Cinderella looked out at the mountains that the carriage passed by. "What mountains are these?" She asked not taking her eyes off the white peaks.

Milo looked up from his book and out at the mountains. "Um, I think that is the white mountains of Duahra. The mark the end of Duahra and the beginning of the Broenbae. Soon they will turn into the black mountains of Broenbae. After that-"

"After that we will blah blah blah. We know. We know. She just asked what mountains they were." Interrupted Jim who was reclining next to Milo. Milo opened his mouth to say something but decided not to. He hung his head and went back to his book. Cinderella gave Jim a look. Jim sighed heavily.

"So why exactly do they call them the white and black mountains?" Asked Jim trying to cheer Milo up. Which of course perked Milo up.

"Well, it has to do with the mountains of Duahra always being white. But the trees lining the mountain are called white pines. The black mountains of Broenbae are called black because of black pines that grow no the slopes but more importantly for the rumors about the forest. Its-"

"Rumors?" asked Jim interested. He sat up and faced Milo now at attention. Cinderella was intently listening to. Milo smiled.

"Yes, rumors. At the base the mountain is a forest. The locals call it the Wood. Its shrouded in mystery and legend." Jim leaned in closer as Milo continued. "For nearly a century it has been a source of fear and disappearances."

"Disappearances? What kind of disappearances?" Cinderella asked concerned.

"Well, the different game in the Wood is slim so the hunting has declined but then girls from local villages around the Wood disappeared. Some boys as well. Now people avoid the wood all together usually." Milo paused and then thought of something else. "Sometimes travelers go missing when they travel along the Wood. But its a rare occurrence." Milo obliviously went back to his book. Jim sat back thinking about the Wood and how cool it would be to explore it. Cinderella however was not as casual as the guys.

"Are we traveling by the Wood?" She asked. Milo didn't hear her and continued reading. She looked at Jim who shrugged. She gently nudged Milo's leg. He still didn't hear her. "Milo!" She yelled as she kicked him harder.

"What?! Ow!" Milo rubbed his shin and whined. "That hurt."

"I said, Are we traveling by the Wood?" Cinderella repeated herself.

"We might. We won't know until we get to Brunswort village. If the pass through the mountains is blocked then yes we will." Rubs his shin some more. "Its not a big deal. There just rumors. There is nothing to worry about."

Milo eyed her cautiously and went back to his book. Looking up ever so often to check he wasn't going to get kicked again. Jim reclined cleaning his nails. Cinderella watched out the window. She had an odd feeling that the rumors were more than rumors. But surly she was worrying for no reason. She shook her head and tried to think of something else but she couldn't shake the eerie feeling she got thinking of the Wood and the rumors surrounding it.

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The three girls were dropped into the garden as the beast landed a few yards away. The girls quickly got to their feet and backed away from the beast that had now turned from beast to man and was coming toward them.

"Well now! What do you have to say for yourselves?!" Yelled the man as he threw up his hands and walked toward them. The brunette stood in front of the other two girls.

"You can't keep us here forever! No matter how long we are here we won't stop trying to get away." She placed her hands on her hip defiantly.

"Well. If that's the way you feel maybe you should spend some more time to think about it." The man waved his hand and a shroud of purple mist surrounded the brunette girl. When it disappeared in her place was a vixen. She narrowed her purple eyes and hissed at him.

"Do you think it brings me pleasure to do this?" Asked the man.

"Yes." said the white haired girl barely audible. The raven haired girl shot her a warning look. The didn't hadn't heard her. He shook his head at the vixen and the two girls.

"What am I going to do with you? What am I going to do?!" He shook his head again and started to walk off. He stop in front of the white haired girl and gently grabbed her chin and looked into her eyes. She looked away from his gaze. "I trust there won't be any incidences while I'm away?" He waited for her answer.

"No sir, we won't cause any trouble." She said softly and hung her head. He smiled and disappeared into the garden. When he was gone the girls went to their friend.

"Oh Meg." said the raven haired girl as she bent down to her friend. licked her paw and ruffled her tail.

"Jasmine its okay. She just has a few more hours as a fox than normal. Be glad it wasn't anything worse than this." Said the white haired girl as she sat next to her friends. Meg gave a snort and continued to fix her fur. Jasmine sighed.

"Malta, we shouldn't be happy for anything from him." Jasmine paused and sighed again. "But I am happy it wasn't anything worse." Meg snorted again. "Well it could have been worse. He could have-"

"Jasmine! Megara! Amalthea!" called a young woman with wavy black hair. She ran toward the girls. Jasmine jumped up and ran toward her. Both girls hugged. Jasmine pulled back and held her friend at arms length.

"I'm so sorry we left you. We were going to come back for you and everyone once we got free." Jasmine said apologetically.

"No no. I told you to go on. I glad you guys are okay." Looks over to Amalthea and Meg. "Oh Meg. What did you do?" She asked as she and Jasmine walked over.

"What do you think she did Esmeralda? She talked back." said Jasmine shaking her head. Esmeralda smiled.

"That's are girl." she said proudly. "We better get back to the other girls and tell them what happened. Since no one seems to be going anywhere." Amalthea, Esmeralda, and Jasmine go up and started walking further into the garden. "Are you coming Meg?"

Meg rolled her eyes and slowly got up. She followed the girls but at her own pace.