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"H-hello?" A female's voice was heard from the back of the
room. It sounded tired and depressed. No one could see back there, for it was
too dark.
Not one of the animals responded. Each one of
them slunk against the wall. Finally Ryat boldly spoke up, "Who is it?"
The voice tiredly responded, "Depends on who
is asking…"
Ryat spoke up, "Four Lupes and one Kougra is
asking…"
The creature in the back shifted, and spoke
with a slight aliveness in her voice, "A Kougra?"
Ryat nodded, although the other creature couldn't
have seen him. "Yes, a Kougra…"
Kolioo jutted in, speaking in a harsh voice,
"I'm the Kougra he speaks of." By the sound of it, the creature stood up. She
spoke anxiously, "Kolioo?"
Kolioo stood there, silent. His usually emotionless
eyes turned soft, and his voice was full of shock, "Tricia?" He looked around,
and flipped a light on with his nose. The Kougra faced the voice again.
A full-grown Kougra stood in a cage too small
for her. Toshiba thought she would have been very pretty, but the poor soul
was thin as a rail, and looked like she just wanted to die. The thing that mostly
shocked Toshiba was the colour of this feline… she seemed different, mutant.
Her skin was a greenish colour, and she had the other features of a mutant Kougra
Her eyes brought the life back to her body; they were full of love and thrill.
She swished her tail in anticipation as she looked at Kolioo.
Kolioo looked the same way, frozen with shock
and love (and maybe a bit of shock by the colour of this Kougra's coat). Toshiba
watched this all happen, as well as the other Lupes. She soon looked to the
wall, and saw some different keys. She slowly walked over to them, grasping
them in her mouth. Toshiba them walked slowly over to the Kougra's cage, and
unlocked it.
It all happened at once. Toshiba stepped out
of the way as Tricia dashed out of the cage, as fast as her cramped legs would
carry her. She ran up to the dazed Kolioo, and nuzzled him on the face. "How
I've missed you Koli!"
"Koli?" Toshiba grinned at his nickname.
Kolioo looked at Tricia. "I-I thought you were
dead…"
She stepped back, the same depressed look coming
into her eyes. "So did I… once you and I were separated, you saw me taken into
the back with those Grundos. I thought I was a goner, and I felt for you. They
took me back there, and instead of killing me, they threw me in this wretched
cage, and performed tests on me. I-I've been here ever since. Oh Kolioo, I've
missed you!"
He rubbed his head against hers. "How I've missed
you too…"
Toshiba and her family soon found out (to no
surprise) that Tricia was Kolioo's 'lady friend'. Tricia was very nice to the
others, and Toshiba could see why Kolioo liked her. The four also found out
about Tricia's form. She used to be a beautiful shadow Kougra, but these Grundos
came in, performing tests on her. Then one night the feared Dr. Sloth came in
himself, and forced a nasty tasting potion down her throat, forming her into
this.
After they all settled down, Toshiba spoke up,
"Tricia… would you know anything of my sister?"
Everyone fell silent upon this question, and
Tricia spoke, "Your sister… what's her name?"
Toshiba looked at the female Kougra "Azrel…"
The Kougra looked shocked. "Azrel! Yes, I know
of her. When these stupid grundos let the captives out for 'exercise' she's
out with me. We know each other quite well…"
Skye spoke up, "Is she well?"
Tricia hung her head in despair, "I-I'm afraid
not..."
Skye looked at her worriedly. "What's wrong!?"
"Well," the Kougra started, "I have no idea
why the grundos keep me, maybe just to test that potion on. But Azrel is a different
story. You see, they needed a young one, so they caught Azrel. And they, well…
perform horrible tests on her…"
Kolioo and Chip spoke in union, "Tests!"
Tricia nodded, "Yes, tests. The grundos are
trying to make potions to put into Neopia, a lot like the one I drank. Sometimes
the stuff makes Azrel better and sometimes it makes her very sick… last time
I talked to her, she was sick." The Kougra looked sadly at Skye, Chip, Ryat,
Toshiba, and Kolioo.
Ryat spoke up for the first time in a while,
"C-can you take us to her?"
