First of all it's great to have this Ski Lodge back! I can't believe that Jayfeather died. I actually teared up a little reading it :-:. It's always an amazing story none the less can't wait to see how it ends!

*deep breaths* *trying to pull myself together but can't* *squeals again*

IT'S BACK!!!!! EEEE!!!!

(Also, can I just tackle hug you real quick? *tacklehugs*) 

Oh my goodness-I just posted on the other thread you made about this what my thoughts are, and I'm just so excited you brought it back to finish it!!! 

I cried when Ariel, Autumn Leaves, and Jayfeather died... wow, you did such a great job. Especially with creating that friendship between Ariel and Jayfeather over the 16? days they were together, so that they knew what was going to happen to them and accepted it... wow. Just wow.

And me screaming and everything is EXACTLY how I would act, and just well, everything is so well written and just AMAZING!!!! 

Oh my goodness, my 2 AEs are dead now.. which is sad... but wow. Just wow. I'm so exited to see what happens next!!! :)

I have a bad feeling though like I'm the murderer.... eek! But I don't know, I'm not super good at figuring mysteries out by myself, I just keep reading until it is finally revealed. 

Great job!! :) 

Guys, your comments made my day. No, more than my day--my whole rest of the year. Your responses make the whole thing worth it.

Day Seventeen - Part Two: Passing Time 

Moonfrost’s group chose the forest for its territory. Those woods were lush and green and nearly indefinite, it seemed. Made mazelike by the sunny dapples rippling across the ground, the forest seemed to harbor more illusions than a desert. Ever-whispering canopies of leaves rustled above, and tumbling dead leaves crackled below. Trees of every kind, growing wilder around every bend, sprouted among low patches of brambles, thorns, blackberries, grasses, and boulders. It was a North American jungle, one which provided cover and a sense of vulnerability all at once.

Moonfrost’s group survived on berries and water from a spring where they made their first camp. It was a crystal clear pool that bubbled forth from the roots of a massive oak tree; the more bookish CBers (Moon and Booksy) were reminded of the spring from Tuck Everlasting, and they pretended the water could make them live forever.

Meanwhile, Dragonrider’s group migrated along the shore. They ate fish again and chose to sleep under the stars. On that first day, they traveled for a very long time, very far--so far that they could no longer see the ruins of the Noodle Manor.

On the evening after the split-up, Moonfrost’s group visited Pierre at the Seasonal Anna-Klara Underwood Renovated Aquatic Carden/Garden. He asked about the explosions he’d heard and was astonished to learn that the Manor was in ruins. He joined Moon’s group, unwilling to miss what he expected to be quite an adventure.

At first, the Chattebroxers were very tense to be apart from one another, but soon they realized it was wonderful to have a break--and they found themselves having a great time, nearly forgetting to make plans about the Mystery. Both parties explored places they’d never been before--flower-filled valleys; strange, slimy tide pools; a ropes course in the deepest part of the woods, and an abandoned fishing hut.

Lily and Cassy stayed busy during the night. The murderer had found a way to contact both of them at the same time, and under the cover of darkness, the three of them began to carry out the murderer’s largest and most complicated plan yet.

The next day--day eighteen--passed in a blur. The CBers enjoyed themselves while Lily and Cassy covertly slipped clues and traps into hidden locations. Both groups seemed to follow a similar migration path northward, parallel to the eastern shore.

Unfortunately, by day nineteen, the wonderfulness shattered.

Two days in the wilderness had, first of all, taken its toll on the CBers; they were in desperate need of showers and were starting to go hungry; they hadn’t been eating enough because fishing/berry hunting was boring. Walking had become a nuisance, and nature’s beauty had gradually descended into redundancy.

Oh, and another thing: Death tends to put a damper on any situation.

It was sunset, day nineteen, and Cassy had suggested that Moon's group drop out of the woods and head to the lake for some fresh water, fish, and a fire. Moonfrost, Booksy, Brooklyn, and Pierre--desperate as they were--eagerly obliged.

Unbeknownst to the CBers, Cassy had gone to the shore the night before to take the cover off of a dysfunctional sand tube. This particular tunnel had fallen prey to a sinkhole shortly before the CBers’ arrival and now tilted straight down, channeling into a bottomless pit. Cassy had wrenched the lid off, blanketed the hole with sticks and leaves, and buried the pallet in sand. It was indistinguishable from the rest of the shore.

