It was darkness and only darkness. 

The problem was I was supposed to be dead.

But I was not dead.  I was breathing, and I could feel my heart thumping.  I sat up my head pounding.  I finally opened my eyes, to realize I was in a dark room.  

But I could see it perfectly.  I looked around and saw the elevator buttons.  I crawled up to them, about to touch them when the elevator doors flung open.  I jumped back.  In front of me was a huge room.  It looked just like the dining hall from Harry Potter, but smaller.  

Rustic brown tables went from north to south, lined in perfect rows,  each one with a differently designed table runner.  The ceiling arched into a 'v', and the room was lit by candles hanging from the ceiling.  

"Hello.  You must be Roxy Winters," a solemn voice echoed that made me jump.  I turned to my right to see a short little man with a wispy beard.

"Um... you must have the wrong girl," I murmured, trying to figure out if this guy was a magical dwarf or just short.  He sniffled.

"Come with me!" he chittered and walked down the big aisle dividing the four tables, two on each side.  

Something told me to just get up, and go with it.  I walked down the aisle and felt everyone's eyes looking at me.  I brushed off my jeans and walked with confidence.

Wait, jeans?  When did I get into jeans?  I looked down to see I had ripped skinny jeans and black boots.  I casually brushed my arms to see I had on a short-sleeve shirt.  I looked down to see it was a black, ripped up shirt, with a white tank top underneath.

How on earth did I get these clothes? 

"Here's your table," the dwarf sniffled.  He gestured to a wooden chair.  I cautiously sat down.  I turned to thank him (don't really know why though), but he was already in the elevator.  I shifted uncomfortably.

"Well eat," a voice next to me laughed.  I jumped at the sound to see a girl with long red hair, and piercing green eyes.  

"Oh, I didn't know," I gulped, and looked out the food.  I couldn't recognize most of it but somehow knew what it all was.

Peanut butter and jelly bites, barbecue ribs, ice cream sandwiches, pulled pork, bacon, and lots of other meats.  I grabbed a few ribs from the platter, only to see them be replaced with more.

"Um... did ribs just appear out of thin air?" I asked.  The girl laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, this is literally an unlimited buffet.  My name's Lizzy by the way," she said, holding out her hand.  I shook it, studying her more.  She had freckles dotted across her nose and a firm grip.  She looked around sixteen like me and Liv.

Oh my gosh. 

Liv, Axe, Ricky, Peter, Jack, zombies, fire.

I love you.  

It all came rushing back.  My face must have been as white as a sheet because Lizzy asked if I was gonna puke.

"N... no, I'm good," I replied, digging into the ribs.  Wow.  Nothing had ever tasted this good!  They were juicy and fell right off the bone.  Lizzy laughed.

"First-timers.  Always so in awe!" she exclaimed, got up, and walked away.  First-timers?  What was that supposed to mean? 

I pushed aside the weird girl, weird food, and altogether weird place, and tried to think of what was happening.

Where were my friends?  Were they at other tables?  I began to get up to go look when a girl appeared in front of me.

"Where do you think you're going?" she sneered.  She had black hair that ended at her chin and curved around her face.  She had ice blue eyes, and freckles dotted her nose.

"Oh leave her alone Kiko," a voice said.  I turned to see who it was and almost choked.

There was a boy the brown hair swept to the side, smiling with dimples.  Gosh was he adorable?

"Josh, let me deal with her.  First-timers need to know the rules!"  Kiko snapped and turned back to me.

"Rule one of the rule book under 'lunch'," Kiko recited, "'First-timers must stay in their seats at all times," she growled.  And it wasn't a regular growl.  Like the growl of a dog.  I gulped but tried to stay strong.

"I can go where I want.  This isn't even my... school... or whatever!" I snapped back.  She clenched her jaw.  

"Try me," she snapped.  I narrowed my eyes.  She narrowed hers and growled.

"Kiko, rule one, spirit animals," Josh tried to soothe through gritted teeth.  Kiko's face softened-the slightest bit-but she kept her jaw clenched.  

"Don't try me.  You don't want to see what I can really do," she snapped and walked away with Josh. I collapsed in my seat and tried to sort my thoughts.

She growled.  An actually growl.  Where was I?  What was this place?  Where were all my friends?  All these things raced through my mind, but then I saw it.

