Swanheart

Chapter Two

The Animorph

It was in the early morning hours, as the white tiger crawled completely exhausted out of the river. She didn't know how much time had passed since her desperate jump into the floods. Now, she had reached a part of the river where it didn't carry much water.

Climbing out, she shook as much water off her fur as she could and found herself facing a new dilemma. She didn't know where she was. Reaching out with her senses, she tried to detect any lifeforms. One thing was for sure, she needed help. Unfortunately, she only could pick up traces of animal lives.

The tiger knew that she had to continue walking. Now the question was, which direction would be the right one to find a town or another settlement?

Taking a first step, the trembling in her legs increased until they buckled under her, unable to carry her weight any further. With a soft thud, she fell to the muddy river bank and lost consciousness.

*****

Dark blonde eyelashes fluttered softly. The clear, green eyes opened to tiny slits only to be squeezed shut tightly again in the next instant, for the sun had chosen that moment to shine through the window, sending out her golden rays in full force. A small noise of discomfort escaped Leigh and she rolled over on her other side so that she was facing away from the window. She felt wonderful after a good night's rest in the soft bed. During the past years with the old sword master, she had to sleep on a sack filled with straw. So, resting between goose feather-filled pillows and covers was a very welcome change, one that her body was quite happy about.

Snuggling her cheek deeper into the pillow under her head, Leigh kept her eyes closed and just listened. The window was open so that she could hear the chirping of birds, which greeted the new day. She could hear people running around on the castle's compounds, going about their daily tasks. The clicking and clacking of horseshoes echoed through the courtyard, as well as the occasional laughter of small children that were chasing each other. Sounds of swords slamming against shields drifted to her ear, indicating that Commander Leander was exercising with his troops.

Leigh sighed in happiness. It really was good to be home again.

Blinking her eyes open, she slowly sat up. Yawning, she stretched her arms high over her head, pushed the covers back that were completely entangled with her legs and rose. Stumbling over to a chest of drawers, she laid out her clothes and set about washing the rest of sleep away.

Reaching for the porcelain pitcher that stood next to a big bowl, she was quite surprised to find it already filled with water. Somebody must have been in her room without her noticing. The thought that somebody had been in her presence disturbed her a bit because due to her training, her instincts should have awakened her. Then again, her body must have known somehow that she was safe here in the castle and that there was no threat. It probably had just been one of the servants.

Glancing around, she discovered something on the small table that stood behind the bed's head. Leigh walked over. There were four small wreaths and two bigger ones, made out of white daisies. A blinding smile appeared on her features because she knew exactly who had sent them and why. Carefully reaching out, she touched the soft petals. "Alannah. No, you definitely are no threat to me," Leigh whispered.

With her thoughts on her best friend, she went back to the washing bowl. Then she got dressed. "Time for a little workout, I'd say," she said, reaching for the shield and the sword that King Zaylan had given her the day before.

Once again, her eyes fell on the flowers. She slipped her arms through the leather straps which would hold the shield to her arm and adjusted it so that she could carry it on her back, like a backpack. The scabbard with her father's sword was attached to her belt that hung loosely around her waist. With great care, she picked up the daisy wreaths, sliding them over her left arm, before leaving the room. "But first, I have to visit somebody."

The people that Leigh passed by on her way, greeted her friendly. It was a nice difference to the three years she had spent in the face of Yan's gruff demeanor. She was still asking herself what the reason could be that the old sword master was often grumpy because she had never been able to figure it out. Neither could Wyan and Ranib or even Leander, who had also been Yan's students.

As the small, white, marble temple with its beautifully chisled columns came into view, Leigh decided not to dwell on the old man's behavior anymore. Instead, she turned her thoughts to the matter at hand.

King Zaylan had ordered this temple to be built after his wife had died. It was also the crypt for the country's heroes. They all lay there in sarcophaguses and everybody, who wished to do so, could pay them respect and honor them.

Leigh's soft leather boots barely made a sound as she entered the holy halls. The air was heavy with the fumes of burning incense. Candles flickered in the draft as she closed the door behind her. Nobody else was present but as she had a look around, she could see that fresh flowers had been left on some sarcophaguses. While she slowly walked to the back of the temple, she remembered the first time, she had been in these halls.

