As they looked around, they stood in the forest edge, within the barrier, hands in the air, the other holding each other.

Jing held Bast’s hand back tightly once she felt it, smiling more. Once they were back in the forest her other hand falling down to herself. “Were back.”

“Seems like it.” He said, holding her hand tightly as well. He looked to her, smiling. “Wonder how the others will react to seeing you now!”

Jing chuckled a little “I’m not sure. I’m still getting use to this myself Bast.” She admitted, looking at Bast.

Bast smiled, moving in front of her. “Yeah well, you just gained an older body after all.” He leaned forward slightly. “Hum, you really are taller now.”

Jing watched Bast, and leaned back a tiny bit when he came closer. “Of course I did! You didn’t expect me to stay that short did you?”

“Why not? You were rather cute all small and cuddly.” He grinned.

Jing bit her lip and stepped back from Bast, crossing her arms. “Well soooorry. But I like being taller. And I like looking my age!”

He laughed as she pulled her hand out of his. “Well, I think you look pretty cute like this too.” He said, grabbing her chin, he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Jing froze at the kiss, face going bright, BRIGHT red. She just looked at Bast, unable to say or do anything.

Bast grinned, “Mh yes, I could get used to this…” He kissed her again.

Jing was still shocked, but at the second kiss she reactivly kissed back a little. This was so weird to her, she had never kissed anyone before! Well… on the lips. She corrected in her mind, remembering kissing Bast on the cheek before.

Bast smiled, hugging her close and tentatively deepening the kiss.

Jing wasn’t really sure what to do, but let Bast deepen the kiss, and pretty much just following his lead.

He didn’t want to push it, knowing the girl was rather naive when it came to romance. He pulled back, licking her nose as he did, and smiling. “All an adult now eh?”

Jing pulled back a small bit as well, looking up at Bast. He was still a bit taller then her, but atleast she was closer to his height now. Her face was still the same bright red, adn she smiled at him, unsure what to say.

He brushed his thumb against her cheek, and finally pulled back. “Let’s go see the others? Let them know we haven’t been eaten by dragons.” He winked.

Jing looked at Bast before nodding and smiling still. “Good idea.”

Bast took her hand in his, and led her back towards the village area of the forest. “What will we tell them? How much?”

Jing followed beside Bast, thinking for a minute. “We might as well tell them I was tricked into leaving the barrior. And it was Leria that saved us both.”

Bast nodded, “And about Kinu and her magic to make you look your age.” He added. “What about Aurixel?”

Jing nodded but bit her lip at the mention of Aurixel “I…I’m not sure. Maybe we just… should keep quiet about him?”

He nodded, “They don’t need to know.” He agreed. “Know about what?” Came a voice from above. “Where HAVE you two been!?” Silver hopped down. “We were all worried sick about you two, after Cade told us you left the barrier, and then we went searching and you weren’t there but there was SO much blood and stuff we thought you might be dead! And I wanted to go searching but Veldahar said we shouldn’t and forced us to come back inside the barrier, and I’ve been waiting for you guys.” He trailed off, staring at Jing.

Jing couldn’t help but chuckle a little. Atleast with Silver around you got an explination pretty quick. “Hello to you too Silver. Sorry we vanished the way we did.”

Bast was rather glad at the pause in the jerboa’s prattle, he grinned with amusement as Silver stared at Jing. He was about to add something of his own when Silver cut him off. “Oh my gods! Jing you grew up! How dare you!” The short rodent dashed around Jing, pulling her tail and checking her up and down. “How’d you do it? Can I be tall too? Woah you’ve got curves! And your hair’s longer too! I think even your voice changed. You aren’t short anymore like me, that is SO not fair!”

Jing may have been expecting a rather, open reaction from the Jerboa but still once she heard him she burst out laughing. “Sorry Silver. I did grow. But can you show us where Iris and the others are so we don’t have to explain things twenty times?”

Silver stopped mid-sentence, thought of this, then nodded, “Okay but you’d better explain! And it better be a good story.” He nodded, then dashed off ahead of them, soon disappearing out of view. Bast sighed, “How’s he DO that?”

Jing shook her head a little, laughing more. “I’m not even sure myself. But even after a couple days you start missing him.”

Bast grinned, nodding. “He has a way of livening things, and it seems nothing can keep him down for long.” He agreed.

“I think he is a great boost for the group. And he can floor you in a sword match.” Jing said with a smirk, walking off in the direction Silver had run.

