Silence had settled onto the city, lights flickered out, and the streets had cleared of all slaves, masters, merchants, and all else that dwelled in within the high walls of Charsaan; the Nonoshan capital.

A shadow floated over the byways, and drifted up and over the buildings lining the walkways. It was a perfect night, a perfect night for the guardians to meet, to plan their next intervention. Shallie, the owner of the shadow, landed easily in the empty alleyway and settled onto her haunches. Tipping her ears back, she stared up into the sky, waiting, and expecting to see many more shadows gathering.

Though she was attentive of her reason for being there Shallie’s mind wandered as she waited. Caaris... Metally, Shallie sighed with content. Though dark in many ways Shallie had grown a strong bond with the evil looking Sharro, and she thought that perhaps there was something good in him. Besides, she had to remind herself, he had been raised and controlled by the Nonoshan all of his life. What could she expect?

She hated them... the Nonoshan, Shallie, knew, she just knew in her stubborn heart, that the Sharro were meant to control Shandaland... not them. The Nonoshan; Shallie hated them, but she was there to protect them. How ironic! It was Shallie’s job to protect them, and she did not question her duties, but she hated them all the same.

They were the reason Caaris was the way he was, they were the reason that the Creashaw had arisen, the Nonoshan seemed to be behind bad things that didn’t even have to do with them. Things in the Homeland, places that they didn’t even know about, they were the reason that the High Counsel had become... become, so corrupt. Shallie had met with those damned fools before, and she disliked them strongly. They were as into themselves as a Nonoshan Jun, and she was sure that they were hiding things...

Shallie sighed, what kind of place was this? No matter where one went, everything was screwed up... everything was ruined. Why did things have to be this way? If she were the ruler of Shandaland... well, things wouldn’t be any better.

Nothing would ever change... Shallie snorted, and narrowed her eyes. Where was everyone?! The meeting should have started by now!!!!

<b>Epharen sat motionless in the shadows, waiting for any sign of
Shallie. She knew of the meeting that was called and sought her leader
and friend. Her lucid blue eyes pierced through the darkness,flickering
briefly like a candle flame,then dying out,concealing her prescence.
The air was a thick mist around her, and she could feel the moisture
penetrating her fur. She ruffled her coat,before settling back down in
her position again.
The day had been eventful. Things had been stirring in the city,and
the guardians knew it. Perhaps that's why Shallie called the gathering.
Epharen had not seen Shallie all day. She had left early that morning
to get to work and been preoccupied all day. She was eager to see her
friend, as well the others. Especially.... Pherlladen.
The young Sharro female shuddered at the thought of her companion.
Pherlladen. He was lower in rank, responsible,shy. He was beautiful.
Epharen had been smitten with him for a long time now, watching out for
him protectively from her ruling position over his. Sometimes she had
to
fight to control herself when he was around. She just wished she could
pounce on him and make him hers,but of course she couldn't. She could
still love him though.
" Shallie, where are you? ", she sent a message in her mind. Epharen
sniffed the air for the other creature's scent. Damn, the mist was too
thick.</b>

So there she was! Shallie shifted, and stared into the blinding mists, it was certainly Epharen. Shallie wanted to laugh; her mind was always wandering through sadness and anger, but here, siting before her was part of the reason that she was ever happy. Not only was Epharen a good friend of Shallie, but the Sharro was a part of the Guardians, Shallie’s reason to live! That was besides dear Caaris...

**I am here** Shallie drenched her thought speech with a slightly annoyed feeling and then moved into the dimming light of the moon to allow her companion a better view of her. **Where are the others?** Shallie’s mind pressed at Epharen, attempting to search her thoughts though they were well guarded. Happy to see that the high ranking officer was following the High Counsel’s precaution rules, Shallie’s sendings changed and suddenly her words glowed with her infatuated heart.

