Vultures sounded in the air, searching for any left over remains on the dusty
seabed. Sahhara felt exhausted. All the running, battling, escaping, and traveling
had finally caught up on her.
She lay down on the cold grey sand, her head resting on her paws. A dead forest
stretched endlessly behind her, while the lifeless, grey-sea was ahead.
She wished more than ever the crests would do what she wanted to do, rather
than control her abilities like they did. She slipped silently into the sea.
It wasn't rocking, like an ocean should, it was completely still. She slipped
beneath the surface, her eyes stung, but she kept them wide open, and searched
to corrals.
Where could the moon crest possibly be? she thought desperately.
Fish darted at impossible speeds as she swam further out to sea, occasionally
rising for a breath of air. She searched until the outline of the moon shone
high. It was only three quarters of a moon, yet some things seemed to change
in its light. Sahhara shivered along the shore, the whole day of swimming left
her incredibly tired.
As stars twinkled above her, she flipped onto her back and started drawing
out pictures on her note pad, to pass the time while she regained a bit of energy.
She then saw something making her heart leap. She could see a path, a path that
traveled to the moon. Sahhara's eyes followed the trail of stars.
The path went through a dotty outline that looked like a clump of plants,
through the star-spelled desert plains, and through an arch. Through that arch,
was the moon…or the mooncrest? Sahhara sat up, every inch of her hoping this
would be right, as her paw sketched out the way she assumed was where the MoonCrest
would be.
Whoots were calling from the limp branches of the grey trees as Sahhara folded
the rough paper and slipped it back into her bag. Could this be the way?
She had no other ideas... it was worth a try. Sahhara then curled up, and
had a long awaited sleep. By the time it was morning, she packed up her belongings,
and held her map she had drawn a few hours ago before her. Sahhara's feet crunched
softly as she passed over dead bits of driftwood.
Soon her feet crunched on the occasional crumpled brown leaf as she made her
way through the forest. There were a lot of sounds, but not like those in a
real forest, more like the caws of crows and slithers of Cobralls... and the
crunching of more feet.
Sahhara had her ears perked, her eyes darting suspiciously.
A rusted fence blocked her progress. She scratched a hole and went beneath
it. Slinking stealthily on the now dusty dried clump of land. A siren went off.
Sahhara became startled, and tripped as she tried to run backwards, many guards
in grey uniforms surrounded her, Flash Rays in their hands, their dark eyes
locked on their target.
Sahhara had a flash image of how Faltoh must have felt, meeting his end so
quickly. Her wandering days seemed over as they stunned her with the guns and
threw nets over her, tying her wrists and hind legs with ropes, then muzzling
her as she growled and struggled, her eyes glazed over, due to the several stun
shots she was being hit with. They dragged her into a large grey building, and
thrust her roughly down a hole, tipping her out of the net.
She skidded down a metal pipe, the ropes were flailing out behind her. Sahhara
flopped limply to a dark, cold place. There were hushed whispers in the air.
"What's that?"
"Is that a lump of cheese?"
"Don't be stupid! It must be a new comer!"
"I'll go fetch the wise one! He'll know what to do."
There was the sound of scurrying feet. Sahhara just lay there. It was nice
and quiet.
She could feel many pairs of eyes upon her. She ignored them.
"Do you think it's dead?"
"Naw, see, it's breathing!"
A light flickered on from somewhere. A very small light, but it was there
nonetheless.
A dull thud of wood on dirt echoed in the chamber.
"So, a new comer has fallen into out midst once more eh?" said an old voice
that sounded like the speaker had barely any teeth left. Sahhara slowly opens
her eyes.
She saw many NeoPets, dirty, dusty, and thin, blinking back. There were two
twin Gelerts, a small Uni, a few Jubjubs, a Techo, and an incredibly old Skeith.
His age seemed to defy life itself. He walked along with a cherry wood walking
stick.
Deep wrinkles covered him from head to toe, his body looked weak, and brittle,
quite unlike the other NeoPets in the chamber.
"Help her up, Charlie," said the wise one.
