Danny and Jade made it back to their inn without incident. Ivy and Brooke were waiting outside nervously by the entrance. When they spotted him, the two other girls looked relieved and hurried over to him.

Hugging Danny after Brooke, Ivy asked, “Where were you? We turned around and you were gone.”

“I was in the book store looking for the third volume to my alchemy books. After finding out that I would have to join the alchemist guild, I left to get back before you noticed. Then you three were nowhere in sight, so I headed back to the inn. That’s when I ran into them…”

Brooke’s eyes narrowed, “Who were they?”

Jade answered, “Boynappers…”

Brooke and Ivy were incensed, and Brooke grabbed Danny into a hug he couldn’t escape. Danny’s arms waved around as a sense of déjà vu overcame him.

Pushing himself away, Danny straightened his duster, “Dare I ask what boynappers are?”

All three girls looked at Danny with shock.

Danny sighed, “Just tell me already.”

Ivy, “Did your parents ever take you outside when you were growing up?”

Danny nodded.

Ivy continued, “Did they ever let you go out by yourself?”

Danny thought back before answering, “I went shopping once while at the Academy… Sarah was surprised when I came alone.”

Ivy shook her head, “Well it’s not that bad in the capital, what about when you left the city?”

Danny shook his head, “We never left the capital. My first time out was with you three.”

Ivy looked around to see who was nearby, “Boynappers are kidnappers who target young boys not old enough to be married yet. Wizards, such as yourself, would make them a lot of money.”

Danny asked, “Do their families usually pay the ransom?”

Ivy frowned, “They don’t ransom them back to their families. They sell them to undesirable trios. For an example, a wealthy merchant family who has fallen out of favor would pay large sums to acquire a wizard, especially one with three affinities. Do you see?”

Danny shook his head, “Then how do they get away with it? Won’t the boys be able to tell someone or escape? Then the ones who purchased them would be imprisoned.”

Brooke shook her head, “They take them out to the countryside, Danny. Wait 'til they get a child or two off of him, then go back to civilization. The boy’s family will either be forced to disown him or accept the marriage. The boy’s family could accuse his wives - who are now legal - but that would bring public shame to his family and leave him being viewed as soiled.”

Danny couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was appalled and in shock.

Turning to Jade, Danny asked, "I wasn't sure if I could hold back my magic, and tried to avoid them rather than killing them. Did you tie them up for the local constabulary to find?"

Jade wore a small sad smile, as she grabbed his hand, “C'mon Danny, let’s go inside. There is someone who has been waiting a while to see you!”

As the group walked in they could see the tavern was busy that evening but no one was louder than Wizard Basalt. He was obviously in his element as he was in the middle of telling a story. Women in the tavern gathered around to listen to his adventures that usually ended with one of his wives saving his behind from some horrible fate. His wives spent the whole time rolling their eyes and denying the whole thing happened. This would result in the wizard professing his undying love to whoever was the current savior in each of the stories. The crowd laughed raucously as they followed his every word.

Danny and his shadow had taken a seat at a table nearby, and ordered dinner while they waited for the large wizard to finish his tales.

Arya, leader of the Basalt shadow, eventually called it a night and they dragged the storyteller upstairs. Danny’s shadow followed after them. They all retreated to Basalt's room to discuss business. Danny's team sat on one bed while the Basalt ladies sat on the other. They made Wizard Basalt sit in the only chair in the room, as he took up too much space. Danny took a spot standing by the older wizard.

Wizard Basalt turned to Danny, slapping him on the back, "How is my niece treating you, Danny?"

Danny recovered from almost being knocked into the floor, "She is a very nice girl, I am lucky to have her in my Shadow."

"Good, good! How goes your training? I heard rumors that you regrew a missing appendage."

"Just a couple of ears. I figured they would have had me going around Diadem fixing missing body parts after finding that one out."

"Well, they have more pressing issues, and getting you up to fighting strength is more important to them."

Danny got defensive, "Well, my mana regeneration and flow increase daily. I am sure it has increased by at least fifty percent since the last time we saw each other. I would have tried to train more if I had known that was an issue. Wizard Pebble didn't ever suggest that I was still too weak."