**So, how is Laden?** She teased, her ears twitching and tail held high, it was the Sharro’s first smile of the day and she was happy to finally be able to get a laugh in. Shallie always felt relaxed when she was around Epharen. Shallie had never told her friend about Caaris, it was the one secret that she kept for the Guardians, the one things that she hid... for herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the shadows, lurking like a sick serpent, a hidden form slipped away from the two Guardians unnoticed and disappeared around a corner. What luck for Shiinesha... the slim creature slunk down the street.

Snickering she passed through an open window; but not just any window, in just any building, this was Caaris’s dwelling, his master’s that was.

**Caaris** Shiinesha coated her thoughts with fake ease and relaxation though she was twitching to break the news to her leader, to HER... Caaris. Caaris opened his eyes slowly surprised to see Shii so late, the rat was never around at night.

**What do you want?!** Straightening himself, the chain running down from his collar rung, and jangled; but the dark creature hardly cared. If his Nonoshan master awoke, he would shred them before they could open their big mouths and lapp up the blood before any other Creashaw or Guardians or Nonoshan had even figured out it had happened.

**I saw your Shallie this night** Caaris caught in her voice, the dripping hatred for his street Sharro.

**Why were you watching her?** Caaris hated to think what this digusting creature might do to Shallie, should she not be on the look out.

**Caaris** Shiinesha’s voice quieted and Caaris suddenly knew that something was wrong. **Your beloved Shallie is a Guardian....**

<b>Epharen's smile was concealed in the darkness and mist when she saw Shallie in the distance. The leader of the Guardians sent her a message, but she blocked it off with a mischievious twinkle in her blue eyes.

"How's Laden?" came her friends voice teasing in her mind. Epharen scowled mockingly and did not answer. She never called him "Laden." Always a formal "Pherlladen." She knew full well that "Laden" was a special nickname that his best friend Spreelander used btween them. Epharen smiled at the thought of those two.

"I don't know where the others are. It is good to see you my friend. It's been a lond day indeed." Epharen sent the message to Shallie. She sensed the Sharro female smile mentally at her.

"I've been on duty all day. Roaming these streets alone is becoming more of a danger," she added more darkly. Epharen felt the mood change in Shallie.

"My mind has been set on the rookies all day. They don't know as much as we do. I'm anxious about Pherlladen. I always am, but especially today. So much can happen when I am not around, Shallie." Epharen sat still, her eyes faintly shining through the mist as they gazed out , and she used her telepathic power she had inherited as a daughter of the Sharro.

"Shallie, my heart seeks more. I feel an urge to go deeper into the city, into the Nonoshan hideaways. This isn't enough anymore. I hunger for freedom, Shallie. We need to take our work farther now, to the next level. I need to go after chance."

Epharen pleaded this sincerely. She had been growing restless of late, and today had increased her want to get closer to the Nonoshan enemy for information. She could not sense what Shallie felt, nor did she yet recieve a reply. It was dangerous, what she was asking. One bloody hell of a risk. But she wanted to to.

Epharen had felt the nearing shadow of battle and conflict for a time now. Shallie, felt it too, she knew. The Nonoshan grew more and more impatient with their Sharro "pets" and suspicious, almost paranoid. The Guardians' jobs were becoming more and more risky by the day. Shallie had been increasingly more reluctant to let Epharen go roaming on business alone, but so far had allowed the freedom - seeking Sharro to do so.

Epharen had gotten harassed today in the city. That was not too rare when she was alone, actually. She could take care of herself, but today, the Nonoshan had been especially vexed. Epharen had been prowling silently down a certain road, and had been drawn into a brawl with a male Nonoshan twice the size of her. No doubt she fought back like hell. But he overpowered her, and she had ended up pinned after a heated fight. Soem other handsome, yet mysterious Nonoshan, just as young as she, had pulled the beast off of her without a word. It had confused her all day, but she was thankful. Epharen wondered if Shallie would sence the soreness in her limbs.</b>

Shallie senced Epharen’s thoughts; and she listened in pensive silence as the other Sharro noted the many things that had been happening. It was true, Shallie, would have admited that things were unusually bad of late and the the Nonoshan were beinging to figure things out, but she was worried about Epharen, she was too eager, to unwilling to await the right moment. Though Shallie struggled with much the same problems, she hoped very strongly that those beneath her would not fall to such problems as well.