Tricia smiled warmly, "Of course… I'd be glad
to help out"
Kolioo nuzzled her affectionately, "Thanks…"
***
Tricia explained to the five that Azrel was kept in the depths of the North
Wing. She said she has never truly been there, but Azrel explained the place
to her in great detail. Toshiba told Tricia about the grundos, and that it wouldn't
be safe to go right now. Kolioo agreed, and told everyone to fall asleep, and
that they all had a long day tomorrow.
Toshiba curled up in a corner, and fell straight
asleep. She was happy that her day had gone so well, and that they were getting
Azrel!
Kolioo woke everyone up earlier than usual (he
had a difficult time waking up Tricia).
"Come on guys, we need to get up!" he hissed
slightly as he picked up the keys in his mouth once more.
Tricia got up and yawned. She stretched out,
and then blinked her sleepy eyes once while the others awoke.
"Come on…" Toshiba said sleepily. She wasn't
used to getting up this early.
"The grundos are still asleep at this time…"
Kolioo explained.
The five of them followed Kolioo through the
door, and down hallways. They tried to be as silent as they possibly could.
"The grundos should be up in about four hours…
that's when they report for duty to Dr. Sloth, hopefully we won't have to encounter
him…" Tricia spoke slowly as the padded down the hallway.
Toshiba grinned, "Tricia, you lead the way… Azrel
explained to you where she was?"
Tricia nodded as she pounced in front of Kolioo,
"That's true!"
Kolioo grinned and followed Tricia quietly, the
keys dangling from his mouth.
About an hour later, they came to another dead
end. Toshiba sighed, quite depressed that they still hadn't found her sister,
"What now!"
"Shhh…" Tricia hushed Toshiba quietly as she
studied the floor.
"What the--" Ryat started again.
"RYAT!" Skye hit him over the head with a paw.
Being quite immune to these hits, he took the
blow without notice, but continued on, "Look there!" He stared at the ground.
Toshiba looked, and if she were Ryat, she would
have been surprised. There on the ground was a door. "Umm... Tricia?"
Tricia was thinking. She sat upon her haunches,
looking at the door, "Ah ha! Azrel did mention something about a hidden door!"
Toshiba looked at Kolioo. "Can you open it?"
Kolioo dropped his keys and looked at them. There
was a very weird shaped key, and he fit it into the lock of the door. Suddenly
the door fell open, exposing a staircase going under the ground, "Well…" Kolioo
looked down.
"Well what? Lets go!" Before anyone could say
anything, Toshiba had dashed down the stairs. The others followed.
Down in the basement, it was very creepy. Spyder
webs hung from the ceiling, and there were even more shelves with odd containers
on them. Toshiba looked around the area. If Azrel was down here, no wonder she
was so ill. Toshiba was already beginning to feel sick herself.
The six of the animals kept walking on through
this eerie place, their paws padding softly on the cold ground.
Suddenly, Chip cried out.
"What?" Skye looked at her son, then looked
to where he was looking.
In a large cage sat an Lupe pup. All Skye and
the others could see was the back of the creature. Its tail was lifeless, unlike
that of Toshiba's, which wagged 24/7. The poor creature was badly fed, for you
could see the outline of its backbone.
Toshiba stared helplessly at the animal. Could
this be her sister? Toshiba nearly shook her head in disbelief. The Lupe in
the cage looked a lot like Tricia, but in a mutant Lupe form. Had this happened
to her wonderful sister who had disappeared 2 months ago? Skye and Toshiba slowly
crept up behind the creature, along with Tricia.
Tricia finally spoke, "Azrel?"
The creature turned around, and snarled viciously.
Then her face turned soft at the site of Tricia, "Tri!" A broad grin spread
across her sick face.
Toshiba looked upon her sister. The poor thing
didn't even know who she was! Tricia spoke up again, "Azrel… do you know who
this is?" Tricia looked at Skye. Azrel's gaze fell upon Skye, her eyes grew
even softer, a bit of life coming back into them, "Mother?!"
Skye nodded, smiling with happiness. The daughter
who she thought had died was alive!
