Thief

by AngelicDolphin

Greetings, I am Phoenix_of_the_Light. Many people call me Phoenix. I am a fire Wocky. My owner? No one, I have none. I am a rogue, a runaway, a pound pet. I live in shadows; I live as a thief. Many people know me as a menace, but I am only trying to live. Here is my story, it is very sad. Knowing how I became... me.

The day began like any other. I woke up, ran downstairs and ate breakfast with my family; a green Quiggle, split Acara, and yellow Kacheek. I myself was a blue Aisha at the time. After breakfast Scout and PlitPlot watched Neovision, Aia and me went outside to our friend’s house. He was a red Korbat. We all walked to the park and played around.

"I’ll betcha I can swing higher than you!" Aia said, running toward the swings. Kirbitty followed with me close behind. We all grabbed a swing and started swinging, trying to see who could go higher.

"Wahoo!" Kirbitty cried, jumping off his swing and flying to the slide. He slid to the ground. Aia and me were neck to neck. We jumped, I used my Aisha ears to maneuver myself to the ground, three inches in front of Aia! I had won by a nose. After that we all sat on the grass. By about seven it was dark, the others headed home but I tagged behind. I wondered what the world would be like if friends like mine never existed. I stopped to think about that, the others didn’t notice when a dark shape came up behind me. It grabbed me and dragged me into the night, away from my life.

***

When I awoke I saw only darkness, I was in a cave. I got to my feet and looked around. Thousand’s of red eyes glittered at me from a distance. Suddenly, a figure came up to me. As it neared I saw it was a Wocky. It was the color of the night.

"I am Archer, the leader of the wolf pack," he said, motioning to the glittering eyes, "leader of the Jabber Wockys." Suddenly, all the eyes jumped down from their perches and neared me. Some were fire, other black-starred and yet others were shadowed. They growled when they saw I was not a Wocky but an Aisha. Then, the leader, Archer, brought out a potion. The others howled and backed off.

"Drink this now. Or your fate may be worse than this," he said. I gulped and drank the potion. As soon as I was done, I felt my Aisha ears slither into my head. My fur became a muff around my neck, and my tail became a puff of fur. I became stronger, more agile. I knew at once. I was becoming a Wocky. As soon as the changes were done, the others howled. Archer came up to me and said, "You are now one of us. Your training will begin tomorrow. You will not fail us. You will become the most powerful Wocky ever." I gulped, then followed the Wocky who was shoving me towards the cave door.

Early the next morning, a dark silver Wocky came into my room and said, "Come. Your training begins now." I followed him out of my room, past many others rooms and to the back of the cave. There was a large hole in the cave roof, it let plenty of light in. He trained me night and day for two years, I never saw the light of day, never heard the Kiko playing, never knew my life was over. Early one morning, two after two years of training, my master came up to me.

"Your training is over, you may now join our hunt," he said. Then he walked swiftly away. The hunt, I though, I get to join the hunt? I was overjoyed, I knew I’d be a Wocky forever but I never new I, with the heart of and Aisha, would ever destroy anything. I wandered out to the main hall. Archer and my master, Kayudo, were standing there. They were in front of a row of brushes.

"Now that you are one of us- a Jabber Wocky- you must have the same coat as us. Choose your color for the hunt, but remember; all Wockys must destroy something before they’re three in this pack to ever see the light of day."

I gulped. My third birthday was the next day, if I didn’t make a kill I was doomed. I looked at the paintbrushes, not seeing with my eyes, and chose one.

"I see you’ve chosen fire, well done. Now, follow Paintier and he will fix you." I followed a Wocky who was fire like Archer, silver like my master and black-starred like my girlfriend. He brought me to a room and I sat on the floor. He took the brush and painted me. When I returned to the main hall, everyone was waiting for Flora, my girlfriend, and I to make our first attack. We walked toward’s the night. When we got outside, all of us howled and ran. We chased Zafara’s and Kiko’s and other Neopets for fun. But, we were just waiting for our prey to come out of hiding. Our prey, was the Aisha. We stopped about an hour later and rested. That’s when my keen Wocky ears heard something. It was crying. I snuck away from the pack and saw an Aisha. It was badly injured. But from what. Then I saw two red eyes on the other side of it. Another Wocky? It appeared so as the Wocky crept slowly out of the brush and walked toward it. As it neared I jumped out.

"Flora!" I cried. My girlfriend was stalking the creature I once was.

"Phoenix!" she replied, she looked surprised. "I was trying to see why this Aisha was crying. I heard her way by our camp," she explained, "and followed her out here. I wanted to help her because," she paused, "I was once an Aisha."

"I too was an Aisha. I don’t like the Jabber Wockys. I’m not putting up with this anymore. If you are coming with me, we are leaving now. If not, I am leaving." And with that I walked into the night. Flora soon came up beside me.

"Well, well, well," said Archer, he had snuck up behind us, "what do we have here? Two Wockys trying to leave this pack? I don’t think so," and with that he lunged.

"Flora, get outta here!" I said. She ran towards the town. Archer bit my neck, but I was younger, stronger, swifter and I held fast. The others watched in amazement as the two fire Wockys rolled over the grass, clawing and biting. The fight ended when I bit Archer’s paw, then kicked him with all my might into the trees. He hobbled back and said, "you have the makings of a great leader." Then he and his clan walked into the night and Flora and I never saw them again. But we never found our owners so we became rogues, thieves, stalkers of the night.

This is what happens if you never pay attention. I lost my life when I tagged behind the others during that day in the park. If I had paid attention, my life would be normal. But I never would have found that true strength comes from your heart. Not Codestones, Faeries and/or Battle Items.

The End