting into it. Caribou, Minxy, and Ocelot had once again been a tremendous help, but for some strange reason Amber was far more nervous on this mission than she had been the last time she had ventured into the city just a few short weeks ago.
"My name is Shilo," She muttered to herself, darting along the near-vacant city streets as she edged closer and closer to the mall. "And my tribe is the Flyers." She scowled a little at the tribe name. It had been a last minute suggestion from Hawk. She didn't think it suited very well, but it would have to work.
She glanced down at her disguise, decided that it was much better than the short, tight leather black skirt she had worn to the dance. Instead of a skirt she now wore a pair of baggy dark gray flight pants that flared at the hips and then tapered as they went down her legs. She paired the slacks with sturdy black boots and a pure black turtleneck that was worn under a dark green bomber jacket that was decorated with various patches. Her hair was once again hidden beneath a wig, this time a short brown number that was cropped close to her chin. She wore less makeup this time, but still far more than she usually did, her eyebrows being the darkest of all.
"I look like a clown in this get-up." She grumbled, the mall now in site. It looked much the same as it had the last time Amber had seen it, but this time there were far more people going in and out. She surveyed the main entrance and decided that was her best course of action. A long line had already formed at the entry and Amber quickly discovered she would have to wait in it if she wanted to gain admittance to the mall.
At last Amber neared the front of the line. Her heart sunk as her eyes settled upon Lex who seemed to be giving each individual a rather thorough line of questioning. "State your name, your tribe, and your business." Lex ordered gruffly to the young boy directly in front of Amber.
"Timmy." The boy's voice wobbled dangerous and it was apparent that he was very frightened of Lex. "I'm from the Orphans."
"What are you doing here?" Lex's voice sounded as if he were snarling at the poor boy.
"Just wanted to do a little tradin'." The boy stumbled out.
Lex continued to stare at the boy with a piercing gaze, then finally his face softened into a smile. "Aw, go on in." Lex chuckled a little, obviously satisfied that he had scared the boy enough to make him not want to start any trouble.
"T-thanks." Timmy gulped and hurried along before Lex could change his mind.
Lex's attention turned towards Amber and she knew it was now time to find out of Caribou's skills still passed the test. A smile flickered on Lex's face, but not the typical leering look that Amber had long been accustomed to.
"Hello." He greeted her. "You know the drill, right?"
Amber nodded. "Uh, the name's Shilo. My tribe is the Flyers out in Sector One."
"Sector One, eh?" Lex arched an eyebrow. "Don't have many tribes coming from over there anymore.
Amber blushed and shrugged her shoulders, not really knowing what else to do. "I'm here to see Ebony."
"Ebony?" Lex's smile immediately melted away and was replaced with a distasteful sneer. "She's not here."
"She's not?" Amber gasped. "Wh-where is she?"
"That witch went back to her hotel." Lex grumbled. "You can probably find here there."
"Thank you." Amber frowned, turning around, her thoughts spinning. There was no logical reason for Ebony to return to the hotel - especially without telling Amber. Lex had looked almost surprised that Amber had asked for Ebony, so that meant Ebony had probably been gone a long time.
"What could have driven you away?" Amber murmured softly to herself, casting one last look back at the mall before she hurried on her way to where the Horton Bailey Hotel stood.
~*~*~
Ebony let out a heavy sigh as she signed her name at the bottom of the last invitation. She knew it was a bit dangerous to be planning a tribal leader's meeting without alerting Danni or Bray of her intentions, but it was a risk she had to take. She knew she could trust them, but it bothered her that they refused to put any faith in her.
Ebony frowned, flipping her long braids over her shoulders so that they spilled loosely down her back. She knew that even if she did voice her suspicions to the two Mall Rat leaders that the Chosen were still very active, just hidden from view, that they would not listen to her.
"I wouldn't put it past Danni to blame me for all the strange happenings." Ebony let out a sad short laugh, shaking her head in dismay. Since Danni and Bray had actually gotten together things had been getting worse and Danni had been acting more and more paranoid.
"Alex." Ebony called in a loud voice, knowing that her personal body guard was waiting just outside her office door waiting for her to call him.
"Yes, Ebony?" A boy about a year or two younger than Ebony stepped inside her office, dressed in the typical militia gear.