With a tear-stained face, the 4-year-old girl regarded the marble statues that adorned the sarcophaguses and looked exactly like her parents.

Tall and proud the statues stood on top of the lids of their stone coffins. Marnoc, bearing a serious expression on his face, gazed sternly ahead, his left arm rested on his belt that was slung around his hips while his right hand lay on the hilt of his mighty broadsword, which was poised in front of him. Shonara looked kindly about with a small smile on her face. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest and her round shield leaned against her legs. Both warriors' statues had been carved while they wore their full armor, including helmet, and they looked as if they might come to life any moment soon.

"They are resting here now, Leigh," Zaylan said. The King stood next to her, holding her tiny hand. "You can come here every day to see them."

"But I don't want to see them here. Why can we not go home, to our house? Why do they have to sleep here all the time? I want them to wake up and play with me."

Zaylan sighed. Wishing that Loreen was here to deal with the situation, he looked at Alannah for help. He really found himself at the end of his rope. Just how could he explain to the little girl that her parents were dead? When his wife had died, Alannah had already been old enough to understand why her mother was gone.

The princess lowered herself to her knees and turned the child to look at her. "Leigh, they can not wake up. They have gone to the Different World, where they are happy. A world, where there is no pain, no sorrow and no suffering."

Leigh's lower lip trembled. "Why didn't they take me with them to the different world? Was I bad?"

"No. Don't ever think that." Alannah cupped one of the girl's cheeks and laid her other hand on the small chest, where the little heart was pounding strongly. "Your parents have not left you. They will always be with you in your heart and eventually everybody will get to the world where your parents are now."

"Really?"

"I promise. You will see them again because in the Afterlife we all will reunite with our families when the day comes. You see, my Mama is in the Different World as well and I firmly believe that I will see her again in due time."

Undecided, Leigh nibbled on the nail of her index finger.

Alannah's thumb was gently stroking her cheek, smiling at her encouragingly. "It's going to be alright. You are not alone. I will always be here for you. As will Loreen, Wyan and Ranib."

"And not to forget, I'll be there for you too," Zaylan said, picking up the blonde girl. Together with Leigh, he followed his daughter to the sarcophagus that stood in the middle of the temple.

Alannah put a wreath made out of white daisies around the neck of the statue that adorned the sarcophagus.

It was a woman with a gentle face and long hair that cascaded over her schoulders. Her features were very similiar to that of Alannah. Her smile was accompanied by a cute dimple on each side of it. The statue's arms where reaching out as if wanting to embrace the one, who stood there, regarding her.

Alannah slid another flowery wreath on each of the statue's wrists. "Rest in peace, Mama," the princess whispered in a broken voice, tears welling up in her brown eyes.

As she saw this, Leigh started to struggle vehemently in the king's arms.

Zaylan let her down and watched her as the small blonde girl hurried over to the side of his daughter.

Leigh tugged at Alannah's robes until the princess knelt in front of her to see what she wanted. Slowly, the girl reached out both of her small hands and wiped the tears off Alannah's face. "Don't cry, pretty Princess," she said. "My Mama and Papa will protect your Mama in the Different World. She is not alone until you and your Papa can be with her again."

With his mouth agape, Zaylan stood there, watching the interaction. Sometimes Leigh's understanding of what was going on around her really amazed him.

Still holding Alannah's face in her little hands, Leigh promised, "You are not alone because you got me and one day I'm going to be as smart as my Mama and as strong as my Papa and then I can protect you all."

"Yeah, you are going to be my brave, little knight," Alannah replied, smiling again.

"And here I am. A knight of Chitaan," Leigh whispered to herself, shaking her head softly.

She stopped in front of her parents' statues. They still looked exactly like on the day she had seen them for the very first time. "Mama, Papa," she addressed them. "Three years it's been since I last was here. Now, I have returned from my apprenticeship, being a knight just as you were. Imagine that, I was given your weapons and King Zaylan himself proclaimed me knight. I can only hope that I live up to the expectations he has. I can not bare the thought of failing and disappointing him or Alannah. They have done so much for me since you were ripped from my life. I owe them everything." Putting the daisy wreaths around the statues' wrists and necks, Leigh rested her right hand over her heart and announced, "I swear to you, my parents, the greatest warriors that have ever walked the face of Yuron, that I will dedicate everything I have and everything that I am to protect the people I love and this country, no matter what. Rest in peace and rest assured that your daughter will follow in your footsteps, being as great a knight as you have been. You will be proud when we see each other again in the Different World."