Brooklyn Newsie was tasked with fishing duty. Booksy Owly fashioned a fishing pole for her; Pierre worked out a hook with his spare gardening wire; Moonfrost unearthed some worms; Brooklyn was ready to go. Meanwhile, Moon, Pierre, Booksy, and Cassy prepared the fire. After the kindling had been collected, Moonfrost glanced to the shore to see how Brooklyn was doing and let out a squeak of fear: She was gone.

“BROOKLYN?? BROOKLYN, ANSWER US!”

Pierre almost fell into the hole himself before he found it. Although he'd shouted down the hole for Newsie, there had been no response; even Pierre’s voice seemed to get absorbed into the nothingness that was below. The CBers had no choice but to accept that Newsie had been lost to that ebony void.

It was too dark to move camp, so they were forced to sleep on the shore, far too close to that hole for comfort. Even in the dark, its gaping maw seemed darker than shadows--even darker than the darkest cave, making black seem like white. As Moon and Booksy slept, the pit invaded their dreams like a creeping vine, suffocating their spirits. Fear overcame them, and they realized how vulnerable they were.

Splitting up started to seem like a bad idea after all.

Rest in peace, Brooklyn Newsie. 

DAY TWENTY (Three Days After the Schism) - Part One: Proximity

It was mid-afternoon. Dragonrider’s group played among a desert of sand dunes, and everyone was having fun except Hotairballoon, who couldn't understand the humor in frolicking through millions of loose, gritty particles that always ended up in unpleasant locations. Instead of joining the tag game, he reclined atop the highest sand dune, napping in a patch of sea oats. This was the same place the CBers had camped yesterday, but by now, they were all covered head to toe with sand, so there wasn't any reason to rush moving to sturdier ground.

While Dragonrider’s group enjoyed themselves, Moonfrost’s group wandered aimlessly through the woods, searching for a safe location that could not have possibly been touched by Cassy yet. They’d hurried all morning and now stumbled onwards in exhaustion; everyone was covered in chigger bites and ticks. Even worse, they hadn’t had lunch yet, and they were starving.

Suddenly, Booksy Owly let out a gasp. “I see something bright up ahead!" She aimed a wobbly finger to a glittering patch of white off in the distance. “Water?”

“Ugh! I hope so!” Moonfrost exclaimed.

“Sorry,” Pierre murmured gloomily; “that looks like sand to me.” He wasn’t having as much fun on this adventure as he’d hoped to. His beef jerky snacks had all been consumed, and his water bottle was now completely empty. Comfort was a long-forgotten commodity, and along with the last dregs of liquid, Pierre's enthusiasm had evaporated into nothingness.

Nevertheless, the Chatterboxers quickened their pace at the sight of something new, and soon enough, they emerged in a blinding expanse of sand, sea oats, and dunes.

“A desert?!” Booksy exclaimed.

The air was too moist for that. “No, this is part of the beach,” Pierre explained, and he smacked his lips in excitement. “Hey! That means water! Follow MEEEEEEEE!!”

He broke out into a mad dash, wheeling in and out between the dunes, kicking sand into the CBers behind him. They didn’t mind; their thoughts were focused on water and water alone, and they followed him as quickly as they could. The sand hindered their progress, and by the time they escaped the maze of sandhills, the CBers' legs burned from the effort.

The beach was desperately hot, and at their arrival to the shore, the party was dripping in sweat. The first thing the CBers noticed, of course, was the water: They'd reached the portion of Lelillo where crystal waves lapped gently over the sand, light blue in color, providing a clear window to the very bottom of the lake. It was miraculous--and it looked delicious.

Moon, Booksy, Cassy, and Pierre fell to their knees for a desperately-needed drink. They half expected the water to taste salty; it might as well have been from the Caribbean.

After their thirst was satiated, each of the travelers fell back upon the sand, letting the water lap at their feet, breathing in the sweet relief of hydration. Booksy closed her eyes to listen to the waves, but not a second after she had done so, a shout resounded from the dunes behind them.

“You all look like a bunch of shipwrecked sailors!”

Booksy snapped her eyes open, accidentally stared into the sun, winced, rolled over, and stumbled to her feet, whereupon she squinted into the blinding dunes to locate the source of the call.