"I'm done with the invitations. Be sure to give them to each of the tribe leaders yourself - don't trust anyone." Ebony warned him, looking him directly in the eye, trying to determine if she could really trust him. She doubted it, but she was forced to at this point in time.
Alex nodded. "Right away." He accepted the thirteen different invitations, all handwritten by Ebony herself, and hurried out of her office, leaving Ebony alone with her tormented thoughts.
To say that Ebony was worried was an understatement. From the few reports she had been receiving from Amber she knew that Jaffa was still busy at work gathering all of his forces together. Jaffa was insane, but that did not make him any less brilliant. Back in her Loco days Ebony had never quite figured out how to best him, and she was still left with that quandary.
"I don't care about your stupid rules!" A familiar voice shouted down the hallway. "I demand to see Ebony!"
"You can't!" She heard the voice of Axl chasing after the first voice. "She stated specifically that she was not to see any visitors today."
Suddenly Ebony's office door burst open and the strangest looking individual she had ever seen before stood before her. The girl was dressed almost exactly like a pilot, even down to the strange boots. Her hair was cropped short and wore slightly messy falling just past her chin.
"Do I know you?" Ebony arched an eyebrow, surveying the woman before her. Axl hovered in the doorway, his expression painted with anger.
"Yes, you do." The clear voice of Amber sounded in Ebony's ears. Realization washed over Ebony's face and she quickly motioned for Axl to leave them.
"What are you doing here?!" Ebony exclaimed, leaping up from behind her chair and throwing her arms around Amber in a warm hug. "I thought we weren't supposed to meet for a few more days."
"I know." Amber sighed heavily, sweeping her hand over her head and removing the rather unflattering brown wig, revealing her naturally golden hair slicked back into a tight bun. "I needed to talk to you as quickly as possible. We figured we had to take the risk of me coming into the city.
Ebony nodded, furrowing her brow, her thoughts immediately traveling to the redheaded snoop she knew was somehow listening to their every word. "Yes, we do need to talk, but not in here. Come with me." Ebony motioned for Amber to replace her wig, and the leader of the Gaians quickly did so with a puzzled expression. "I'll explain later."
The twosome quickly exited Ebony's office and walked down the long corridor to the president's suite, one of the many rooms that Ebony had set up as a bedroom. She did not trust anyone, least of all her own men, so she generally rotated the rooms she slept in, not telling anyone.
"Why'd you come back to the hotel?" Amber inquired, taking a seat on one of the sofas after Ebony had shut and locked the door, checking the room for any unwanted ears.
"I had to." Ebony pressed her lips firmly together, making a silent vow that she would eventually tell Amber all about what had taken place between her and Bray, but not just yet. "It's really rather complicated, but it got so bad that I had to."
"I understand." Amber nodded.
"So, what was this news that you had to give me that was so important that you risked coming to the city yourself?"
Amber's face looked grieved as she remained silent for several seconds. "I think The Chosen are getting ready to move."
"What makes you say that?"
"They're gathering forces in the woods, just outside the city. We've discovered the location of just one camp, but I'm almost positive there must be more littered around the forest surrounding the city. In the one camp that we found, however, there were at least three hundred."
"Three hundred?" Ebony gasped, dread settling in her stomach. There was no way - even if the united every tribe in the city - that they could defend against a strong force like that. "Did you see Jaffa?"
"No." Amber shook her head. "My scouts said that only Luke was to be seen. He seemed to be in charge of that camp. Before I left I sent out my four best to scour the woods to see if we could find any other camps."
Ebony nodded, absorbing Amber's information. It was just as she had long suspected. "So what are we going to do about it?"
"I don't think there's anything we can do." Amber replied grimly, wringing her hands nervously. "I don't think he's going to strike just yet, but I know that he will and when he does, the city needs to be prepared. I don't see how they can survive, though. You'll be hopelessly outnumbered."
"I've just now sent out invitations to the thirteen largest and most influential tribes, other than the Mall Rats, to meet here at the hotel a week from today. I want to try and warn them against the threat of The Chosen. I think everyone had started to relax, thinking they have disappeared."
"That's just what he wants them to think. He wants them to lower their defenses." Amber murmured softly, her gaze locked with Ebony's.