Fondly regarding the chisled faces, Leigh suddenly started. Could it be that Shonara's smile had just widened? Could it be that Marnoc had just winked at her? The knight remained in front of the statues, frowning, watching them closely, but nothing moved. Marnoc was still looking sternly ahead and Shonara's expression had not changed either.

Telling herself that it must have been a trick due to the play of light, caused by the flickering candles, which burnt everywhere, Leigh left the temple. A little morning workout before breakfast was just the right thing to chase away any funny thoughts about winking statues. Her footsteps directed her to the gardens and the swan pond.

*****

The white wolf dozed on the bed after having received her breakfast. She had hunted the rabbit herself and eaten in the woods, before returning to the castle and Alannah's room.

Staring out of the window, the gaze of warm brown eyes came to rest on the small figure outside and a smile appeared on Alannah's face. She watched the knight going through the motions of her workout.

Leigh was making her way through the gardens, crossing swords with an invisible foe, wielding the blade in graceful arcs and dodging imagined blows by an unseen opponent or defending herself with the shield. After a while of that, she placed shield and sword into the grass and went into the motions of hand-to-hand-combat. Her fists became a blur as well as her legs as she kicked and spun, flipped and whirled, forcing her muscles through defending and attacking movements.

Awe-struck by what she witnessed, Alannah's eyes remained fixed on the young woman. She shook her head softly, remembering the night before when she had asked Leigh to dance with her but as usual the knight had turned her down, mumbling something incoherent and blushing brightly. 'This is just like dancing. She is so graceful in her movements. Why does Leigh think she would make a fool of herself on the dancefloor?' the princess thought to herself. 'I can't believe how much she changed during the past three years. She is more self-confident and she has matured quite a bit.' The smile on Alannah's face grew wider. 'My brave, little knight. You are so beautiful. The sunlight makes your hair appear golden. It looks so soft. I wish I could run my hand through it, feeling its silkiness.'

"Alannah? Alannah?"

Somebody was trying to get her attention and the princess jerked out of her thoughts. Feeling caught, she turned around and found herself face to face with her father.

King Zaylan smiled gently. "I have been calling your name a few times. Where have you been with your thoughts?"

Clearing her throat in embarrassment, she replied, "Oh, I was just... uh... is there something you need, Father?" She averted her eyes, inwardly praying that he would just let it slide without putting her on the spot. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she hoped the blush wasn't too obvious.

Zaylan came closer and stopped by the bed to give Cerulia's head a few tender caresses. Then he looked out of the window, wishing to know what his daughter had found so fascinating. "Would you look at that," he exclaimed, his eyes having caught Leigh in the garden. He whistled slightly as he saw the knight perform a high kick that would have sent an attacker sprawling in the dirt. "It really is amazing what Yan was able to teach her in just three years. I can understand why that would have you enthralled."

Feeling her face flush even more, Alannah decided to better not respond. "What is it that you wanted, Father?"

He decided to let her off the hook. "I am looking for one of my spell books. I thought you might have it for studies?"

Alannah shook her head. "I have not taken any of your library books to my room. Maybe Loreen has it?"

Zaylan stroked his white beard. "Do you mind going to her and ask her?"

The princess shook her head again. "No."

"Good. Oh, and take your friend to have breakfast, too. You know how she is, she might forget."

"Yes, I know. I will make sure she won't drop from starvation," Alannah added, rolling her eyes.

Zaylan chuckled. "I'm glad she is back home with us."

"Me too, Father. Me too."

The king left her chambers and Alannah patted her leg, indicating to Cerulia to follow her to the gardens.

*****

Releasing a deep breath, Leigh sat down in the soft grass, using the sleeve of her green tunic to wipe some sweat off her forehead. Making sure that she was a safe distance away from the pond, she watched the swans as they leisurely glided over the water. The knight crossed her legs and rested her arms on her knees. Then, she closed her eyes, concentrating on slowing her breathing and relaxing her muscles. Her ears took in the different sounds that drifted to her from all around.

