I actually renamed it as Hidden because I have no clue if it's going to be a series or not. You're on NaNo, right? I'll give you specifics there. But yes, it's okay to post excerpts in the newspaper, just run by me which parts. (because some are terrible and need editing)

I edited it now. It should be good to go! It's not perfect, but I tried.

"Couldn't Ciel tell you? I'm sure he'd know more on the matter," Xiang said as they walked to the Pool of Sansir. "I don't know," Sheena answered. "I guess I just thought I'd be more comfortable talking with someone..... closer to my age?"

Xiang just nodded.

"I mean, I love him, but sometimes he can be a little intense," Sheena continued hurriedly. Xiang chuckled. "It's alright, Sheena. Keep your fur on."  

"Okay."

The two sat at the edge of the Pool of Sansir. It was a small body of water, its crystal-clear depths smooth and silent. Willow trees gracefully draped their branches over it, but nothing disturbed the peace of the pool. Small silver fish flicked about in the water, flashing their scales and chasing each other. Sheena loved the Pool of Sansir and often went there to solve problems. Perhaps this was because Sansir was the Ancient Aqua word for wisdom. 

"Well," Xiang began, drawing a deep breath. "Like I said earlier, two-Element cubs are extremely dangerous and usually killed at birth. But sometimes, a two-Element leopard can live safely among others of one of its Elements without them noticing. That's because there are two 'types' of two-Elements - Clashes and Hiddens. Clashes are much more common. They look like two elements just...... Clashed, I guess. No better word for it. They're nearly uncontrollable.

"Hiddens are very rare. I think the last known Hidden leopard lived two hundred years ago, but they 'camoflage' so well that we probably wouldn't notice if one was right under our noses."

"It was actually one hundred eighty-two years," Sheena commented.

"You'd know," Xiang said with a sigh. Sheena made a little hrrumph sound but didn't respond.

"Now, as I was saying," Xiang continued, "Hiddens blend in with certain Elements. They have the characteristics of one of their parents' Elements, usually the mother. The cubs have the slightest resemblance to the other parent, for example, if a Terra leopard had a Hidden cub with an Ignis leopard and their cub looked Terra, it might have fiery red-orange eyes.

"Hiddens' title has a dual meaning. In addition to being virtually unnoticeable, they have a secret power. It's secret, so most leopards don't realize it's there until it kills them all.

"That's about it," Xiang finished. "Want to know anything else?"

"Thanks for the help, Xiang," Sheena mewed. "But I have one more question. "Do you think I look like I could be Hidden?"

Xiang looked surprised. "Do you think so?" 

"Well.... It's just that at the Gathering, I thought I saw something familiar in Aether's eyes. Almost like his gaze softened when it rested on me. I don't know why he'd do that; he seems cruel. But it stirred something in me, like I'd found something I'd lost."

"Sheena, you couldn't mean-"

"Xiang, am I half Aether Leopard?"

Xiang's turquoise eyes seemed shadowed as he answered. “Sheena, I don't know. You should talk to Ciel.” He backed away. “I'm sorry.”

Sheena smiled reassuringly. “It's alright, Xiang. You've been great. Thank you.” She glanced at her dark blue pelt. “And if I'm half Aether, it wouldn't be a problem because you could all just kill me,” she added bitterly as Xiang disappeared into his den.

Sheena padded from the Pool of Sansir, casting a glance at the water that had not helped solve her problem this time. Ciel waited at the entrance to the Knowledge Cavern, tail swishing across the ground as Sheena walked into the cave. He followed her in.

“Ciel, I just talked to Xiang about Hiddens....” Sheena began.

The older leopard sighed. “I knew I'd have to tell you eventually,” he murmured. “Settle down, young one.”

And then with another sigh, he began telling Sheena's story.

“Yes, Sheena, you are Hidden. Your father is Aether of the Aether Element. He met your mother back when he was still known as Cosmos. Brook was taken by his charisma and charm and began a forbidden and secret relationship with him. He left her shortly after you were born, horrified at the danger he'd placed possibly every Element in. Brook was devastated at his abandonment but recovered quickly. She needed to be there for you, Sheena. And she was, and still is.

"Hidden cubs are probably why multiple-Element meeetings were minimalized. You see, Hiddens' power is awakened only after they've seen their second parent. And they were bound to see that parent while attending a meeting and once they did, they would have the ability to destroy the Elementi cults forever.”

Sheena's mind spun. “You knew this,” she gasped. Her throat felt constricted, as if she couldn't breathe. “You knew this all along, and you never told me. You always said my father was Aqua, that he was a brave leopard named River, that he died in a mudslide – but you knew. You knew.” Tears streamed from her eyes. “And now I'm supposed to have a horrible power that could destroy everything I love.”

“Sheena,” Ciel murmured, sweeping his tail around her like she was a small cub again. “Oh, Sheena.”

“I don't want to be half-cult,” Sheena whispered. “I don't want to be Hidden.”

“You can't do anything about it, young one. But there is another way.”

“There's always another way,” Sheena breathed.

“Yes, Sheena. There is always another way.”

Ciel began to sing a hymn, his voice soft and rhythmic. Sheena let her eyelids droop, finally submitting to the exhaustion that had been biting at her for hours. Curled in the curve of Ciel's warm body, she fell asleep.