darkSpyro

Peepers went to see if Sybil was at Crocux's cave. Even if you got lost on the way, you would always find the way thanks to the big croc's snores. Peepers entered to see if Sybil was there, but since she wasn't and everybody in the cave was sleeping, he decided to wait for her there without making a sound. It was vital to do a meeting right away, especially if more warblers were thinking of moving away with the danger still too evident. He already asked Mambo to reunite all the warblers to the big tree, and while he and a few other parrots were gathering them, the keas that acted as sentries were taking a well deserved rest.

Meanwhile, Sybil was at her creek, having managed to catch quite a fat trout. Only half was going to fill her up, so she was thinking of letting the other half to Crocux as a little breakfast. But as she was being done, Yodel gave her a surprise visit.
"Hello you diamond in the rough. The thick brained parrots are reuniting the warblers for a meeting. Peepers was pestering all of us yesterday for one. He's tell you what is going on." Yodel informed, using his usual rude voice. He rarely left his nest, but since he was so bored, he took the task.

"Alright Yodel... thanks." Sybil said cordially but neutrally, use to Yodel's rudeness, though it was refreshing to see him do something useful even if it was just once in a while. She then headed to Crocux's cave and left him the half of the fish. Leaving the cave to head for the meeting, Peepers followed her, though she didn't noticed, thinking about the python. What was he doing right now? And what was Rose and the rest of the Haven were going to think if they knew she was having alone visits with the dangerous snake?

While every member of the Haven was slowly waking up, Sybil went to the kea's tree, and the meeting took place. Everybody made sure they were as quiet as possible when talking, but it was hard since everybody knew about Sybil's meeting with the python AND the young warbler's unauthorized move. They were alright, but they were still in danger. When Sybil told about what the python said to her, there was quite an uproar. The python didn't promise a halt to his pursuit.

"You mean to tell me that we spent the entire night away from the parrot's protection with the python still hunting us!?" one of the young warblers that moved away said, angry that Sybil didn't made any progress.

"Hey, you all moved away without even waiting for my news! You took the risk yourself!" Sybil rebuffed furiously, feeling like she was being accused.

"That's because we trusted you would solve the problem yesterday!" the warbler yelled, and before the arguing could get worse, Mambo spoke.

"That is enough! There was no guarantee a deal would work. This python has finally decided to make it's presence shown, but only to the lady Sybil. We should be thankful that she took such a huge risk in meeting him to try to stop him from pursuing you warblers!" the kea leader said, coming to Sybil's defense. The young warblers didn't realized how lucky they were that the python didn't hunt last night. Everyone was nervous on what to do next, but Sybil knew she had to keep trying for their sake and everyone else's...

"I'm up...," said a slightly tired Sayan as he slowly got up. He gave a slight smile seeing that Rose had already awoken.

"She might have to, I'm afraid. So far-- she's the only one the python has given an audience to and I doubt he just gave up warblers on the very first attempt.," Sayan said with a salumn tone.

At the meeting, everyone got tense when Sybil announced that she was going to visit the python again. The young warblers were forced to move away from their homes and near the kea's tree again until the matter was solved. But since the warblers went in uproar again about the situation, Sybil had no choice but to end the meeting prematurely while the parrots calmed them down. She left the tree with Mambo's help, and the parrot accompanied her.

"This is a python we're talking about miss Sybil. You're lucky he didn't attacked you yesterday, but I know about pythons, and if big enough, they can battle even a crocodile." Mambo said, really worried about the civet. But there was no way he was going to convince Sybil to stop risking her life to persuade the python to stop hunting her friends. There has been too many loss of lives already.

"He's very big alright Mambo, but yesterday, he was polite to me. And this particular python seems interested in eating only birds. Yesterday, I offered him a pigeon and he accepted it. Hopefully, he will like their taste better and leave the warblers alone." Sybil said, wanting to believe that did the trick since there were no fatalities last night, but still, she had to make sure. Mambo cringed with the information since he was also a bird. Either way, he had faith in Sybil.