Bast scowled, unwilling to admit to this. He walked alongside her. “I just let him win.”

“Twice in a row~?” Jing teased with a grin towards Bast.

Bast didn’t look at her. “Sure… Can’t have the tyke lose!”

Jing laughed and shook her head, looking around as they walked. “Wonder where Silver headed off to…”

“Probably to te house to let everyone know we’re still alive.” He said, as the treees cleared out and the treehouses came into view. Silver was bouncing up and down and herding all the companions into the field outside the house, pointing excitedly at the two.

Jing chuckled quietly “So… You agree to do all the explaining right?” She said with a small smile.

Bast blinked. “Wait…. why me!?”

Jing shrugged “Just cause.”

Bast pouted. “You tell about how you got to looking like a sixteen year old kid at least!”

“Fine I’ll do that. You explain everything else? And I’m not a kid!” Jing said, glaring at Bast.

Bast grinned, “Yes you are.”

“No I’m not!” Jing said angerly. “And now you can go ahead and explain everything.”

Bast laughed, “Oh come on, don’t be such a baby!”

Jing shrugged, crossing her arms “I’m not a kid Bast. So don’t call me one. Besides you did kiss me, twice. So that means you know I’m not a kid.”

Bast poked her cheek as they came up to the others. “Can’t help it… you get so angry when I call you that.” He whispered in her ear.

Jing’s face showed a bit of rede, and she really wished Bast hadn’t made her blush as they got over to the others. She would kick him later as payback. Looking at her friends she smiled a little “Hey guys…”

Iris smiled widely as they approached and hopped to her feet, rushing over to hug Jing, then Bast. “I’m so glad you’re both okay, we were so worried…” Silver nodded, bouncing around. “See? I told you! Jing is taller now! And she’s got BOOBS!”

Jing smiled, hugging Iris back “Of course we are both oka-” She stopped midsentence as she heard Silver, face going bright red. “S-SILVER!”

Bast laughed, nodding in approval. “Yes, she does. They look good on her too.”

Lei chuckled as he watched the reunion, and heard Silver. He brought his hand forward, flicking one of the jerboa’s ears. “Come on now both of you. Your embaressing her.” He said before looking at Jing and Bast “Good to see you both back safe and sound.”

Jing’s face was just going brighter red as she heard Bast, looking at the ground and her tail, the fur standing streight fron her bring so flustered causing it to look even bigger and fluffyer then it already was normally.

Silver’s ears twitched indignantly. “Oi, Lei don’t do that!” He protested, then spotted the fluffy, luxuriously long tail. “Oh geeze your tail is even flufier and longer! He dashed forward, and wrapped it around himself like a long blanket, snuggling into her fur.

Jing looked at Silver and couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Hey thats my tail.” She said, moving it away.

Silver hopped to keep within the curl of her tail, “But it’s so warm and comfy!” He said happily. Iris grinned, “How DID you grow so suddenly?”

Jing watched Silver with a sigh and a shake of her head before looking at Iris. “It was Kinu actually. She had learned a way to let me grow to my true age.”

Iris blinked, “You saw Kinu!? How is she? Was Leria with her?”

Jing grinned and nodded “Kinu is fine now. Resting and recovering. And we saw Leria too.” She said before looking at Bast. He had after all agreed to help with all the explaining.

Bast grinned, nodding, “Well, we kinda ran into a spot of trouble after leaving the barrier…” He motioned and the group sat down in the grass, Silver sitting beside jing to abuse her tail some more. Bast told them of the trap and the white dragon, and how he’d also been caught, being somewhat vague when it came to who had caught him. He then told them how Leria had saved them and they’d gone back to her cave.

Jing had kept quiet as Bast told the story, when the white dragon had been mentioned her face had gone pale, memories of that torture still fresh in her mind. She even stopped trying to get her tail away from Silver when that living nightmare came back to her.

Silver seemed to sense her unease, and he scooted closer, hugging her instead of her tail.

Jing looked at Silver, smiling a little and bringing one arm around him, thankful for the hug. She had really needed that.

Iris sighed, shaking her head, “At least things worked out in the end, I’m glad Leria and Kinu are okay.”

Jing nodded in agreement but said nothing, just hugging Silver still and glad for the silent comfort.