A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the weeping willows and the reeds at the shores of the lake. The singing of birds floated through the air, as well as the buzzing of tiny insects. A frog croaked before it jumped off the big water lily leaf to disappear splashing under the water's surface.

Leigh listened closer, still keeping her eyes shut. She frowned as she detected a new noise, not quite able to identify it.

A swan had come out of the lake, its interest peaked by the human that sat there so quietly. Shaking the last drops of water off her feathers, the bird waddled closer.

Leigh's forehead wrinkled even more. Just what was that? It sounded as if somebody with huge, flat feet was coming toward her. She knew for a fact though that she wasn't in any kind of danger, but still she would have liked to figure out without looking what it was.

All of a sudden the noise stopped.

Leigh's eyes flew open and her expression turned to one of great surprise.

The swan stood in front of her, her head cocked and blinking her little black eyes at her. Then, she took a step forward and another, settling herself on the dumbfounded girl's lap.

Not knowing how to deal with the situation she found herself in, Leigh froze, staring at the bird.

The swan didn't look as if she wanted to attack, she wasn't hissing, she wasn't spreading her wings but she kept staring at her as if she wanted something particular.

"Uh... hello birdie..." Leigh said for lack of better words.

The swan's black eyes wouldn't leave her own.

"You know, I wish you could talk so that you could tell me what it is that you want."

Of course, the bird didn't answer, but she responded in a different way. She hoped off Leigh's lap, took two steps to the side and began to shove her beak into the pocket of the knight's pants.

"Hey! Stop it!" Leigh exclaimed.

The swan waddled over to the other side and tried to see what was kept in that pocket. Again she came up with nothing.

"I'm sorry. Whatever you want, I don't have it," Leigh said.

"She is looking for her special treat," a laughing voice announced behind her, making bird and human whirl around.

Bearing a wide grin, Alannah stepped out from behind a bush. As always, Cerulia was right beside her.

Leigh rose quickly and bowed, playfully. "Good morning, your Highness. I trust, you slept well?"

"Stop it, goofball. But yes, I did sleep well. What about you?"

"Wonderfully. To rest in a real bed after three years was a nice experience for my back."

"I bet." Alannah nodded.

"Oh, and thanks for the flowers."

"You are welcome," Alannah said. "Have you been to the temple already?"

"That was the first thing I did this morning."

It seemed that the two humans had all forgotten around them so the swan decided to pinch Leigh's calf to draw their attention.

"Ouch!" the knight exclaimed. "Just what is it with this bird?"

Alannah smiled and gave Leigh a piece of bread. "Like I said, she wants her special treat. Just break it up and give her the crumbs."

Kneeling down, the knight did as she was told.

The swan tenderly plucked the crumbs from her palm. After all the bread was gone, she still looked at Leigh.

"What now?" she inquired, a tad bit uneasy.

"Rub her head, she really likes that," Alannah told her.

Hesitatingly, Leigh reached forward and touched her fingers to the swan's head. Using only the tips, she rubbed it tenderly.

Alannah watched closely and could see the bird's eyes closing in enjoyment. "I think she likes you."

"So, is this the swan you've been telling me about? The one that's kind of tame?"

"Yes. May I introduce... Snowfeather."

Leigh looked at the princess. "What do you think happened to make her like this? I mean, I always thought only the fierce ones get to guard the pond."

"That's true," Alannah confirmed. "Actually, I don't know what happened. Just one day, when I was sitting out here with Cerulia, Snowfeather suddenly came towards me, wanting some of my bread and she wouldn't leave until I had rubbed her head."

"That's interesting," Leigh answered. Truly, it was very fascinating. As far as she could remember there had never been a swan that acted like that. "Does she behave like that with Ranib and Wyan too?"

"No, she is very picky," Alannah replied, giggling. "But, she does enjoy the company of Cerulia, Loreen and Father. Well, and it seems she likes you."

Leigh shook her head softly. "Amazing."

Relishing the tender caress to her head, Snowfeather climbed back on the knight's lap and wrapped her long neck around one of Leigh's arms.

"By the Spirits," Alannah said, her eyes wide open in surprise. "She really likes you. She most certainly never did that before with anybody."

