Murgoh: Part Twelve

      "Murgoh, help!"

      This surprised Murgoh a great deal. Leaning out over the ledge, Murgoh finally spotted his sister, clinging desperately to a granite rock sticking out just below the ledge. At first, he was relieved that she was still alive, until he realized that she was in a rather precarious position.

      "Hang on, Melissa," he said. "I'm going to try and pull you up."

      Being careful to keep a grip on the ledge himself, Murgoh reached out his paw to Melissa. She didn't move.

      "Grab my paw!" Murgoh ordered.

      "I can't!" Melissa snapped. "Do you want me to fall?"

      "Of course not!" Murgoh snapped back. He reached out farther, but withdrew his paw quickly when he felt himself slipping.

      Despite her position, Melissa managed to give Murgoh a cynical look. "Well, what now, huh?"

      "Be quiet, I'm thinking," Murgoh said.

      He needed to do something, quickly. He couldn't reach her unless he leaned over the edge. But he couldn't get himself back up unless he had some help.

      Then he spotted Orthas as he reached the top of the lookout post.

      "Murgoh, I'm slipping!" Melissa cried from over the ledge. Murgoh quickly leaned over the ledge again. Over his shoulder, he called to the shadow Lupe. "Orthas, grab my legs!"

      "What?" Orthas asked.

      "I need a counterbalance!" Murgoh explained. "Now grab my legs. I'm going to lean over and grab Melissa!"

      Hesitantly, the shadow Lupe did as Murgoh told him. Hoping he had a firm grip, Murgoh leaned out farther over the ledge.

      "I'm coming, Melissa. Just hang on."

      "Hurry, I can't hold on much longer."

      Reaching out over the ledge, Murgoh through he saw a light in the corner of his vision to the east. The thought crossed his mind that it was too early for morning, but he was too preoccupied with saving Melissa to notice.

      A resounding crack quickly lowered Murgoh's spirit, and the look on Melissa's face…if he could see her skin under all that fur, he was sure she would have turned white.

      "Murgoh!" Orthas grunted. "I don't know how much longer I can hold you, either!"

      Orthas's words were forgotten when the stone under Melissa finally broke free from the precipice. Murgoh managed to grab her paw in the process, but he quickly found himself falling with her.

      "Murgoh! Melissa!" Orthas called from above them.

      Murgoh closed his eyes at this point. He would rather he not see his death coming. After a moment, it didn't feel like he was falling at all. In fact, it felt as if someone were holding him. Was he dead already? He didn't feel his impact on the rock. Maybe you weren't meant to feel your death. Then he heard that sweet voice from his dreams.

      "Don't worry, I've got you," she said.

      Slowly, Murgoh opened his eyes to find himself looking into the face of a radiant figure.

      "A light Faerie!" Melissa gasped. "Where did you come from?"

      "I've been watching you two," she said simply.

      Murgoh's eyes widened at this statement, and he exchanged looks with his sister.

      "The dream!" the said together.

      The Faerie said nothing more until she set then down on the top of the lookout post. Orthas, when he saw them, was relieved to see that they didn't die in their fall, but he was too awestruck by the Faerie to say anything. He watched her, unblinking as she passed him to where Savak lay. She didn't say anything as she knelt down beside the red Lupe. Her hand glowed as she moved it over his body, from his tail to his head. Hesitantly, Murgoh moved forward.

      "Is he alright?" Murgoh asked.

      The Faerie didn't answer immediately. Downhearted, Murgoh noticed his father was mumbling something. Leaning closer, he tried to hear what he was saying.

      "…Jearii…your promise…to them…Melissa…"

      Standing straight again, Murgoh looked at his father in a puzzled manner.

      "Savak, what have you been up to?" the Faerie asked suddenly in a quiet voice. Then she turned to Murgoh. "There's nothing seriously wrong with him," she said. "He's only been knocked out. Worse has happened to him before now."

      Relieved that his father would recover, other questions came to mind. "Who are you?"

      "I'm an old friend of your father's," she said. "He helped me with a special task a long time ago. And before you ask," she said to Melissa. "Yes, I am that light in your dreams. Well, yours and Murgoh's dreams, anyway. Ashley already knew."

      Murgoh's ears swiveled in confusion. "How?"

