#55 The Madness (Final edit)

[Blu]

Told you it would be a little different from the rest

Next chapter coming soon.

[Blu]

CHAPTER 8
‘Someone once said that life was for living, life was for happiness, life was love. I cannot help but feel that I have been lied to. How can life be for love when all you have left is hate? How can life be for happiness when all you can do is scream in silence? How can life be for living when you have nothing to live for anymore? My life is nothing but a disaster. My parents, my people, and my son… I’ve let them all down… I just hope they cannot see through these walls and chains to stare upon me, for my hearts would simply break.


The night was silent. We sat with uncomfortable tension in Cassie's truck, concentrating on the steady buzz of the engine as we rolled against the side of the road. The sound of the engine stuttered to a halt and left me only with the company of anxious breaths coming from the two front seats. Once again, I found myself lying uncoordinately on the extended back seats. The window above me had been lowered, relieving me with a fresh breeze. It was there as a precaution.
I lifted my cramped neck and rested my snout on the window frame. With several deep breaths I regained my focus and looked around. We were parked in the clinic car park, the mountains visible as black protrusions far in the background. My camp was nearby, and I could see a small orange glow of a fire in the distance. I longed to be there, to be home again.
My attention shifted to the large gloomy building partly blockading my view. Two rooms were lit, but the rest of building was dead. Cassie would make sure to drag me back here tomorrow morning, and she would not rest until she knew what was wrong with me. That I was sure of.
There came a click as Cassie unlocked the trucks doors. She climbed out and stretched before taking a coat, adding the extra layer to hold off the cold for a little longer. She came around the front and opened Tal's door, helping him to get out whilst avoiding damage to the truck interior. He grunted and shivered in a breeze that blew over softly, whistling over the cracks and crevises of the building that loomed over us, and he moved a hand towards my door to let me out of the truck. Cassie instinctively threw out an arm and grabbed his wrist. Tal stopped and sadly retreated his arm from the door. With my performance today, Cassie was taking heavy precaution, and she stared long into my eyes for any signs of a repeat.
I wanted to tell her that I was not insane as perhaps she thought, that I could make my own way home without incident. Somehow I felt like I was lying to myself. In my frail state, walking through the full dark of the night all alone could set off another attack (or whatever the hallucinations were).
She edged forward, placing her palm around the handle. Giving me time to move away from the door, she opened it.
Her hand held under my arm and aided me from the truck, and we stood in the car park, cold and confused, looking at each other and waiting for someone to break the silence.
“Well, this is awkward.” Cassie stated correctly.
I simply nodded.
“Come on, Toby.” She continued. “Don't feel guilty. Just come back here tomorrow and we'll find whatever is wrong with you. Everything will be fine.” She smiled, rather more ensured of her safety now. “You had better take Tal home.”
A smile shone briefly across his snout, my apparent sickness not enough to deter him from spending time alone with me, so it seemed.
“Yes, Cassie, and thank you for having us today.” I said in a misplaced and cliched tone.
“It's no problem Toby, just get home and cheer up a bit.” She grinned and nudged at my arm.
The mood was considerably brighter as we parted ways. Cassie drove back to her home in her big truck, leaving me and Tal to brush hurriedly through the trees. The smell of the camp helped to guide me past familiar branches that were hidden within the dark. The memories of gliding through here day after day told me where every large branch protruded, the way to deal with each awkward turn, and even the tiniest individual grooves in the bark to grapple onto.
We emerged from the border of trees into the opening, now covered in a light veil of snow. Invisible snowflakes announced their presence as they coated the hard tip of my snout. The snow left a series of random patches in the centre of the camp, forming a circle around the large glowing fire that sprang out like an icon among the bodies that sat amongst it. A distinctive smell of mefah bark crept to me and persuaded me over to the swollen crowd of Hork-Bajir that had gathered from the closest surrounding groups.
Bark that was collected from the mornings harvest had been piled up high to my left. Several Hork-Bajir had circled the pile and talked quietly amongst themselves, whereas the vast majority was relaxing in the fires warm glow, breathing in the pleasant smell of the mefah.
My hand clutched at Tal's and pulled him over to empty space before the fire, a drag of the mefah making me shudder and grin, a brief and welcomed high. We laid down in the cramped space together, sheeted by the comfortable orange glow that tempted a well-needed sleep, with only the crunching of various slabs of bark prying my eyes back open.
It was not long before I too was munching loudly on my share of the harvest. Tal had fetched us both some bark from the steadily disappearing pile, and made one of his own between us. I spotted a particularly large slab poking out from the centre of the pile, and with my stomach telling me I needed something a little more filling than nibbles, I pulled it messily from the pile and rested it on my belly.
The camp was getting quieter. Silent individual conversations became clear, echoing announcements, disrupted only by snoring that came from either side of us. The cold winter air was a welcoming contrast to the fires warmth, and threatened to lull me to the land of dreams.
It came as a shock when Tal eventually laid back on the cool grass, his eyes flicking and finally shutting for the night. Perhaps ogling at my tail for hours on end had forced him into an early snooze.
I sighed, finding that I was in the minority that had carried on awake. After stretching my limbs, I fumbled through the pile of bark that Tal had left for me, and munched hungrily through it. I was saving the largest slab for after, but it was already sheeted with my saliva and sat there begging to be chewed. A piece of Pine followed a brief inhalation of mefah, freeing an unexpected purr of satisfaction as my eyes seemed to turn upside down in my head.
The effects of the strange bark were always a treat for those who could stay awake long enough to feel them. The burning mefah gave Hork-Bajir a big lift. After seeing the effects of the mefah, our carers recommended that we use it daily as a way to rid ourselves of any post-war depression that may have lingered. It was a near-perfect solution.
And after todays events, I needed it.
Twitches portrayed flashing memories, but the dulling spell of the bark remained and calmed my mind. I was struggling, and the lack of activity made my brain want to understand the hallucinations that had been haunting me, but the day had left it tired and worn, unable to add the pieces up. I could only find the motivation to curl up and sleep where I sat, but the anxiety that dug through and hurt me was only prolonging the night, pressing to the conclusion that I would not sleep.
I took a stroll around the outskirts of the enclosure, where the cold breeze was unobstructed by the tall trees and the frequent rush of cars strobed on me with their white blinding lights. They came as a welcome cure for the darkness that surrounded as I stomped aimlessly to no particular place.
There was no explanation for the faces that seemed to watch me in the dark. The eerie glows that consisted may have merely been a trick played on me by my own mind, perhaps the lack of sleep bringing on premature dreams. Strange creatures danced around me with no familiar face, though they talked to me like they had known me for years and they circled me like an icon, or some ritual sacrifice.
But they talked with silence, and they danced with mourn.
The creatures dragged me to the ground, and they yelled out inaudible demands. I did nothing, and sank breathlessly to the soil where I passed on, with but a defeated cough. The dances came to a cease, and the talking became the whistle of the wind through the trees.
The soil rumbled, and a beam of light fell on me, a vehicle rolling up close by.The door opened and the owners legs came rushing into my faded sight. He came to my side and he knelt down with concern on his hairy face, his appearance dispersing the creatures that had dragged me to the ground.
I looked up with relief, and told him of my situation, my name and how I was just tired. Why did he not respond?
Hands grabbed at my shoulders and shook me, and I responded with a weak groan.
“I am awake,” I told him. “I am awake.”
Still he shook.
“Come on, Toby! Wake up! Please!”
He began to slap me across my face, and I complained to no avail. Something was wrong.
But with a firm backhand to my head, I woke up.
I looked up to Erek who was dripping with sweat, his spare hand wrapped firmly around my wrist, with the other ready to slap me across the face again.
“Oh thank God! Toby, I thought I'd lost you!”
I stared at him before struggling to my feet, feeling faint and lost. The area was unfamiliar to me, but a road was stretching far on my left, void of trees. Erek must have seen my body lying here in the mud.
“Erek. Where am I?” I queried weakly, on full alert as my head searched for something.
“It doesn't matter Toby. Let's just get you home.”
He guided me slowly to his car, and we drove back into the night. I had walked several miles, and it took a while before we were back at the park.
For the whole drive, I sat without a word.

