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Opal glanced around at the home she had found. It seemed unbelievable that just a few months ago she had been just another naive kith for Iris to take care of, but now? She had grown so much is little time, and it was all because of her human friend, Dread.

Dread was sleeping at the moment. New magic from the discovered enchanted forest seemed to have affected her- bare arms now sprouted wings, ears had narrowed down to a point- but it was still Dread, the one who had brought her from the edge of the tatters.

"*YAWN* Hey Opal, whatcha' doin'?" Citrine, one of Opal's companions, stretched at the foot of the bed. Opal noticed Dread shift in her sleep, a small grimace passing over her face.

"Shhh if you want to talk, let's take this outside." Opal sidled up to the open window, glancing back to see if Citrine would follow. "A'right Opal, just *YAWN* give me a sec to *YAWN* wake up." Opal glared back in annoyance. "A'right I'm a'comin'" and Citrine leaped down from the bed, careful to avoid Dread's feet as he headed to the window.

Soaring above, Opal cut through the wind, Citrine running beneath her. Settling on the crest of the hill, Opal and Citrine took a chance to catch their breath as they overlooked the center of Hope.

"So Opal, what's keepin' you awake? You seemed so uh...sad? Not sad, but um..."

Opal interrupted him, "No no, I'm not sad, I was just thinking about how we got here. Back then I didn't know what to think, I would have willingly just gone back into the tatters without a second thought. But now, knowing all I would have lost...."

Citrine shifted closer to Opal. "Oy, don't ya think like that! We did find Dread, right? And look at all you've accomplished! You are the one who holds our little group together- the one who gets Serp to come out of hiding whenever anyone comes to visit, the one who makes sure Barite isn't a total butt to everyone...."

"The one who makes sure you don't get your curious little tail in trouble again"

Citrine nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, ya got me there."

"But you are right C, I can't think about the past. We are here now, and I want to do everything I can to help Dread. Our world was so small before, just the edge of the tatters. But now, Hope, the Enchanted Forest, what else is out there?"

Opal turned her head towards the sky, the stars winking in and out of existence as she looked at them. Hope lay below her, the lights off save for one close to where she expected the lab to be. The tatters, ever looming, seemed remarkably serene tonight, the torn fabric fading peacefully into the distance. This was her world now, and she would protect it, and she would protect Dread.

"*YAWN* well I don't know about you, Opal, but I'm bushed. Race ya back to the dorm?"

Opal snapped out of her contemplation, grinning "Sure, if you think your little paws can beat my wings."

"Those be fighting words" And the ferrec was off, careening down the hill back to the dorms. Opal chuckled, spread her wings, and joined the stars in the sky, her feathers gleaming through the darkness as she soared back to her home.