Story Character Art Zills

Taking a walk around the Haunted Woods, you begin to hear something. Ding, ding, ding… It's the sound of coins jingling at a rhythmic beat. The melody leads you to three large red wagons and behind them there's a giant colorful flame. You go around them to see neopets gathered around the fire. Suddenly everyone stops and turns to you. You smile nervously.

A cybunny with long ears walks towards you. With every step you can hear ding, ding, ding. There were coins adorned around her hips. Her soft smile grows into a grin as she says, "Hi, I'm Dahleena! Won't you have some food?" You look around at all the neopets and realize you've run into a gypsy camp! Dahleena's eyebrows begin to furrow, so you quickly say, "I'd love to!

Come have a seat here," she says as she leads you to a tree log covered with pillows. You ate some of their delicious food and watched as the took turns dancing and telling stories. "You know, I wasn't always a wanderer. I used to live in riches," Dahleena says. You look at her like she's crazy. She laughs and says, "No, it's true!" "Well, if you used to live in riches, why are you here?" Dahleena sighs, but just as she is about to answer two elephante guards come barging in, knocking over one of the wagons in the process.

One of the elephantes grumpily says, "Everyone stop what you are doing. We are the Queen of the Lost Desert's most trusted guards. She has sent us on an important mission." The other elephante pulls out a flyer with a picture of a beautiful cybunny covered in jewels and gold. "This is the missing princess. We have been searching everywhere for her from the Krawk Islands to the clouds of Faerieland. Has anyone seen her?" No one says anything, so they search around. After a few minutes they leave.

Well that was really strange..." you start to say as you turn towards Dahleena, but she isn't there. This is the last and only time you meet this cybunny.

Not Everyone Who Wanders is Lost...

Dahleena spun, so lightly, almost as if she weighed but a feather. The crowd surrounding her dropped their spare change into her bag. Later that night, she joined her companions by the fire after she setting up tent. Tania turned to her and said, "Dee, looks like you made a lot tonight!" Dahleena smiled looking into her palms with the 152 neopoints she had made. If only they knew… she thought to herself. "Yeah, I can't believe it!"

Dahleena went into her tent and threw her body onto her haystack. She sighed and turned on her back looking up at all the shiny keys she had dangling over her. She probably had around 30 of them- different shapes and sizes. If she found a key, she'd take it.. She always dreamed to one day find an amazing treasure. Now, don't get the wrong idea. Dahleena wasn't looking for treasure per say.

What she truly seeks is adventure.

Tania, where are we headed next?" Dahleena asked. She was growing impatient. Too much time has passed in her eyes. She wanted to leave the gypsy camp they stumbled upon a few weeks back. Tania, tired and weary, simply replied, "I don't know." Tania wasn't much for adventure. In fact, she hated it. She didn't choose this life style.

Dad, dad," Tania screamed as the cops dragged him away. She was in tears as all the items around her were being taken out of their house. She grabbed her favorite artwork that her mother loved before she passed. "Please, please don't take this," Tania begged as tears poured down her face. There was no sympathy for criminals or their families- they pried the painting from her hands.

Dahleena sighed and handed Tania some apple tarts. They decided to move on ahead. Money seemed to be growing more and more scarce in the camp. Although Tania wanted to stay, she went with Dahleena as always. They'd become best friends and even sisters. Dance was something that bonded them together right from the start. Although their styles are a bit different, dance was something special to each of them. When Tania danced it reminded her of a time of structure and of her family. For Dahleena, it made her feel free and beautiful.

Somehow, they ended up in Qasala, a big city in the desert. Dahleena had a huge smile on her face. The beautiful gold buildings surrounding them seemed to shine like the sun. The streets were so busy; it looked like a giant sea of people.

Dahleena was about to drop her heavy bag beside a shady stall when a strange man grabbed her and pulled her quickly away. The strange man turned around once they reached a secluded alleyway. "I'm going to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to join the Shadowed Brothers. We take the poor and give them family, and use- meaning in their life. It's clear you have no home. Why don't you stay with us for the night. See if you like it?" Dahleena didn't know what to say. She knew it would be a bad idea to get mixed up with this group, but it seemed… like an adventure. "Sure… if my friend can come with me.

Wow…" Daleena sighed. Tania was speechless. The giant doors behind them closed as they just stared with astonishment. The walls were shining gold with an intricate design that led all the way up to the highest ceiling they'd ever seen. On the ceiling were chandeliers covered with exquisite diamonds. The rest of the room was empty except for a long velvety red rug that led to a giant chair framed with gold and garnished with lots of gems.