After a few more minutes of gentle cuddling, the swan decided it was time to head back to the pond.

"Hey, where is my goodbye kiss?" Leigh called out, jokingly.

The remark made the princess laugh. "I'm so glad to have you back. I missed having fun with you."

"Me too." They smiled at each other and silence fell. Leigh was on the edge, dangerously close to toppling over and getting lost in the warm, brown eyes, so she quickly found another subject to talk about. "Say, what brings you out here this fine morning?"

"I'm on my way to Loreen's cabin. Father is looking for a spell book and it can be that she has it. Would you like to come with me?"

Leigh rose and dusted off her pants. "Sure, let me just run back to store away the weapons, wash and change clothes."

"Actually, I think we should have breakfast too. I'm sure you have not eaten yet, have you?"

Smirking, Leigh replied, "You know me too well."

"Of course I do," the princess responded with a wink.

"Okay, let's go then."

*****

Not far away from Chitaan's castle, Loreen's cabin was located at the outskirts of the forest. Even though the healer had chambers at the castle, she was glad that she had this place of her own to which she could retreat.

Built from massive logs, it completely blended in with its surroundings. Twigs from willows had been strung together to form bundles, which made up the roof. All holes and cracks had been sealed shut with loam and moss. Over the years it had grown and spread all over the roof, forming a natural barrier to keep out the rain. It also kept the sun from drying out the willow twigs.

With white stones a chimney had been built, which stuck out from the middle of the cabin's roof.

Ivy and vetch had found a way to attach themselves to the walls and were embracing the entire hut from each side. In some places the leaves had been cut away, otherwise they would have covered up the windows and door.

Fern grew all around the cabin, sharing the space with yellow buttercups, primroses, blue bellflowers, wild pansies, red foxglove, monkshood and other plants. Behind the small house grew bushes of raspberry and blackberry. Not having been cut or trimmed, they grew as they wanted. The occasional blueberry could be found there as well as the wild strawberry, in between stinging nettles, woodruff, valerian and other herbs.

Several mistletoes framed the door. According to an old belief it was said that the magic of this plant, which was known as a parasite to trees, chases demons away to protect those that were living in the cabin.

Inside, a merry fire was crackling, warming a fluid that a huge copper cauldron contained. The smell that drifted through the air was very nice but it didn't reveal if it was just a delicious soup that was bubbling or a powerful potion. As far as the eye could see, there were a few things that dominated the hut's interior. For once, there were seemingly endless shelves with a vast collection of bottles, phials, flasks and vials, big, small, empty or filled with mysterious powders and fluids, bearing the most amazing shades of colors. Other shelves were loaded with books and scrolls.

Bundles of dried herbs hung from the ceiling.

A big table and two wooden benches had been set up in one corner, while another part of the cabin was hidden by a green, heavy, velvety curtain. Behind it was the sleeping area and it was the place to where Ranib and Wyan had brought the strange girl that they had found at the bank of the Kildiv river.

Loreen stood next to the cauldron, using a big wooden spoon to stirr the broth that was cooking over the dancing flames. It had been a huge surprise in the morning hours when she discovered her sons in front of her door. They had wanted to go fishing. Coming home with an unconscious girl wasn't quite the catch that the healer had imagined.

Until now, the stranger had not moved. She lay there in the bed, pale, fragile and unconscious.

"If only you could tell us what happened to you," Ranib mumbled under his breath. He sat on a wooden chair next to the bed, watching the girl.

All of a sudden a small, furry creature jumped off the rod that held the curtain and landed with a slight thud on the bed cover.

Ranib jerked in surprise.

The red squirrel sat up on his hindlegs, revealing his white belly. He folded his tiny front paws and looked at the man with his beady, black eyes.

"Hey Rubyoh, you little rascal. Where have you been?" Ranib smiled and reached into a pocket to give him a hazelnut.

Taking it from the young man's hand, Rubyoh settled down to nibble on his snack. Once the nut was gone, the squirrel slowly shimmied towards the sleeping girl.

"No, no, no," Ranib chuckled and intercepted him before Rubyoh could reach her. "Leave her alone, little buddy. You can play with her later."

