Andover's Quest: Part Five

      Stiffly, Gammot stood and hobbled to the entrance of his cave. "Coron!" he called. The small brown Lupe pup looked up from where he was watching a Mootix crawl around on the ground. "Do me a favor and go find Shaylee for me. I need to speak to her."

      Coron grinned. "Okay, Gammot!" He jumped up and limped down the side of the hill. Gammot smiled. For such a young thing that had just recently been in a terrible fire, Coron sure had energy. And Andover had saved his life. Coron's mother would be eternally grateful to that Lupe.

      Coron returned a few minutes later with Shaylee at his side. The brown Lupess looked confused. "What do you need, Gammot?" she asked politely.

      "Thank you Coron, you may go now," Gammot said to Coron. The pup nodded and scampered off.

      "Come inside," he said to Shaylee. Shaylee followed him, beginning to worry. Had something happened to Andover?

      "What is it?" she asked.

      "I'm worried about that Andover. I wish I knew what was happening with him. But that's not what I called you here for. I need you to tell me exactly what you think of that Lupess who brought the message from him. What did she look like? Where was she from? Did you get her name?"

      Shaylee blinked in surprise. What was going on? Why was Gammot so worried all of a sudden? He hadn't seemed worried when he'd shipped Andover all the way across Neopia! "Her name was Kit. I told you, she's a striped Lupe. She was a bit shorter than me and she was … she was pretty. She looked like an Islander. Her fur had that all-year-warmth thinness to it. I don't know, she was nice. She's Andover's friend, she said."

      Gammot nodded. "Hmm, yes. It might be… He glanced at Shaylee as though wondering why she was still there. You can go now, Shaylee. Thanks for talking to me."

      Shaylee nodded. "Sure thing, Gammot," she said. She stood up and walked outside again. Suddenly she made a decision. She climbed up onto the crest of the hill she'd been standing on when Kit had come by. I'm not leaving this hill until Andover comes walking over that horizon, she thought. And with that she sat down and looked into the west, hoping that maybe, someday, he might just come home.

     * * *

      Andover glared at Simon suspiciously. Whatever the green Kougra wanted with him had something to do with Kit. Why did Kit have to be so curious? If she'd kept to herself this never would have happened! The electric Lupe bared his teeth when he noticed Simon's lingering gaze at the pouch around Andover's neck.

      "Now, now, Andover. No need to be testy," Simon chided, coming closer. Andover bared his teeth some more and growled softly.

      "What do you want?" he snarled.

      "I want you to stop being so suspicious. I'm not here to hurt you, Andover." Simon grinned at him, flashing his many sharp teeth. Andover growled again.

      "What did Kit tell you?" he questioned. Andover knew this had something to do with Kit finding the gem that was currently residing in the leather pouch he always wore. But what had the Lupess told Simon?

      "This has nothing to do with Kit and I'd appreciate it if you would leave her out of this," Simon replied easily, his tail flicking back and forth.

      "Who are you?" asked Andover, crouching low to the ground. "What are you?"

      "Now there's a good question! I was not born a Kougra, although you couldn't tell. No, I was born a common-variety plains Lupe much like yourself although I wouldn't flatter myself by saying I was nearly as colorful or handsome as you are. But that was me, your everyday yellow Lupe, growing up like every plains pup does - long hours of goofing of with friends and wondering if you can get away with stealing something out of the weapon stock the warriors kept.

      "As I grew older, I became restless. I wanted to sneak off and travel the world with my best friend. He didn't want to. He was crazy about this one Lupess - ah her name escapes me now - but he didn't want to leave. That Lupess and him had a couple pups - even their names escape me - a boy and a girl. Cute things they were. I convinced him after a while. I convinced him that they'd still be there when we came home. So me and Skip as we called him - that wasn't his actual name but that's what everyone called him - left the plains.

      "We traveled all over. We started by exploring some more of the plains but we got bored. So we headed up to Techo Mountain. We had some good times in Happy Valley and the Ice Caves. We both found it too cold for our liking on the mountain top itself, but we didn't mind too much. Anyway, we traveled all over the world before we finally decided to set sail for home and visit a while before going to Faerieland - the one place we hadn't visited yet." Simon paused to see Andover's reaction. The Lupe sat perfectly still. He wanted to hear the rest.