As the sun set once more, leaving the rich landscape in fledgling shadow, the valleys of the enclosure came to life with the sounds of crackling wood and dronal mumbling. The snow had left us, and the ground instead was invaded by the beautiful orange glow of the setting sun, disturbed only by the blackened veil of the trees where I sat. I looked upon my friends and family as they rushed to start the fire that would keep them warm for the night, and the children who would rush with imperfect grace through the canopies playing their little games. Little creatures scurried along the ground and up the trunks in a final attempt to find some food before the dark drew in, and the creatures of the night began their foraging. I would watch small insects as they crunched through the litter that rested on the hard ground and provided the soft blanket on which I sat.
Three days had crawled by, and things had returned back to normality. Erek had driven me to the clinic and I slept there overnight. The following day was taken up with rigorous tests to find what, if anything was wrong with me. Cassie believed it was psychological, but she had found nothing leading.
Today was the first day where I had not been recalled into the clinic, and I had suffured no further symptons since Erek found me collapsed twenty-seven miles from the park.
Cassie had voluntarily performed all the tests on me and found nothing, but with each positive result came a nervous contrast of doubt. She feared the worst, but I would try to convince her that I felt fine, and that the hallucinations were over. It seemed that nothing I could say would calm her nerves.
Tal Ganat had not left my side since the day we met. What I felt from him was more than just concern...
He was sitting beside me, scratching pictures onto the trunk of a pine tree, using his sharp claws to dig at the surface of the bark. His drawings were never understandable, often ending up as unrecognisable scribbles, however I much enjoyed watching him show off his creative side.
Once he had given up his drawing, he sat and leaned into me, picking at his sappy claws. “Tal make picture. Picture for Toby.”
I briefed over the image that had been scratched onto the tree trunk, and I found it impossible to decipher. Nevertheless, I was very grateful. “Thank you Tal. What is it?”
“Big tree. Biggest tree.”
I smiled and leaned back into him, staring back out to the lively crowd as the fire was finally lit. The atmosphere was settling, and the sun had submerged fully behind the horizon. The cold of the night was seeping through the branches, which only made us clutch closer together.
“Shall we sit by the fire?” I asked Tal.
He shook his head. “Eat.”
“There is food by the fire.”
“Better bark.” He replied with a smile. His hand took mine and lifted me briskly to my feet, taking me pleasantly by surprise.
“I cannot say no.”
He took me far from the camp, and to the far end of the Hork-Bajir enclosure. It was an area I had only rarely passed through, if only to get from one place to another, but as we breached deeper in, the scents of new trees filled my snout. The variety of smell almost overwhelmed me, and I had to stop myself crashing into a large trunk as we almost flew through the tight-packed flora.
I had to put aside my enthusiasm though, as a large metal fence came into view, splitting its way straight between the trees. Feeling obligated to inspect and decide where we were actually going, I pulled Tal back and made my way down the the shiny new fence. After quick investigation, I came to the conclusion as to why it was there.
The trees on our side of the fence were different to those on the other side. Even the ground gave a different hue. Those trees had been specially planted for a reason, but they were ever so tempting...
“New trees.” Tal informed me, as if I had not already figured that out.
“Yes, Tal.” I replied. “I believe these are Terry's trees.”
And sure enough, I caught the sight of a building through the distant trees to our left. Tal seemed disappointed and stared lustfully at the new trees, but I had the feeling that Terry had inteded for us to enter, hence the lack of a more effective fence.
“It is alright, Tal. Terry wants us to eat from these trees.” I jumped back up into the canopy and deftly over the fence. He did not doubt me, and eagerly followed.
My feet brushed over unfamiliar branches as I wandered curiously around the 'garden', taking note of its size and the number of trees. Through the bundles of leaves I saw the restaurant, and looking through the large window that made up the side of the dining area I saw the repair work still underway.
I averted my eyes from the building which I had partly destroyed and sniffed at the air, fumbling my mind through the smells of the ripe trees, while Tal wandered off after spotting something of interest.
Saliva was beginning to drip from my snout. The sheer sensation of all the exotic food was just begging for me to dig into the nearest tree and not stop until I could explode. A lovely thought, but one I would have to resist in order to hold onto my dignity. Scratching lightly at the nearest branch, I cut off a slither of smooth, sappy bark and chewed on it. It was such a rich taste, sweet and delicious, but my tongue wanted something else.
Sniffing around, I eventually found what I was looking for. The tree had already been stripped in parts from where Tal had dug at it before, and he appeared determined to finish the job, sitting down to continue an unfinished meal.
Grinning inanely, I bounded over and sat on the branch beside Tal, and before I could mutter a word, a huge slab of bark was crammed into my mouth, my tongue lapping to delve into the glorious flavour.
How could food be so perfect? So beautiful? I almost collapsed, but Tal's tail had wrapped tightly around my waist and was holding me close.
At first, I was sceptical about Terry's approach to attracting more customers, but with bark like this being supplied to us, we could not refuse. Besides, our half of the deal was just to show ourselves to his customers every so often.
I could have met up with Terry again to discuss it further, but for now, my focus was on Tal. Entirely.
So we sat there on a steady branch, slowly carving through the unfortunate tree, watching the stars sprinkle over the purple sky. The echos of the crickets and crunching of small animals in the undergrowth formed a calming atmosphere, and with the warm touch of Tal's tail against my leg made it the perfect night.
The bark from the tree was disappearing quicker as we stuffed ourselves with the heavenly flavour, and without a single word sat there for what seemed like hours just staring at the stars and into each others eyes, and when we had eaten as much bark as we could fit into our bellies, we sat intertwined against the trunk of the tree.
Tal and I snuggled closely together to watch the night flow on, and I had never felt so at peace.
“I have enjoyed this night.” I told him. “Thank you.”
His hand took mine and held it tightly, eyes smiling to me, while he slipped out his tongue and licked me lustfully across my snout, an action comparable to a human kiss.
“I think we shall leave that until we get home.” I offered him a teasing look, but my eyes drew down and found the scar on his torso to focus on. It was then that I realised that I knew nothing of his history, and I had to ask.
I gently rubbed over the mark that graffitied his body. “Where did you get this from?”
