Shira walked down the street with confidence. For once she was not worried about being trailed - though she was certain someone from the Serpents was following her every move. Most street gangs lived and let live, but the Serpents seemed to constantly believe she was up to something.

Shira didn't care now. Let them watch her. They'd only find out what everyone was bound to find out sooner or later - that Shira, the little homeless girl who refused to join a gang or beg for food, had been invited to join BIG.

She would take the job, of course. It'd be a foolish thing not tom and Shira was anything but a fool. Joining BIG meant food and shelter - for free. Not to mention the cause. It was about time those stupid birds stopped pestering her. Shira hadn't had necessarily a school education, at least not since she was seven, but she could read and write. More importantly, she knew animals, and she knew how they worked. 

Shira knew there would be others like her. Some, she knew, would be spies for this FAFA organization. Some might honestly believe in the cause. It didn't matter. Shira would see who she could trust and who she couldn't. 

Shira entered the BIG dorm where many others were already. Quietly, she sat down. Shira watched and listened. 

Wow thanks so much for the compliment! I decided to write under my naturlist book character name--seems more fitting.

---

~Juliet

I wasn't invited to FAFA's first meeting. I'm still a bit disappointed, even though it probably wasn't Capense's fault. There were so many creatures there . . . but no humans, thank goodness. 

Before I took the job, I didn't even know the Bog and Burrow Inn even existed. Yet I'm glad it's included. They have delicious food and great music, performed mostly by funny bears. Capense even let me stay there for free, since I have no home. And even though I wasn't invited to the meeting, I still attended. I snuck in casually, while the big black bear guard was snacking on some daisies.

Afterwards, when all the members disband and crawl, slither, or walk off to their habitats, I approach Capense. He looks like a wizard's pet, with feathers white as snowflakes and giant eyes that never loose focus.

"Um, hello," I say. 

"Oh yes. Juliet?" he says with a wise voice.

"Uh, yes." At first I want to talk about the spy business, but I suddenly remember that he said he was a friend of my father's. I have a different conversation in mind. "So you knew my Dad?"

He nodded.

"Did he say anything about a mysterious girl--"

"Oh, Juliet," interrupted Capense, "I'm sorry, but I just remembered you won't be able to work with us . . ."

My eyes widened. "Um, why?"

"We're alraedy planning a search party for Zephrya, and so are many other animal groups. We won't have time to train or teach you."

"But I can learn quickly!" I sputter. Just when I thought I found a new home, it's pulled out from right under my feet. "Or I could do small tasks! I just want to help stop BIG!"

He sighs. "Well, I guess you could try. Morbid is trying up a full assault, and the risks are lower in that area . . . you can help his group, maybe--" An instant later, another owl, named Cyl, flies in, a hopeful and excited look on his face.

He ushers Capense to follow him outside, and I am left all alone in the back of the Bog and Burrow Inn.

---

So sorry I didn't want to make Capense seem mean or anything, and also sorry if I'm controlling characters too much.  

Just to clarify:

The FaFA is NOT a group of rebel animals. It is a large organization in cooperation with the governemnt. 

The FaFA had recently DISCOVERED a group of rebel animals at Meek Peak, and they have decided to loosely support them. But the rebels are not really aware of this. They just know that Cress was sent from secret organization to help them.

Laria~

I stare out the taxi window as my parents chat, trying to calm me down. It's not working. The B.I.G. facility looks blocky and intimitating. It's over five hours from my house, the ates have a code box on them, and security cameras glare at me, making me shiver despite the sun and cloudless sky. THe letter is clutched in my fist, foleded and unfolded several times for the last week. I now that these letters have been sent to several other people, and I wonder if everybody took the job. If I crane my neck, I can see the top of the B.I.G. dormitories. The taxi halts outside the gates.

"Here's as far as I can take you, guys."

"Thank you, sir." Mom hands him some cash. "Could you please wait for us while we say goodbye to our daughter?" The driver nods. My parents and I climb out. I haul my suitcase, duffle bag, and backpack out of the trunk. Mom hugs me, then Dad. He smiles at me.

"Would you like us to come in with you and help you register?" he asks. I consider. Then I shake my head.

"They probably wouldn't let you in," I murmur. They nod and hug me. The taxi drives away. I regret my decision. I want to run after them, telling them to come with me. But it's too late. I take a deep breath and turn towards the gate. I turn to the speaker on the code box and press the 'call' button.

"Hello?" I call.

"Hello. How can I help you?" calls a perky voice on the other end.

"My name is Laria Jakle. I got a letter recruiting me for the Brazen Inquiry Guild. I registered a few days ago."