"Don't worry about me Mambo. You know I have taken risks like this before. Please try not to worry." Sybil said, bidding Mambo goodbye when he decided to help his flock with the warblers when there was no hope in making Sybil change her decision. Sybil arrived near Sayan's den, wanting to speak with him, but since she didn't want Rose to listen, she waited until she left in order to talk with the leopard alone...

Sybil was a bit baffled on why Rose left so suddenly, but since she was in a hurry, she didn't questioned anything. She then slowly approached Sayan once Rose was far away enough, and talked.
"Hey Sayan. Good mo... I mean, good afternoon." Sybil said after looking at the sun, realizing it was now afternoon. The meeting ended earlier, but it was still longer than she expected.
"I am leaving now Sayan. Like yesterday, make sure nobody follows me to the deep forest." Sybil said as she turned and left quickly before Sayan would question her safety like Mambo did earlier. This time, she wasn't going to offer a pigeon to the snake, first because there was no time, and second, cause she didn't want the big creature to get use to the free food.

Sybil arrived quickly to that dense, gloomy part of the forest, not looking for the python since she knew he was expecting her. She waited patiently for him to appear, not walking any further since that forest looked like it could have quicksand. Sybil wondered for how long she was going to keep those unpleasant meeting with a creature whom she was at the complete mercy of...

Sybil pulled some of her whiskers when she saw Rose had followed her all the way to that dangerous place!?
"Rose!?!? What on Earth are you doing here? I told Sayan I shouldn't be followed! Did he put you up to this!?" Sybil yelled furiously, believing the python wasn't going to show himself now with Rose there.

"Never mind that. I thought you knew about these visits from the warblers. The already know about these meeting." Sybil explained, having thought that everyone knew considering what big gossipers the warblers were.

"You shouldn't be here Rose! This place is dangerous, and if the python thinks that I brought you here, he might not show up, and worse, it's going to be harder to earn his trust if he thinks I don't trust him." Sybil expressed, urging Rose to leave immediately.

Sybil got even more furious when Rose told her she had followed her yesterday as well, which was a blow to Sybil's pride for having been unable to detect the tiger. She didn't show her anger though, and after a few seconds of calming down, she spoke again.
"I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but I know I won't be able to just kick you away." Sybil said, knowing that Rose could be as stubborn as her. She wasn't sure the python would appear now that Rose was present, but since Rose claims she spoke to the python yesterday as well, the perhaps he would allow an audience with the both of them.

Sybil waited for the python to appear... if he appeared at all. She kept her back on Rose since she didn't want her to see how disappointed she felt. And insulted that Rose didn't trust her enough to keep herself safe.

Sybil wasn't sure now if the python was going to appear now. She believed that if he talked to Rose yesterday was because she was alone. But now the two of them were together, so maybe the python wasn't going to accept that. She hoped he proved her wrong though, as she continued to let Rose be the one to call him, since she was too angry to speak.

Among the nearby shrubbery-- someone was watching and an shadow could almost be seen. "I see you're not alone. You know... You're lucky your friend was the only thing following you my dear covet.,"a voice said presumably from the snake.

Quote: redwes

Among the nearby shrubbery-- someone was watching and an shadow could almost be seen. "I see you're not alone. You know... You're lucky your friend was the only thing following you my dear covet.,"a voice said presumably from the snake.

Sybil could see the shadow moving, and of course, that voice was unmistakable. Trying to forget she was angry at Rose, she spoke with the python.
"I can assure you I didn't know Rose has been following me." Sybil said, imvoluntarily getting closer to the tiger for protection, but considering the python's humongous size, she wasn't sure that was enough.

"But let's just get to the point. As I promised, here I am, and I must have an answer today. The warblers... they are very afraid of you. You have them in a severe uproar. That has got to stop! I offered you that pigeon yesterday so that you would change your diet. I can't have you hunting my friends again. The pigeons, can't you see? They are bigger, and easy to catch if you try." Sybil commented, very determined to halt the python's rain of terror. Sybil knew too well he was going to be impossible to remove from the island if he could camouflage so extremely well...