He looked down at the scar that lined him. “Andalite.”
“You were a slave.”
“Slave.” He confirmed, placing a claw to his forehead. “Yeerk in head.”
“Please tell me about it.” I asked like an eager child.
His eyes closed for a moment and he grunted lightly. Reopening his eyes, he began to speak.
“Tal born on ship. Yeerk in head. Tal have gun and shoot Gedd.” He raised his arm as if he were holding a weapon and tried to imitate the sound. “Go to Earth.”
“You were rescued on Earth?”
His reply surprised me. “Tal not. Andalite hurt Tal and yeerk leave.”
My head ****ed. “Your yeerk left you?”
“Yes. Yeerk say 'Tal die', then go. Tal live and run away.”
“Where did you go?”
“Run away and live in tree. Long time.”
What I was hearing was quite a surprise. How could a Hork-Bajir live on Earth as a rogue without being found, or even shot by a wandering human? It also sprang the question of whether there were more out there. It was a possibility, though not one I found entirely pleasing to think about.
“I assume that you were found and brought here.” I said. He responded with a nod.
His story was not too disimilar to others, though most of the Hork-Bajir who currently resided here had been rescued from Yeerk clutches over the last few years. Many by the Animorphs, though the more recent arrivals had been taken by Andalite surveillance ships which came across stranded Yeerk settlements. The Andalites would decide a deal with the Yeerks and would take the hosts for re-homing. Deals with the lone Yeerk forces were easy, as they were always lacking vital supplies.
Again, I blinked down to the big scar, and I knew who was responsible. There was only one free Andalite on Earth at the time, but it no longer mattered, for Tal was here with me now. I was infinitely thankful for that.
We made our way back to the camp where everyone was awake and buzzing, for the beautiful night sky had introduced a new liveliness and a joyous atmosphere. The young had fallen asleep in their mothers arms, whilst they enjoyed a warm fire-side feast with friends and family.
Our carers had not supplied us with mefah today, but we had been given more water and a big rubber tyre, though that may have been picked up by one of us. It was currently being used as a seat.
For a while, we sat with the others and talked, but we could not eat another bite and retreated back to my tree together.
In my tree we had  a sturdy branch, and a nest that had been built solidly into the canopy. Above that was a look-out. Before slinking back to the nest we made ourselves comfortable on the branch overlooking the camp.
We did not expect to see an owl perching on a branch overhead, staring down at us. Tal began to tickle me, his fingers creeping up my side and finding a sensitive area just below my ribs.
“Tal...” I said between laughter, “The owl...”
He did not seem to understand the warning, and the tickling started to become more of a caress.
<Is this a bad time?>
Tal suddenly stopped and looked around in surprise, whereas I looked back to the owl. “Hello Cassie, it is a good time.”
<I can see that.> She laughed, and the small owl glided down to sit upon a blade on my head. <Hello Tal.>
He gave her an embarrassed smile, having withdrawn back to his place on the branch.
“This is Cassie.” I told him. “She has morphed a bird. An owl.”
The concept flew by him, but he seemed to understand that he was talking to Cassie, at least.
<Sorry if I've disturbed anything. I just came to check up on you guys.> She said cheerfully.
“Things have been fine. We received our water this evening, and we appear to have found a tyre.” I indicated to the tyre, which was seating three Hork-Bajir.
<Toby, you know how we feel about foreign objects.>
“You are right Cassie. I will take it to the clinic tomorrow.”
<Might as well, we want you back for more tests.>
I groaned, for that was one thing I did not wish to hear. “Please, Cassie, I do not want any more tests.” I tried to convince her with the saddest expression I could pull off, but it is a hard task to achieve when they are sitting atop your head.
<Toby, we still don't know what's wrong with you, and we need to find out!>
I sighed. “Cassie, I am fine. I have have no further symptoms or hallucinations.”
<You fell off of a building, you destroyed Terry's restaurant, and you walked almost thirty miles from the park and collapsed! You look me in the eyes and tell me there is nothing wrong with you.>
She was right, and I knew deep down inside that I was not well at all. I just hated the tests so much...
“I am sorry, Cassie. You are right.”
<I'm not trying to be mean. I know you don't like all these tests and spending days sitting in the waiting room, but if anything was to happen to you...>
“Do not worry about me.” I smiled. “I am sure that I will be fine.”
She left it at that, and gazed out over the camp. She was quick to draw attention to my mother, who was sat on the far side of the group looking sorry for herself, an ugly white bandage wrapped around her left foot and lower shin. <Hopefully that bandage will last more than a day. She always manages to lose them somehow.>
“She bites at them.” I revealed, chuckling to myself. “Mother finds them very irritating.”
Right on cue, she lifted her leg to her snout and nibbled roughly at it.
<I thought so.> She made a strange sort of humming noise which I found was not too distant from a sigh. <She needs to stop doing that or her foot will never heal.>
“She will learn to stop eventually.”
<Hopefully.> She dropped from my head onto a small branch ahead of us. <I almost forgot to tell you, there's another 'rep' meeting next week, and they want you to attend this time.> I detected a hint of impatience in her voice.
“They never give me directions. I end up lost. Can they not just meet in the same places?”
She huffed amusingly. <Why are you asking me? Just make sure you turn up for once, otherwise i'll get the blame.>
“I am sorry, but they do not seem to like me.”
<Only because you farted during a meeting on global warming.> She s****ed out loud to further my embarrassment. Fortunately, the conversation had lost Tal long ago and he was too busy scratching himself to pay attention.
“You are always telling me that.”
<It's funny.>
I smiled. “To you, perhaps...”
<Well, if you decide to go, i'll take you to the zoo afterwards.>
“Thank you, I would love that.” I said with a grin.
Cassie's owl body began to ready its wings, preparing to drift down to the ground below. <I should leave you and Tal alone. I'm sure you have better things planned than talking to owls, so I'll go talk to Ket.>
“She will be happy to see you.” I shuffled eagerly over to Tal. “Thank you for informing me.”
<My pleasure. Goodbye Tal.>
He stopped scratching himself and waved. “Goodbye bird Cassie.”
Cassie left us with a few final words: <It's about time, Toby. You need a boyfriend.>
I assumed this was private thought-speech, and I waved to her as she dropped down to the ground.
“Why is Cassie bird?” Tal questioned.
I saw Cassie, back in her natural form, reveal herself from the bushes, wearing warm, practical clothing, and a pair of large rubber boots. She had recently achieved the ability to morph full clothing... somehow. At least she could save a bit of money.
She wandered over to the camp and was given the tyre to sit on, and the excited Hork-Bajir crowded around to say their welcomes.
Meanwhile, I was left with Tal. Alone.
“Let us not ask questions.” I replied to him, a suggestive smirk appearing on my eager snout.