“Hotairballoon?” she yelled in confusion, unable to see him but certain she’d heard his voice. Turning to Moonfrost, Booksy muttered, “Am I hallucinating now?”

Moonfrost wobbled to her feet, using Booksy’s shoulder as an armrest. “No, I heard him too.” She squinted. “I can’t see anything through the glare--”

“There he is!” Booksy’s eyes finally adjusted, and she spied Hotairballoon surfing down the nearest dune to meet them.

Hotairballoon frowned as he reached the shore, seeming to notice something amiss. After a second, his expression turned somber. “Brooklyn?”

They shook their heads, and Hotairballoon understood. “Oh. I'm sorry. Hey, have you gotten enough water? The rest of us are towards the middle of the dunes.”

Moon’s group didn’t feel awkward at the reunion in the slightest; they were too relieved to finally be together and safe again. (The safety was an illusion, but even illusions can bring comfort.) Cinderpelt and Joan were the most glad to see Booksy and Moon back, succeeding in making the two forlorn nomads feel at ease again.

By the way Lily and Cassy tackle-hugged each other, you’d think they hadn’t seen each other in months. (Meanwhile, Pierre was much aggrieved to discover Elvina gone; now, there was no one to poke fun at him.)

News of Brooklyn Newsie’s death hit pretty hard with Dragonrider’s group.

“If only we’d known we were saying bye to her for the last time,” Cinderpelt lamented.

“The last thing I said to her was ‘good luck catching fish’,” agreed Moonfrost sadly.

After a moment of silence, Dragonrider spoke up, changing the subject. “When are you guys heading out?”

Moonfrost blinked, taken aback by the question. “Heading out? Oh, uh…” She’d been so relieved to bump into the others that she had assumed they’d stay together. Silly me. They don’t want us back. “We can leave--”

“What? You can stay if you wan--”

“Well I was hoping...you know--”

“No! Stay! We want you back!” Dragonrider insisted.

“Well I know this whole thing was our idea…”

“Moonfrost, it’s okay. Please stay,” Dragonrider pleaded.

Moonfrost smiled weakly, relief spreading across her brow. Booksy did the same. “Thanks. And I’m sorry.” 

And so the two groups were now one. For the remainder of the day, they sat peacefully among the dunes, reliving the past forty-eight hours and coming to terms with one another.

The Chatterboxers resolved, at last, to cease arguing. After all, as the murderer wisely pointed out, they were both after doing something to the Mystery--helping or hindering. Both things required accessing the Mystery. And where was the Mystery? Noodle’s cabin, which Moonfrost revealed was located atop the mountain that had been visible through the Rose Sitting Room.

For better or worse, Noodle’s cabin was the only way to get to the Mystery. The CBers couldn’t leave Lelillo before the ski lodge ended, and they realized nothing they did here would make much of a difference to the Mystery. For better or worse, then, both parties would suspend their planning. Both parties, at last, agreed to wait.

Yet, as the day wore on, the murderer’s headache worsened--to the point where it almost fainted multiple times. It took a lot of strength to master the pain again. Even then, the others were concerned with how pale the murderer looked.

The murderer blamed the Mystery’s worsening condition for its pain. Considering that, it was extremely grateful that it had managed (finally!) to convince the CBers to stop arguing. Otherwise, the Mystery might have broken before the ski lodge could end. Thankfully, even through the discomfort, the murderer still found time to add the finishing touches to its final project--the final game of Lake Lelillo--which it would unveil at sunset.

Idly, in the hazy hours of late afternoon, the CBers discussed their decision to wait on further action. (It was very hard for them to stop talking about Mystery-related things, but they were trying.) Their bellies were full of roast fish, and the conversation was more lighthearted than usual. The Chatterboxers laid out under the dimming sky, backs against a sand dune, watching the golden clouds roll past.

“Imagine!” Dragonrider exclaimed. “Imagine joining another ski lodge that just so happened to be at Noodle’s cabin!” In her head, the thought sounded silly, and she expected the others to think the same. After all, what were the odds? Instead, they all sat bolt upright and stared at her as though she was a genius.

“Dragonrider,” Moonfrost breathed, “that’s incredible. Yep! That’s what we’re doing. That’s what we have to do. You’ve cracked the code!”

“What? But really though, what would be the odds?” Dragonrider wondered, too late, if Moon was being sarcastic.