A flash of blonde hair.

It couldn't be.  But then I saw it again.  There were windows throughout the lunch hall and he walked passed them.  He got to the third window and I saw his face.

My heart pounded with happiness and I jumped up, not caring about a word Kiko had said.  I raced to the door, and flung it open, letting me out into a hallway light by candles.

"AXE!" I yelled with happiness and raced towards him.  He turned around, and I plowed into to him, taking us to the ground.

"Woah slow your roll there," Axe laughed.  I got up and helped him up too.  I embraced him in a hug.

"Oh this place is so weird, and I'm so glad I found you, but I don't know where the others are, but this is so great and-" I stopped.  I looked at her face.  A face full of confusion.

"Um... what's... what's your name?"  Axe asked.  

Shatter.  I heard a loud shatter.  I felt myself tip.  I felt my throat close up, and my eyes grow hot.  I couldn't breath, or think.  

I could only think about the following:

LoveHateAxeRickyLivPeterCryLaughSmileFrownFamilyLoveBoyfriendHateGirlfriend

"Hey, are you okay?" his voice tried to cut through my brain.

AxeMeHimHerLoveHateRememberForgetWaterWaterWaterLove

My brain focused on one word: Water

"I... need... water..." I tried to say through huge gulps.  Axe put my arm around his shoulders to help me walk.

"Okay, we can get you some water," he said.

LoveHImMeHerHim

"I love you."  His voice echoed in my mind.

"Here," Axe said, his voice barely slicing passed my thoughts.  He handed me a cup of water.  We were sitting on a bench in a different hallway, lined with red lockers.  The shuffling of feet on carpet surrounded me, and the slamming of lockers.  

Axe looked at his watch.

"Oh gosh, late for track practice!  Are you sure you are okay?  I can... I can stay," he stuttered.  I bit the inside of my cheek and shook my head, still in my daze.  He gave an awkward wave and scurried away.  I fell against the wall, tears pooling at the corners of my eyes.

What... was... happening?!  How did he not remember me?  How...what was happening?  Why didn't Axe remember me?  Where in the heck was I?  I was supposed to be at school! Not wherever the heck this was!!

"Roxy!  Roxy Winters?" a voice called.  I turned to see a man.  He had blonde hair and a clean shave.  He smiled, and waved, and ran up to me.

"Gosh, glad I found you!  We need to get you your books and schedules!" he exclaimed, and grabbed my hand.

"Who are you? Where are we going!?" I yelped, dodging students.

"My name is Sam!  We are going to the office, to get all your supplies! JUMP!" he yelled.  The floor opened up, and I screamed myself into a jump. We fell a few feet and landed into a white hallway.  Like all white.

They were white tiles with silver speckles and white lockers with silver locks.  We hurried passed the closed classroom doors.

"Sir, where are we going? Where am I!!?" I declared, stopping in my tracks.  The man turned to me.

"I know you're confused, but if we just get to the office, it will all be explained!" Sam exclaimed, excitement in his eyes.

Something in my heart told me to go with it.  But my brain said something different.

"Fine.  Take me to this so-called 'office'," I sighed, letting him grab my hand.

"JUMP!" he yelled again, and we again fell down, down, down.

"Wow, this is beautiful," I sighed.  The floors were made out of ferns, and soft grasses.  Up and down the walls were green, twisted vines, with purple, pink, yellow, blue and so many more colored flowers.  The lockers were made out of tree trunks, and the doors were arched and carved with a crest.  A deer carrying little woodland creatures.

"What's that?  It looks like a crest!" I exclaimed, amazed by how much detail was in it.

"Oh yes.  There's a lot of different crests for all the groups, but the office will explain that!" Sam exclaimed and dragged me along.  We finally came to a big door, after going through a series of hallways.  We had even gone in one filled with water and could breathe.  The doors were made out of huge things of coral, and the lockers out of colorful barnacles.  The next hallway the walls were covered in half trees.  The trees seemed to be cut in half and glued on the walls, and their roots grew into the floor and covered the ground.  The lockers were literal trees, and it was very dark, and it seemed as the hallway got darker and darker, turning into a horrible dark woods.  But as we kept walking it would get a little lighter.

