Diamond was strutting through the forest with the outcast. He had been waiting the day he was told that Diamond would be sent out to escape.

“Um, thank you! I’m sorry I kept you for that long.”

The outcast nodded, grunting her. Diamond smiled, keeping her head down as they both approach the new home for her.

Once the houses came into sight, a once-familiar face came into view. Her sister, Opal, was waving and jumping up and down. Diamond squeaked excited and raced over, tackling her to the grassy forest floor in a fit of laughter.

“Opal! I have missed you! Is this where you have been? Oh, my goddess!”

“Yes! Been waiting for you to get here! You finally made it!” Both the girls were hugged tight to one another, squealing and giggling to themselves. The outcast was watching, smiling at the reunion of the sisters.

Once done, they stood up brushing off and clasping hands as they walked into the little town. Treehouses lined the tree line like castles in the sky. People running around wooden and rope bridges, swinging and jumping from branch to branch on two legs or both hands and feet. Diamond smiled in awe at the little whimsical like kingdom. Opal was giggling at her star-struck sister.

Then a large figure jumped down, hunched and small before them. An elder woman was waving a withered wrinkled hand, her narrow fingers motioning them to lean down. And they did.

“Welcome Princess Diamond, welcome to Binturong territory. This is our little sweet home of paradise and peace. We are all excited for your arrival and stay. We joined homes with the European Pine Martens. You will see that most of the children here are them while the elder is us Binturong. Please, make yourself at home and don’t hesitate to look around and explore. Our home is now yours.”

“Thank you very much,” Diamond appreciated the welcoming hospitality of the old woman. She smiled and wobbled her away from the three and back up into the tree sky kingdom.

“The Martens were attacked by a rogue pack of wolves a few weeks back. People say that the attacks and territory taking has gotten worse. Soon, everyone says, we all will be living under the laws of wolves. Even the Bears.”

Diamond felt a wave of worry wash over her. Her skin growing cold and tight. Was this the pack of wolves that the Carnation Leader was telling her? The leader’s older brother? Diamond hoped it was just that group but always hoped it would stop after some time. How much territory does one pack need?

Opal tugged Diamond to a small ground house where Opal was staying, allowing her sister to stay with her as well.

The outcast was soon gone before Diamond could even thank him once more for waiting and bringing her here.

☽ ☆ ☾

The children of the Marten species and clan were racing around on the ground and trees, giggling and rustling the tree leaves in the play. Diamond was looking at the small stone she was given by the Genet she was met with who had given her the clothing. Poor Lia, being in love with a man that caused so much problem for her and others. Diamond looked at the stone more.

It was a small parting gift from the pack leader. They didn’t drive themselves in massive luxury or artificial beauty. All it was a mass amount of natural beauty and the mass made it seem so small. The stone was beautiful no doubt. A translucent body with rain tint to it once light bounced off. Moon Stone is what it was called. A cousin of one another.

Diamond smiled and placed the stone on a little stand for it next to her bedside one the table. For someone so alone, he made the whole place seem welcoming and full.

“Maybe that’s what you get for having a heartbreak you know? Families. What trouble.” Diamond shook her head as she leaned back, flopping her head down onto her pillow and breathed in the fresh air scent of it. She could finally rest. Finally just unwind even if in the back of her mind, her family was looking for her now. She wondered how her friends and family were doing. Especially right now.

Did her father tell her mother that he helped her escape with the Elder’s help? Probably not. Her mother would have all those elders killed most likely, or just outcast for the disrespect. Maybe her mother didn’t care enough and is just doing her usual. That would break her heart the most, but it gave some sort of relief to Diamond hoping that her mother was at least leaving her be. If she even was.

But hopefully, her father was okay. And her millions of siblings. That’s what she was worried about the most.

Diamond sighed out a small tune as she closed her tired strand eyes. Sleep held its arms open wide for her as she was under in seconds, small snores and sighs relaxing her comatose figure. Opal arrived little later and giggled at the scene of her asleep sister and got into her own bed, turning the lights out and dozing off moments later.

Peace. Finally.

☽ ☆ ☾

Heels tapped angrily towards the study room. Wooden doors being through open and high shrieking erupting after.

“Where is my daughter!? Where is she!?’

The queen slammed the glass door to the study room open, shocking the king and the right hand for the fact it didn’t shatter at her impact.

The queen was screaming for answers about her daughter’s whereabouts. Slamming her hands down on the desk hissing and growling like a wild beast before everyone in the room. That caught the amusement of a man in the plush velvet purple seat next to her.

“Your daughter is missing?” A slender pale man with shoulder-length black stood up. Streaks of grey hair showed his ageing middle-aged self more than his face did. Grey storming eyes boarded at the queen. She could almost see real storm clouds starting to swirl around in curiosity and enjoyment of this new thing. She turned to him, eyeing him in question,” Yes. My daughter. She is missing, has been missing for two days now.” The king’s face paled, his blood running cold at the man he was talking to before. He didn’t realize what he had just done allowing this man to speak to his wife, allowing him to ask that question. And he didn’t even know who this man was. The man that could end him and his clan’s life all for a small cost.

“I believe I can help you find her. I have connections all over.” He fixed his white and red suit, holding a hand out, his thin hands were bony like, slender and wicked looking. “My name is Krister Lenton. But you can call me Kris. How about a deal for finding your daughter.”