[Dogman15]

Oh good, a nice chapter without any major mental breakdowns!

(Have I mentioned that Toby is my favorite character in the series?)

[Blu]

She's mine too

Next chapter coming soon. Maybe a second person will read it someday lol

[Blu]

Sorry for the delay, just been lacking the motivation. An awful lot of time has gone into it and I feel as if people are barely even reading it. Thanks to those that are, but I may get slower from now on.

[Dogman15]

Didn't you say this story is on FanFiction.net? You should update it there, you're sure to get more readers (and fans of the series) on that site. Update your story there with all the chapters you've completed so far, and you'll get more reviews there. I'll even recommend this story on TV Tropes if you do:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanficRecs/Animorphs

[Blu]

OK, uploaded up to chapter 8 on FanFiction. Hopefully will continue writing soon 

[Dogman15]

Blu, I wanted to quote something from TV Tropes for you to read here:

Important message unique to this series: Fan Fiction.net dos not allow the use of <Greater-than or less-than symbols,> something very key to the Animorphs series for thought-speak. Most people use (single) or ((double)) parentheses instead. As an alternative, consider using «these symbols» or ‹these ones,› which FanFiction.net does allow.

The original page is here: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanficRecs/Animorphs

Since your <s and >s get erased by FF.net, you should really consider inserting those alternate brakets («» and/or ‹›) in your story. I really wish more Animorphs FF.net writers would use them.

[Blu]

CHAPTER 9


‘Someone once said that life was for living, life was for happiness, life was love. I cannot help but feel that I have been lied to. How can life be for love when all you have left is hate? How can life be for happiness when all you can do is scream in silence? How can life be for living when you have nothing to live for anymore? My life is nothing but a disaster. My parents, my people, and my son… I’ve let them all down… I just hope they cannot see through these walls and chains to stare upon my failure and my pain, for my soul would simply break.
I sit here now, writing for what seems like the millionth time, in the hope that someday, someone will read over this and think about what happened to us all.