      "We stopped at home and those pups of his jumped all over him, I tell you. They were so happy to see him that they clear knocked him over. That Lupess of his was pretty happy too. Wow everyone was happy that day. We had a big feast that night. Everything was peachy keen until Skip decided to tell his Lupess and pups that he was heading off again to Faerieland. Now you can imagine how happy she was knowing he was going up to a city that was thousands of feet above the ocean right? Yeah, just peachy. Anyway, so we stayed for a couple weeks and Skip spent all his free time with his pups. Those two had relentless energy. They could play for hours. I wonder how they turned out. Probably miss their daddy."

      Andover sighed softly. That had happened to him once. His father had left without any word at all and had been gone for a year or more before returning. He had been so happy when Moran had returned. Him and Lex didn't leave him alone for weeks.

      "So we set sail for Mystery Island so we could find some Faerie Transports up into Faerieland. But on the way there was this horrible storm. Now I don't know why we were caught in it because Skip was supposed to protect us from stuff like that. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, how could one Lupe protect anyone from a storm, right? Well, he could. He could because he had what is called the Knowledge Gem. It's very powerful. Skip was tossed from the boat and never seen again. I don't believe he's dead like some, but that's not the point. The point is, that gem took years to recover. I don't know how many diving trips I took before I finally found it at the bottom of the ocean near the ruins of Old Maraqua. I took it back to our pack elder. He took it and promised he would give it to the next Lupe that came along showing he or she could handle its power. Now I don't know how you got a hold of this gem, but I assure you, if you don't return it there will be some dire consequences."

      Andover gasped. That couldn't be true! "Liar!" he snarled, baring his teeth and growling again. Simon looked shocked.

      "I am no liar! Moran was my best friend in the world! And that gem is rightfully his! So I suggest you give it back now!" Simon hissed violently and extended his sharp claws.

      Andover sat back in shock. "Moran? As in Moran from Gammot's pack?" he croaked in surprise. Simon glared at him icily.

      "Yes, that Moran! Now give me back his gem so I can return it to Gammot again!"

      "Wait that was you who returned that gem after he disappeared? You're that Lupe who brought it back?" Andover no longer felt anything but shock. Was this really his father's best friend?

      "How do you know who I am?" the Kougra snarled. "Are you a spy?"

      "No. I'm…" Andover could hardly bring himself to say the words. "I'm his son," he said softly. This time Simon sat back in surprise.

      "No! You're Moran's son? No wonder I thought you looked familiar! Are you serious?"

      Andover sat back on his haunches and looked at the Kougra in a whole new light. He could see certain similarities between him and that yellow Lupe. There was the scar below his right ear where an angry Pteri mother had swooped down on him; there was the missing claw on his right paw… it really was him!

      "But your name isn't Simon…"

      "Nope. I changed it after I moved here. I didn't want to be known for being Moran's best friend after he'd made so many enemies during his travels. Daedrin wasn't such a safe name anymore. Then I met Emily - Kit's mother - and she was all alone, trying to raise a pup by herself, so I took her in and together we helped raise Kit, but she still hasn't forgiven me for Emily's death - which I took no part in. About a year or two after I'd moved here those 'Purest Lupes' moved in on us, recruiting Lupes from all over. They offered shelter, protection, and food and we decided there wasn't anything better at the time. We had no neopoints and we were living off of what we could get by fishing or scavenging. So we joined up with them. A few months later, the 'Pure One' decided he wanted all of his Lupes solid colors. Well I had no problem there except for the fact that I had fallen into Rainbow Pool the last time we'd visited Neopia Central so I was checkered.

      "Anyway, he took any Lupe that wasn't a solid color to the Lab Ray and they kept going there until they were painted - or changed into a different species and thrown out of the 'Purest Lupes'. Well, Kit was dragged there every day and one day she came back pink, of all colors. I wasn't what you would call thrilled with that idea. After all, Kit was like my daughter in some senses and I was perfectly fine with her striped look. But I was still being taken to the Laboratory every day by the Pure One's cronies in hopes that they could get rid of my checkers. Well one day, believe it or not, the Ray decided to turn me into a green Kougra. So of course, the Pure One wouldn't have me. I had one day to gather all my belongs and say good-bye to my beloved Emily and Kit. Well now Emily didn't like this idea and she tried to rebel. And if you have any idea what those Lupes are like, you can imagine that they don't like rebels. They killed her. After that no one was there for Kit so she managed to escape and I'm sure you already know her part of the story." Simon took a big breath.