**Epharen, the vertue of the Sharro is their patience. It takes time, for these things to get done.** Shallie’s smile faded as she recaled what she was there to do. Would they begin to send their people into the heart of the city, would she allow the Guardians to burrow themselves deeper?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**Shiinesha!** Caaris struggled in a vain attempt to attack the skrawny beta on the short length of his chain. Turing on the Nonoshan device he focused his mind’s strength on the metal cords; it snapped cleanly at the base of his coller.

“Dear Gods!” Turing Caaris discovered that his unfortunite master Nonoshan had awoken. Refocusing his telepathic power the Sharro forced the larger creature into a forgetful sleep and turned back to the second in command.

**Take me to her you idiot!**Metally roaring the lanrger creature chased Shiinesha out the window and down into the streets below. She was beginning to wonder whether what she had done by telling the Alpha was such a good idea or not. Certainly, when he saw that she was right he would forget, or better yet kill, the Guardian leader. Surely he would not let them live.

**Come** her mind chanted **It is not far** When she had led the causious Caaris to the gathering of the Guradians and pointed out the Sharro that she had identified as Shallie, Shiinesha made herself hidden and watched int silence as Caaris watched his beloved and wondered where he had gone wrong.

**So, Shallie** his thought speech was growling, but the pain in his mind was not hidden from Shiinesha, nor the others that heard him **Shallie, my kindred one, this is who you truly are... a Guardian SCUM!**

Shallie turned, surprised and filled with unspoken horrors the Guardian leader found herself face to face with the one and only male Sharro that she had ever loved, and the Alpha of the Creashaw.


<b>Epharen bowed her head submissively for a moment. Shallie had told her to wait,to be patient,and as much as she wanted to do against that order,she accepted it. She would continue to do her duty to the best of her ability and wait for Shallie's orders.
Epharen's head shot up as she felt Shallie tense,sensed surprise in the other Sharro for some invisible reason.
Her brow furrowed as she tried to understand what was going on and threw out the net of her senses to pick up anything out there.
She didn't know if it was the reason that Shallie had tensed or not, but Epharen suddenly picked up a Nonoshan prescence approaching. It was a drunk male babbling to himself. The Springs of Hada-ras were naturally "acoholic", as the Humans said.
Epharen targeted his mind,his thoughts,for she could not understand the Nonoshan growls they used to to communicate to each other. He was relishing an attack on Sharro earlier that day, how he had so beaten them along with his companions. Epharen listened in silent eagerness,holding her breath.
" Little Sharro bastards ", the Nonoshan male thought. " I showed them whose boss. Little....impudent puppies."
Epharen shifted slightly,leaning forward to hear better,as he was still a distance off. She no longer paid attention to Shallie,though apparently she was tense because of something else.
The Nonoshan replayed the images of the day in his mind,Epharen watching them in her own. It was the fight the Nonoshan had begun with some Sharro earlier. The Nonoshan always loved to bully the Sharro for fun, but they did not know many were spies...
Much of it was a flash of color and movement,growls from both the Sharro and the Nonoshan. There had been four Sharro males who had been attacked by the Nonoshan. They had fought back and had not been submissive. It had gone on for quite some time,until a whimper rung out in both Epharen's and the Nonoshan's mind as one of the Sharro had apparently been struck harshly by the one who now approached.
The Sharro had gone down once it had been struck,it's yelp silencing as it hit the ground. Before the memory ended, Epharen saw that the still form of the Sharro had a familiar red blazed coat,though she did not see his face.
And she realized...
Pherlladen.

She then lost all control and sense she had. Epharen lunged at the drunk Nonoshan as he stumbled past her alley.
She took hold of his neck,as he fell to the ground,pinned by her. Epharen growled firecily, her eyes blazing with fury and revenge. She wanted to tear him apart. </b>

<i>Lantrea, as swift as the wind, appeared out of the mists and into the gathering of her fellow Sharro. She immediately noticed that something was most definitely wrong.