“I don’t know. But every once and a while I’m sure there are ski lodges at actual ski lodges!” Moonfrost exclaimed. “There we go. Now we can relax. We have our plan!”

I guess she’s not kidding, Dragonrider thought, then shrugged. Okay, I guess the plan makes sense.

At that very moment, the sun touched the horizon and a flock of crows burst up out of the forest, startling the lounging CBers. They stood and peered around the other side of their dune, gazing worriedly into the woods, before sighting Lily bounding out of the shadows with a paper clutched in her fist.

“Guys! Look what I found!” Her surprise was so clearly feigned, the CBers couldn’t help but giggle.

“What, a note from the murderer?” Dragonrider called back.

“I’m surprised you guys actually found paper out here,” Hotairballoon pointed out, unmoved.

Lily reached the group and shrugged. “Eh. Pierre keeps a notepad in his pocket. It wasn’t that hard.”

Something about Lily being so open with the whole affair comforted the Chatterboxers. Joan took the note, being the closest to Lily, and read it aloud--slowly, since the sunlight was fading fast.

“Oh. Another scavenger hunt,” she remarked. “Dear Chatterboxers--Oh, Lily, this is your handwriting--”

“Don’t sound so happy about that."

“Dear Chatterboxers,

“These are the final hours. The Manor, and all within, has fallen. Only six of you remain. And now you are out in the wilderness, all on your own, surviving on berries and fish. Yet there still remains one final of my games to play before the ski lodge can end. A scavenger hunt, fitting for you who are now scavengers, which I, Lily, and Cassy have orchestrated, to lead you along a path that is not only fun but fulfilling, to contribute to your survival in the great outdoors. The different stops along the way feature little rewards--food, water, scenery--that will be difficult to find elsewhere.

“Your first clue is folded inside this note. Gather your things, for it is imperative that you begin the hunt as the sun sets tonight. Your first reward for today will be a very safe spot to sleep tonight. And please hurry, because I am rather tired and can’t wait to go to bed.

"Sincerely, The Murderer.” 

~ ~ ~

P.S. Note the wording around characters' deaths, from the collapse of the manor onwards. You might find certain phrases matching up with those from one the murderer's former games...  

Day Twenty - Part Two: Distance

Joan scanned her comrades' expressions. Usually, a note like this would bring discomfort or fear upon the Chatterboxers, but on a night like this, they seemed to be looking forward to the challenge. Were the CBers merely excited for the lodge to end? Were they eager to solve the murderer’s clues? Were they curious about the alleged rewards? Had they abandoned fear altogether?

For once, Joan had a difficult time deciphering what exactly it was that brewed behind her friends’ expressions. All she knew was that, this time, the CBers submitted willingly to the murderer’s game. Joan looked within herself and found the same to be true. Perhaps this was because she knew that the murderer was one of the people surrounding her, all of whom she cared for, and all of whom she trusted to a certain degree.

“Well, let’s pack up, then,” Hotairballoon suggested in a light tone--not that there was much to gather. Within five minutes, Lily, Cassy, Pierre, and the CBers were ready to hear the first clue:

Your journey starts at sunset,
where the waters sparkle clear.
Tonight you’ll pick up five clues
but all, you see, are near.

As the fire sets on West
you must leave your sandy nest
and walk the water’s edge
to where a stand of food does rest.

“That’s it? We just follow the shore?” Joan asked, skeptical. “Sounds too easy.”

“It is the first clue,” Hotairballoon pointed out.

After a brief discussion on whether or not the clue should be taken for face value, the CBers went with HAB’s point and trotted off along the shore--very slowly, since the past few days had left them sore.

It didn’t take long, once they’d left the dune-yard, for the group to spy the metal roof of a food stand glinting in the sunset. After closer inspection, the Chatterboxers found that it had offered smoked salmon. Sadly, all that remained of its victuals was a pile of dehydrated fish in the cupboard below the counter.

It was in this cupboard that the CBers found their next clue:

Head upstream to the leafy pool.

Something about the phrasing in that clue unnerved the Chatterboxers, but they could not quite place what it was…

After a few minutes of panicked scouring, the Chatterboxers came upon a tiny streamlet trickling out of the woods. Had they not sought it under the golden blaze of sunset, they might have never spied the streamlet's reflection peeking out from among the leaves.