From nothingness, I found myself centred within a mass of trees. The motion of my turning head breathed an unreal echo, like the wind was leaving a short-lived shadow, and the water dripping from the rain-soaked leaves felt like a barrage of gun fire leaving me with a dire bleakness.
My right foot churned forward and dipped into the muddy litter.
Making my way through the desolate collection of trees, it became apparent that I was far from home. The only scents raiding my nostrils were those of my own fear, and the raw waft of unharvested bark.
But my mind craved no bark, nor the comfort of other Hork-Bajir. It craved for nothing I had encontered before, and it all seemed so confusing.
Weeds brushing against my shins brought my sight to a harsh, crippled body. The scars that ravished my body to the point of mutilation threw a frozen shiver down my spine. I could no longer recognise my own legs, nor my own arms. It was as I had been dragged through bushes of rusty barbed wire.
Something came to me. A faint, if non-existant being was controlling how my legs aimed to smoother ground on which to step. My eyes saw where I did not want to see.
Trees around me were distorted, twisting and closing in at the corners of my eyes, cloaked in a warning array of hideous colour, but I could not cry out. I could not close my eyes.
Ahead came a bright light. The sun was creeping around the canopies and gaping down at me, but the stereotypical joy and excitement of a bright sunny day had been replaced by a troubling radiation that blinded me. However, my legs continued to carry me forward into the naked gaze of the sky, engulfing my damaged form in its baking heat.
I stopped, clawed feet digging into the soft wet grass, my gaze wondering over a limited range.
For a moment, the suns ravenous rays were subsided as a long winged shadow flew overhead. An itch arose. A niggling, familiar situation.
And the shadow flew down towards me.
Tobias?
There came movement over the hill from where the sun was rising. Five large figures came running into view, while the hawk circled warily above, keeping a close eye on the proceedings.
It was the Animorphs! They had returned!
I wanted to run to them and greet them. To ask them of their expedition.
But I did not budge, nor did I even grin. Just stood stiff.
They moved cautiously forward and surrounded me. A tiger, a gorilla, a wolf, a bear, and an andalite. Tobias loomed far overhead.
Why was nobody saying anything? Why was I not saying anything?
The wolf descended slowly down towards me, her pupils fixed on mine, and in them I saw Cassie. She was scared.
In my head, I spoke to her, and kindly petted her wolf head. My body though, remained static.
That was, until I began to growl.
Before she could begin to back away, my leg swung around and collided with a thump against the wolf chest. She flew several feet through the air, and slammed into the ground. Dead.
No...
An ear-breaking shriek rang over me, and I turned to dodge Tobias' flying talons by millimetres as the signal to attack was passed. He swooped by and began to turn back as Jake pounced, his huge tiger body flying at speed through the air.
With an instinctive and clumsy movement, I evaded the outstretched claws, but a trailing leg smashed into my snout and threw my head back. My balance lost, I tumbled hard onto my back.
I clawed at the ground as Marco loomed over me, anger painted over the black leathery gorilla face. His fist wrapped around my thigh like a twig, and with little effort and a tightening grip, my bone snapped clean in half.
The pain! The sheer agony! I threw my arms forward, and a blade scraped at his shoulder. Superficial damage, but enough for him to release my quickly numbing leg.
He snarled at me with cruel yellow teeth, but I had moved a surprising distance from the danger, even with my leg dangling uselessly, the bone poking from the skin.
It was six against one, an unwinnable fight, yet I fought on. Now it was Ax and Rachel's turn.
I grasped at Rachels furry coat as she slammed me with a thankfully inaccurate blow on my side. My remaining leg worked with my strong tail to hold me up, but I missed the Grizzlys belly, her momentum carrying her away from my flailing arm.
Ax was a little less mobile, seething a few metres away. The menacing tail blade was simply waiting for the others to clear before swinging for my vulnerable neck.
Without warning, he struck.
FWAPP!!
The blade connected with thin air.
My claw had grabbed his tail, taking a firm grip on the hairy, fleshy skin. He froze with shock, and I yanked him roughly back, my elbow connecting sharply with his andalite nose. The blood spurted over my arm.
Tobias was quickly morphing to a more powerful form. He stood beside Cassie's still body, while the others took it in turns to bring me down.
Now It was Jake's turn again, and with a fearful growl he swiped with a mallet-like paw, paving claw marks deep into my chest.
I yelled and hunched forward, clutching at the wound.
But this was no time to feel the pain. The ground beneath my feet trembled, and I turned to see a juggernaut of hair pounding towards me.
Rachel's head thumped into my belly, winding me with the immense contact. The bear continued the rampant charge.
Only a tree could stop her.
My organs burst as my body was crushed between the tree and the collision-shocked Grizzly. Blood splashed onto the ground from where my belly split open with the force of the blow.
I gargled as the blue-green liquid flowed from my mouth, dripping down over my fading body, and onto my struggling, weak limbs.
Marco hulked over, his gorilla nostrils flaring and wafting hot breath upon me. He craned his arm and bundled his hands into a fist, directed for my dizzy head.
He flung forward, and for the shortest moment before my life was ended, I saw everything. I saw Cassie's body lying lifeless on the ground. I saw the others crowd around, desperate to bring her back from the edge. I saw Rachel and Jake demorphing, tears rolling from reforming human eyes. I saw Ax getting daintily back to his hooves, and holding a bloodied nose.
And I saw a being neither of life or death. Someone, or something, with no real physical being, but with such a powerful presense that he filled my senses to exploding, and as Marco's huge fist pounded me to somewhere unknown, the being spoke to me the words: "You did it."


The smoke from the burning ashes that remained of the fire rose like a whirlpool in the centre of the camp. A light drizzle was not enough to break the steady, simple dance of the leaves, but collected on the buds and branches to trickle in little waterfalls around the cool, dry nest.
My eyes watched an empty sky, the stars hidden by a light blanket of cloud. Everybody was asleep, the quiet snores and shuffles barely audible over the patting rain. Tal's arm wrapped over me like a blanket, and he lay curled up cosily behind me, tail and legs twitching in some distant dream.
Dreams were not always as comforting though, for the last dream seemed all too real and had woken me from my peaceful slumber. I had never before felt such a presense, nor experienced such a real and disturbing nightmare.
But I could not let it get me down, for it would only instill further worry into the others. They depended on me to be strong, and to be able to deal with any problem that I was faced with. The last few days, though, had made me feel weak and sick.
Since the nightmare, my eyes had refused to close. I just wanted to watch the night fold back into day, and awaited the first meal. But the night seemed cruelly eternal.
There sat one lone Hork-Bajir by the burned out fire. She had crawled from her tree on the other side of our camp and seeked to reap the last moments of the fading ashes. Huddling by the pile, she wept lightly.
Nakur was a widow. Her husband was killed under yeerk captivity.
Maybe I should have gone to her side, comforted her. I was the only one awake to notice her. For some reason, I could not bring myself to do it, and I watched over her grieving, knowing that my presense was of no use to her, but for a barrier to a harsh reality. Time would heal this wound, but the process was still slow to take its effect, and my comfort could only prolong her inner pain.
So she sat alone, and watched the last of the ashes burn to nothing. She would cry herself to sleep.
A longing for brighter emotion brought me back to the arm that was wrapped around my chest. Tal had stopped his dream-induced figiting, his body lay curled around mine, almost like a ball.
I laid myself closer into him. His arm wrapped around me tighter as my movement brought him briefly back into consciousness, but he fell asleep again as soon as he was awake. It was so warm cuddled up next to him, and I enclosed my body around his, the love I shared for him taking over everything else that hovered aimlessly in my mind.
Never before had I felt so complete than at that moment, and the beauty of it all slipped me into much needed sleep.