"Of course. I'll send somebody to fetch you." The intercom clicks off. I lean against the wall. A few minutes pass, and then there's a loud beep. The door swings open, and a man in a black sedan pulls forward, smiling at me. He seems nice enough, but the black sedan creeps me out.

"Hello," he calls cheerfully. " My name's Ralph. I'm a groundkeeper here. Let me help you get your stuff." He turns off the car and climbs out. I smile at him.

"Thanks. My name's Laria." He hauls my dufflebag into the back.

"Pleased to meet you, Laria." He glances at me. "This your first time away from home?"

"That obvious?" I mumble.

"You look pretty nervous," he replies with a shrug. My lip trembles. I bit it to stop it.

"Yeah. This is my first time." Ralph smiles assuringly.

"Don't worry. You'll grow to like it." He holds open the door for me. "CLimb on in." I step in. He gives me a mischevious grin. "And remember to stand strong, and be careful who you trust. I've heard there's some sly people around." He nods to the letter. "The ones who signed that letter are the only ones who can be trusted. Remember that: The ones who put the print on the paper." He winks at me and closes the door, climbing into the front seat. I stare.

"Are you with the-" He cuts me off.

"Careful, don't give people the wrong idea." His eyes give me a clear warning: This car is bugged. But then he winks again. He's working for FAFA too. I grin. At least I've found a friend. I wonder when the other kids will be coming.

Elemence Ash (or just "Ash")

I am at the top of a huge oak tree, near the cliffs but nearer to the lake. Crouching, waiting. I hear the call and immediatly fly into action. I jump off the branch I was on and land lightly on a tree far below me, and run along it until I reach the trunk. I whip my bow off my back and aim it at a tiny target 100 feet away, hitting it right in the center. Then I sprint along the forest floor until I reach the cliffs and scramble up quickly, barefoot. I'm about to reach the finish when I spot flames. I groan and look at the large wolf standing infront of me. "Well it would have been a record - 2 minutes! - but you have to keep you fire under control!" he says. "I can't help it!" I reply. The wolf rolls his eyes and shakes his head in disappointment. I glare at him and dive down the cliff, snapping my wings open at the last second. I suppose you could call me human. It depends. I have a pair of fiery orange wings protruding from my back, and have the unfortunate tendacy to (accidentally) set things on fire. So yup. I suppose im part phoenix too. Somethings catches my eye. It is a piece of paper with writing on it. Now, I am not good with letters. Its not that im stupid. Quite the opposite, really. It's just that I never felt the need to learn, living in the woods, and having no one to teach me. However, with my limited knowledge in the Annoying Art of Reading, it seems that an organization called BIG wants me to join them. Well. I do not seem to be very BIG. Rather scrawny, actually. I think the letters stand for something, but I can't tell what. Suddenly, fury courses through me. BIG. Now I remember where I had heard that name before. BIG was the very organization that murdered my parents. And almost me. I pull out the other message, the one I had gotten yesterday that was read to me by someone called Little Crow. FAFA, a way to stop BIG. I grin. Where do I sign up, I think.

OH OKAY! Sorry I did not understand. Also, I am so sorry Cyl just seemed like a guy to me! >.< Anyway, I think I wanna edit some things with my latest story post:

"Well," says Capense (blah blah blah), "I guess you could try to learn quickly . . ." Suddenly, another owl flies in (blah blah blah). 

Then I find myself all alone in the Back of the Bog and Burrow Inn. As I'm about to head out, a piece of cherry red tree bark flutters in. What is it with these letters? Can't these creatures just send in regular mail carriers? I shake my head and read it. It's from a cyborg wolf named Morbid. He wants me to join his group, about to make a full assualt on BIG. Capense doesn't know about any of it . . . I wonder if I should join this Morbid instead. I wonder if they'll be any humans.

Humans. That's the only thing I'm really focusing on. 

Kasumi Hayashi™

Margaret~

I wake up at night to find two letters. One written on bark and one on paper. I look at the one written in bark. A crow's aunt is missing. Big deal. I look at the other one. I'ts from a Brazen Inquiry giuld, acronym BIG. I wake up Katie, sleeping in another branch as a cat. Instantly, she's alert.

"What!" she asks, then frowns, her wiskers twiching, "cats aren't nocturnal you know."

"What do you say to these?" I ask, holding up the letters. She reads them, and growls.

"I never liked that Cypher project. Join, but spy."

"Okay."

"I'll meet you and carry messages for you every other thursday."

"Where?"

"Nearest Birch," she says matter of factly. I sigh. This is always where we meet. We just have a passion for birch trees I guess. It's a good place to hide. I can easily blend in as a spotted owl.