"Danny, Wizard Pebble has less mana flow than you. He is just in charge of making sure the wizard trainees actually train. Though he was made aware of what you can do, he doesn't share the level of knowledge that the Archwizard or I have on your special condition."

"So what do you suggest?"

Wizard Basalt sighed, "I would love to be able to increase my regeneration and flow rate by just practicing. Boy, you need to come up with a way to use magic constantly and with large amounts of it. Without causing a disaster, of course."

Danny thought for a second, "I have an idea, it's really simple for me. I just eject massive amounts of mana. Though that does seem wasteful. Especially if we come up on a situation where I need to use the magic. I wonder if I could just store it outside my body?"

The large man laughed and slapped him on the back, "I'm sure you will figure it out. If you are going to store it outside your body, just remember the 'no disasters' part I mentioned before."

Arya cleared her throat getting everyone’s attention, "We have been tasked with escorting the elf known as Leaf back to the elven homelands. He is currently staying in this city under a full military escort. We are using our regular cover as representatives of the Basalt family who happen to be also traveling on business to the elven lands. Since the Great Forest is dangerous this will not appear an odd arrangement. Danny will continue his cover as my husband’s wizard apprentice and you three girls will be his contractually bound Trio, with our niece being part of that Trio. Changing our backstories could only backfire on us. Any questions?"

Ivy asked, "We know Leaf, won't they find it weird that we are familiar with him?"

"The military escort consists of a platoon of over fifty of Diadem’s finest soldiers and around twelve wizards. Leaf is being transported by a carriage with the Elven Ambassador. There is a contingent of nine mounted troops while the rest of them, including us, will be walking. They will not allow us anywhere near him during this trip," Arya explained.

"What about Phantom, can she travel with us?" Danny asked.

Arya asked, "Danny's ghost leopard familiar?"

"We haven't taken her into a group as large as this but she is very protective of Danny," Jade answered.

Arya looked at Danny, "Yes, Jade told us downstairs about your new friend. She will draw a lot of unwanted attention." Arya debated for a minute, "If you are going to bring her, then make sure she is there when we meet with the caravan. I don't want to deal with an entire platoon coming down on us when she suddenly shows up to protect you from something halfway through the trip. Make sure she behaves herself."

Danny nodded, "Yes ma'am, it will be like she isn't even there."

Wizard Basalt spoke up from the corner of the room, "Danny, remember to not use your sorcerer abilities or leave any evidence around the other military wizards. That includes healing."

"Yes, Wizard Basalt."

"We arrived with them tonight and they plan to continue on tomorrow after dawn. They see us as simple merchants and will not wait on us, so be ready to leave at dawn. Now, everyone go get some sleep," Arya ordered.

Danny and his group said their goodnights and left for their room. That’s when Danny realized something he hadn’t when they had left their bags there earlier.

Danny went back to the door, “I will grab some extra blankets and sleep out here on the floor. You girls take the bed.”

Brooke looked at him like he was crazy, “No you won’t, there are probably rats crawling around down there all night.”

Danny’s hand paused on the door handle.

“Danny, don’t tell me you are nervous about sleeping in the same room as us. We have been doing that for over five years now,” Ivy was having a hard time pretending not to smile.

Staring daggers at her, Danny said, “This is not the same and you know it.”

Jade jumped on the bed and looked up excitedly, “You can sleep next to me, Danny!”

Ivy looked back at Danny and mimicked Jade’s enthusiasm, with a smug smile only he could see, “Oh and I get the other side! You don’t mind, do you Brooke?”

Brooke shook her head, “Fine by me, but I get the side next to the window.”

Danny’s jaw had fallen at some point and wouldn’t shut.

The next morning found Danny still awake, trying to focus on anything other than the two girls attached to him. The previous night, after everyone changed behind the room’s dressing screen, they all climbed into the bed. The hotel, used to accommodating married couples, gave them a room with a bed big enough for all of them. At first, Danny didn’t think it was so bad, laying there next to them. After the novelty wore off he actually fell asleep. Only to be woken up shortly after by Ivy draping her leg across his and snuggling up next to him.

