You watch Raven leave. She can take care of herself.. Besides, Someone needs to watch the camp just in case something or someone comes. You shifted to a more comfortable position before turning your gaze to the stars above. They were pretty bright tonight, not a single cloud hid any of them. The full moon hung amid the stars, bathing the forest in a silvery light. Maybe Raven was just going to take a quick strolls and she'll come back later..


Next morning...

Your eyes snap open as a loud rustling sound wakes you up.

" Where is she?!" Morphia yelped, she was circling the tree that Raven was in the night before... So she did not return... You back away nervously as Morphia turns to you. Her eyes shone with a fierce flame of anger and worry. " Where's Raven?!"

" I-I'm not sure." you get up from your spot and stretch, " maybe she left in the middle of the night?"

" Why would she need to do that?" Morphia asked, " There isn't any urgent business that needs to be dealt with. Also, there's no trail of blood or scent.. We need to find her."

" But don't we have to get to the Red Kingdom? The Queen awaits your report right?"

" But what about my sister?!"

" We can look for her while we walk to the kingdom. That way we can accomplish both things."

" Alright.." Morphia reluctantly agreed and the two of you set off for the Red Kingdom. You didn't find any trails or anything that could be a clue to where Raven could be. You and Morphia make your way to the castle.. " Your Highness?" Morphia enters the throne room with you trailing behind her.

" Morphia, I see you're back. You need to start preparing for the attack tomorrow." the Queen commands, Morphia casts a confused glance over to you. You shrug, you didn't have a clue what was happening either.

" Your Highness.. Raven isn't with us.."

" I know. She arrived earlier today, bring news of an attack by the White Kingdom on our eastern fronts." the Queen explains. " If you're looking for her, she left for home awhile ago."

" Alright.." you and Morphia finish your conversation with the Queen and leave to head for the sisters' house.


" Raven is in soo much trouble when I find her.." Morphia growls as you two approach the house. A large, hollowed out, oak tree stood in a small clearing of grass. You hear a river running behind it. Morphia marches up the stairs and flings the door open. " RAVEN!!" you peak into the house behind her. No sigh of the grey and black half-breed on the first floor... Morphia storms up to the second floor and third, you stay of the first floor. Judging by the yell of anger and doors being slammed, Raven wasn't in the house.. Morphia comes back down to the first floor and flops down on the couch, " Why is Raven always disappearing off to somewhere?!" you take a look around the room and spot a note on the desk next to the hammock chair. You walk over and pick it up.

Morphia,

I know you're expecting me to be at home,

but I had something to do.. I'll be back before dusk..

                                                                                                           -Raven

" SHE LEFT AGAIN?!" you hear Morphia yell behind you. You jump, you didn't notice that she was reading the note over your shoulder.. " Something to do, huh? More like you just want to spent time with some unknown person.." she grumbles and wanders off, " What's more important that your own heath and your sister?" you and Morphia spend the rest of the day in the house, waiting for Raven. You explore the house for a while. On the second floor, there were several rooms, each with a separate door, arranged in a circle. Lamps hung at each door and a small chandelier hung in the center of the ceiling. Windows were placed in the middle of the space between each door, providing light. A spare guest room was behind the door farthest from the stairs. The door across from the spare guest room lead to a bathroom. Another door was locked with a spell and the final door, closest to the stairs, lead to another bedroom. Probably Morphia's, judging by the color.. You cross the circular area to the stairs leading to the third floor. The third floor was decorated with pillows, blankets and a curved bookshelf in one corner of the room. Two windows were placed on two sides of the wall, one facing the west, the other facing the north. Lamps hung on the wall, spaced through out the room.

" The windows are facing the two Kingdoms.." you thought, " West to the Half-Breed Kingdom and north to the Red Kingdom.." you spot a pile of pillows against the curved wall. This area was used as a reading area for the two sisters. You look around the reading area. Even though this was the top floor, you still wanted to look around. Maybe there was another, secret, floor? You walk up to the window facing the Half-Breed Kingdom. A large tree branch stretched outside, under the window, like an extension to the room. A hidden latch on the window allowed you to slide it open, like a barn door. You cautiously step out onto the branch.. Above you, woven into the branches, was another room. A series of leaves, branches, and vines wove together to create a roof. Inside this 'room' was a hammock chair, a hammock, and a small wooden desk that was attached to two branches. An ink holder and quill were on the desk and small, purple notebook was placed in a small space in the desk. You reach out to take a look at the notebook.

" RAVEN! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Morphia's yell echoes through out the house... Uh oh.. Sounds like someone's in trouble..

Continue to page 54

Morphia's always mad at me for leaving... I left a note didn't I..? Thankfully, I'm not staying for long.. I'm only here to grab my ink, quill, and book.. Then I can leave.. ~R

Raven, I think someone's trying to take a look at your precious book... You better hurry up and get to it before he/she does.. ~S

RAVEN, WHY DO YOU ALWAYS LEAVE THE HOUSE LIKE THAT?! YOU SHOULD STAY HERE, WHERE SOMEONE CAN KEEP AN EYE ON YOU!! ~M

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