Azrel then looked at Toshiba. "Toshiba!" Toshiba
and Azrel were very close before Azrel disappeared.
Toshiba laughed, tears of joy forming in her
eyes.
Azrel said her hellos to everyone, and met Kolioo.
The ugly dungeon seemed to brighten up with all the happiness that was going
on.
Kolioo looked at his keys in dismay. "Her key
isn't on here…"
Azrel turned her tired eyes upon Kolioo, "Not
to worry… my key is up there." She motioned with her head to a large beam (way
above there heads) with her key hanging off of it. She looked at Kolioo. "You
know how to use keys?!"
Kolioo nodded, "Yup!"
Azrel looked awed.
Toshiba grinned, "Well, we gotta get you out
of there somehow!" She looked up at the keys.
Chip, without warning to the others, took a
running leap at the keys, succeeding in getting himself beat up by the boxes
that he landed in. Ryat tried as well, but again failed.
Kolioo sighed, shaking his head, "You guys know
that you're too small to get them, no matter how hard you try?" He grinned as
he ran up to the keys and took a running leap at them. In midair he did a half
flip, and his tail went through the hoop of the key ring. The Kougra landed
with a thud, the key ring around his tail. Kolioo flicked his tail, the keys
landing on the ground, "Success!"
***
Skye grinned, and gently picked the keys up in her mouth. She trotted over
to the caged Azrel, and slipped a key into the lock that was the same color
as the cage. It fit, and the cage door swung open!
Everyone rushed over to Azrel, as her weak and
feeble form jumped out of her cage. Her exhausted eyes looked over them all,
a smile upon her muzzle that really hadn't been there in a while, "Mom… Toshiba…"
her faint voice had a tone of complete happiness in it. Toshiba noticed that
on her sisters sides were many scars and needle marks. Toshiba shuddered while
looking at them.
Suddenly, Azrel fainted. All the commotion was
too much for her weak body to take in all at once.
"Azrel!" Tricia cried out, as well as the others.
The large female Kougra nudged Azrel's body.
Then (with the help of Kolioo) lifted the limp body of Azrel upon her back so
Tricia could carry her for the rest of the journey. Skye looked upon her daughter
with worried eyes.
"She'll be okay Skye. Poor Azrel just can't
handle all the action with such a feeble form" Kolioo reassured Skye.
Ryat spoke up, "Okay, uh, guys… maybe we should
scat. I mean, the grundos should be getting up any moment now…." Of course her
was worried about Azrel, but he was also worried about all their well being.
Chip nodded, "He's right… for once."
Ryat shot him an evil look as Tricia spoke up,
"Yes, we should be going. We'll be lucky if we get out of here with no disorder."
Her tone was quite worried, and she shifted the body of Azrel to a different
position upon her back.
So off the 'pack' went. Lead by Kolioo, and
ended by Chip. It did indeed look quite odd, six carnivores padding in a dungeon,
with a Lupe upon a Kougra's back. Kolioo led them out of the basement, and through
the trapdoor. As soon as Chip closed the trapdoor, an ear piercing alarm went
off throughout the buildings. Toshiba looked around, feeling very nervous.
"This way!" Shouted Tricia, as she took the
lead. The Kougra led them down a different hallway than before.
The door was near, and each animal had a look
of hope upon his or her face. (Except for Azrel of course) The light that was
outside got bigger and bigger. Toshiba noticed that before the door was a line
of the ugly grundos, and marching before them was a hideous looking creature…
Must be Dr. Sloth, she thought to herself.
Dr. Sloth heard the Neopets coming down the
corridors, and turned to see them running to the doors. He faced the grundos
with a look of anger upon his face "GET THEM YOU FOOLS!!!"
Deafening shots rang out. Toshiba slid to a
stop, and turned to face Dr. Sloth, the feared Dr. Sloth, about 20 yards away
from her. Her frightened gaze locked with his, which was full of hatred. He
raised the laser gun, aiming it at Toshiba. She stood there frozen with fear.
As soon as Dr. Sloth pulled the trigger on the gun, Toshiba's mother jumped
out in front of her daughter, and took the laser in the chest.
