Lost!

Palentashia, known to her family as Tashia, didn't mind the snow of Terror Mountain. Ever since the day she had taken a dip in the Magma Pool, she no longer needed to bother with heavy coats and winter clothes. Many a time she received a jealous glance from Lumanious (also known as Luma) when she had to cover herself in bulky layers. She didn't mind her sister's jealousy. The two tried to get along for their owner's sake, though Tashia had to admit that the two's personalities just tended to clash.

     Already that morning they had a huge fight over what they were going to do that day. The stocky Kacheek had just stepped downstairs, groggy from waking up, to see that her Zafara sister was pleading with Ripple (their owner) to take her on a two day shopping spree because the shipments of the most fashionable clothes took too long to get to their frozen home. The blue Zafara was really pretty and a big fashionista. She always followed trends in magazines. Her royal blue hair was always brushed until it shined, often done up in the latest style. She was really the complete opposite of Tashia, a hot-headed tomboy who preferred to play outdoors, a Kacheek that didn't care what she wore as long as it was comfortable."

     "By the time they get here they'll be out of fashion!" the blue Zafara cried, her mauket that mewed at her feet seeming to agree with her.

     Ripple, who stood at the stove, frying chocolate chip pancakes for the family, sighed. "I have the shop to keep updated, and frankly, taking a trip like that is expensive." She flipped one of the pancakes. "Besides, it really shouldn't matter what you wear as long as you have something to wear."

     "You totally don't understand!" Luma cried.

     Adzila (fondly known as Ad and the eldest of the family) piped up from the dining room table, the bright pink Gnorbu seemingly tired by the conversation. He was known for being the responsible one, neat and orderly. "Would you just take her already? I can watch the shop and the petpets."

     "I don't like the idea of leaving Alphonsive and Tashia here. They're too young."

     "Just take them with you," Ad pointed out, as Ripple placed one of the pancakes on his plate.

     Ripple seemed to consider this when Tashia interrupted. "You promised me that I could go hiking today! I saw this really cool outcrop when I was walking to school and I want to check it out!"

     "Oh, come on, you can look at your silly little chunk of rock whenever you want to; meanwhile my social status at school is decreasing as we speak!" Luma said.

     "You always get to do what you want," Tashia cried in response, feeling her magma blood pulsing with agitation.

     "Girls! Calm down." Ripple sighed, running a hand through her blonde hair. "Why don't you go look at it some other time, okay? We can go shopping for you too if you like," she tried to add helpfully, in hopes of trying to calm her pet down.

     "You know what? Never mind!" Tashia said, flames spurting from her cracked rocky skin, thankfully not burning her fire-proof pajamas. She stormed out the front door, leaving behind puddles of melted snow as she focused on getting as far away from the house as she could. It was so unfair. Just because she was the youngest she never got to do what she wanted to do. All Luma had to do was simply ask Ripple and she got what she wanted! She kept walking for a long time, her anger eventually subsiding as she realized that she was incredibly lost.

     She found herself in a forest of trees where tall branches kept most of the snow from reaching the ground, leaving just a few inches for her to step through. The forested area was eerie, the cold wind of Terror Mountain whistling through the trunks and branches, creating a low moaning sound that would suddenly rise in pitch then drop. Although she wasn't cold, she shivered. 'Hmph,' she thought with anger, 'this will show them. Maybe Ripple and Luma will appreciate me more once they realize I'm gone.'

     After a few more minutes her thoughts began to change, mostly to the point of panic. She was really starting to get worried, and it didn't seem like she would find her way out of the forest any time soon. She started to run desperately. Twigs seemed to lash out at her skin and clothes, tearing her pale forest green pajamas. She looked around, trying to see if she recognized anything about the area that she was in. Then she spotted it, past the tall trunks of trees. It was the outcrop that she had planned to see that morning. She approached it, sighing, looking down at the winding trail that led from her house to town. It seemed so small from the height that she stood on. She didn't see any of her siblings down below, and she was beginning to feel like they didn't care that she was missing at all. Tears threatened to spill at the edges of her coal-black eyes, but she simply wiped them away. She would wait on the ridge for them to come. It seemed like the most practical solution, after all. She settled herself down in the snow, her warm body melting it away.

     Then all of a sudden she was falling. The water had loosened the rocky, plant-less ground, and it seemed like it wasn't as strong as she previously thought. Tashia yelped as she slid down towards the ground, rocks tearing her skin and pajamas further. She covered her head with her arms, her eyes closed tight.

     Then she stopped, opening her eyes and finding herself on a ridge. Below her the drop continued for another ten feet, ending in a bought of sharp stones. She glanced up, the slope above her stretching for about seven feet, the edges sleek. She wasn't going to get anywhere. She found herself crying, thinking about how much better it would be if she had just gone with Luma and Ripple shopping. She imagined them trying on clothes and eating snacks, together. She imagined herself not stuck on a ledge.

     Suddenly, a few snowflakes began to fall, large fluffy flakes increasing in number until they came down in a thick snowfall. When they touched Tashia's skin they melted. Even though she didn't usually get cold, she was starting to feel sluggish and sick from the frosty wind. She glanced to her left and right, noticing what she did not notice the first time: a small cave. She carefully slid over to it and took shelter as the snow continued to fall down, coating everything in a new sheet of white. Now they couldn't even follow her footsteps!

     At this point the Kacheek started to cry, burying her head in her knees as her stomach grumbled. She hadn't even had breakfast and she was stuck here, with no food or water. It seemed like she was stuck their for hours.

     All of a sudden she heard a girl's voice cry out in the distance. It was familiar. Tashia lifted her head, perking her ears. She heard it again, "-shia, Tashia! Where are you?" Tashia flew to the mouth of the cave, shouting, "Luma?! LUMA?!"

     All of a sudden a rope fell down to where she was. After being helped back to the top of the ridge she hugged her sister, crying tears of joy to see the Zafara. Luma didn't even have her make-up on. She must've rushed out of the house when Tashia did.

     "I'm sorry-" Luma started, obviously upset that she had caused her little sister to go missing.

     "Don't be, it's my fault. Next time you want to go shopping, I'll go with you."

     Luma smiled, holding Tashia close. "I'll even pick out some cute outfits for you." She glanced down at Tashia's torn green pajamas. "Starting with pajamas. I absolutely cannot let any little sister of mine wear those ever again."

     Tashia smiled, tears still in her eyes. "Sounds good to me."

     The two made it back to the house safely. Both of them caught a cold, so the shopping trip was postponed until after they had recovered. Both of them also got scolded for going out on their own, though Ripple was kind enough to make them the best homemade chicken noodle soup that she had ever made. That day Tashia learned that even though she may disagree and fight with her sister sometimes, she still loved her. Even if they didn't get along sometimes, family would still be family.

The End