Then we landed in a horrid hallway.  It was just sand.  Billowing, blowing sand.  The lockers, the doors, the floor all churning sand.  Lastly, we jumped through the ceiling and landed on a beautiful snow-covered floor.  It sparkled in the light (even though there was no light because everything was very white.  Haha that rhymed).  There were icicles hanging from the ceiling casting light across the room.  The lockers were made out of what looked like crystals.

"Here we are!" Sam exclaimed, gesturing to shiny white doors.  In the middle was a crest in the shape of a shield.  There was a viper surrounded by a sand tornado, an arctic fox with a snowflake pattern, a dear, and finally a wolf, all connected.

"What's that?" I asked, gesturing to the crest.  Sam smiled.

"The School's crest," he smiled, and pushed open the doors.  I lost my breath and walked in.  

There were the short little dwarves scurrying around, carrying packages, bags, suitcases.  The roof was domed and clear glass.  There were vines climbing up the walls in the back left, icicles shooting up the walls in the back right.  There were roots shooting up from the right and finally twisted palm trees.  They all clashed at the top of the dome.  Sam took out a slip of paper.

"Okay, come here to Woodlind," he explained, grabbing my hand, and tugging me to the right.  We came to a curved desk, carved with branches, and leaves.  There was a lady with long black hair and bright green eyes.

"Hi!  Roxy Winters, Room 333?" she asked, smiling.  I looked at Sam.  He nodded.

"Yeah, she needs an orientation," he winked.  The lady laughed and slid out of her chair.  She was wearing a pale pink paint suit top and tight skirt.  Her black heels click-clacked across the floor.  She gestured to a door, with the deer crest on it.

"Come alone, for your tour," she exclaimed, beckoning me on.  I fiddled with my bracelet. 

Bracelet?!  I looked down to see a chain link bracelet with one charm.

A hockey stick.

"So, this is your dorm," Carrie exclaimed.  We were walking down the dark red hall again-a different one-and she was showing me the different sections of the west side-Woodlind Dorms-of the school, where'd I be staying.

I peeked in the doorway and my jaw dropped. 

There were two queen size beds, the canopy above made out of leaves and connected to the head and foot of the bed by twisting branches.  The floor was the looked like the softest grass ever.  There were flowers sprouting from the ground.  There was a huge tree in the corner, with a door handle on it.  I walked over to see shelves of black boots and heels all different kinds.  There was a door in the middle the wall to the left, and I flung it open.  There was a bathroom, with a oval mirror, with branches twisting around it.  The sink was also twisted with branches.

"This place is incredible!" I cried, flopping on the bed.  It was soft and the blankets fluffy and gray.  Carrie smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you like it!  Feel free to explore the Woodlind wing, nowhere else.  And here is your schedule!" she exclaimed, handing me a piece of paper and closing the door.  I looked at the paper.

Name-Roxy Winters         Spirt Animal-Wolf    Connector Animal-Blue

BREAKFAST

Class One-How to Care for Animal                  Teacher-Miss Glacka

Class Two-Unlocking your Magic                     Teacher-Mr.Loki

Class Three-Trying your Animal                       Teacher-Mr. Stark

LUNCH

Class Four-HIstory of Animal Transformation      Teacher-Ms.Carlson

Class Five-Break-Trying your Magic                 Teacher-Teacher of the Day

DINNER

After 10 pm no leaving your dorm no matter what you hear or see.  Don't leave.

My bones chilled at the last line.

"All students please proceed to Class One.  If you are in Woodlind or Artica 1 please proceed to room 332.  If you are in Woodlind or Artica 2 please proceed to room 322.  If you are Himalayas or Atlantis 1 please proceed to room 221.  If you are Himalayas or Atlantis 2 please proceed to room 219.  For all other Realms please head to the office.  Thank you and enjoy your first day at Spirtia Acdemy for the Dead!" the jolly voice exclaimed.

For the dead?!  So I was dead!?!!

Great, what a fantastic day!!  My crush doesn't know who I am and I'm DEAD!! DEAAAAD!
 

I try to brush it off.  This is a dream.

  I jumped up from the bed and went to the full length mirror next to a giant wooden wardrobe.

"Oo, my way to Narnia!" I exclaimed, flinging it open.  Nope, just a bunch of amazing clothes.  I closed it, and looked in the mirror.  I admired my ripped black shirt, and black wedges.  I noticed my hair was parted differently too.