Lei looked at Bast then Jing and then back to the Kankiru. He could tell more had happened, but if it wasn’t said there was a reason he knew. Everyone was entitled to their own secrets after all.

“So after we were in the cave, Leria made me fall asleep and almost freeze to death while Kinu made Jing grow up!” He said, laughing. “Then she almost broke my fingers off..” He lifted his hand to show two rather bruised, slightly twisted fingers.

Jing looked at Bast, glaring at the kankiru “You desreved getting hit for what you did! And the fingers are healed mostly!”

He grinned, looking at Lei, “Ever wondered why girls get so worked up when you touch their breasts?”

Lei shrugged a little “Probably cause its insulting?” He said, looking at Bast. “Especially if thats the first thing you did seeing Jing older.”

“It was.” Jing said angerly, glaring at Bast.

Bast laughed, “Sorry, but I was just waking from almost freeezing to death and well… they caught my attention!”

Jing glared at Bast before looking away from him. “It was still insulting!”

Iris sighed, shaking her head. “Men…”

Jing nodded in agreement “They are very annoying arn’t they?”

Silver giggled, “Are we? But I bet you wouldn’t want us gone either!”

Jing sighed a little, “Sometimes I wonder.” She said, a grin on her face.

Silver nuzzled against her, “You know you can’t live without me!”

Jing laughed at Silver, half hugging him “Well maybe I can stand you.”

Bast managed to look hurt at this. “Oh but I can go die in a ditch?” He asked.

Jing was still grinning a little “Well after what you did earlyer? You have to make it up to me.”

“Oh and that kiss didn’t make it up?” He asked. Silver blinked. “Kiss!?” He looked up at Jing. “Did you two KISS!?” Iris smiled slightly, eyes glittering.

Jing coughed, face going red and she looked away from everyone. Lei grinned as he heard that “Wow. That didn’t take long at all.”

Silver hopped to his feet, dancing around the two. “Bast and Jing, sitting in a tree… K…I..S..S..I…N..G! First comes love… then comes marriage…” He hopped beside Jing. “Then comes the baby in the baby carriage!”

Jing’s face went even more red as she heard the singing “S…Silver be quiet you!!!”

Bast laughed, though he was slightly pink as well. “A..anyways, Iris have you had any luck with those disks?” He said, trying to change the subject.

Jing was glad for the change of subject, looking over at Iris and hoping there had been more found out.

Iris nodded, “The disks mention two artifacts used in an ancient war against the dragons of evil. One was the Dragonlance, the other the Dragon Orb.” She explained. “But there’s no indication of where they can be found.” She sighed, shaking her head. “But there is a clue to a library, somewhere in the Lost Desert, that might show us the way.”

Lei twitched a little as he heard mention of the Lost Desert. He could barely handle the summers in Shenkuu and Altador when he was younger… he wasn’t sure about going to a desert!

Jing sighed as she heard that “Great… Going back to the desert…” She muttered.

Iris nodded, she didn’t seem to like the idea either. “I know… but it’s our only clue, and if these objects can help us fight the dragons…”

“Does it say where in the desert? Will we have to go back to the same area as last time?” Jing asked, really hoping they wouldn’t have to go near that one city, or near where that annoying old krawk had lived.

“I’m not sure… it mensions a city called Quesiah, and maybe it isn’t Quasala… or it might be Quasala’s old name. The disks are old after all.” She shook her head, we’ll have to ask around, but I’m not looking forward to it.”

“Neither am I. If we go back to that one city Iris… you and me will have to hide our faces just to be safe.” Jing said with a nod.

Bast blinked, “Why? What happened in that city?”

“Its the city where I met Iris.” Jing explained, looking at the wocky before sighing.

Bast frowned, “Ah…” He’d heard of Iris’s past as a slave, and coould now understand why they didn’t want to go back. “Well, we can go into the city and you two stay outside.” He suggested.

“Matters… If we can hide our faces it should be fine. Hopefully we just can avoid that city. I also hope we don’t somehow run into that krawk.” Jing muttered with a sigh.

Iris nodded, “Though I have the feeling if anyone knows where that library is… it’s that krawk.”

Jing twitched as she heard that “You realize if he is our only hope of finding it… we are totally screwed. He hates me with a passion I swear.”

Bast shrugged, “Well, he doesn’t know all of us, so maybe we’ll get some help.” He said. “Besides, he wasn’t evil was he? Didn’t he help you guys?”