The CBers followed the stream through the woods for two minutes before coming upon a glasslike puddle about three feet in diameter. Its surface was smooth, but dead oak leaves choked the bottom.

A sturdy branch had been planted in the mud; its spindly twigs reached skyward, and from its highest twig dangled another slip of paper.

Camp is near. First, we must pass through a tunnel. You will need Joan’s dagger to get through. Just continue to follow the stream.

Pierre, the tallest, had been the one to grab and read the note. When the dagger was mentioned, Joan blushed, and all eyes landed on her.

“Joan? You have a dagger?” Moonfrost questioned quietly. Surprise was not evident in Moon's tone, but her coolness sent a shiver down Joan’s spine.

“Yeah,” Joan replied, trying to keep her voice light. “I’ve had it since day one--just in case, you know? I keep it in my boot.”

Nobody said a word, and Joan felt her spirits sinking like the sun. Great, great, great. Now I’M the murderer. And now the murderer knows where I keep it!

Joan sighed droopily. “Come on. Don’t act so suspicious. I could’ve used this thing a million times but I haven’t, and for this very reason. I didn’t want to look like a threat. Nothing’s changed.”

“Maybe we should rotate the dagger,” Dragonrider suggested tentatively.

Surprisingly, it was Moonfrost who objected. “No! And make it a hundred percent chance the murderer gets it? No, no, no. As long as we all stick together and watch each other, we’ll be safe. Not from traps, but...you get it. Joan should keep the dagger."

On that note, the CBers trekked around the pool and continued to follow the burbling brook. As time passed, the trickle widened into a stream. Meanwhile, the undergrowth grew denser until thorns pressed in on all sides, and the only safe trail was through the icy river itself. At this point, the sun was no longer visible, and the forest darkened under twilight.

The journey lasted ten minutes. The stream widened into a broad, shallow river, and as the CBers plodded along in silence, they remembered Lelillo’s motto-- “All inlets lead to Lelillo.” Of course this stream wouldn’t lead out of the property, but it was fun to imagine...

“OOF!” Cassy’s cry, from the lead, was heard a little too late--like dominos, the CBers bumped into each other before stumbling to a complete halt.

“Sorry guys,” Cassy apologized as the CBers in line straightened themselves out. “It was so dark I thought this was just a bush. Here, come look. I think this is the tunnel, but these muscadine vines have been braided into a barrier.”

Before the CBers, barely visible in the fading light, was a massive wall of limestone that extended infinitely in either direction. It was too tall to climb and seemed to be solid everywhere except here, where the stream flowed out of a person-sized tunnel.

An expertly-woven net had been fashioned from the vines. They were laden with plump purple berries, but there was hardly time to enjoy the treats--the CBers had to outrun the dusk.

“We don’t need a knife for these,” Moonfrost scoffed, and she proceeded to tear at the vines. They didn’t budge. Their stems were too woody, and Moonfrost should have remembered how flexible muscadine plants are. The only good thing that came from her attempt was the sweet scent that wafted from the mutilated berries. “Wow,” Moon sighed, plunging her sticky palms into the water. “Whoever did that did a good job.”

“Thanks,” Cassy blurted.

“You’re welcome.”

Everyone fell silent. It took Joan a second to realize they were waiting on her.  She crouched down and slowly withdrew her dagger from her boot, almost too embarrassed to wield it. The others stepped away to let her slice through the vines, which she did so with startling strength and precision. The plants swung apart like a curtain, separating in one clean swoop, releasing their grapes as soon as they collided with either side of the tunnel. Plunk. Plunk. Plunkity plunk.

Darkness and humidity seemed to emanate from the tunnel, and the only light the CBers had to go by were the glistening ripples caused by their splashing. However, the passage was short, and the CBers emerged to find themselves at the bottom of a sandy pit, surrounded on all sides by limestone walls.

Another clue led them to a roughly-hewn set of stairs at the far end of the clearing, which took them to the top of the limestone walls and down more stairs on the other side. The day's final clue, which was barely visible in the last dregs of sunlight, led the CBers to a clearing that took their breath away.

A living-room sized circle of spruce trees surrounded a patch of land that was absolutely lavished in vivid green moss, which was so rich and thick that the CBers felt guilty for stepping on it. Their feet sank half a foot into the soft, cool carpet--and immediately the Chatterboxers were grateful they had followed the murderer’s clues.