"When it comes down to it, can I count on support from the Gaians?" Ebony suddenly asked, twirling a slender braid around her finger.
Amber hesitated, her expression pensive. "I don't know, Ebony. If I were speaking only for myself I would give it without hesitation, but the Gaians are a strange tribe. They don't like getting involved unless they are directly threatened. I hinted to Pride that we should give assistance, and he seemed very wary of the idea.
"Things are getting rather complicated." Amber continued, rubbing her temples with her thumbs. "My leadership has already been challenged once and though that has passed, I think that if I were suddenly to announce that we were going to give assistance to the city tribes I would be immediately overthrown. I would need to introduce the idea to them slowly, get them used to it."
Ebony frowned, somehow not entirely surprised by Amber's answer. "Well, hopefully all we will need from your tribe is your keen eyes and ears. Can we at least count on that?"
"Even if I have to scout the trails myself." Amber assured her confidently.
"Thank you." Ebony breathed out with a heavy heart. Though it cheered her a little to hear that, she knew that it would take far more for the city tribes to ever defeat The Chosen - far, far more.
"I should be going." Amber announced suddenly, glancing over at the window to the setting sun. "I had no idea it had gotten so late."
"Do you have to go back tonight?" Ebony's hard face melted away, her heart heavy in her chest. She longed to cast aside all worries and troubles of war. She longed to be able to relax and have normal conversation with this girl she had once considered her enemy and now her closest and most trusted friend.
Amber let out a heavy sigh, obviously not enjoying the thought of having to pick her way along the darkened trails. "No, I suppose not. Could I stay here?"
Ebony nodded. "That wouldn't be a problem. There's plenty of room." She grinned.
Conversation flowed with ease between the two young and troubled leaders for the rest of the evening, neither quite able to get their present crisis completely off their minds and neither of them quite realizing just how dangerous a road they had yet to face.

Chapter Thirty-Eight
Amber had made the journey back to the Gaian tribe the very next day, her heart heavy in her chest. Her life had become so complicated as of late and she didn't know what path she should choose any longer.
She had already committed to pledging herself to Pride, but she still felt hesitant. She knew she cared for Pride. She cared for him more than she had once thought possible, but she also knew that he loved her far more than she loved him. Amber could not shake the feeling that to pledge herself to Pride she would be cheating both him and herself.
Amber was also torn by her desire to remain in the city with Ebony. Ebony needed her desperately. Ebony had shared with her that she was all alone now. The Mall Rats had basically thrown her out of the mall, no longer trusting her with anything. Ebony had tried on several occasions to convince them that the Chosen were still very active, but no one would believe her - least of all Bray.
"Bray." Amber let out a long sigh as she pushed her way along the faint deer trails her tribe used to guide them back to their village from the city. "What am I going to do?"
She closed her eyes briefly, allowing her mind to take flight and bring her back to a time so many months ago when things were much simpler. It had been easy to love Bray at that time, but no longer.
At times Amber had to admit she deeply regretted not returning to the Mall Rats as Ebony had pleaded with her to do. But she had made her bed, or grave in her case, and now she had to lay in it.
"Eagle." A voice that seemed to come from nowhere called to her softly. Amber whirled around, her sharp eyes scanning the foliage in front of her for the masked individual. "Over here." The voice called again, this time from behind her. As Amber turned around she saw Panther seemingly materialize out of nowhere.
"Panther!" Amber exclaimed, her hand fluttering to her chest. "You scared me. How did you do that?"
Panther shrugged, watching her with careful eyes. "Pride asked me to watch the trails for you today. He figured you wouldn't be back last night."
"I told him I might not." Amber fell in step with Panther who had moved to continue down the thin trail.
"Is it true that you are pledging yourself to him?" Panther asked suddenly, casting a glance over her shoulder to look Amber in the eye.
Amber took a deep breath, taken slightly off guard. She had not expected Pride to say anything about their pledging - or at least not yet. "Yes." She answered finally, pursing her lips together as she did so, trying to force all thoughts of Bray out of her mind.
"But you're still in love with someone else." Panther stated bluntly, now stopping and turning to face Amber.