      "There are many things that even Faeries don't fully understand," she explained. "Ashley's ability is one of them. She sensed my presence several times, even before I first spoke with you. How she got this ability remains unclear to me. It might have had something to do with my medallion that Savak took care of some time ago. The power in it may have lingered in him and affected Ashley this way." She sighed. "But that is purely speculation. I have no basis for that theory, and sometimes these things just pop up where you least expect them. But the fact remains; she knew, and I told you two, and as you can clearly tell, I've kept my word."

      As the Faerie spoke, Murgoh remembered Ashley's latest prediction. She had been right again, and his "guiding light" had kept her promise.

      "Alright, I can see that," Murgoh said. "But, why are you watching over us?"

      The Faerie smiled. "I felt I owed your father a small favor by helping me the way he did. Saving Neopia is no small task. Even saving a small part of it isn't easy, as I'm sure you learned here."

      The faerie gestured down to the battlefield. Murgoh looked and saw that Kelthar's forces, realizing their leader had fallen, were now retreating, with much of the free army chasing after them. But, left behind, there were many fallen Lupes from both sides.

      "The cost of freedom can be high, young Lupe," the Faerie said. "But if you're vigilant, freedom can last for generations to come."

      "Jearii?" Savak moaned. Murgoh looked to his father who had raised his head and was looking directly at the light Faerie.

      "Hello, Savak," the Faerie said. "You had your children worried for a moment."

      Savak smirked weakly. "I've been through worse."

      "I know you have." Jearii smiled back and stood up. "We need to get you into a shelter where you can rest. I have other work to do here…and I understand there's an old friend of mine here that I would like to see."

Epilogue

      The orange-red sunset painted itself across the western horizon. There was not a cloud in sight. There was no wind, and only the sounds of the ocean waves could be heard anywhere around the cove. Just outside a small cavern, twelve Lupes, a Kougra, and a Human stood silently, not moving, not speaking.

      Eventually, Savak spoke up. "This is the second time I've had to say goodbye to him," he said. "But now, there's no way he's coming back."

      His words were met with silence, until Savak continued. "He told me, before the battle, that he had always liked it here. He met Jessie here long ago, and came here after he passed the burden of leadership over to me. Now, he will remain here, in the place that he loved, for the rest of time."

      "I'm only sorry I didn't get to see him before he died," Jessie said silently. "If I had known he'd come back here…"

      "He didn't want anyone to know where he'd gone," Kosek stated. "I guess that, since he didn't know how long he was going to last, he didn't want his passing hard on anyone."

      "And as it turns out, we're mourning over him twice," Savak finished. Again, silence fell over them. After a moment, Savak moved forward and placed his paw on the side of the cave entrance. "Rest in peace, father," he said softly. "Your journey is finally over."

      This said, Savak moved away from the cave and walked to the cove entrance. Slowly, everyone followed him. Murgoh stayed where he was watching everyone leave. Heysha caught up with Savak and walked closely by his side, and Jessie walked with Lukas and Jason after them. After a moment, Kosek and Lilia followed, with Star close behind. Then Kovo, Thassa and Ashley stood to leave. Melissa followed with Orthas by her side, but she paused by Murgoh, and the shadow Lupe stopped with her.

      "Are you coming?" she asked. "It's a long trip home, and I thought we could keep dad company."

      "I'll be with you in a minute," Murgoh replied. Melissa nodded to him. Then, turning to Orthas, they both followed the other young Lupes out of the cove. As they walked away, Murgoh padded up to the cavern and stood at its entrance a moment before speaking.

      "Thank you for everything you did for me," he said. "I'll never forget it. I never knew you as my father did, but I can see how he would have loved you so much." He lowered his head a moment, then looked into the cavern once more. "Goodbye, Nomad, Murgoh, Grandfather. We will all miss you, no matter what we call you."

      Finished with what he had to say, Murgoh turned from the cavern and padded after his sister, ready for the long journey home.

The End

  Author's Note: I'd like to thank my readers for their patience in waiting for this story, and thanks go to my friends who were supportive to my efforts, though they also fall into the category of impatiently patient readers who would tear me limb from limb if I didn't get this story out.

NO thanks goes to procrastination WHATSOEVER.