Following a road through the expansive woods that covered the southern half of Yorq, travelers stopped to watch the angel’s passing. Those not in sight of red uniformed soldiers waved or held up black feathers. Kita returned the waves and wondered about the feathers. The southeast part of Yorq had been a stronghold for her before she died, and it appeared support hadn’t wavered.

Other sets of eyes watched Kita. The armor-clad war cats of Yorq and their allies the war bears watched with interest. They started spreading the word throughout the forest, in little over two hours every war cat and bear knew she had returned.

Soon the forest gave way to the foothills of the Razor’s Mountains. High jagged snow covered peaks rose up sharply from the flat ground below. Towering canyons, steep slopes, sheer cliffs, and high crags made the mountains nearly impassible except for Razor’s Pass. Off in the distance, Kita could see another of her destinations.

***

From hidden locations in the foothills a company of men wearing tattered blue uniforms mixed with civilian garb watched. No one moved or said anything until the trio had passed. Finally, an old, grizzled man crawled up next to a lanky man.

“See that General?”

“I saw, Sergeant Major.”

“She took her sweet time getting her ass back here.”

“The important thing is, the Commander’s back and we’re still here. Send some runners to alert the other companies. Tell them they aren’t to do anything. We’re not going to give up this line. If we know she’s here, better believe they do as well. And I bet they know she came this way. So tell them to be ready for trouble. You and I’ll go back and find her.”

“Yes, sir. Glad to see she’s had time to lay some eggs,” the Sergeant Major said with a chuckle.

“Don’t let her hear you say that; she’ll rip you apart,” the General warned.

“I don’t think she’ll try and whip her old teacher for that. Maybe if I laughed at her.” The Sergeant Major said with a sour grin.

***

Up the side of the mountains, the trio raced, playing in the canyons, dodging crags, scaring goats, and waving at war cats as they went. Continuing to climb, they entered a storm. To their games, they add hide and seek as the barreled up the mountainside. Reaching the highest summit they continued to climb.

They burst through the stormy clouds into the bright midday sun. Kita let her momentum take her as high as it could. She spread her arms out taking in the sun’s rays. For a brief moment, she hung motionless, illuminated in a bright white halo that drowned out her darkness. Slowly the fallen angel let herself fall back to the ground.

Recovering from her freefall a few feet above a rocky slope, Kita and the others raced down the backside of the Razor’s Mountains. The backside of Razor’s Mountains made the front look like a gentle slope. Sheer cliffs dropped thousands of feet, only the war cats and goats ventured to this side. Dropping out of the storm, Razor’s Reef spread out before them.

Razor’s Reef used to be known as the Unfinished Wastes or Razor’s Desert. On her first visit, Kita had opened the retaining dams holding back the sea and transformed the wastes into the reef. Hundreds of tall spires had dotted the desert now the formed a matrix of islands. Long walkways connected many of the spires to form a network across the reef. Originally intended as a work of art, only a few knew about the beautiful Razor’s Reef.

From several hundred feet up, Kita could see the schools of fish darting through the water and the young corals. The dull yellow sand and brown spires had given way to a multitude of colors. Off in the distance, a small boat sailed through the calm waters.

The trio flew just above the water’s surface; tiny rainbows appeared in the spray of the trio’s wakes. Below them, they watched the fish scatter from their shadows. A shark jumped out of the water, trying to snag one of Kita’s companions. The shark came down empty with a big splash as the angels giggled.

The trio slalomed through the spires and bridges. Coming close to the boat, Kita climbed into the air. She slowed for a few moments as she circled. After a few turns, she took off back toward the mountains.

***

On the deck, a tiny white-haired grandmotherly woman watched Kita. A lost sparkle in her eye returned in an instant. One of her daughters had returned. Now things would be set right. As fast as she could, she went to the main cabin.

Inside a stout older man with bandages over his eyes sat alone. The once mighty Shadow Master had become not even a shadow. His organization systematically destroyed by the Sturmtruppen. The people he protected and cared for now had to fend for themselves.

“Glen,” the old lady called softly.

“What is it, woman?” Glen answered harshly.

“It’s Kita; she’s back.” The old lady could barely contain the excitement in her voice.

Glen sat upright. “Are you sure?”

“How many people with black wings do you know?” she retorted.

“Is she here?” Glen’s voice filled with excitement.

“No, she only flew by. Like everyone she has an agenda, Dear. I think she just wanted to let us know she’d returned. I’m sure she’ll stop in to see us as soon as she can.”

“Well Barb, I’m not waiting. Those legionnaires of hers gave us a rallying place for when she showed up again. I plan on being there.”

Barb looked concerned. “I don’t think you can climb over Razor’s Pass, Dear. Maybe we should send a representative instead. I’m sure she’ll see you when she’s ready.”

“Who are you thinking about?”

“Me.”

“You cannot be serious, woman! That’s a four-day hike for a young man.”

“It might take me twice as long, but I can make it. I won’t go alone. I’ll take Zinni and Dutch. I doubt the Legion will make any serious plans yet. If the decide to move forward, I know as much as you do about what’s left of the Guild. I won’t let them dicker us out of anything. If Kita is there, I will send her for you.”

“That’s eight days; the meeting might be over by then.” Glen retorted.

“I doubt that. It’ll take more than a week for all her allies to gather. If she can find them.”

“Well, I know the first person she’s going to look for,” Glen grumbled.

“Don’t you dare mention her,” Barb’s tender voice suddenly filling with vicious rage.