Amber frowned and tried to cover the deep flush of crimson that had crept to her cheeks by ducking her head slightly. "No, I'm not." She stated firmly, willing her heart to listen.
"I don't believe you." Panther stared hard at her. "You're still very much in love with someone in the city, aren't you? That's why you feel so torn between The Gaians and your former tribe. What were they called again? Rats?"
"Mall Rats." Amber corrected her softly, her determination slowly ebbing away. Somehow Panther knew more about Amber than she knew herself. "And yes, I was very much in love with someone from that tribe, but not any longer. I have put that life in my past. Amber is dead. I am now Eagle."
Panther chuckled sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she did so. "Do you really expect me to believe that, Eagle?" Panther stated, emphasized her name.
"It's the truth." Amber gritted her teeth, clenching her fists at her sides. "I don't love Bray any longer."
"Bray? So that's his name, eh?" Panther seemed slightly amused at the name, though Amber couldn't figure out why. "So why do you still talk to him while you're aloneOr while you think you're alone?"
Amber shook her head, knowing that Panther had obviously overheard her heavy sigh earlier while she had been walking. "It's not like that, Panther. I loved him very much, but our love died on Eagle Mountain that day that I dug my own grave."
"Maybe his loved for you died because he thought you were dead, but Eagle, you know you're still very much alive. That love is still strong inside you. I can tell." Panther stated firmly. "And I think you are being very unfair to Pride."
"He knows all about Bray." Amber shook her head sadly, knowing that Panther had just voiced the doubts that had been plaguing Amber since Pride had spoken to her two nights before about the pledging ceremony. "And I've told him that I still need time many times."
"And he's still pressuring you to pledge yourself to him?" It was now Panther's turn to look startled.
Amber nodded mutely. "I only consented yesterday just before I left for the city. I think he was afraid I wouldn't come back if he didn't have some sort of commitment."
"And would you have?"
"Yes." Amber answered her without any hesitation. "My place is with my tribe. Yes, I have many friends back in the city, but I made my choice and I am sticking with it. Bray is no longer a factor in my life - whatsoever."
Panther stared at Amber for several longer minutes before finally nodding her head, almost as if to say she approved of her decision. "Well, Pride will be glad to hear that." She said before turning back to the trail. "And he is waiting for you."
Amber hesitated for several seconds before pushing forward on the trail after Panther. She had not been prepared to face anyone at that moment but what she had voiced to Panther was the truth - she had given up Bray when she had firmly positioned the old wooden cross in the stones atop Eagle Mountain.
~*~*~
"Danni are you sure you're alright?" Bray inquired for the third time that day, watching his girlfriend with tender eyes. "You've been acting weird since yesterday."
"I'm just a little stressed. That's all." The lie passed through Danni's lips with ease. She was still marveled by how easy it came to her. Before the virus she had felt horrible after every lie she told but she had grown so accustomed to it now that it hardly bothered it. "And I'm worried."
"About Ebony?" Bray frowned, creasing his brow, obviously in deep thought. "Me too. I really don't trust her, but Jack hasn't been able to find anything that proves she has betrayed us."
"Do we really need proof?" Danni snorted, rolling her eyes at the thought of the manipulative former Loco. "We know Ebony. That's all the proof we need."
Bray bit his lip and looked as if he were about to argue, but ended up just nodding his head, though his eyes reflected a sadness that Danni knew she would never be able to touch.
"Bray, can I ask you a question?" Danni hesitated, wondering if now was the right moment to ask him the question that had been plaguing her since the moment Salene had hinted at it the night of the dance party.
"Sure, anything?" Bray asked, looking her straight in the eye.
"It's about Amber." Danni warned him, feeling her palms grow a little sweaty at the thought of the young woman she had basically replaced in Bray's heart.
"Danni, we've been over this. Amber's d-dead." Bray's voice quivered as he spoke, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Danni. "It's you I love."
"I know that Bray," Danni began to lose her nerve. "But what if she were still alive? Would you still love me? Would you have chosen me if you had to pick between her and I?"
Danni could tell she had taken Bray off guard by her question, but she needed to know. Salene had told her that no one could ever possibly replace Amber in Bray's life and that no matter how hard Danni would try to, she would never be able to fill Amber's shoes.
"Why would you ask something like that?" Bray frowned at her, running his fingers through his hair.