Pierre let out an impressed whistle. “This is the healthiest moss I’ve ever--WAIT, NO WAY! IT’S BRYOPHYTA EXIMIUS! I thought it was all dead in these parts!!!” He stooped down and plunged his fists into the moss, happier than the CBers had ever seen him. “Aww yeah, we’re gonna sleep good tonight.” He flopped onto his stomach then and there and was not heard from again 'til morning.

After spending so much time in the wilderness, the CBers experienced the most well-warranted sleep of their lives. The sweet-smelling moss enveloped their bodies more gently than the most expensive mattress ever could, filling their minds with soothing dreams and blissful oblivion.

It was the last peaceful night at Lake Lelillo.

The Middle of The Night

The air was cool. Crisp, even. A bright sun shone over breezy hills and farmland, carrying the sweet smell of hay from one end of the land to the other. Everything felt even and smooth, and Lily felt a sense of peace.

A group of people entered a wide building with few windows.

"So, which way do you want to go first?" asked a pretty lady with wavy brown hair. "I'm Abigail V., head vacation manager of the Resort Farm; you may remember me from your letter. I'm also head of the breedery. So, which way?"

The majority voted 'to the left'. Everyone wanted to see the baby CAPTCHAs. Abigail V. clopped down the hall in her high-heels, passed three doors, then went in a door on the right marked, 'CAPTCHAs'.

"AWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!" everybody cried. Sitting in baskets on the wall were the adorablest (the CBers invented a new word right then and there) animals anybody had ever seen. A cat sat in one basket, mewing "Melw, Melw!"

A miniature deer lay in a green basket, saying, "Hhgn, bewu!"

And a little bunny with fourteen babies kept repeating, "Xnzv, xnzv, xnzv..." 

"They're looking for a new home, you see. Please don't mess with their babies--they defend them very fiercely.”

From the shadowiest corner of the room, a dark hound with clear blue eyes turned and looked into Lily, and it moaned: “Twigh. ABCDE.” Its voice echoed surreally; Lily gaped at the hound; it disappeared; darkness closed in. Then, the world was filled with silence, dark trees, and leaves...

"Where do you think we are, now?" Rufus wondered. They had entered a forest that was completely still and silent. All the bird noises from ThunderClan's land had...stopped. The trees were ethereal, and...when they tried to probe deeper into them, a thick, invisible barrier held them back. Whatever was in there was off-limits to them.

The three explorers stood stock still, staring through the undetectable shield of glass. Their mouths slightly agape, their hands hanging limply by their sides, they felt more magic pulsing through the air than they had felt before...It was as if the farmer had let out the magic from his room and put it all there, behind the glass.

This glass would uncover many, many more mysteries. However, the glass-wall mystery was pushed aside in order to defeat the murderer...To fight fire with fire...To save the farm and the CBers, once and for all.

Lily herself gazed from inside that chamber of glass a thousand times over, existing in forest within forest within forest--in story within story within story. She knew and understood and lived and breathed what the CBers did not know; this was her essence; and then, Lily looked out as though from two windows at once, and she saw something that she had not thought to notice before out of that second window--the one joining two worlds.

The scene changed seamlessly; it was all one, after all.

The farmer closed his eyes and his body relaxed what little it could. The petrification completed...and it was over. The farmer was dead.

Lily felt a stab of pain and looked away.

Dragonrider tapped her foot expectantly.

"Now tell them about the story," she demanded.

The farmer's assistant tenderly laid the farmer's body on the grass and stood up, wiping her eyes. "Someone is writing a story about you," she confessed.

Even the ghosts looked stunned.

"What do you mean?" Poetic Panda asked.

"I don't know how, but there's a story about you being created. The farmer..." she took a deep, shuddering breath. "The farmer put it in the woods. I don't know if you saw it?"

Poetic Panda remembered the glass wall from the woods. "That--that was our story?!"

The farmer's assistant nodded dismally. "We'd--that is, the farmer and I--had hoped, after discovering the story forming, that you would want to come back after this was over to come and relive your glory days. Since you were battling the murderer, and all. You're storybook characters now, you see. But now...now you might not want to."

And then, a flash. A bang. A crash. A stab of pain, a vision of encroaching Darkness, a look through the eyes of a different murderer, and the taste of magic in the air. The sound of paper on parchment, followed by a deposit on the outside of a window. Lily knew what she was doing, and Cassy was with her.