"What...what is the matter...Shallie?...Epharen?..." She breathed...just as her eyes fell on Caaris; the leader of the Creashaw.

Lantrea's expression altered dramatically as she stared in horror at the Guardians' arch adversary...and also the one Shallie had loved.

"Why...how can this be?" Lantrea stumbled back in shock of the truth having been told. Though she knew she was lower than her, Lantrea worried about Shallie's personal reaction to this betrayal.

Lantrea had always contradicted Caaris' love for Shallie, but would this change everything? Would their bond forever be broken? Lantrea turned away.

"In dark times, we are," she spoke in a voice just above a whisper. But her meekness only mounted into a form of contention as she flipped around to face Caaris.

"So now the truth is learned by all, or so I hear," she growled. "We are in the midst of difficulty already and we do not need you to add to it. I do not want you to hurt Shallie anymore than you already most likely have..." Lantrea's voice cracked as she felt the pressure of the others eyes intently watching her. "I shall close at that," she added, and stepped back a few strides, almost shameful of her rash words. </i>

Caaris stared up at the newcomer, but was unmoved by her words. What did she know? He would not hurt Shallie, the one talking to him perhaps, but never Shallie. Besides, he was alone, Shiinesha had disappeared when they had first arrived and he could guess easily where she had gone. This was but a good bye, he thought to himself. Caaris felt strangely... saddened by this. He had seen many people leave before, this was nothing new, but Shallie? He had never once stopped to think that perhaps one day he should be forced to say good-bye to her...

**Caaris, what are you doing here?** Shallie masked her thoughts, and left her words hollow as she sent them to her former love. She was worried, this could get out of hand. Shallie turned one ears towards Lantrea.

**Both of you, keep still, do not attack unless attacked. Be watchful.** Locking her speech on her friends and hiding it from anyone else that might attempt to listen in, Shallie warned the two of them to remain calm.

**Caaris** she opened up her channels again **Caaris, let’s not get into anything we don’t want to.** Shallie covered her thoughts in a pleading crimson color, warning Caaris of death and pain.

**I don’t know** snorted the male **It might be fun to skin your friends there.** His thoughts shuddered, and the words from Caaris were a pale green, Shallie could feel his pain. She too, did not like the way things were coming. Hiding her shock was easy enough, Caaris hid his as well, but she knew that they were both hurting.

**Shallie** Caaris closed his channels to the others, his words hurt her, Shallie sensed his pain and her heart was deeply wounded.

**Caaris, you must leave. Go back to your Nonoshan... this never needed to happen...** Shallie’s thoughts were sent to all though her eyes and heart felt pains were sent at Caaris. Caaris stood there staring her in the eyes, what next?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shiinesha could not allow this to happen! Her Caaris would not fall prey to this damn Guardian! he would not lower himself to leave for her!? Surely he would not! Shiinesha pulled her ears back. No! She would not allow this to happen!

Leaping forward Shiinesha unsheathed her claws and sprang on Shallie. Surprised and caught off guard, the Guardian leader was pinned to the ground under the claws of an evil Sharro...

<u>So, there was a party going on... and he wasn’t invited. Inoshi pulled his ears back and channeled in on what Shallie and the others were saying, using his beautiful eavesdropping talents to listen in on things that even Shallie had tried to hide and send to only on person.

Though, he was angry for being left out, and though the trouble maker was about to join in and make some trouble, Inoshi was not truly interested until a new Sharro attacked the Guardians leader, just at the moment a massive Nonoshan and Epharen were pulled into a brawl.

This was his chance! Shifting his thought channels, and changing the signature of his speech, Inoshi began to imitate the voice of Shallie. Aiming his thoughts at Epharen he thought loudly to her...

**Kill it! Kill the Nonoshan scum!!** Even Inoshi almost mistaked himself for the leader, and he could only laugh as he recalled the law of peace that bond the Sharro to needlessly kill Nonoshan. Then turning to Lantrea, a Sharro that he had NEVER played a trick on yet, he sent her another message that sounded as Shallie.

Part Two
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