"Because I need to know, Bray." Danni insisted, feeling her heart begin to beat a little faster. He was hesitating, and she knew what that meant. It meant that he didn't want to answer her and the only reason for that would be because he would choose Amber, not her. "Please?"
"Danni, I-" Bray broke off, standing up and begin to pace back and forth in the room that they shared. "Danni, I love you. Amber is dead. She's gone. Forever. And she's not coming back. I've had to come to terms with that. I've moved on."
"You're not answering my question, Bray."
"That's because it's a stupid question!" Bray snapped at her, his light blue eyes flashing with anger. "Amber is dead! Dead, Danni! Dead! How much plainer can I say that? There's no 'what if's' with death. None."
"But what if-" Danni began but was quickly cut off by Bray.
"No what if's, Danni." Bray shook his head. He held her gaze for several seconds, then turned on his heel and strode out of the room, not once looking back to see Danni's crestfallen face.
~*~*~
Ebony shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other as she stared vacantly out the large bay window and into the back patio of the Horton Bailey Hotel. The off-duty militia were enjoying the last few warm rays of the sunshine, playing and splashing in the pool as if they didn't have a care in the world.
Ebony sighed heavily, slowly closing the thick drapes and turning away from the window, wishing she could block out the sounds of their laughter. She yearned for bygone days when she too would have been able to act as if she hadn't a care in the world when their city was on the verge of attack.
"Heavy is the head that wears the crown." She mumbled, rubbing her temples gently, wishing her aching head would go away. She was supposed to have a meeting with Bray and Danni at the mall later on in the day but she dreaded going. She knew that it would result in yet another nasty confrontation with them accusing her of all sorts of things she wouldn't even imagine doing.
"Well, maybe imagine." She grinned a little at the thought. "But not really do."
More than just the fear of being accused of things she had not done made Ebony want to stay as far away from the mall as possible. She also dreaded seeing Bray once again. She had seen in less than half a dozen times since she moved back to the hotel, but every time he had looked at her with those same contemptuous eyes - eyes that made her skin crawl and made her feel like less of a person.
Ebony gritted her teeth, pulling back her chair at her desk and taking a seat. Glancing around to make sure no one had wandered into her office while she was watching the militia play, she cautiously opened the top drawer of her desk and removed the single cherished picture of Bray that she had managed to save.
"Oh Bray." She moaned softly, her eyes filling with tears. "You *******. Why did you make me love you? Why?" And then she wept.
~*~*~
Jack sat in complete silence, unsure of what he was hearing. Could that really be Ebony crying? He shook his head. That was impossible. He didn't think Ebony was capable of tears, and then again, he couldn't shake the image of her broken and meek self shortly after Spike had kidnapped her.
Slowly Jack removed the headphones and placed them on the desk. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home to Ellie and not have to deal with this new information. He closed his eyes and made a solemn promise that he would never breathe word of Ebony's break down to either Bray or Danni. Never.

Chapter Thirty-Nine
The days leading up to Pride and Amber's pledging ceremony trickled by slowly for the troubled leader of the Gaians. It seemed as if things had calmed down tremendously since she had arrived back at the village - almost too calm. Amber was beginning to panic. She was unable to suppress the anxiousness she felt in her heart every time she thought about The Guardian and The Chosen.
Amber had found a friend in confidant in Great White, however. Where she had not been able to pour out her feelings and worries to the pacifist Pride, she had been able to with Great White. She found that Great White agreed with her on most things and was able to advise her in ways that Pride never could.
Great White had suggested Amber reinstate the Gaian Council, which up until that point Amber had not heard anything about. The council was made up of nine different Gaians, each of them hand-selected by Silver Fox for their different experiences and the wisdom they had obtained during their different trials. Both Great White and Pride were obviously on the council, as well as Hawk, Panther, Caribou, Crow, Ocelot, and one position left for the tribal leader. In this case Amber.
The council was only called upon when very difficult decision needed to be made, decisions that could not be decided upon just by the leader. Great White had advised Amber that now was such a time. The Gaians needed to decide whether or not they were going to involve themselves with the city's conflict with The Chosen.
Great White and Amber had both decided that the council should not be called upon, however, until after Amber's pledging ceremony with Pride. Amber was under far too much stress dealing with that as it was.