And then…

CLARITY.

Lily was like water again, permeating every in-between, seeing and hearing and knowing--crystalline. And for a moment, just a moment, Lily saw it all. She saw it all, and caught a glimpse--just a glimpse!--of more.

...

…

…

Lily heaved awake as though surfacing from somewhere deep underwater. She sat up, eyes wide in the moonlight, as moss drifted out of her hair.

There it was. There it was! Lily’s eyes shot to Cassy’s slumbering form, wondering if her sister had dreamed the same thing.

That’s it. It’s--it’s bigger than I thought. Bigger than...our control. Not even just ski lodges, but all of the Chatterbox...and beyond.

Lily’s eyes wandered away from her sister and seemed to focus on nothing.

At least I know it’s not our fault. There’s nothing we could’ve done. She let out a nervous and relieved breath, lying back down in the mossy bed. Above, the stars twinkled in a vast, majestic array. Lily had forgotten, until the dream, just how the stars felt. Distanced from everything, yet watching over all.

Next to her, Cassy let out a snort and rolled over. Lily slapped her arm, and Cassy jerked awake.

“Wha--Lily! I was having the best dream--We were back--”

“Shhh...Me too. Cassy, I just had a glimpse outside Lelillo, didn’t you? Let me tell you what I saw…”

-------------------

Hey, here's some interesting news...I got physical copies of The Farm Story! I ordered them today and they should get here on November 19th--in ten days. *grits teeth excitedly* I also made an ebook & PDF version. Maybe I could post a picture of the cover here...

Here's The Farm Story cover! Hopefully it's clear enough. (The black line on the spine covers my name.)

This is our driveway, edited in photoshop to look like watercolor. I have some 'reviews' from HAB and Joss on the back, plus a "picture of Spyro" as well as a rendition of the farmer's assistant in griffin form.

I also added illustrations at the beginning of every chapter. It was a fun project, and I used Blurb, which is a self-publishing service that does let you sell books, but it also focuses on personal copies and such. (And it has VERY reasonable prices, at least for novel-formatted books.)

While we're on the topic of pics, here are some Lelillo illustrations.

First, the Lake Lelillo T-shirt!

I don't know if it's visible, but the lines on the palm tree spell "Mystery", and the sandcastle is a reference to the time the CBers had sandcastle wars with Seaweedman. 

Here's a picture of Pierre. (Sorry if you don't imagine him this way--look away! Don't let my illustration ruin your mental picture!) It took me forever to find the right hairstyle, and even then, I'm not sure how I feel about it. But he definitely needs sunglasses.

I tried to draw Lily and Cassy. I don't know how well this captures them, but it's pretty close...

Last photo--Jayfeather. I imagine him as a humanoid with cadet blue-gray hair, bluish-gray ears, and sort of a catlike face.

AAHHH!!! So many emotions still reeling around in my head right now!! 

First of all, *hugs again* You're amazing Mice, (I can call you that right?) And I love you lots. :) I'm so glad I could make your day/week/month through my comments. :)

This story is seriously so amazing-I love it all, and I love you. (As a CB friend of course. :) 

I'm still so glad that you decided to finish this story, it's one of my most favorite things to come and read more of it. :) 

So the rest of this post is probably going to be a huge ramble of random comments.. XD  

The pictures look FANTASTIC, you're a super good artist!!! And yeah, that's sort of how I imagine Pierre to look like. :) Great job!! (Also, I can totally see a 'Pierre' character in different types of stories that you would and do write. If that makes any sense at all.)

Also, wow, that's so cool that you got the Farm Story into an actual physical copy!! I'm jealous, and secretly wishing I could get one from you now. XD 

The shirt looks great too-you should TOTALLY make it an actual physical shirt! That is totally something I would wear. :) It all looks super fun and cool!!! 

Also-yay I got to use my dagger!!! :) 

Now my doubts about me being the murderer are slowly diminishing, but.. then again, I feel like the murderer could perhaps be in a sort of 'trance?' Maybe like (if I remember correctly...) how Dragonrider was in the Farm Story? I don't know... 

Anyways, great job as always!! Can't wait to see what's next!!! 

*grabs some popcorn and hot cocoa and patiently waits for the next post of the story*