The squirrel gave little chiding noises, expressing his unhappiness but then he quit and crawled up Ranib's arm to sit on his broad shoulder, his long, red, bushy tail whipping slightly to keep his balance.

Wyan chose that moment to stick his head through the curtain. "Any changes?" he wanted to know.

Shaking his head, Ranib replied, "No. But, look who came home." He pointed at Rubyoh.

"Ah, there he is. Mother was already wandering where he had gone and if he got lost while roaming the countryside."

Both men's heads turned to the bed as they became aware of the small moan.

The girl's head was moving.

"I think somebody is waking up," Wyan remarked.

"Mother! Mother, come quick! She's waking up!" Ranib called out.

Pulling the curtain aside, the healer entered the sleeping area. Waving her arms, she indicated to her sons to give her some room.

*****

Hands were touching her face. Though they were gentle and sure, their touch was still foreign. She could hear voices, two male, one female. Her eyelids were pulled open, one after the other, to reveal her startling blue eyes with the vertical pupils. She squeezed them shut, for the light hurt, an uncomfortable, piercing pain. Slowly her eyes got used to the light and her vision returned.

Three faces were hovering close above her. The two men looked very much alike, except that one had a beard. They were talking to her, smiling, but her thoughts were still too jumbled and she couldn't comprehend what was going on. The foreign woman smiled too.

She was frightened. No, not only frightened, she was scared to death. Panic crawled up in her guts. She didn't know if she could trust them. She had to get away.

Trying to sit up, several pairs of arms reached for her, holding her, pushing her back. Panic now seized her completely and with full force. They had seen her eyes so her secret was already revealed. She hoped she could scare them off without actually having to attack them since her body was still too weak. Calling upon her last reserves of strength, she transformed.

"By the Spirits! Get back! Get back! She is an Animorph!" Loreen shouted at her sons.

The three of them stared in disbelief at the girl on the bed.

She had raised her head and a very unhuman like roar erupted from her throat. Arching her back, she fell to her hands and knees. Her eyes changed from ice-blue to glowing amber while her arms and legs transformed into mighty paws with sharp claws. White fur with black stripes grew and large, sharp teeth became visible as she opened her jaws wide to give another loud roar.

Wide-eyed and unable to move, Loreen, Wyan and Ranib looked at the white tiger that had taken the foreign girl's place on the bed.

Her tail twitched nervously and she lowered her head, ready to pounce at the strangers if she felt threatened.

Rubyoh squeaked. Scared, he leapt off Ranib's shoulders, quickly disappearing to a safe hideout.

*****

The princess and the knight had almost reached Loreen's hut.

"Boah, I'm completely stuffed. You should warn me next time," Leigh muttered, rubbing her belly that seemed a tad bit swollen.

Walking beside her, Alannah grinned broadly. "Didn't I tell you that it would be delicious? Goran makes the best pancakes and with the mashed berries from Loreen's garden, they are even better. Don't you agree?"

"Absolutely." Leigh nodded.

She was just about to knock at the door of Loreen's cabin, as a mighty roar sounded out, coming from inside. Not thinking twice, the knight burst into the hut. Her right hand flew to her belt, grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it free from the scabbard. Taking in the situation, Leigh blinked in surprise. "What's going on?" she demanded to know, for it wasn't every day that one saw their family confronted by a white tiger. At least now she knew the source of the ear-shattering roar.

Loreen turned around. "Leigh, put the sword away! Don't come closer."

The white tiger was still perched on the bed, but her legs had begun to tremble. There was little strength left in her.

"It is not what it looks like," Loreen tried to explain. "We just have to calm her down. Alannah, maybe you can try."

The princess, who had kept close to Leigh, slowly came forward. Though Cerulia growled at the tiger, Alannah told her to hush. Carefully setting one foot in front of the other, she walked towards the bed. Holding out her hands in a peaceful, calming manner, she said, "Don't be afraid. Nobody here is going to hurt you."

The tiger's whole body trembled but her tail stopped twitching. Her amber eyes were fixed on the silver-haired woman and she relaxed with each passing second. She realized that there was no danger radiating from this person. Having calmed some, she reached out with her senses and became aware that there were no dangerous vibes coming from any of the present humans or animals.

