A/N: New chappie! This is a big one, as far as info goes. Let's see what Tessa's been up to...
"Are you gonna explain where you were all day?" I demanded.
"We were worried about you, Tessa!" Kiara exclaimed.
"Calm down, guys!" Tessa responded as we sat in a circle on the floor. "Yes, I am gonna explain where I was. Now can you just calm down?"
Kiara, Ella, and I all hushed. "This better be good," Ella grumbled.
"It is," Tessa said grimly. "I... did some research on the silver eyes thing. And Victoria's sword." She took a deep breath. "Victoria's sword is made of the ultimate inclined plane of amethyst."
"WHAT? That's illegal!" Ella shrieked.
"How did you find out?" I asked.
"And how does this tie into the silver eyes thing?" Kiara questioned.
"Guys, shush! They might be able to hear us in the next room!" Tessa whispered furiously. "I was researching the silver eyes thing. It happens when your soul is more ferus than animus." When we gave her confused looks, she sighed. "Do you guys ever pay attention in class?" She was cut off by Ella, who said,
"Actually, you just stole my books on Catrops anatomy. We haven't learned what ferus and animus is in class yet."
Tessa grinned sheepishly. "Anyway, ferus is the soul type of the Catrops. Animus is the soul type of anything else. Ferus is wild, horrific, barbaric. Animus is gentler. Animus has a sense of right and wrong. But when a human consorts with Catrops or starts becoming... well, for lack of a better word, evil, then when they get angry their eyes turn silver and they get more strength and speed. After a while, they become fully Catrops, but the stronger they are, the longer they'll stay human."
"So you're saying that Victoria is going to become a Catrops? And none of the teachers know about this?" I asked. Tessa nodded.
"But then we'd have a Catrops inside the barriers. And if we have a Catrops inside..." Kiara's voice trailed off.
"Then it could possibly get out, maybe even break the magical barriers," stated Ella grimly.
"And we can't go to the teachers about it," Tessa said.
I looked at her curiously. "Why?"
"Because if we go to the teachers, they'll think we're insane. Also, I saw something on Professor Elmwood's desk through his window- a folder with a strange mark on it. It looked like a Catrops biting its own tail. It also had some writing on it that I couldn't read, it was too small."
"So we shouldn't trust the teachers," Ella said.
"No, I'm afraid not," Tessa confirmed.
"So now what?" I asked.
"Simple, really. We find out what Elmwood's up to. We stop him. We find out what Limentus and Turnell were talking about earlier. We take action if needed," Kiara said.
"And how are four fifteen-year-olds who haven't even GRADUATED yet gonna 'stop' Elmwood, a thirty-five-year-old Hunter who can take down six Catrops in under a minute?" Tessa commented dryly.
"Hey, Maya and I turn sixteen this week!" Kiara protested. "And anyways, it's four on one. We could take him."
"That's right! It's your birthday tomorrow, Kiara! And yours is on Friday, Maya!" Ella exclaimed.
I looked at her accusingly. "You forgot?"
"Well, we've had other things on our minds lately, haven't we?" Ella defended herself.