The shadow of the snake grew larger and larger, as if the large snake was once again reviewing itself. But it got smaller and the snake seemed to look back. As if it were talking to someone... 'Fine.. fine.. but not now. Just go away.,' it said under its breath. Still only one shadow could be seen, but who knew was lurking in the vastly unexplored terrain. The snake seemed to turn around again, judging by its shadow at least, and soon reviewed itself once again. Large and ominous-- and looked down upon the two feline-like creatures.

"After some time to myself.... I...," it said appearing to pause for a moment. "I agree-ee to your terms. Tell your frieeends that they may come out once again. And I advice you *avoid* this area in the future. Don't want anyone getting mixed u-up in the hunt....," it said in strange and early sounding slither of a voice.

Sybil didn't quite understood that last sentence, but either way, she didn't trust the snake either. But his word is all she had, and with Rose as a witness, she could finally deliver the such awaited message to the poor warblers.
"Alright... I'll take your word to that..." Sybil said, but before she left, there was one other thing she wanted to let something clear.

"But... if you take your word back and attack my friends again... I... I shall have to remove you from the island. I'm not sure how, but I've had equally difficult task like these in the past and I have succeeded in my objectives. Just don't make me do it. You can live peacefully here if you want to. Just leave my friends alone." Sybil warned,actually trying to intimidate the python by mere words. She then started to back out and gently pushed Rose as she retreated, trying to encourage the tiger to do the same since their business was done and she didn't want the python to have second thoughts about not hurting them.

Sybil wanted to make sure she left that place immediately and never have to return again, since she always had that odd feeling of some sinister presence. She always believed it was just the python and not something else, ignoring completely there was something much more to it. As she left that place, she tried very hard not to look back at the python, not wanting to know the look that menacing giant was giving her after her warning.

Jaerl and Royal are off fishing together, far away from all the commotion. The eagle and his adopted son, the falcon are more than aware of the serpent threat, but are not terribly concerned as both of them could most likly dispatch of it, if need be.

AJ: Meanwhile I continue to live my double life, hoping and praying that soon Odette and her mate, will become part of Haven, soon. Still part of me is worried that if someone finds out... Things may get ugly.

While Sybil and Rose were in that horrible part of the forest trying to leave it, things at the Haven were peaceful, yet tense. The warblers could barely get on with their lives with the thought of something out there could kill them in the blink of an eye and that talking with the python was the only solution possible, since like Sybil, they knew it was going to be practically impossible to banish the snake, and even less kill it like they did with Shadow should the threat becomes out of control.

Sholeh in the meantime, remained at AJ's tree, not caring about anything. The snake seemed to be a threat to the warblers alone so far, so obviously, being not so fond of the small birds, she didn't even try to lift a claw to try to somehow help in that predicament. She has also given up in trying to figure out AJ, since he was always so secretive. She knew he was hiding something, but since she didn't care about anyone's business, she wasn't going to ask him what was up unless he made the first move.

The snake went his own way-- urging the voice within to withhold. At least for the time being. 'They believe they are at peace and they shall be-- but just long enough for them.. for them to no longer notice what is coming for them. Time...,' 'he spoke internally.

Sayan, meanwhile, waited for Rose to return. It annoyed him... the secrecy of all of it. He could only hope though that they had succeeded.

Finally, Sybil and Rose returned to the den, with the civet glad to have been able to leave that unpleasant place without a scratch. Peepers, who had been perching on what use to be his home, waitin for the two's return, landed besides her.
"Thank heavens you two returned. I was getting dinner and I found you two heading to the Forbidden Swamp." Peepers said, with Sybil hearing that name for the first time. They had just invented that name. But that wasn't important right now.

"Peepers. Go fly to the kea's tree and inform everyone there is another meeting coming. This one can't wait for tomorrow." Sybil urged, with the old warbler flying as fast as he could. Sybil then addressed to Rose, clearly still mad at her for following her.

"And you Rose... thank you for trying to always protect me... but that was the STUPIDEST idea you ever had! What were you thinking!? Why do you always have the need to be there with the danger!? I do it because the Haven is MY responsibility. I have to take risks like that whether I like it or not! But you! You are still young! You have much life ahead of you and you do these reckless things! You can't possibly run a Haven if you're dead! Did you see the size of that thing!?" Sybil yelled furiously, having been a long time since she was that mad. Today, she has seen how big the python actually is, so she knew very well that the only reason they were still alive is because the python allowed them to be.