      "What's this have to do with me?" Andover asked. He was tired of hearing other Lupes' life stories.

      "Oh, I'm just blabbering on, aren't I? I'm sorry, Andover. The green Kougra looked at him apologetically. "The real reason I called you here was to take back that gem, but now I'm curious - how'd you get it?"

      Andover sighed. "Gammot gave it to me. He says I'm the next Chosen One. Not that I want to be. But I am and so he sent me here to get some news on those Lupes. And well, here I am," he said, deciding to go with the short version of his story. There was no need to go into details about how he had grown up or saved Coron or any of that.

      "So what else is in that pouch of yours?" Simon asked, completely ignoring the fact that Andover was the Chosen One.

      "Some neopoints for my boat trips to and from the island and a letter written by someone… I didn't get to read the whole thing because that crazy Lupess Mandy barged in."

      "Mandy? What's she have to do with this?" Simon looked really confused now.

      "Oh, that's why I got hurt. Mandy was all mad at me for just showing up and all that and we argued and she turned to go and I was just so mad I wasn't thinking clear and I was gonna jump her but I was in midair when this gem sent a shock through me and almost shocked me to death…"

      "No jokes on this subject, Andover. That gem could have killed you if it had been any other Lupe wearing it. Obviously the gem now belongs to you - or you belong to the gem, I'm not really sure how Moran put that - and it has decided to teach you some discipline. You best mind that gem, Andover," Simon chided.

      The electric Lupe nodded. He wished he could read the rest of his letter now but it would only be for the wrong reasons. Last night he'd wanted to read it because he was so worried about Shaylee and all the other Lupes in the world. Now he just wanted to know what the other half of the word ki- was. "Who wrote this?" he asked at last, taking the letter out. Simon grinned.

      "Open it and read the signature." Andover shrugged and started unfolding the aged paper but the gem obviously didn't like that. A strong flash accompanied by a soft shock emitted from it, making Andover drop the letter.

      "Ouch," he said, rubbing his paws. The shock didn't do any good to his already-wounded paws. They still ached from the fire.

      "I'll do it," Simon offered. He unfolded the letter and held it up to Andover's face. The Lupe let out a surprised breath of air. The last line of the letter read: Think smart, weigh your decisions carefully, protect the ones you care for, and above all - be careful, young one. Be careful. Sincerely, Daedrin

      "You wrote it?" he asked.

      "Guilty," Simon said, grinning.

      "Simon, Moran's been dead - well, gone anyway - for years now. Do you think it would be okay for me to call you Daedrin? I mean, you were my father's best friend. I've thought about you almost as much as I've thought about him ever since the two of you left for Mystery Island," Andover said cautiously.

      Simon's face broke out in a sad smile. "I know you have, Andover. It would be fine by me to call me Daedrin. I'd be honored if you would." The Kougra gave Andover a quick hug and smiled at him. "Be smart," he murmured. "Be brave. Be careful." And he left.

      Andover stood there a while, still wondering if it had all been a dream. After a bit he started walking back toward camp. When he got back he struggled not to cry out. The Purests had attacked. And this time, it wasn't a measly battle. It was a war. There were tents on fire, supplies in heaps of ashes, neopets crying, sobbing, begging to be spared. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.

      The Lupe ran to Daedrin's tent. Luckily it was not yet a pile of ashes. "Andover, help me get these out!" the Kougra yelled. Inside the tent were piles upon piles of papers and scrolls with instructions for countless things written on them - it had probably taken Daedrin years to collect and write them all.

      Andover leapt inside and helped his friend drag all the documents out of the burning tent. "What are we going to do? None of them will fight!" he called over the roar of the fights going on.

      "We'll just have to do the best we can!" Daedrin called back.

      The two of them went back to Daedrin's tent and armed themselves with whatever they could find. After a while they were decked from head to toe in protective gear and weapons. "Let's go," they said to each other in unison.