"Are you ready?" Ocelot poked her head inside Amber's lodge, a happy grin spreading across her face.
Amber glanced one last time at her reflection in the mirror before she nodded. Amber was not dressed drastically different than her normal Gaian garb, however she had spent extra time piecing together a feathered shawl to wear about her shoulders that matched her feathered warp around skirt. She had also spent extra time working on her hair, leaving it down in tendrils rather than holding it back in her traditional Zulu knots.
"Yeah, I'm ready." Amber took a deep breath, stilling her rapidly beating heart. Amber slowly counted to ten before she followed Ocelot out the door, knowing that after her ceremony with Pride she would never again be the same.
~*~*~
Ebony sat alone in her office, deep in thought as she contemplated what on earth she was going to do with Alice. Alice had assaulted one of the militia, and though Ebony had been tempted to do the same herself on countless occasions, she could not let Alice go unpunished.
She let out a heavy sigh, rubbing her temples gingerly with her forefingers, sorting out her thoughts. Alice obviously had been reacting to something the militia had first done to her. Though Alice was very feisty, Ebony knew she would not attack someone unless provoked.
"Hum" She murmured, standing to her feet and crossing her office towards the door. "Might as well go talk to her. That's the only way this will get sorted out."
Less than five minutes later Ebony had arrived outside Alice's makeshift prison cell. Axl was standing guard, much to Ebony's annoyance.
"Ebony." Axl nodded to her, stepping aside.
"Hey, Axl." Ebony frowned, putting on her most determined and intimidating expression. "I need to speak to the prisoner for a few minutes. You can go do whatever it is that you do."
Axl nodded and turned away, but not before Ebony caught the nasty sneer that had quickly come to his lips. She refused to allow herself to be bothered by it, however, and stepped inside the prison cell, determined to learn the truth from Alice.
~*~*~
Amber felt her heart catch in her throat as she slowly and determinedly walked towards the arbor that had been prepared for the ceremony. All the Gaians were gathered around, standing in two single file lines. In the middle of the lines was Pride, standing straight and tall, his long black hair hanging loosely about his shoulders.
Ocelot cast a look over her shoulder, back at Amber and smiled encouragingly as she continued to advance. Amber watched as Ocelot slipped into her position next to Minxy. They were all waiting for her now.
'Alright, Amber. You can do this. It's not marriage after all. Just a commitment.' She mentally encouraged herself, concentrating hard on putting one foot in front of the other.
Before she knew it she had passed beyond the first several Gaians. She was now less than four feet from Pride, his eyes staring intently on her. She felt, rather than saw the Gaians behind her close in and form a circle around herself and Pride, her vision completely swallowed by Pride's eyes.
"Eagle." Pride murmured, reaching out his hands to clasp Amber's. They were moist and clammy, and Amber could tell that Pride was just as nervous as she.
He guided her the rest of the way, pulling her close to him. They were now standing face to face, less than half a foot separating them. They stood that way for several moments, neither of them able to speak.
Finally, Pride cleared his throat, his deep brown eyes melting into Amber's. "Eagle, you are my life. My only love. From the moment I saw you I knew that I would never be the same. With one simple look you tamed my anxious and wild heart. I could never belong to another. I am completely and totally yours to have and to hold, to do with what you like. I love you Amber, my Eagle, and today you are making me the happiest man alive.
"Eagle, I commit myself to you. I promise to love you and to care for you through good times and through bad. No matter what your or I face, we will not be alone. We will have each other. Eagle, I pledge myself to you this day, now and forevermore."
~*~*~
"So that's the story, eh?" Ebony shook her head, whishing she could disbelieve what Alice had just told her, but she knew the taller Mall Rat's words to be genuine. Alice had been betrayed - not only by the man she loved, or thought she loved, but by her closest and most trusted friend.
The auburn-haired woman nodded, and Ebony could see the unmasked pain in her fair eyes. "Yes, that's the story. I can't go back, Ebony. At least not now. I was on my way to the farm when Axl and his bruisers stopped me."
"The farm, eh?" Ebony mused aloud, an idea suddenly coming to her. "You were going there just to get away from Lex and Tai-San?"