Wide-eyed, he turned to her to see if she was doing it on purpose, but only saw a sleeping, young… impossibly perfect woman…

Danny held back a groan, as he turned to look up at the ceiling. He knew he wasn’t going to get any sleep now. Then Jade mumbled something about being quiet or he would wake Danny Jr, and then proceeded to use Danny’s arm as a body pillow. Danny looked at the willowy girl with more than a little worry.

After a few awkward moments when the girls first woke up, they had breakfast and headed out. His team traveled to an isolated area on the edge of the Great Forest, calling for Phantom. Danny was starting to stress that she had been caught by a trap, or went ranging out too far to hunt, and wouldn't hear him. Then she suddenly leaped out of nowhere to tackle him. The girls screamed in surprise and started to reach for their weapons before they noticed who Danny's attacker was. Danny was laughing and trying to wrestle the now large pony-sized cat, with little to show for it.

"I hate it when she does that," Jade complained.

Brooke laughed, "What does he think he is doing, besides getting his clothes dirty?"

Ivy looked up at the sun peeking over the horizon and yelled at the two wrestlers, "Come on you two, we are going to be late!"

Danny got up from the ground, but not before Phantom swatted him playfully in the back, almost knocking him down again. Danny turned and connected with the cat mentally while talking to her. He tried to explain where they were going and who would be with them. The cat looked at him and moved forward to rub her head against his chest, knocking him backwards a step. He decided to take that as a, "Yes Danny, I will be a perfect angel at all times."

They moved back towards the side of the town where they would be meeting up with the caravan. Danny was worried about the military's reaction to Phantom, "Hey, can you think of a way to make Phantom look less threatening when we walk up? I assume a lot of wizards do not have familiars."

Ivy looked over at him and the cat, "No, it sounds like only the elven druids have familiars."

Brooke looked thoughtful, "What about if you put a collar on her?"

Danny shook his head, "She won't take one. Rips it off within seconds. Plus I am worried she is still growing."

Ivy hesitated for a second, "She wouldn't appear threatening if you showed up on her back. Have you tried riding her since she got so big?"

Danny slowly turned his head to look at Ivy with a big smile on his face. He looked like she had just told him today was Christmas.

Ivy had instant regret written all over her face, "Oh no..."

Danny looked over at Phantom and sent her a mental image of him riding on her back quickly through the field they were in. He could tell that she was always frustrated with how slow he was when they played. The cat stopped, then went over to Danny, nudging him. With the aid of her mental cues, he was starting to figure out her body language quickly. This one meant yes. Otherwise she would have just run into the forest.

Danny tried climbing on Phantom's back but her skin was very loose and he ended up just rubbing her back. He eventually got her to lay down so he could just step across her back. Then she stood up, and Danny almost toppled over.

Ivy piped up next to them, "Danny, we need to hurry. I know I suggested this but we don't have much..."

Phantom must have sensed Ivy’s urgency or decided it was playtime, because she took off like a bullet. Danny had just barely grabbed the scruff of her neck and avoided falling off. When the cat had taken off, Danny could only think about hanging on for dear life. Danny had never ridden a horse, in this life or the last. He did remember all the advice he had heard on television and movies saying to not fight the animal's gait. He found he didn't have time to focus on his body position as he was only attached to the leopard by his hands. The cat raced around the three girls in a wide circle.

The Trio started walking again towards their destination while Danny did his best impression of a human-shaped cape. As they made their first pass of the girls he could hear Brooke and Jade laughing, while Ivy yelled something at him. He was getting a little better at staying on. Instead of being afraid of falling off, he now was just trying to stop slipping constantly from one side to the other.

Danny could see the town gate ahead and the caravan waiting nearby. The military platoon was lined up and looked ready to set out. Danny could see the Basalts standing over to the side. Danny noted there were multiple carriages and a few carts. That was all the view Danny got before Phantom decided it was time to leave the field.

Trees suddenly appeared around him as they flew by. He could hear all three of the girls yell from behind him this time. Phantom leapt up to a lower branch and Danny fell sideways. She stopped once she got on the branch, and he shakily managed to finish slipping off from the leopard's side. Phantom gently pushed her head into his chest questioningly and Danny rubbed it, reassuring her. He decided that riding the cat was fun but he was probably going about it the wrong way. He doubted he could get a saddle on her.

