Ezra and Ava: Wraiths and Home

      Ava sighed as she placed the piece of dung into her basket. "This has got to be the worst streak we've had," she said. "This is the fifth piece of dung we've found."

      The Ixi and her owner, Lauren, were currently in the Meri Acres Farm, picking their own berries that they will most likely eat on their way home to their Lost Desert spring-and-summer home on the Uni Express. Unfortunately, all the berries that they found were rotten, and what were not rotten were half-eaten.

      "That's because all the good stuff is already taken!" Lauren gestured to the dozens of owners and their pets searching through the bushes. "They've already picked all the non-rotten berries, leaving the bad ones for the people late to picking. I think there's somewhere in the farm where no one picks for some reason." The blonde pointed towards a section of the farm where a fence separated it from the rest of the land.

      "Are you sure we should go there?" Ava looked unsure about going into the blocked-off piece of land.

      "No one will see us," Lauren reassured her. "Everyone is busy trying to find good stuff, and the Gelert never goes into the farm when people are around. I don't see why anyone will be able to stop us. Come on!" The 11-year-old started jumping the hedges towards the piece of land.

      "I have a bad feeling about this..." Reluctantly, Ava followed her owner, fearing the worst.

      After a bit of hedge hopping, the duo had reached the fenced-off area, baskets emptied and ready to be filled with berries.

      "I'm not so sure about this, Lauren," Ava spoke up. "Isn't this, like, trespassing or something? The fences are clearly here to keep out people. If we're caught, you could end up becoming a temporary ice statue in Taelia's place!"

      "Chill out, Ava!" Lauren put the basket on her shoulder. "Like I said, no one will see us. Now, lemme stand on your back so I could climb over the fence. It isn't going to get shorter any time soon."

      Sighing, Ava stood against the tree, and Lauren stepped onto her back and, with the boost and some grunting, made it over the fence and landed in a berry bush.

      "Come on, Ava! Use your wings to fly over here!" Lauren got up, brushing herself off.

      "Still, I have a very bad feeling about this." Ava still flew over the fence and landed on the other side, next to her owner. "Now what?"

      "We get some berries!" Lauren went over to a bush and gasped, pulling a Dorkleberry out. "Dude! I found something worth 60k! Check it!"

      Ava came over and was easily impressed. "This could make us rich! You were right! This WAS a good idea!"

      Slipping the berry into her pocket, she stood up, but saw that they were lost in the hedges. "Wait, where's the fence?"

      The Striped Ixi looked around as well. "I think were...lost."

      "How is that possible?! We were right in front of the fence a moment ago!!"

      A growl brought both of them to attention. "What was that?" Ava asked.

      "I think that was a Draik."

      "What would a Draik be doing here?"

      "Why should you be asking me?"

      Suddenly, a loud scream echoed across the fields, and a mangle, blue Kyrii dashed out of the hedges. "PLEASE DON'T EAT ME!!"

      "What the juice?" The owner grabbed the Kyrii by the shoulders. "Who are you? And what are you running from?"

      "I-I'm Ezra..." the kyrii whimpered, "And I'm running from the wraiths."

      "Wraiths?" Lauren and Ava said in unison.

      As they spoke, all noticed a shadow in the corner of their eyes. They all turned around to see a huge mass of wraiths staring right back at them.

      "So THAT'S where the wraiths went after the whole 'Fall of Faerieland' thing..." Ava said.

      "Run?" Lauren spoke up.

      "Yup."

      Soon, all three were running, screaming, with a whole pack of wraiths right behind them. If only they had looked up, they would've seen they had passed through a hole in the fence, which Ezra had came through. The wraiths didn't follow them, however, and they slipped back into the shadows.

      When the trio had passed through the fence, Ava was the first to notice they were back in the fields, and she stopped, panting. "I think... we went... through a hole... in the fence..." Ava panted.

      Lauren and Ezra stopped as well. "I guess... we're okay..." Lauren breathed. Catching her breath, she turned to Ezra. "Speaking of the wraiths, why were you there in the first place?"

      Ezra sighed. "I was born in a poor family, and we barely had any neopoints. I decided to save up my allowance to get into Meri Acres Farm. After a bit of finding only dung and half-eaten berries, I decided to go into the restricted area to find better food. I found my owner in there, and I figured out that he was doing the same thing I was doing. We tried to get out together, but the wraiths got to my owner, but he told me to keep running. I did so, and I ran into you guys." The Kyrii sighed. "I guess I'm going to the Pound or to the streets."

      Lauren grabbed Ezra's chin and point his face towards hers. "Chin up. We'll find a way to help you."

      Ezra sniffed. "Really?"

      "Of course." The kid looked at Ezra's stomach, which showed his ribs. "We better get you something to eat, though." She took out the Dorkleberry and pressed it into Ezra's blue hand. "Here. Eat this. Sorry that it's sour."

      Ezra looked at the berry in his hands. "You're just gonna give me this? You're just gonna give up 60,000 neopoints for me? You met me, like, one minute ago!"

      Lauren smiled. "Other's health is far more important then mine."

      The Kyrii smiled back, then scarfed down the Dorkleberry. Juice from the berry dribbled down his chin, and he was trying to eat every bit of the berry. "Man! This was more better then anything I've ever eaten!"

      "I'm glad you like it." The owner beamed. "Now, you might wanna run home and grab your closest belongings. We'll meet you at the front of the farm in twenty minutes."

      'Why?" Ezra looked at the girl. "I can't bring anything to the Pound."

      "No, but you can bring something to a house." Taking out a cell phone, Lauren called The Uni Express. "Hello? I would like to book a flight for three, from Meridell to the Lost Desert."

      As Lauren booked the flight on the phone, Ezra looked at Aya. She looked back at him and beamed. Looking at her straight in the eye, Ezra beamed back, then wiped his chin, getting off all of the Dorkleberry juice.

      Ezra still remembered his owner. I'll miss you, my friend, the Kyrii thought, but I've gotta move on. Those wraiths can't bother me now.

      The Kyrii looked up at the sun and smiled, the breeze ruffling his fur. Whatever some people would say, he knew one thing, whether his old owner liked it or not:

      Ezra has found home.

The End.