"Yes." Came Alice's simple answer.
"I have a better idea, if you'll hear me out." A grin spread across Ebony's face as she saw the interest peek on Alice's face.
"Alright."
"You and me, Alice, we're a lot alike. Now, before you argue, listen to all I have to say. We're both strong women who know what we want. You have men problems, so do I. Only I wasn't betrayed by my best friend.
"Neither of us can go back to the mall right now. What I am proposing to you is that you stay here, with me, at the Hotel. I'm sure Danni and Bray would just love to have you here, now that Jack has turned tail and left. And I need you here."
"You need me?" Alice chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.
"It's true, Alice." Ebony felt her stomach clutch as she thought of the dead body of Spike that she, Bray, and Jack had discovered just days before. Of course Jack and Bray had not believed that she hadn't killed him, but she knew the truth and somehow she had to convince Alice of that. "Despite what you may have heard, I did not kill Spike. Someone framed me."
"Ebony, he was found floating in your pool. How can you say you didn't kill him?" Alice argued, though her eyes sparked with interest.
"I was framed. By the Chosen I figure."
"The Chosen are finished." Alice frowned.
Ebony let out a long sigh, recalling the article that Ellie had published stating that the Chosen had broken up after Trudy's return to the Mall Rats. Supposedly they had lost their visionary point or whatever it was. Ebony didn't believe that for a single moment. And somehow she got the feeling that Alice didn't either.
"No, Alice, they're not. I believe Ellie was tricked into publishing that article. Sure, she believed it to be the truth, but this Wolf, how trustworthy is he? For all we know he could have been a Chosen spy sent to try and trick the city kids into believing the Chosen were finished so that when they strike we won't be prepared."
Alice nodded, listening intently, seeing Ebony's logic. "So why would The Chosen frame you?"
"Because The Guardian, Jaffa, knows me. He knows that I wouldn't believe they were through. So he had to discredit me."
Alice laughed loudly at this. "Ebony, hun, you did that all by yourself."
Ebony glared at her, but refused to allow herself to get upset. She needed to convince Alice to help her. She was her last chance. "I know, I know. I've done some pretty terrible things, but I'm seriously not the same person as I have been. Alice, I need your help. I can't trust my men. Not a single one of them. Somehow that body got into my pool, and I doubt some wacko in a blue robe could have slipped inside without being noticed."
"So you think that one of your militia is working for The Chosen?"
"One or all of them." Ebony nodded, pursing her lips grimly. "And I wouldn't doubt the Chosen have someone working for them inside the mall."
"With the Mall Rats?" Alice scoffed. "You must be joking!"
"Am I?" Ebony arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Alice's laugh stopped short, her face growing sober. "I suppose you could be right. Trudy's been acting mighty strange lately."
"Exactly." Ebony grimaced. "So, will you help me? You will help me defeat The Chosen?"
Alice studied Ebony for a long minute before nodding. "I'll help you, Ebony, though I don't know how much good the two of us will be."
Ebony closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank you." She murmured. "But hopefully we won't be alone."
~*~*~
Amber's throat felt as dry as cotton as she struggled to try and remember the pledge she had written and memorized days before. After listening to Pride's words of love Amber had felt so horrible and inadequate. She did not love Pride as he loved him. She knew that. She felt fake - like a phony.
'Please, I have to make it through this.' Amber repeated the mantra in her mind, closing her eyes, hoping that Pride and the rest of the Gaians would think she was too choked back with emotion to speak at the moment.
Suddenly, the face of Bray appeared in her mind's eye. He was watching her, smiling, laughing, looking as he did so long ago - long before either of them had even heard the words Eagle Mountain.
Amber felt her tongue suddenly loosed and she began to speak, words that she felt from the bottom of her heart - only they were not words for Pride, they were words for Bray. "You were my savior, my helper. Through everything you stood by me, and though I did not always believe in you, you always believed in me. I love you more dearly than I ever thought possible.
"When I think of what life would be like without you in it, I grow numb. You are my best friend, my helper, my soul mate. Without you I am nothing. And on this day, I am pledging myself to you. I love you."
Amber slowly opened her eyes, for the first time becoming aware of the tears that had slipped down her cheeks as she spoke. "Pride, I-I love you."

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