Sybil understood her point of view, yet she was still very against Rose taking risks like that.
"The Haven will be your responsibility some day. Yours and Sayan's. but just in the meantime Rose, leave these risky moves to me! As long as I'm still around, there is no need for you to make such idiotic decisions!" Sybil scolded, really furious. First Crocux came to her supposed rescue, now Rose. She was beginning to think that nobody trusted her when it came to survival.

"I know Rose! I know. But you just have to trust me! You know I have survived many dangerous encounters like this! Can't you just trust in my survival instincts? I'm not just a helpless little creature that is going to need rescuing every time!" Sybil explained sternly, feeling quite insulted. She felt like every Haven resident viewed her as just a helpless prey animal that needed saving every time a situation got desperate.

Sybil hoped Rose understood what she said, since she had to leave right away to be at the meeting.
"Well just try not to do it next time please!" She begged, as she turned around to leave, but not before giving a glare to Sayan, since she suspected that he was involved with the plan of Rose tailing her when she explicitly told him in particular that she shouldn't be followed.

Back at the kea's tree, the warblers were already reunited, waiting for the civet to come. They lived close to the tree anyway, so gathering them quickly wasn't as hard as before. They had a bad feeling however as how things were going to turn out. A few of the warblers had done a countdown of all the members of their species, and alarmingly, their population has decreased much more than two thirds. They were a couple of thousands of them when you didn't count the warblers traveling around the world, but right now, their numbers had been reduced to less than three hundred. In just two months! If Sybil was unsuccessful in making a deal with the python, the big snake could exterminate them in a matter of weeks. Just one snake!

Sybil was arriving, and she knew already what was going to say. She was going to give the warblers a choice, one that they will certainly won't like. As a kea carried her up the meeting room, she tried to prepare herself for the storm that was certainly coming...

"It is time Mistress, they are waiting for you." Mambo said as Sybil entered the meeting room, with the warblers chattering intensely until she entered. Now that all was quiet, Sybil took a deep breath and finally, she spoke.

"My dear warblers, I spoke with the python once again, and we had a deal. He promised to leave all of you alone and will start hunting pigeons instead from now on." Sybil informed, with a lot of chattering going on, some of happiness, but some of worry. When the keas calmed the warblers down, Sybil spoke again.
"But of course, you all must know that ai don't trust this python's words. He could've said that to get me to leave him alone and have you all come out of the kea's protection. So then... I will leave you with one choice..." a brief pause...
"You can either move to your original homes and trust the python will be true to his word... or you will all have to leave the island until I can somehow remove this beast." Sybil explained, and the inevitable uproar occurred. Sybil was actually telling them to leave their homes.

The uproar lasted for almost half an hour, and when things could finally mellowed down, Peepers spoke in regards of his fellow warblers.
"Mistress... we have decided. And we have chosen to stay right here and hope the python's promise is genuine." Peepers expressed, with the rest of the warblers agreeing, but likewise trembling for their lives. But they were fully aware that Sybil at least tried her best to keep them protected, and if something happened to them, they knew they had a choice. Sybil was likewise worried for their safety, but she knew the warblers were free to do what they wished. She was going to continue to try to protect them of course, and if the battle was going to continue, then so be it.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Rose went back to Sayan and rubed aganst him lovingly. "That snake was big and scary."

"I know...,"Sayan said rubbing against Rose. "But you're safe now.," he then gently said.

Now that both the meeting and the uproar was over, Sybil decided to head home, accompanied by Cole, who decided to keep her company along the way. She almost headed to Crocux's place, but believing that the crocodile was still mad at her, she decided to go to her own tree, already missing it after two night of staying with Crocux and Jack.
"Man, that was so intense. Why does this has to happen Cole? We barely got peace once Shadow was gone, and now there is an even bigger threat. Why can't this island be as peaceful as it was before?" she complained, feeling depressed.