“He did… Though part of my things he did it to try and get what he wanted.” Jing muttered, crossing her arms. “I guess if need be we can try him… But I would recomend me not being there. I hate him, and I know he hates me.”

Bast nodded, “Fair enough.” He leaned back against a treestump. “So it’s decided then… we’re going to the Lost Desert.”

Lei sighed quietly as he heard that “I think… I should stay here then.” He admitted with a nervous smile.

Silver blinked, sitting up. “Why?”

“I don’t think I could handle being in a desert.” Lei admitted. “When I was younger I had a hard time dealing with Shenkuu and Altador’s sumemrs during my travels.”

Silver tilted his hands. “The heat? But… it’s winter… it’ll be pretty cool even in the desert… won’t it?” He turned to look at Bast. He shrugged, “Not sure. Usually the desert is still pretty hot even in winter.”

“What was it like in the winters Iris?” Jing asked, looking at the wocky. After all, she had lived in the desert before.

Iris hesitated, “Well… when I was smaller there was barely any difference, but as time went on… it HAS gotten colder in winter. Not cold enough for snow, but the sun does beat down less fiercely.” She admitted.

Lei still seemed unsure, a desert was still a desert to him. “I guess I can try.” He muttered. He really didn’t want to deal with heat but he would try.

Bast nodded, “If it gets too hot you can always turn back.” He said.

Lei nodded “Yes that is true. When do you think we should head out? If we wait to long the passes might end up blocked with snow.” He said, knowing well that mountians were hard to travel in the winter that was quickly coming.

Bast nodded, “I know. But we’re still in autumn, there won’t be snow for a week or two. I think we can rest for a few more days and gather supplies before we leave.”

Lei nodded a bit “Alright. I know how to dry out food well. So we can have some fruits, meat and fish to carry that won’t spoil near as quickly as fresh.” He offered.

Bast nodded, “That sounds great! I saw the draiks carried some food bars of some kind that looked pretty sturdy and we have to repair and get more waterskins. We’ll need them for the desert.” Silver jumped to his feet, “I’ll collect the fruits!” He offered, dashing off without waiting for a response.

Lei watched Silver run off, laughing a little “I’ll be able to catch some fish and game. Maybe ask the draiks about the bars they had and how to make them.”

Bast nodded, “Great. I’ll work on those waterskins then. Maybe I’ll help you with the hunting later.”

Lei grinned and nodded, moving to stand. “Alright then. Atleast we have a plan. But we should try to be readuy early. Just incase the weather desides to bring snow early.”

Bast stood as well, “Yeah, better be safe than sorry.” He agreed. Iris smiled, looking at Jing, “Not much left for us to do it seems.” She said. “I think i’ll go talk to Rena… she will have to stay here when we leave.” She glanced at Lei. “What about Dalit?”

Lei looked at Iris, biting his lip a little at the mention of the little silver dragon. “Its best if he stay here.” He finally said with a sigh. “Though I know hw won’t be happy about hearing that…”

Iris nodded, “It’s better for him, he’ll be safe here, and once winter comes he’ll have a lot of fun in the snow with the other children. Perhaps you can tell him to stay to keep watch over Rena.”

Lei smiled and nodded “Atleast they won’t be left alone completely with strangers. But… Who will take care of them?”

Iris smield, “I’ve been talking to some of those who we rescued and one has agreed to look after Rena. I wasn’t sure if you’d be willing to leave Dalit behind but she has no problem looking after them both.”

Lei nodded “Dalit has been through enough. I’ll be happy to know he is here and safe.”

Iris nodded, “I feel the same way for Rena.” She smiled faintly, “The girl deserves a chance at being a care-free child.”

Lei nodded “Any kid does.” He said, streaching again, wings spreading wide as he did.

Iris sighed, “Indeed. To think a five year old has gone through so much already, forced to work and obey orders, even going through having her tongue cut out to keep her silent and submissive.” She shook her head, lips pressing tightly together, “We’ll make sure to do our part to make sure that doesn’t happen to more children.”

Lei was shocked when he heard that. Her tounge had been cut out?! Shaking his head he sighed “I agree with you Iris.”

Iris gave a soft smile, “I’ll go talk to Rena then.” SHe bowed and walked off, leaving Bast, Jing and Lei behind.

Lei watched Iris head off, looking at Bast and Jing “I’m going to head off too. See you guys later. Good to know your back safe and sound.” He said before turning and walking off.