"That's it," Alannah continued in a calm voice. "Just relax." The princess had reached the bed, her hands hovering over the tiger's head.

Glowing amber eyes blinked and changed to blue. The tiger's body arched, fur, claws, fangs and paws disappeared.

Alannah gasped in surprise as she found herself face to face with a young woman. Pointy ears stuck out from behind long, light-blonde hair that framed a slender face. Where the fur had been was now smooth, pale skin. Blue eyes looked at her, exhaustion, sadness and a trace of fear heavily visible in them.

"It's an Animorph?" Leigh asked, slightly confused.

All heads turned to the girl that had sunk back into the pillows.

"She is an Animorph," Loreen corrected.

"What happened? How did she come to be here?" Leigh wanted to know, looking at the twin brothers. "Could somebody please tell me what's going on? She is an Animorph that means she is from Ashkyhra, which is quite a few hundred miles away from here..."

"All explanations can wait until later," Loreen interrupted. "I would like to examine her first to make sure that she is alright. Wyan, why don't you and your brother tell Leigh how you found her?"

"Yes, Mother," the young man answered, reached for Leigh's arm and dragged her to another corner of the hut where they could talk. Ranib joined them.

"We wanted to go fishing this morning," Wyan began to relate. "The fish were not biting great so we decided to try a different spot. There, we found her lying unconscious on the river banks. We brought her here to mother's hut. At that point though we didn't know that she is an Animorph. That was just revealed when she woke up. She must have been scared."

"I bet, she was," Leigh said. "How would you feel if you were suddenly to wake up in strange surroundings? I'm still wondering though how she came to be here."

Meanwhile, Loreen and Alannah were tending the girl.

"Can you tell us your name?" the princess asked gently.

"Terrulli. My name is Terrulli," came the answer in a small voice.

"Oh, that sounds very pretty. My name is Alannah."

"Where... where am I?" the young woman wanted to know, her eyes darting around the room. Now that she was no longer frightened, she felt more comfortable in the presence of all the people. "How did I come to be here?"

"You are in Chitaan. Ranib and Wyan found you." Looking at her intently, Alannah asked softly, "You don't know what happened to you?"

Terrulli shook her head, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. " I'm so cold. Am I hurt badly?"

"Not physically, no," Loreen chimed in, holding a wooden bowl with a delicious smelling broth to the girl's lips. "Take only small sips. This will help to warm you up."

"Thank you." Carefully sipping, the broth went down her throat and immediately she was feeling better.

"What do you remember? Do you know how you came here?" Alannah inquired.

"I... I... " Silence fell. Terrulli stared ahead, trying to think but coming up with nothing. Then her gaze lifted. "I don't remember anything," she admitted in a broken whisper, her eyes filling with tears.

Loreen reached out and patted the young woman's hand. "It's alright. Do not get upset. You need to rest."

Terrulli closed her eyes. Only a few minutes later she was fast asleep.

The healer indicated to Alannah to follow her. She shut the curtain and sat down at the table, Ranib, Wyan, Leigh and Alannah took their seats besides her.

"How bad is she hurt?" Leigh asked.

"Physically not too bad. She has a few scrapes and bruises and she might catch a cold since she's been in the water for only the Spirits know how long," the healer replied. "It does worry me a bit that she doesn't remember how she came to be here. I could not find any sign of a head injury, but I can't shake the feeling that she was traumatized by something."

Leigh turned to the twin brothers. "You say you found her at the river banks. Did you see any traces of a boat or raft nearby?"

Ranib and Wyan shook their heads.

"That's weird. Down here, the Kildiv doesn't have much water and is not suitable for a boat or raft to travel on. Maybe her boat got destroyed or she fell out of it more up the stream and then she was washed down here by the current."

"All the speculating is not going to help any," Ranib answered. "We have to wait till she is better and then we can ask her what happened."

"What if she wasn't alone?" Alannah said. "What if she lost her family to the river and her mind shut down and that's why she can't remember?"

"Let's not assume the worst," Loreen answered. "Maybe she will remember after she has rested." Even though she heard herself say the encouraging words, she didn't believe them. Something very horrific must have happened to the Animorph from Ashkyhra. "We should inform King Zaylan," the healer decided.

*****

Continued...