      They both ran out of the tent and headed in opposite directions. The first Lupe Andover met was none other than Orange Six - the Lupess he had met on his first night here.

      "I thought you were on our side!" she screamed angrily.

      "I never said that," Andover replied smoothly. He glared at her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mandy shooing little ones away from the fray. A second later he saw Mandy come back, take a sword, and behead one of the Purest Lupes. Andover wanted to faint. He knew what war was about, but he still couldn't envision himself killing another Lupe.

      "You will die then!" she yelled. She took out a very cheesy-looking wooden sword. She stabbed at him and he laughed. He took out his own sword and grimaced.

      "I'm really sorry," he said truthfully. Andover raised the sword above his head and brought the flat of it as hard as he could down on her head. She fainted and he winced. He dragged her over to where some of the older neopets were watching the younger ones. He found some ropes, tied the Lupess up and went back to fight his heart out.

      Before long Andover discovered that both sides of the fight felt bad about killing each other. He noticed that instead they were taking prisoners. He had already knocked out and captured about eight Lupes when he came upon the one Lupe no one had yet seen at the fight - the Purest One. Andover gulped inaudibly.

      "Hmm… you look familiar. Oh well, I'll kill you anyway," the white Lupe said, sneering. He unsheathed his sword and brought it down on Andover's head - or tried to anyway. Andover, skilled in sword fighting because he had begged the pack leader Loslin to teach him and Shaylee, met the Purest One's sword in midair with his own.

      "Ah, a sword fighter? You don't look like a pirate to me!"

      "I'm not!"

      "If only my son had had half the potential you have. He looked a lot like you actually. Not quite as much static though…"

      Andover bared his teeth and shoved hard with his sword. The Purest One gasped in surprise as his sword flew out of his paw and sailed thirty feet through the air and landed point first in one of his Purest Lupes' backs. Andover cringed, knowing he had just killed another Lupe. But he had more important things to worry about.

      I'm the Chosen One. I'm the Chosen One. I have superior knowledge, great strength, wonderful endurance, amazing grace and speed, monstrous courage, and the will to live! These thoughts all exploded into Andover's head as the Purest One lunged toward him and knocked his sword out of his paw. It landed about six yards away.

      "I'll teach you to mess with the Purest Lupe!" he snarled. He started shedding his protective armor rapidly. Andover, taking cue, did the same.

      "Oh yeah? Well, I'll teach you to mess with Andover, the Chosen One of the plains Lupes!" Andover snarled back. He crouched into a hunting position he'd learned from Loslin, getting ready to spring.

      The Purest One scoffed. "That will happen the day I try to kill my own son," he snapped back. "Not that I have any idea where he is," he added, baring his teeth.

      Andover had had enough chit-chat. He lunged at the large white Lupe angrily. He sunk his teeth deep into the Lupe's shoulder, taking him off guard. The Purest One howled in pain but quickly recovered. He whipped around and used his back feet to fling Andover off of him - he sailed almost twenty feet before landing.

      Andover gasped from the pain in his ribs when he landed. He looked up to see his sword lying not two feet away. He grabbed it and stood up again, trying to ignore his aching side.

      The Purest One, obviously dissatisfied with his attack lunged again. Andover swiped at him with his sword, taking a chunk out of his shoulder again. The Lupe howled in pain again, this time hardly able to ignore it. He snarled furiously and lunged again. Andover swiped at him with his sword again, creating a big gash in the Lupe's side. His white coat was instantly dyed red by the blood seeping out of his wound. Andover threw the sword aside and lunged again. He bit and scratched and kicked and did everything possible to this Lupe, taking out every frustration on him.

      "And this is for Shaylee worrying about me every day until I get home. And this is for Lex; and this is for Monica; and this is for Gammot; and for taking Kit away from her home; and for killing her mother; and for throwing out Daedrin when Kit needed him most; and this is because Moran is dead!" Andover grunted. After a few more bites he realized that everyone around him was silent and the white Lupe on the ground was still. He was still breathing - but barely.