"All right," I say, "Nearest birch, every other Thursday. Katie smiles. This is better. Now we can both stay in touch, and I can do something good.

"Also," Katie adds, " Look for Little Crow's aunt. He's counting on you Margaret. 

Person-who-plays-Japenese-Marten. Your character looks quite beautiful. No offence meant. I NEVER remember names, I only remember faces..... and the fact that you HAVE no face (Well, I don't see any picture of you...) makes it all the more confusing.

Ivy~ I've read the messege Little Crow gave me. Very interesting about his Aunt. Well, I can't help her now, so after shredding up the peaces of bark, I've decide to head to Bog & Burrow. I like the Catnip they serve. Plus it's an interesting place. And it's also the only place where you can eat some real food and spy on other animals. Best place there is, if you ask me.

And that is why I'm braving the fierce cold and heading for the shortcut to Bog & Burrow. I'm passing several pine trees right now. Oh, look. There's something in the trees. I tense, not wanting to be surprized by a human. But I relaxe when I see it's only a Ferret thingy. I'm passing the tree in wich it is in...

Let's see who this Ferret thingy is..... friend or foe.

She makes no move to attack me. She's just...... staring. Wich is all the more creepy 'cause I can hardly see her. Huh. Looks like she's following me...... I swerve away from the path and duck into the undergrowth. Then I circle back and pounce on her. But she easily evades me. She screeches at me and fights back, claws on. I duck out of the way at the last second and she slams into a tree. Undeterred, she climbs up it and then drops down on me. She bites down on my neck. I'm consumed in a memory.... but..... it's not the one about my family's death... it's..... different. Inside the memory:

I woke to a pain in my neck. Then I remembered. We were stuck in B.I.G. prison. Then I saw the Ferret thingy. "Ow! You don't have to bite that hard!" I protested as the strange Ferret thingy bit through the ropes that had been ataching me to the wall. She also bit through quite a lot of my neck, too. She moved on to my sister, then my dad, then my Mom. I stood up and streched. i stared curiously at the Ferret thingie's daughter. "Hi. I'm Ivy." I said to her. She was lively, and young. "Hello! I'm Kasumi!" She said. "Wanna play tag?" I was about to answer when her mother, the other Ferret thingy, interrupted and said; "We have to escape. It was stupid of you to fall for B.I.G's trap. Now we have to get out of the mess you made." My Father nodded and we followed the Ferret thingy and her daughter.

We went past the rows and rows of cages. My hair prickled as we passed a huge one. it was an experimenting cage. We had been in one of them. I remembered the feeling of the THINGS that they poked us with. Luckily they hadn't done anything horrible to us before the Ferret thingy helped us. I shivered and pitied the porcy-pine in it. He was chained to the floor, and some of his quills were pulled out. We hurried past the numerous torture chambers and avoided the sleeping chambers for the humans. I gasped when we rounded a corner. In the middle of the room there was a DELUXE EXPERIMENTING CAGE. Pointy things suspended over animals strapped to the floor. Mazes of equipment were scattered on the floor of the cage. A poor Fox was walking around and round in her cage because she was attached to a wheel that was only going to stop if a human came and pushed a big red button. 

Some Blue Jays were being trained to be messengers by a robot. I could see the Blue Jays were tired and hadn't slept for days. A wolf was swimming in needles and equipment to get to a bone with hardly anything on it. Even crueler things were happening inside of it, but I couldn't look anymore. Once we passed it, I couldn't hold myself back any longer. "Why can't we rescue the other animals? They're suffering even more!" I asked the Ferret thingy. She stopped and stared at me. Then she answered. "We don't have time. And.... as much as I wish we could visit this place more, we can't. And most of the animals here are too far gone. I'm sorry, but we can't. Not yet." Then we continued. Kasumi whispered to me. "I agree with you. But my mom is right. How can the humans DO this?" "I don't know. But it's horrible." We walked until we reached the exit. Then we hurried through it.

All this passed in a split second. I rolled over and the Ferret thingy hissed with surprise. When her grip weakened, I jumped up and turned around. But..... she wasn't there. I stopped and froze in shock.

How is that possible?!

Then she exploded out of the snow behind me. She pinned me to the ground and said to me; "Who are you?" "Ivy." She gasped. Then she said. "I'm Kasumi." I gasped. "I KNOW YOU!" We both said at the same time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry if that's way too long. Aaaaand sorry if I controlled Kasumi way too much, uhhh...... wait..... I think your name is...... Scylla? 

Not sure how to introduce my character. He's Nameless Mystery, from the Who's here? thread.