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Ralton chuckled as the men of Rath scrambled for places to hide, or scatter among the trees. As soon as he finished lighting the torches atop his horse, he spun Nexio around and stayed to watch the show. The townsfolk seemed relieved to find the 'Z' of flames, and they began chanting "Protected" over and over. This made Ralton smile. He patted his horse's neck and whispered, "Now this is a thing of beauty, old Nexie." When all the soldiers were gone, he turned Nexio and trotted quickly over to Zorra, asking, "What do we do now?"

Ralton kicked Nexio's sides, making the horse's head bob and pick up a splendid gallop after Zorra. "Where are we going?" Ralton asked. If they were going somewhere dangerous, they still had Kio to worry about back at home.

(*continuously bangs head...* SOrry... again... jeeze things have been hectic on this end I'm sorry that I havent responded. At all. I'm trying to get on more often now)

Zorra glanced at her uncle. "To pick up a gift... and then heading home." She breathed a sigh, tention knotting her shoulders as she stopped to get into disguise.

"Uncle. I'm worried about Kio. I mean, I wonder if I'm around him enough... if he's lonely."

"Don'ty fret about Kio." Ralton replied. He was getting older, but Nearrah was his best friend, let alone his foster sister. "He's old enough to take care of himself." Ralton also said. "Still, perhaps you should hurry back. He cares much about you, he could be worried."

**************

Kio was done with his short nap, and he was strolling through the kitchen, looking for a quick snack. He found the beef jerky on the table where his Grnadfather left it, and he slipped a piece out of the bag, then laughed, "I'm trapped without Nearrah and eating the dried particales of a dead cow... Great." He still ate it anyway, then took a seat and crossed his knee, glancing aimlessly around the room.

((Dang it! Trying to stay paced and often >.< I've become my worst irritation: Not being on often))

Zorra nodded and quickly placed several gems and gold peices on the table where her completed gift lay. In the blade, etched perfectly and finely, was a Z. Her mark. It could only be seen under the Moon and Fire. Smiled, it was perfectly balanced, thin and light. Almost exactly like hers.

Kio will love it.

Mounting Tornado, she kicked him into overdrive and headed back home... quickly snagging a few groceries on the way.



**********

THree hours later, it was sundown and she noticed something wrong at home... it was quiet. Normally Kio would be out and around finishing up chors or making sure Grandfather was fed.

No. Grandfather had to tend to the NObles.

Then where's Kio?"

Narrowing her eyes, she led Tornado through a crack in the wall, barely noticable since it's so thin.

As Kio sat at the table, munching on whatever they had, he heard someone whisper, Then where's Kio? He knew that it must be Nearrah, since Grandfather was nowhere to be found. Kio quickly hid the snacks, then waited to be seen.

But that was no fun!

The half of Kio's mind that was like a criminal's gave him an idea of a prank he could play, just to lift her spirits. He knew how Nearrah hated spiders, so he took a bucket, filled it with fake, plastic spiders they happened to have laying around, and attached a string to it, holding it about the doorway to the kitchen. When he pulled the string, all the spiders would come down. Him and Nearrah knew not to do any pranks like leave notes from Rath, or tell the other they are going to kill themself. No, that was way too far. Kio mounted the bucket, then hid the rope behind his back. At the slightest movement of her passing through the doorway, he pulled the string.

Kio jumped when he heard Nearrah's voice. Then, he rolled his eyes and let go of the string and let the fake spiders spill into his hands. "Aw, c'mon, Nearrah!" he pleaded. "You're such a party pooper!" he said, but in a joking way. He dumped the spiders back into the place he found them, then went up to her. Then, he spotted something behind her back. "Whatcha got there?" he asked curiously.

Kio swung his arms from side to side anxiously. "Oookayyyy..." he pleaded eagerly. Then, a sincere thought entered his mind. "Say, that wouldn't be something for my birthday, would it?" He knew it was, but he had the urge to ask.

Kio smiled at the appearance of Zorra, whom he suspected was Nearrah. "Hello there, Zorra," he said politely with an exaggerated English accent. "Nice of you to come by." he said with giving a quick bow to make the act. "I truly appreciate all you've done to protect this fine land. And how exactly did you meet my step sister?" asked Kio as if he had no idea.

Bump! Just making it easier for you to find, if you lost it