      "What do you … mean … Moran … is … dead?" he gasped, his ragged breath coming out in short bursts. "And … when … did I … throw out … Daedrin? And who … is … Kit? And where … are … Shaylee and … Lex?" This Lupe was obviously very confused. His white fur was turning red and for a minute Andover thought the blood coming from his wounds was dying it. But then he realized that there was something around his neck buried by thick white fur. Andover reached for it but the Lupe's paw came up and stopped him. "Don't … take it… please…" he gasped. "Don't … take … away … the gem." And then he was silent.

      "Is he - dead?" Kit asked softly, coming over to stand by Andover's shaking form. He shrugged helplessly. The Lupe wasn't dead - yet. He was dying fast though.

      Andover reached for the thing around the Lupe's neck again and carefully lifted it off. It was a small pouch - not unlike his own. He opened it and shook its contents out into his paws. The Lupes and other assorted neopets around him gasped. Andover's eyes widened in surprise. It was a gem. A gem that was the same size and shape as Andover's gem. Only it wasn't a refreshing, cool blue color. It was a blinding white and it was scorching hot. Andover let it fall back into the pouch, pulled the drawstrings closed, and slipped the pouch around his neck as he examined the other things that had fallen out. A piece of paper. Not a letter. It looked like a drawing of some sort. The electric Lupe unfolded it and had to sit down. He sat down on the scorched grass and stared at the picture. It had been drawn with a piece of coal from a fire.

      In the drawing there were seven badly-drawn Lupes: A pitch black shadow Lupe who was standing on a hill, overlooking the scene; three Lupe pups that had been colored in with smushed berries (as was custom to plains Lupes considering they didn't have crayons) - one brown, one blue, and one a darker blue with jagged stripes; a Lupe that looked like it could be one of the parents; another Lupe that looked like a good friend of the parents; and the last one was a proud-looking Lupe who was smiling down at the two blue pups - and the Lupe was red. And Andover started to cry.

      "Andover? What happened?" Daedrin asked, bursting into the circle of onlookers. Kit sat there helplessly, unsure of what to do. "Andover? Talk to me!"

      Andover wordlessly handed him the picture that he had drawn so many years ago back when his father had told him he was leaving for Mystery Island. It was water stained and slightly blurry now but there was no mistaking the charcoal message printed sloppily on the back: To Moran - Dad, Pleez cum hom safly luve Andover.

      "Oh, no," Daedrin breathed. "Oh, no, Andover." The green Kougra looked down at his young friend. "Oh, Andover," he repeated. He was at loss for words.

      "Dad, I'm sorry," the electric Lupe said softly, bending down to look at the unconscious Lupe lying at his feet. "I'm so sorry."

      "Don't be sorry, kid! You defeated the Purest One!" someone yelled. Andover looked around. To his surprise the one that had called out was one of the Purest Lupes. It was the same shadow Lupe that had yelled at him his first night here for asking questions.

      Andover sat above his father's limp body and sobbed silently. I'm so sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry. He felt the two gems he now had around his neck change temperature. One turned warm and the other turned cold. He looked curiously at the pouches and took both gems out of their holders. The Knowledge Gem he had received from Gammot was now a violent shade of purple and Moran's gem was an amazing shade of lime green.

      "What are they doing?" Daedrin asked curiously as the two gems flew out of Andover's paw and hung suspended in the air above Moran's bleeding body. The two gems flashed bright colors quickly, the colors intertwining to make a flashing rainbow as they spun around and around in the air.

      "What's that, Andover?" Kit asked, fear creeping into her voice.

      "I don't know, Kit," he replied, awed by the sight he was seeing. Suddenly, the two gems stopped flashing and spinning and just hung in the air above the dying Lupe, slowly descending closer and closer to the ground. The gems seemed to be done all of a sudden. They flew back to Andover, who quickly closed his paw around them and put them both in the same pouch along with his neopoints, letter from Daedrin, and the drawing he had made for his father.

      Kit inched closer to Andover's side as the red Lupe suddenly gasped and his eyes flew open. "Andover, who is that?" she whispered, her eyes wide with fear. "Why did he turn red?"

      "Shush, Kit, it's fine, he won't hurt you."

      "How do you know?" she whined.

      "Kit, will you shut up?" Daedrin growled, hissing at her. She clamped her mouth shut and didn't say another word for about three seconds.