Then Danny had an idea and felt stupid for not considering it earlier. Well, he wasn't too upset with himself, as his first experience at riding hadn't exactly been a leisurely stroll through the field. He connected mentally with the cat and just left the connection on in the background for Cranny to deal with. He had her lay down so he could climb back on, then he asked her to start moving through the forest again. Phantom hesitated for a second before leaping down from the branch and gaining speed. She then began leaping from branch to branch. Danny's connection allowed him to know when she was about to jump. He started to recognize the muscles under him bunching in a familiar way before each jump. He hadn't been one for extreme sports before, but this was exhilarating! Through his connection he shared his experience with Phantom, which he could tell she enjoyed.

Phantom jumped to the highest branch on a tree overlooking the Great Forest. The wind blew through Danny’s hair and he took in as much air as he could in a deep breath. Turning, the town of Crossbark didn’t look so big from up here. Danny realized he was alone up here and with a single request, Phantom would take him far away from here. He could go visit the elves on his own, or go see the dwarves in their mountain.

Looking back, he thought about his family and the three girls waiting on him below. Danny sighed and looked once more into the vast distance of the forest before him. The peaceful moment lasted for a few minutes. Patting the cat's head below him he sent her a request to head toward the caravan as he was sure they were late.

As they came out of the forest at full speed, Danny could see his Trio standing next to the Basalts. As Phantom approached the caravan, soldiers turned in alarm and raised their weapons. A handful of wizards on that side began preparing spells. Danny finally got Phantom to slow and stop at distance. He could see the soldiers' shock at recognizing Danny riding on the beast. Danny looked over to see the Basalts and his Trio conversing loudly with a tall woman in a military uniform. Finally, the tall woman yelled some orders and weapons were lowered and spells snuffed out. Arya reached up and motioned for Danny to head over. It took some convincing to get Phantom to move towards a group she now considered a threat. With Danny's soothing thoughts, she relented. They moved through the ranks of the platoon surrounding the caravan and stepped up to the Basalts and the tall woman.

Arya spoke up first, "Danny, when I agreed to let you bring Phantom and you said we wouldn't even know she was here. I didn't think that would mean because you planned for the two of you to die in a blaze of fireballs thrown by a dozen startled military wizards."

Danny smiled uncertainly, "Sorry ma'am, I thought that riding up on her would look less threatening, and Phantom took to the role a little more enthusiastically than I would have thought."

"Mrs. Basalt, my apologies, it was my idea at the last moment for him to try riding the animal. I should have foreseen him sowing chaos with such a simple suggestion," Ivy apologized to Arya while smiling at Danny.

The tall woman in the military uniform Danny had seen before stepped up, desperate to ask, "Is that really a ghost leopard?"

Arya turned to the woman, "Yes it is, Lieutenant Cove, and I apologize again for my husband’s apprentice. He has acquired this... pet recently and the creature refuses to be separated from him. It is very protective of him, so we have allowed him to keep it. I hope this doesn't affect our ability to stay with the caravan?"

Lieutenant Cove turned to Danny, "Boy, what is your name?"

"Danny, Ma'am."

"How exactly did you come about getting the most dangerous animal in the great forest a pet?"

"I found it as a cub, all alone, and raised it."

Lieutenant Cove looked suspiciously at him for a second, "I don't know, your animal will only scare our horses and we don’t have ti..."

A woman appeared from behind the Lieutenant and approached Danny and Phantom. Danny was shocked to see it was an elven woman. As expected, her beauty seemed to have come from another world and she moved with an unnatural grace he hadn't seen with the injured Leaf.

"Ambassador, please do not get near the leopard. It is very dangerous and I cannot ensure your safety so close," Lieutenant Cove pleaded.

The ambassador ignored the lieutenant and looked from the leopard to Danny. Reaching out, she smiled while extending her hand, "Young man, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the Elven Ambassador to your people, and am pleased to find one amongst you who has won the favor of one of the sacred beasts." The woman reached out with her other hand and pet Phantom, who began to immediately purr and push into her hand.