White.
White upon empty white.
No temperature. No ground. No noise. A dead landscape of nothingness.
Nothing but me.
Sniffing brought me no sign but my own smell. The blank background that held me was inexistant.
For a while I stood frozen in position, senses peeled. I remembered the last time I came here. That was something I wished not to witness again.
But as time went by I began to doubt its return. Somehow, things were different, like I was in some place completely different.
No sudden movements. Just me.
Though not for long.
What happened next was nothing short of spectacular.
Two beams of light flew from the corners of my eyes, connecting to a point several metres before me. They were a pair, like blue and green ribbons floating by, knotted perfectly between. They swivelled and twisted but never touched my side.
More were arriving, springing from none and every direction, collecting to a mass of blue and green, a phenominal being. They formed and wrapped, and from the beautuful colour rose a creature of unimaginable strength. One of brilliance and genius. So magnificent that it beat me to the ground and I trembled. The creation ceased, yet the power seemed to oscillate and grow, boasting its superiority over my puny body.
A force brang me softly back to my feet and lifted my head to observe a masterpiece. What this masterpiece was, was not in my power to describe.
But I knew one thing: This form was here simply for first impression. It was here to make me feel weak.
I could not let it break me down. Standing as tall as my legs could hold, I bellowed.
“Who are you?!”
Any confidence that remained within was short-lived.The voice that reflected back was not audible, but a figment of my own mind.
I am the Ellimist
Oh...
I had heard of the Ellimist only in the stories that Tobias had shared with me around the camp fire. His opinions were not totally clear, and it had occurred to me that the Ellimist was similar to the human idea of a God, but according to his own words, 'uninterrupting'. The extent of its disruptive tendencies, though, seemed debatable.
From what I could remember, Tobias had never mentioned such a sight as this.
Toby Hamee, it is an honour to finally meet you.
My throat was choked, and I just seemed to grunt at him. Nerves were getting the better of me.
“E-Ellimist...” Words were not coming as easily as I would have hoped. “I... I......”
Would you prefer to see me in a more familiar body, young Toby?
I nodded meekly.
Before I knew it, the blue-green blob had contracted and melted away, the blue and green ribbon-like structure drained like a slow motion explosion into the white. What remained was much more spectacular.
A third of the body was instantly recognisable, being of Hork-Bajir. Three large green horn-blades protruded formally from the forehead to the top of the neck, fronted by a snout armoured in a beak-like shell coating the upper jaw. Blades sleeved the arms and legs, and tipped the end of the tail.
But the rest of the two thirds did not belong.
The eyes were a bright blue, with black circular pupils, and ridged with black lashes and pale skin. The torso and arms were strong and muscular, but the pale skin continued down from the face, and hair sprung over the mammalian arms and chest.
Finally, but most notably, the body had not four, but six limbs. He had an andalites frame, and the long, swift andalite tail.
All the main features though, were a mix of Hork-Bajir and human.
It was stranger, but easier to look at. He was now of a similar size to me.
His voice was no longer implanted into my head. “Is this form preferable?”
“Yes.” This was still quite awe-inspiring for me, but I rubbed my eyes and regained a positive stature. “I am dreaming, am I not?”
“You are sleeping, Toby.” His Hork-Bajir snout grinned. “Your physical form, anyway...”
“Are you telling me that my presense here is only physcological?” I shifted my weight awkwardly. “It feels so real, moreso than any dream I have had before.”
“Well, this is no dream.”
His gaze was unmoving, boring down on me. Unblinking. My own sense of pride ordered me to continue eye-contact, and show him that I was not one to back down easily in the face of such magnificence.
“Why am I here?” I asked.
“You are here for many reasons. Namely, questions and a favour. You are the one I have chosen.”
His reasons were still unclear, and his tone suggested risk. My curiousity pushed on. “What has turned you to me, Ellimist?”
A dainty human arm raised before him, towards me. “You are Toby Hamee. What else is needed to say.”
I grunted distastefully. His flattery was not going to work.
He smirked. “I chose you because I believe you are wise beyond your years. Despite your young age, you have guided your people through war and given them a safe home here on the planet Earth. Under you they have thrived, and your work in human politics has ensured a life of peace among them. No longer are they suffering. Thanks to you.”
“But it was not all my doing.” I informed. “Cassie has done more for their well-being than I ever will. Surely, she is more suited for your causes.”
“No, Toby.” He shook his head and smiled. “You are the one I have chosen.”
I scratched my neck and found myself more focused on the unusual andalite-human-hork-bajir body. I shook my head. “May I ask of these 'causes'?”
He laughed snidely. “Patience Toby, patience. Could we not talk for a while?”
“I am not in the mood. I wish to sleep. Your intrusions have held my eyes open for the last three nights.”
“Excuse me? My intrusions? I believe that this is the only time I have contacted you.”
For that moment I refused to believe him. This place seemed so familiar to the one I experienced when I was attacked by another me, the dream that had lost me so much sleep over the last few nights.
“I have had terrible dreams.” I told him sorrowfully. “This place had led me to believe that you were responsible, but if that is not the case I am sorry for the accusation.”
“Perhaps something is troubling you.”
“What could be troubling me? I am happy now. I have a home, and friends. And now I have Tal.”
“And what about the Animorphs?”
Suddenly, I realised. The Animorphs had left to search out a ship near Earth. They had not yet returned.
I began to pant as my heart rate fluctuated. Now I knew what the Ellimist was hinting at. Something bad was happening up there, and my mind sensed it. Out of worry or some extra sense, I knew.
“They are on an investigation to find an andalite vessel.” I assumed. “Are you telling me that they are in danger?”
“Yes, Toby. They fight as we speak here.” His expression had faded to a worrying seriousness. “They arrived at the andalite vessel nights ago. Aboard, they found what was left of the andalite crew, who informed them of two ships. The Blade Ship was one of them. They gave chase, but upon finding the ship, they also found a being named 'The One', an entity of great strength that has taken control of the rogue force.”
I shook my head and drooped it to my chest. So many thoughts filled my head, that they collided and cancelled out, deserting me with nothing to say.
“Do not threat, young Toby, there is still hope. So far, there has been minimal casualties.”
“Minimal?”
“The andalite Aximilli-Esgarrouth-Isthill was aboard the ambushed vessel when it was taken by the Blade ship. He has been taken by the 'The One'. So far, the attempts to save him have failed.”
Lifting my tired head, I regained organised thought. “I remember what happened during our final battle. A small number of yeerks left on the Vissers Blade ship as we took control of the Pool ship. Is this the vessel you speak of?”
“Yes. There are few yeerks onboard, but they have gained under 'The One', and with the Escafil Device have now become too much for your friends.”
Briefing myself over the memories of the battle in the engineering block on the Pool Ship caused my throat to clog. I lifted a claw to the side of my head and closed my eyes.
The Ellimist continued: “Your friends fight bravely, but it is a battle with an unsure outcome.” He paused, and tilted his head back on a mixed human-andalite neck. “I can show you.”
In all honesty, I did not wish to see, but as a fierce whirring noise sounded, and the haunting white background began to mutate, it became obvious that I had no choice in the matter.
We stumbled – or at least I stumbled – on cold metal, so different from the soft grass of my home. Around us, in what seemed to be an empty control room, were panels that buzzed and flickered, but by them stood no signs of life. As I rose to my feet, I shook off some dirt and padded around. My claws, far to my surprise, made no noise. Not even my nails 'tapping' onto the hard flooring.
Behind me stood the Ellimist, still in his hybrid form. He looked around, but he appeared so familiar with it all. I knew that he had been watching in this room many times before.
“This is the Blade Ship.” I told him. “I recognise the technology.”
He did not treat me with a reply, instead tapping his hooves against the mute ground as if waiting for something...
Just as I began to make myself comfortable, there was a loud bang. It guided my snout in the direction of the main doorway that remained closed, but battered.
BANG!!!
This time it was louder.
Sidestepping, I made my way to the Ellimist's position. Since it was apparent that I was not even able to make sound, I would have been pretty useless in any sort of battle.
As the third consequetive bang shook the series of controls panels, the door gave way dramatically, and in fell a large white ball, followed by a misplaced array of fur and skin, bundling together into the centre of the once silent room.
The white ball unrolled, and roared ferociously, waving a huge Polar Bear paw in the air and thrusting againt the floor, sending out a teeth-chattering shudder under our feet.
It was as if an explosion had occurred. The place was alive with flurrying colour, flitting around the room, weaving in and out of each other. A tiger was last to burst through the open doorway, and launched frantically for the neck of of the enraged white bear.
I turned to the Ellimist. “How long have these fights been going on for?”
