The Moonlings: The Ancient Fortress

Prologue

"Come on!" Shouted Shadow as he pulled Willa along. "Ok, ok, I'm coming!" She said with a smile. He took her to a cave in the mountains. "Why did you want to take me here?" Said Willa, confused. "There's something inside I want to show you inside." "Okay..." said Willa nervously. "You scared, aren't you?" Said the fire moonling teasingly. "No, I'm not!" Shouted Willa. "It's ok, little sis. I'll go first. Show you there's nothing wrong." he said kindly. "Ok," said Willa hesitantly. Little did she know, she would regret that decision for the rest of her life. He walked in. Willa sat patiently. She waited and waited until she had been sitting there for hours. It had been too long. "Shadow?" She called into the cave nervously. "Who are you? And how dare you enter the cave of the shadow?" A voice roared back at her. "Shadow, it's not funny!" She cried nervously. She could barely see the shape of a moonling in the cave. "Shadow, please come out!" she called again. "I am Shadow, new and reborn!" said the voice. The moonling in the cave stepped into the sunlight. It was Shadow, but not Shadow. His orange fur had turned black, except on his neck fluff, which was still red. "Come into the cave, little one." said the shadow-thing. "N-no!" Shouted Willa. She had caught the slight scent of smoke in the air. "Shadow, stop it! I think something's burning!" "Yes, you smell my fire? It should take care of those friends of yours..." "Y-your fire?" said Willa backing away. "Yes... Now to take care of you!" He jumped at her. She turned and ran as fast as she could to the village. When she got there, she ran to the source of the smoke. She was shocked to find the house where her friends were having a party, her and Shadow's house. She pushed through the crowd, trying to find them. She found out that they were all dead. She made it her responsibility to take care of and raise their children. She told everybody Shadow died in the fire, even though they never found his body. She was too afraid to tell them the truth. It had been her fault her friends had died. Her fault their children were orphans. Her fault the fire had happened. If she had gone into the cave with Shadow, she could have stopped whatever did that to him. She regretted that day for the rest of her life.