      "Andover, who is that?" she whined. Andover was starting to get annoyed by Kit's neediness. He wished Shaylee were there instead. At this selfish thought, both gems flashed violently - one flashing white the other flashing blue. Kit cowered next to him again. "Why are they doing that?" she asked.

      "Kit, be quiet, please," he said softly.

      "But why are these things happening, Andover?" she asked. Andover ignored her.

      "Moran, Moran, are you okay?" Daedrin asked, pawing uncertainly at his friend's paw.

      "Who are you?" the Lupe gasped. He looked up at Andover and grimaced. "So much for teaching you not to mess with me. I guess the better Lupe won, eh?" he said. He winced painfully as he smiled.

      "No. The dumber Lupe won, Moran," he replied, hanging his head. "The stupid Lupe."

      "Kid, you are anything but dumb. You are fast, and swift, and courageous, and strong, and smart. If you were my son I'd be the proudest father in Neopia," he said, grinning.

      Andover lost it then. He lay down by Moran and cried pitifully into the red Lupe's shoulder.

      "Kid? What's wrong? What did you say your name was? Anver? Anver, what's wrong?" Moran raised his head to look down at the electric Lupe sobbing into his pelt. A flicker of recognition lit up the red Lupe's eyes for a second, but it was gone.

      "My name isn't Anver. It's Andover. And I'm your son," he sobbed. "And I tried to kill you."

      "What? My son's name isn't Andover! Is it?" The Lupe sat still for a minute, trying to think. He took a hold of the pouch around Andover's neck and took out the drawing. He unfolded it and read the sloppy message on the back. "Oh, no," he breathed, folding it up and placing it back in the pouch.

      "I'm so sorry," Andover said, hanging his head in shame. "I'm sorry."

      Moran sat up stiffly, cringing at the pain in his side and shoulder. "Don't be sorry, Andover. You didn't know any more than I did. But why are you here? In Mystery Island of all places? Shouldn't you be home with your mother, Lex, Shaylee, and all those other crazy Lupe friends of yours? Why are you here?" he asked, looking down into his son's eyes. The electric Lupe just looked back up wordlessly. He seemed to be just taking it all in, amazed that his father was finally there - here, in front of him, talking to him.

      "He'll explain later, Moran," Daedrin offered. Andover glanced gratefully at him. "Right now, you need some serious medical attention, my friend."

      "Who are you?" Moran asked, furrowing his brow. "Do I know you?"

      Daedrin looked down at his green paws and sighed. "You used to. I'm afraid that was a long time ago."

      Moran stood there, looking him up and down, thinking, trying to remember. "Daedrin?" he asked, his guess surprising even him.

      "Moran, my old friend, how could you know that?"

      Moran winked. "Lucky guess, I suppose." He looked curiously around at all the Lupes watching them. "What do you want?" he asked, annoyed.

      "Are you really Moran?" one asked, amazed. Moran just smiled and nodded. Everyone around them started murmuring at once.

      "Alright, back away, injured Lupes coming through!" Daedrin called.

      "Simon? Who's Daedrin?" Kit asked, running up beside him.

      "I am. My name isn't really Simon." The foursome walked back to Andover's tent - which miraculously hadn't burned down - and laid Moran down in some blankets. Kit tugged on Andover's paw impatiently.

      "What?" he asked, concerned.

      "Who is he?" she asked. "Why does he keep calling Simon Daedrin and why is he calling you son?" she asked.

      "Haven't you ever heard of Moran and Daedrin?" he asked, exasperated. The story was one every Lupe pup in his pack knew. And a lot in other packs as well.

      "Of course I do," she snapped. "But what's that have to do with them?"

      "That's Moran and Simon is Daedrin. Simon's real name is Daedrin. Kit, Moran's my father. Okay? Understand now? Now please just be quiet!" Andover snapped.

      Kit followed him back into the tent. Mandy was there now, cooing over Moran like he was a six-month-old pup. "Oh you poor thing. Who did this to you?"

      Moran rolled his eyes at Andover, who smiled back. He watched silently while Mandy patched his dad up, simply amazed that he was actually seeing him again. He had never imagined this would happen like this. He'd imagined his dad greeting him like he always had, but never, not in a million years had he imagined their reunion starting by trying to kill one another.

To be continued...