“About one Earth week. As you can see, the Animorphs are struggling.”
He was correct.
The figure that stood out most to me was that of my own mother. Ket Halpak. Tobias in morph. And he was missing an arm.
I had to look away. Not only for the sight of Tobias' weakening morph, but seeing my mother in this state was a little too much. I had never formally agreed for him to use her morph again...
“Ellimist, I do not want to see this anymore.”
“Who would?”
An obvious hint that I could not simply get away. I could have argued, but scratched off the thought. He had brought me here for a reason.
The fight was fast becoming a frenzy, as more and more Earth animals joined in. The small crew that Jake had brought was far outnumbered by the morph-able yeerks, and the battle was turning into a slaughter.
Jake, limping and scarred, was pondering over retreat. Staring from a corner over the rampage of morphed human-controllers, he realised it was a battle not worth continuing. That is, if he wanted his allies to survive.
They began to retreat. Marco blockaded the doorway, taking the brunt of a lion that thrust itself at his ready fist. The others escaped one by one under his tree-trunk arm.
As my mother..... Tobias finally broke out from a small scrap and rolled out, the final to escape, Marco reached forward and with pace hoisted up the once proud door, and taking the opportunity of the yeerks fighting amongst themselves, fitted it neatly back in place. The retreat was successful, but that would not have been a desired outcome.
The controllers were lost in confusion. They looked around at the dozen of other Earth creatures, wondering who was who. After a thought-speak discussion, the realisation that all the enemy had escaped dawned on them, and they demorphed.
Minutes later, I was staring at a room at semi-naked human controllers frantically mending the control panels that had succumed to the most damage. Some were searching for survivors from the still animal bodies staining the floor.
“You see, Toby?” The Ellimists long absent voice disturbed me. “All the human controllers on board the blade ship have acquired the power to morph. They lack experience, but with their numbers it may not be long before the Animorphs and their allies are defeated.”
“If they continue such battles, they may wear down the yeerks.” I suggested.
“How long though, until they themselves are worn down?”
I sighed. “That is the problem...”
WHOOSH!!!
And with that, we were back to where we started. Surrounded by nothing but white.
He stood before me again, looking a little more concerned than earlier. His human eyes were closed, and he rocked suspisiously from side to side, humming.
Watching him was beginning to quiver my nerves. Something about him made me uncomfortable.
“Ellimist, please explain why you have brought me here.” I said, my patience wearing thinner.
Worryingly, his responsiveness was fading. My words were left to hang awkwardly between us.
“Tell me, Hork-Bajir. How will this war end?”
War? As far as I was concerned, the war here, from Earths point of view, was over.
“I am sorry, Ellimist, but the war eludes us now. I have no relevant information with which to answer-”
“How will it end?”
I thought for a moment, bowing my head and trying to grasp at any hint he had thrown.
But only questions came to me. “Do you mean to say that the war is still here?”
He smiled frightfully, eyes reopeninng and gawking forcefully down on me. “Yeerks forces are spread, but are numerous. As long as they remain active, the war will continue. The andalites will not simply leave them alone to drift in space if there is the slightest chance of a collaborative resistance.”
“How will this effect Earth?”
“If the yeerks were to put together a resistance, where will they go? What is the nearest inhabitable planet with fresh hosts? Chances of such a resistance are few, but not to be discounted.”
Could this really happen? Could the remaining yeerks regroup here on Earth?
I returned to the original question. “If the yeerks return.... we will have sufficient-”
“No, Toby. How will it end for you?”
An empty silence filled the space between us, our eyes examining each other.
“I... do not know.”
He sighed, rubbing at his forehead with a tiny human thumb . “There is something else I need to show you.”
Then his eyelids sealed shut.
“Why are you asking these questions?” I reiterated.
Nothing. The frozen hybrid fixed against the dead white setting.
“Ellimist?” I shuffled forward discreetly.
Still he was silent. I asked again, and received the same reaction.
Finally, the human pupil returned.
“Will you answer my question now?” I grumbled, feeling yet more agitated.
But he continued to pay no attention. I waved my hand to him in hope of breaching his meditative state.
“Who are you?”
I froze instantly. The mysterious voice came from elsewhere. The Ellimists eyes were not trained on me, but past me at a new stranger.
And I pivoted to the voice.
It could not possibly be him...
“I am the Ellimist.” The once captivating sound of the Ellimist was nothing more than white noise now. “I have been expecting you.”
“What is this place?” The Hork-Bajir who was stood opposite the Ellimist shook in panic. “I demand to know what you have done!”
“You are dead, Dak Hamee.”
Dak Hamee... My great-grandfather...
“No. I cannot be dead!” His face belittled the pain and the shock.
“I am afraid you are, Dak.”
“This is a dream!” He yelled in pure disbelief. “They need me! Aldrea needs me!”
“It is too late. You are dead, and there is no going back.” Ellimist said harshly.
The truth was infecting him, burning him from the inside. “Where is Seerow?”
“Your son and the others survived the latest yeerk onslaught.” The Ellimist hesitated, and showing no sense of sympathy or gentleness, followed up. “But their lives will not be the same. Aldrea, your wife, has been split from the group and wanders alone on yeerk territory. Your son, Seerow, has been taken by the yeerks.”
The force of the blow was unbelievable. I never thought my great-grandfather, a seer of such great acheivement, honour and pride, could simply collapse to the ground and weep, but that is what I witnessed. The sheer reality was too much, even for him.
The Ellimist though, showed no remorse, and once the main outbreak of Dak's frustration had subsided, he continued. “I have brought you here to reflect on what you have done.”
Dak's recovery was surprisingly swift, but I sensed that his emotions were being firmly blockaded inside. “Where is 'here'? All I see is white!”
“This is Limbo. A dimension between life and death. You will soon be sent elsewhere.”
Dak stood high, once again looking like the hero I had heard so much about. “Why do you wish to 'reflect' on my doings?”
“You alone have proven a strong resistance to the brunt of the yeerk army. With few resources you have performed miracles.”
Dak glared. “We have lost. How could you possibly call that a miracle?”
“Without you,” Continued the Ellimist. “The Hork-Bajir would be lost and confused. They would have been completely enslaved before they had any idea of what was happening. They fought for their lives under your command.”
“Sometimes I regret it.” Dak said. “My people were never born to fight, let alone in a war! And now we have lost everything...”
“No, Dak, not everything. Things may appear bleak now, but for as long as the Hork-Bajir will is strong, they can survive.”
“As tools for the yeerks...” Dak added, seething from the teeth.
The Ellimist smiled. “There are forces out there that may prove strong enough to rescue your species. As you may have noticed, the andalite military cares little for anyone other than themselves, but they are not the only race out there. I do not agree with the yeerk movement, and I personally would rather see the Hork-Bajir as they were before. Simple harvesters.”
“So why did you do nothing about it?”
“I cannot and will not interupt in the proceedings. Now though, I believe that with help, I can provide your species with a chance of freedom.”
Dak's blatant rage at the Ellimist was futile, and he knew it. All he had to believe now, were his words.
“If you do, Ellimist, I would like to request something.”
“I would do my best to fulfill any request.” The Elliist said smugly.
“Then I request for my son to see a free land. A land where the Hork-Bajir live with no fear or hate, just like how we used to live. Otherwise I fear that I will never rest, not even in death.”
“Yes, Dak.” The Ellimist replied. “I will try, but I can not ensure freedom just yet.”
For what seemed like the thousandth time, the Ellmist relaxed himself and closed his human eyes.
“Tell me, Hork-Bajir. How will this war end?”
Dak hesitated, his breathing shattered and weak. “How will it end? I could not possibly know.”
“How will it end?” The Ellimist was determined to collect any type of answer.
“Well, I...” A pause, where his red eyes diverted to one side and dilated. “I see another race.” Dak whispered, amazed. He pointed towards the Ellimists face. “Your eyes. Those are the eyes I see.”
The Ellimist grinned.
Dak's strange images repeated. “And I see...”
He stared at me.
And then he was gone.
The Ellimists deep voice referred to me. “I know what you are thinking, Toby.”
I twisted to him, feeling hugely overloaded.
“You wonder if I have kept my promise to Dak.”
I mumbled incoherrently. Nothing of interest came from it.
“I said that I would try my best to fufill his wish. Unfortunately, the opportunity to perform this has not come along.”
“No, Ellimist, you lied to him...” I grilled. "We have our peace, even for only a small amount of time."
My legs wobbled, and things started to fade. I fell and landed on my backside.
“I keep my promises, and I always have done.”
“Liar...”
He sighed. “Before you go, Toby. You must make a choice. Though I cannot interupt directly, I can give others the opportunities to change something. And-”
“What are the choices?” I forced.
“I have the power to perform resurrection. And you have the choice as to who I can revive.”
The white melted to black, and the Ellimists hybrid form with it. I was leaving, and as the sensation of re-entering my own body became apparant, I heard the options.
“Rachel, or your father.”