"Well Mistress, we can't control everything that happens in the world. You already risked yourself trying to get through to this practically invisible menace. Nobody can't say that you didn't try at least." Cole expressed, trying to make her feel better, though he knew it didn't work, so once they arrived at Sybil's home, he bid her goodnight and headed his way. The civet felt quite lonely in her own tree after two night of sleeping accompanied by the chimp and croc, but since she was so exhausted, she managed to catch her sleep pretty easily, wondering if Guardian was going to visit her again. For some reason, it was getting very hard to contact him, and that made her uneasy.

It was dark already and the moon could be seen in the horizon. The warblers went to their temporary homes, deciding to move to their original places tomorrow. However, nobody knew, but many of them planned to leave first thing in the morning. Most of them planned to move to Hunted island, even though they knew that the life conditions were harsher there, but they couldn't stand the thought of being too far away from their home for too long.

Sybil slept deeply. Not even a spider briefly crawling on her paw was enough to wake her up, and while slumbering, she woke up in a place that didn't seem from this world. Sybil once again believed that she was finally going to contact Guardian again... but this place, it was different from before. It looked like a rocky savannah, and it was dusk, not morning like usual. She believed Guardian was sad.
"Hey Guardian. Are you out there?" she called, as she ventured into that somewhat rocky terrain, trying to find the animals she saw the last time...

Sybil took one step back, clearly aware that wasn't Guardian. That voice... she didn't recognized it, but she was sure she has heard that accent before.
"You... who are you... what...?" Sybil said, those big, red eyes giving her a nasty chill. She thought that maybe that was one of the animals that usually accompanied Guardian, but she was starting to believe otherwise. And an animal that wanted everything? Where has she heard that before?

Quote: Spyroconvexity

"Yah but I can't help but feel something is going to happen." Rose said.

"I have the same feeling.," Sayan said looking off into the distance. He could only hope the snake would keep his word.

Guardian attepted to show up and with a little help from one more experienced then him managed to show up in his cobra form as he rode a rino. he got off and went over to Sybil's side in the dream and faced the shadowy figure (pun inteneded) and glared at it "i was wondering what was giving me trouble finding that Python this whole time and now I see why. it seems in death u haven't changed old foe of the Haven."

"Guardian!?" Sybil exclaimed, incredibly relieved to see him, although surprised it was just his cobra form. Without even waiting for instructions, she climbed the rhino, wanting to be far away from that menacing figure, whom she believed was just a manifestation of the python she grew to fear.
"I don my know who, or what that is, but I can tell it's not friendly at all." Sybil exclaimed, trembling with fear. Unfortunately, she didn't know that this new ghost may be far more powerful than expected, especially since it manifested through heavy nightmares.

Guardian nods "Rumble protect her" the rino nodded and said "you got it old friend." Guardian focused on the figure "stop ur tricks and leave at once. i recommend u do so before renforcments arrive or before I get serious."

Sybil stopped questioning the identity of this new creature, focusing more on holding on to the rhino's back to keep herself safe. But then she thought why was she worrying? That was all a dream. Certainly that creature couldn't hurt her, could it? While Sybil was right in that sense, she didn't stop to think that, even though she couldn't die in a dream, she could feel pain.
"I'll help you Guardian. This thing, whatever it is, can't hurt me here." she expressed with stoicism, getting ready to get off the rhino, but once again, something kept pulling her back, a fear like no other. She hasn't realized it yet, but that eerie feeling was the same she felt every time she visited the python...

Guardian says "no stay their Sybil. while this is a dream if he does enough damage to ur mind here u could become a vegetable and it or any other spirit can possess you without any resistance. so stay on Rumble. it took 15 armed humans years to bring him down while he was alive, he can protect better then anyone"

First Sybil met up with a mysterious creature that seemingly meant harm, and now Guardian came with a rhino, whom she had seen but it is now that she has any contact with. That was certainly not her day. Either way, Sybil stayed put, startled by the information Guardian provided her, though she was still ashamed and furious that she couldn't help. Whoever that shadowy creature was, it was certainly taking it's precious time to strike...