The strange man, whose name turned out to be Darren led the two girls down a long hallway and stopped at the third door. "This is where you will be staying," Darren said. At first neither of them did or said anything, they just glanced at one another. Finally, Dahleena pushed the doors open and exposed the beautiful room and a big comfy couch in the middle. The walls just like the rest of the building were gold.

They both gasped. "This is perfect…" Tania whispered. Darren chuckled," You don't think this is your room?" He led each of them to either side of the room and opened doors that blended into the wall. Inside were two identical rooms, even bigger than their common room. They each contained a big down filled bed with a gold frame, a beautiful vanity filled with the most expensive toiletries, a fancy cabinet that held beautiful clothing-namely a gown. Both gowns were different, yet the same in a sense that they were so alluring, so ravishing, that you cannot help but feel unworthy wearing it.

Each room also had a bathroom. The bathroom had a big bath tub made from beautiful turqoise malachite and had gold feet. They had sinks made of glass with gold fish swimming inside of them. The faucets were made of gold and the fish were so golden, you could've sworn they were made from gold as well. It seems having everything made from gold would become redundant, yet it didn't seem to be enough. There were chocolate scented orchids and soft embroidered towels.

Tania broke into tears.

credits

Layout by Sugary Premades

Story Character Art Zills
***Artist credit is shown right below each artwork***

Thank you rodney_mckay!!!


thank you faulknur!!


thank you stumproo!


thank you guineapig1953!

Story Character Art Zills

Hi, there! My name is Zills, and I am a Yellow Naleap, although Dahleena likes to say that I look more like gold! My bright coloring makes me stand out from the other red and blue Naleaps, so I have always felt out of place. Naleaps enjoy singing melodies that are enchanting and like lullabies. All of the Neopets in Shenkuu enjoy listening to them, but not when I sing. My melody is very different from the rest.

I always thought I'd be an outcast, until one day I heard a strange chirping that was similar to mine! I chirped and sang along to this melody as best as I could, hoping that this Naleap would hear me! It was a very strange sound, though -- even stranger than mine. As I chirped, I followed the sound to the palace. I then saw the Princesses of Shenkuu giggling at this Cybunny who was dancing around. I've never seen anything like her before. She had jewelry, so much of it, and it shone as bright as my feathers. She had gold adorned all over her clothing -- neck, arms, ears, and even her hair. She stood out like a sore thumb compared to the simple-yet-intricate design of the princesses' clothing. She was the one making the melody with gold placed on her fingers, which I soon learned are called finger cymbals.

I sang along as loud as I could. The Cybunny stopped and looked out the -blocked- "Hi, little Naleap. What are you doing here?" the Cybunny said as she extended her paw to me. I decided to hop onto her paw and sing the melody she had just been playing. She grinned from ear to ear, then said, "Well, that is just beautiful! My name is Dahleena. I'm visiting here. I'm one of the princesses of the Lost Desert." Dahleena moved me to here shoulder and began to dance to my song. The other princesses whispered as they tried to contain their laughter.

After a week had quickly gone by, Dahleena had to go back home to the Lost Desert. "Goodbye, little Naleap," Daheelna said as she packed her bags. I flew into her luggage and she smiled just as big as when she had first heard me sing. "Okay, you can come with me, but first I will give you a name." She paused, then declared, "I will call you Zills!" I wasn't sure why, but I absolutely loved the name right away, just as I adored Dahleena right away!

Dahleena and I would have such fun every day! I would sing my melody and she would dance. I had so much fun coming up with different songs for her, and she always knew just what would accent my melody. Her dancing was beautiful, and it inspired me to create the best songs that I could.

The funny thing is, Dahleena was exactly like me! I found where I belonged, and that was with Dahleena, but she was still searching. After a few months she started to gather a few things one night. I was very confused, and wondered if we were going on a trip. To my surprise, I was right and wrong. We were going on a trip, but we were never going to return to the palace. I got into my golden cage and she quickly grabbed it. With that, we were off into the night. I fell asleep, and when I awoke we were in the Haunted Woods. I was getting scared, but then we heard the jingling sound Dahleena makes with her coins and finger cymbals. It was a travelling gypsy caravan. Right when I saw all the Neopets dancing and singing songs similar to ours, I knew we had finally found our home.

Story Character Art Zills