[Dogman15]

Definitely the most engaging part of this chapter was where I had to imagine the Ellimist's hybrid form. How did you come up with that?
This still doesn't fully explain why Toby was having those nightmares. Were they the work of Crayak?
And man, oh man, deciding whether to bring back Dak Hamee or Rachel Berenson? That's going to be a really tough decision - for both you and Toby to make. Tons of people (though only two of the stories I've read) have written stories where Rachel comes back, and I'm told that the Ellimist does it in most of those stories. (The one I'm thinking about uses the Arn instead) But bringing back Dak? That's unique. If Toby elects to bring back Dak (did he see her, by the way?), he can serve with his knowledge of battle planning and work with Toby (would it be a permanent second life? Would Toby tell the others that she had an option to bring Rachel back?) If you bring back Rachel, Rachel would have three years of war experience plus morphing to offer, but Toby might not be as happy.

[Blu]

1) Dunno, my mind runs wild sometimes
2) Nightmares will be explained later, you'll have to wait
3) Her father is Jara Hamee. Dak is her great-grandfather
4) It's not a simple as a mere choice, as you'll find out later

[Dogman15]

I never said Dak was Toby's dad. I think you misread "Dak" as "Dad". After all, I am the guy who added an infobox to her page on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Toby_Hamee&action=historysubmit&diff=411843904&oldid=332220159

[Blu]

I was typing drunk after a roulette night. My mistake =P

The Ellimists choice was to bring back Rachel or Jara

[Dogman15]

Get chapter 9 up on FF.net!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5955797/8/Animorphs_55_The_Madness

[Dogman15]

I'm going to copy my review to FanFiction.net.