The Techo, who appeared to be the Skeith's right hand man, nods, and grabbed
Sahhara under the stomach, hoisting her up.
***
Sahhara got to her feet, the stun ray wearing off. She retreated, her back
arched, as though they were opposing a threat.
"It's all right stranger," said the elderly Skeith calmly.
Sahhara remained in a battle position. Her crests hummed.
Something was not right about these NeoPets Her eyes wide, Sahhara backed
into the wall, resisting the urge to attack. It was unbearable. Something about
that Skeith hungered the crests. There was a crash, a clatter, and Sahhara was
spinning out of control, being hurled across the room.
She limply arose, blinking dazedly. The wise one stared back. "She does not
pass the test. She is of no value or courage, no ambition in life... I can see
right through her. She is a mere shell of a Lupess. Dispose of her."
Sahhara leapt up at these words, a slash in her pride formed with ease as
the harsh knife of the elders words forced her to react.
"How dare you!" she snarled. "You know nothing of me if you can protrude that
rough sketch of my character! Or if that was the best you could get your skill
is very primitive!"
The small crowd gasped. The elderly Skeith obviously had never been spoken
to in that way. "I have ambitions beyond your belief, I may not have a lot of
courage, but I feel like I am a value, seeing so much now depends on me." She
hissed, daring several steps toward the NeoPet and his companion. He blinked
his aged eyes and his face crinkled into a smile.
"Alas, she has passed the test!"
Sahhara felt a bit taken aback by her over reaction, and yet, she was confused.
"In our small--" The Skeith paused to look around the chamber. "--Ahem, in
our very small community, we issue a test. If they pass, they may stay in the
upper half of these endless chambers, if they fail, they are to go a level down.
From there onwards, I cannot really tell what happens from there. I've never
failed my tests. Most react with begging, bribery, and total lack of dignity.
However... exceptions such as yours allows me to decide who is worthy of staying,
and who isn't."
Sahhara felt slightly disgusted. "That is a bit prejudice you know."
The Skeith looked confused.
"Judging someone before even getting to know them," Sahhara explained.
"It's the way it works around here. You must find your place… seeing there
is no escape, unless you want to risk your life with those guns." Sahhara realised
how small the chamber was, how the walls seemed to close in, She needed the
open roads. She couldn't end up with her life task unfulfilled! "Sleep now,
you will need some rest."
The Skeith turned away and disappeared into the shadows. Sahhara lay down,
closing her eyes, trying to pretend she was anywhere, but here.
***
Sahhara awoke to screams and yells. Mayhem seemed to follow wherever she led
it. The twin Gelerts skittered past her, their eyes round and terror struck.
She looked up.
There was a wild rampaging beast on the loose, butting the NeoPets and cornering
their leader. Charlie jumped up, and tried to ward it off, yet the creature
was too strong. With a snarl, the Techo was rendered unconscious, a large lump
on his head.
Sahhara growls equally as ferocious as the peace-disturber. She too, leapt
onto the creatures back. It was barely larger then she was. She snapped at it,
the crests humming like crazy. She was loosing control. There was a yelp, as
the creature scampered into a dim spot of light from above.
Sahhara twisted, but her expression became thunderstruck at that instant.
"Faltoh!?!?!"
The little fire Lupe stood panting, his fine coat of fur ruffled, a small
scar had appeared along his cheekbone since she had last see him. Sahhara slowly
approached him, to make sure she was really seeing what she saw.
"Faltoh…you're alive? What are you doing here!?" Faltoh paused to catch his
breath, shooting a deadly look at the Wise One.
"THIS, Sahhara, is the man you want. This man had something to do with those
crests! This man is at fault! He is to blame for the state of the world!"
Sahhara couldn't take this in.
"How??"
"I'll explain later! Sahhara! Destroy him! Get rid of him!!" Faltoh demanded.
She had never seen him like this before. She turned to the Wise One.
"I need an explanation, or I'm afraid my companion may become beyond my control.
Answer quickly, What did you have to do with the crests?"
She murmured imperiously, brandishing the shuddering collection of power around
her neck.
To be continued... | 
