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There was something wrong with this story... something very, very wrong. The little mask held by G_E was becoming slightly irritable. If the lady that was in charge kept talking about demons that took over physical objects HIS guardian might start to wonder if he-- He wasn't a demon! He was-- he was... well, he couldn't remember just WHAT he was but he knew what he wasn't!

He wasn't scary! He was a very nice person, thank you very much. Of course, he wasn't sure HOW he knew he was a very nice person, but he was pretty sure about it all the same. And he would just have to TELL his guardian before she got any strange ideas!

Now... how did one do that again... He thought, focusing most of his energy into the thinking and not even noticing the physical change that was taking place. In seconds, far faster then the others had changed, a little boy was sitting on G_E's lap, still trying to figure out how he went about changing back.

He blinked, looking up at her as he noticed he was no longer looking at the sky. I am NOT a demon. He told her with a slight bit of arrogance in his tone. I am a very nice person.

But before G_E could reply what looked to be a screaming firecracker whirled straight through the camp, aimed directly at their little group.

((And here's our king^_^ He's dressed in an older fashion than the other masques... I wonder why?

But he's still so cool!))

G_E stared at the firecracker as it whirled interupted their little group, story-time and what she was about to say to Nika. Nika? Where'd that come from? She glanced down at the boy who seemed to be looking up at her with defiance. Normally she would have laughed out loud at the look on his masked face but now was not the time for that. A firecracker was going to go off any moment and as much as she wanted to there was no time to fuss over her little boy. G_E wasn't an expert on firecrackers... and wasn't about to take any chances.

She gasped as the firecracker (surprisingly) landed to the side of the fire and at Ice's feet. G_E grasped Nika's hand, gathered Bizzy up in her other arm and dove behind the chair she was sitting on. She checked to make sure her back was to the firecracker and that both of her babies were shielded.

Nika didn't understand why she was making such a big deal about the firecracker. It was probably a 'gift' from one of the sisters. All the same he let himself be pulled behind the chair. He for one was happy the firecracker had interupted that horrible sory. Wait... She hadn't answered him! Maybe she thought... 'I'm not a demon!'

Bizzy groaned. She wasn't sure but she had a feeling that being awoken so abruplty wasn't very healthy. Why was her mom so worried anyways? It didn't make any sense to her... She'd have rather slept on until the sun came up.

"I know you aren't!" G_E looked down at his blonde head and held back a laugh. "Why do you keep saying that?"

The sudden panic around them had Chae on her feet, yanking Shiva gracelessly to her as she stared around for a moment. People were running this way and that, but she wasn't sure which way SHE should run.

Shiva stared around the group, then yanked on Chae's hand, hard. *We have to go! Now!*

If her own pulse was not racing so hard, she might have noticed the unnerved tone from the child, the desperate pull. Instead, she just moved, panic rising.

Kata had bee left in Haisyn's dust, standing there looking like quite the fool. She saw and heard the firworks but moving was a new problem. Tynan came out of the brush behind her and pushed Kata forward with a hiss in her ear, "Come on they are your friends go find out what is going on." He led Kataio all the way up to the edge of the woods before turning to leave.

"Tynan!" She said turning abruptly. "Take care..." She bowed her head quickly in a thank you before running to the campfire where everyone was gathered still.

The firecracker at her feet exploded before Ice could respond to Haisyn. But when the smoke disappeared there was no Ice there.
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Silva smirked, enjoying the screams at least as he lit the final batch of firecrackers and stepped back into the shadows. In less then a second the only sign that he had been there was the smell of smoke lingering in the air. And even that was covered from the smell of the firecrackers.

Ice stepped out of the rift, looking around the scene of the crime. She stopped as she caught sight of Ashy, running to the girl and checking for a pulse. She was alive, but unconscious. With a sigh of relief she scooped her up and started heading for the camp. This looked to be Silva's work...

But if she told everyone they would be more paranoid then they already were. And no one had gotten hurt. This time.

Haisyn caught sight of Ice heading out of the woods with Ash in her arms, and had run over almost before she had time to think about it. She took the little girl, unceremoniously plopping down with the child in her lap and hugged her tightly, but gently.

"Ashy babe?..." She was out cold, but she seemed fine otherwise. So Haisyn just sat there, rocking back and forth with her, whispering words and sometimes simple nonsense sounds. Ash couldn't hear them, of course, but they helped Haisyn to calm down just as much as anything.

She was too focused on Ash right now to ask Ice about what she'd found, too intent on making sure her little girl stayed safe, and hoping she'd wake up soon. And Ice didn't seem to be volunteering any information. Later, when everyone was safe and settled down again, when she herself wasn't so wound up that she would probably run off for vengeance against whoever it was who hurt her little girl. Ash was more important right now than knowing who was responsible.

Nika shrugged at Gee, 'because of that story...' He nodded at Galilee, 'Hello...

G_E smiled at Kali and let out a small, shaky laugh, "It looks like it... Those two are going to be in a lot of trouble-

Nika shook his head and tugged on Gee's arm, 'It wasn't them... not unless Fauve likes to hit Ashy... look.' He waved in the direction of where Haisyn sat holding Ashy.

"Oh.." G_E gasped and she crawled out from behind the chair, Bizzy on her head. Nika walked out, close behind her.

She stood up and hoisted Nika up into her arms. Realization suddenly hitting her. "Ice..." she looked at the woman, "could it have been him? Is he back?"

'Who?' Nika looked at Gee puzzedly. How did she expect anybody to understand who 'he' was exactly? The look on her face suggested that Ice would know...Wait... She was the lady who'd been telling that horrible story! He blinked and waited for the story-teller's answer.