Toshiba cried out, as she looked around for
the others. They had all gotten out. The poor pup ran towards her mother, who
was gasping. Toshiba stopped at her mother's head, "Mother!" She nudged her
mother's head gently with her muzzle.
Skye looked up at her daughter with loving eyes.
"Toshiba… you are a very brave girl… and I am glad that I know Azrel is safe
before I die… thanks to you…"
Toshiba whimpered, "You're not dying!"
Skye continued on, "I am dear…" for it was true,
and Skye was now heaving to get air. She stared again, "Thank you for getting
Azrel for me… I love you Toshiba. Get the others to safety; I pass this unto
you now. Tell the pack that I will always be with them, and you. Maybe not in
flesh, but in spirit." She looked over her shoulder, the grundos closing in
on them. "You must go! They need you now Toshiba!"
Toshiba whimpered again, and shook her head,
"I-I can't leave you mom…"
Skye raised her lip, and gave a slight growl,
"I love you Toshiba... now GO!" she snapped at Toshiba's leg to make it clear.
Toshiba ran, her vision blurred with tears.
As she looked back over her shoulder, she noticed her mother getting up, and
putting her last few minutes of life into holding the grundos back, to make
sure that Toshiba was safe.
She dashed out of the building, and saw the
others upon a slight hill. Toshiba put her head down, to hide the tears that
stained her fur as she neared them. The pup soon slowed down to a walk, then
stood there, next to the group.
Azrel was lying down on the ground, still unconscious.
Chip was the first to speak up. "Where mom?"
Toshiba looked up, her eyes red from crying,
and gave a slight whimper, "Mother is dead…"
She suddenly remembered what her mother told
her. It was now her job to help this group get back to the pack. Her mother
also told her that she would always be with them…
Ryat and Chip stared at her in disbelief. Ryat
emitted a small whimper, and spoke, "Dead… how can it be!"
That evening, the 'pack' moved to a safer place,
farther away from Dr. Sloth's camp.
Toshiba explained to the group what happened
with her and her mother. She wasn't crying any more, for she new what her mother
did expect of her. Toshiba told the now conscious Azrel that their mother really
did love her, and that she wished she could have been here longer.
Tricia and Kolioo were also quite shaken up
by the whole thing. That night was a night of sorrow for the whole clan.
The next morning, things went better.
Kolioo woke up, and looked at the Lupes. "Tricia
and I better get you guys to your pack…" his voice was quite sad, for he didn't
want to leave the pups.
Toshiba looked upon him with despair, first
her mom, now he had to leave, "Couldn't you live with us?!"
The old Kougra smiled slightly, "I wish, but
it isn't natural… hopefully we will see each other again!"
The group trudged on, until they saw Toshiba's
pack. Kolioo and Tricia said their goodbyes, and left Toshiba and the rest to
rejoin the pack.
It has been months since the rescuing of Azrel
and the death of Skye. Toshiba was now one year old, and was part of the 'elder'
group of the pack. She had told her pack the exact details of what happened.
Each member was very sad about Skye, but was overjoyed about Azrel (although
a bit shocked about her appearance, but soon grew used to it).
She was now walking along the grassy savannah
around her pack, when she saw a blur. The Lupe was dumbstruck at what it was,
and ventured forth. The blur came closer, and she realized it was a Kougra Kolioo!
Kolioo slid to a stop right in front of Toshiba,
grinning from ear to ear. "Toshiba!"
Toshiba gave him a friendly nuzzle. "Kolioo,
how have you been"?
Kolioo explained that Tricia has kittens, and
that he was just out and about. He also said that he and Tricia went back to
that horrid place of Dr. Sloth.
"But why?" Toshiba was amazed.
"You know how you said you wanted to free the
poor other Neopets? Well, late at night, Tricia and I went in, and freed the
Neopets that were in cages outside. We nearly got caught, for the grundos weren't
to happy about all the Neopets getting loose…"
Toshiba grinned from ear to ear, "I feel that
you have a lot to say, come take a walk with me down to the water hole, and
tell me your story in full detail."
The Kougra nodded, and the two friends set off,
filling each other in on their very different lives.
The End
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