Danny was a little overwhelmed by the elven woman's enchanting smile and sudden appearance. He took a moment before he replied, "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Ambassador. Please, call me Danny."

The elven woman's smile brightened, "Danny, I would very much like to speak with you more on our trip. I especially would like to get to know more about your "pet" here."

"Of course, Lady Ambassador, I would like that as well."

"Ambassador, please we must get going," The Lieutenant urged.

Nodding her head, she turned to smile one last time at Danny and Phantom before retreating to a carriage not too far away.

Watching her go, the lieutenant turned back to Danny and huffed, "Fine, your animal can stay as it apparently would offend the Ambassador. Just keep it away from the carriages and carts. I don't want it spooking the horses!"

Danny sat up straighter and replied sharply, "Yes, ma'am!"

Watching Danny and the leopard for a second longer she walked away, towards the front of the Caravan.

Arya walked up to Danny, "That was close, your pet there almost jeopardized our mission..."

Danny looked down, "Sorry."

Ivy stepped closer to Danny, "Ma'am, it really was my idea for him to try riding the leopard to make her seem less threatening. I shouldn't have asked him to try something new at that moment."

Arya looked between the two of them, "Let's try and not make any more major disturbances for the rest of the trip. Danny you stay outside the platoon formation when you are with Phantom. That should keep you far enough away from the horses to please the lieutenant."

Ivy and Danny both said, "Yes, ma'am!"

Lieutenant Cove’s voice called out and the caravan started moving. Riding Phantom, Danny moved outside the formation. No one seemed to want to get too close to the two. Danny's Trio moved to walk next to him.

Jade spoke up from his side, "Please don't wander off into the forest, Danny. I don't have the speed or my own ghost leopard to follow you on."

"Don't worry, Phantom will keep me safe."

Ivy shook her head, "Danny, I'm sure she can keep you safe from anything in the forest but I don't want to take that chance. Please."

Danny was really starting to get put off by their over-protective nature. He understood their concern, but he just been given a mount that could move through the forest as silent as death. He sent Phantom a thought and turned to speak to Ivy.

"I will do my best to rein in Phantom's impulses but she really like-" Danny's words were cut off as the cat leapt into the forest.

He could once again hear the girls' outcries of frustration. He opened his connection to the ghost leopard and they started climbing through the forest. They moved through the trees with ease. Even with Danny on her back, Phantom was still silent. At one point they had climbed high in the canopy, only to jump across an open space to another tree. Danny got but a glimpse of the caravan as they flew over them. Seeing some of the troops pointed up at them, Danny just laughed. The trees of the Great Forest stretched high above and across the well-worn path.

It was only mid-day and he was starting to get tired of hanging on. Phantom suddenly began to slow down and move low, in a crouched position. There before them was a small herd of seven beast boars. Danny knew that the pigs would only become hostile if they felt their territory was threatened. They were too close to the road and the advance of the caravan would more than likely cause the boars to charge. Danny could just see them charging from the underbrush and taking the caravan by surprise.

Getting down off the leopard, Danny instantly felt his legs and arms protest from staying clenched for so long. Fighting back the groan that wanted to escape his lips, Danny imagined the two of them scaring the boars away. Phantom sent back that she was hungry and, of course, fixated on the largest one. Danny sent Phantom ahead to ambush the larger beast. Danny knew there was one surefire way to scare them and not have them recognize it as an attack.

As Danny watched, the pigs rooted around the base of the trees. Using fire affinity, a wall of flames sprung up, surrounding the pigs, between them and the road. This was also opposite where Phantom was waiting. The pigs, seeing only a forest fire, ran away from the road. The largest boar took up the rear, between the threat and the rest of the herd. Phantom pounced as they ran past, taking down the largest boar with a bite to the back of its neck and a final twist.

Danny had followed through the trees, and got there in time to erect another fire wall between Phantom and the retreating boars, before they could realize the largest boar was gone. After the herd of beast boars had fled far enough, Danny killed the flames before they got out of control. Then Danny sat down to rest and recover while Phantom ate her fill.