"Weird," I said aloud, and walked out the door.  I stopped right in my tracks, at all the rushing students.  The boys rough housed, shoving passed each other, and jumping up and down like bafoons.  Most girls stayed close to the sides, while a group of them strutted like they were on the runway.  I stayed close to the wall.
 

"JUMP!" I heard someone yell.  I screamed as the floor disappeared beneath me.  I landed on my butt in the scary woods.  But this time it looked really nice.  There was no dark ending to the hallway.  The trees seemed bright and virbrant.  Little clusters of grass dotted around the dirt and leaves.  I noticed room numbers made from branches above the doors.

Then I stopped.  

What was I doing?  Why in the world was I trying to find my class?  I didn't belong here!  Heck I didn't know where in the world I was!  Spirtia Acdemy for the DEAD doesn't just pop up on google maps!  I spun around in a circle in the midst of the chaos trying to find someone.

That's when I saw a flash of blue hair.

"LIV!" I screamed, running towards her.  I plowed into here almost knocking her to the ground.  

"Oh my gosh Roxy!!" she screamed, hugging me.  I took a deep breath of relief knowing she was here.  I pulled away.

"Where are we?!  I thought we... you know... BURNT TO DEATH!" I yelled.  

"I think we are dead... but not.  I just saw Micheal Jackson teaching some class!" she exclaimed.  

This just didn't make sense.  The Underworld isn't real.  We weren't really here.  Then I got an idea.

"Window!!  Look out the window!" I exclaimed, running towards the window and the end of the hall.  I pressed my hands up to the glass in awe.

Hundreds of feet below was a huge circular parking lot, with a fountain.  Beyond that a city, paved in gold, with marble houses.  I looked further, and it was divided by a tall wall.  Beyond that darkness.  I turned around, face white, and slid down the wall.

"This has to be an illusion.  We can't be dead!  We were supposed to restart!" I squeaked.

Everything was wrong.  We were in this weird school and Axe didn't remember me.

What... was... happening?

"Ms. Winters!" a voice snapped, chilling my bones.  I looked up, to see a woman.  She had beautiful porcelain skin,and long black hair tied into a tight braid. She wore a floor length lavender dress, and a crown of branches rested on her head.  I stood up.

"Ms. Winters, we're waiting for you," she said more calmly.  She turned to Liv.

"And Ms. Oshkins, you best be heading to class."  The lady raised an eyebrow.  Liv gulped and spun around on her heel, disappearing down the hallway.  The lady turned to me.

"Ms Winters.  I know this is all very confusing.  If you could please just come into the classroom, I can explain," she smiled warmly.  I didn't want to.  I didn't want to go with this complete stranger.
 

But this was the best lead I had as to what was happening.  I nodded, and followed her into the classroom.

****

"Class, this is Ms. Roxy Winters.  She is a First Year, so please make her feel welcome," the 'teacher.'  I slid into the desk.  They were made out of twisted branches and leaves, and a smooth top, from a tree trunk.  Beautiful really.  
 

The lady stood at her desk, also made out of branches.  There were tree trunks in each corner on the wall her desk was one.   They served as book shelves.  The shelves were made out of twisted branches, and the floor was the same as the hallway.

"Hello everyone.  I am Miss Galkla.  I know if any of you are First Years-" she paused and looked at me, "you must be confused."  She stood up a little straighter, and began to pace the room.

"You are dead.  It is as simple as that.  You have died.  I don't know how you died, but you did, and that is how you are here," she explained.

"So are you dead!?" a kid yelled, sending a chuckle through the room.  Miss Galka pursed her lips.

"Yes.  I died.  I am dead," she stuttered.  The glow of happiness faded, just for a second, like she was in a trance.  She jumped a little, and her smile returned just as fast.

"So you are here.  This is a school, but not your regular school.  Here you learn how to control you spirit animal.  Four years of courses, harder every year, to prepare you to go back into the world... as an animal.  And yes, most people think it's horrible, but it's not.  You get to live in the world as you have always wanted.  And yes, some people get animals that they may hate, but they get them for a purpose," she continued.

This was too much.  I was dead and an animal.  Didn't look like one!

"So, in this class you will be learning about and how to care for you connector animal," Miss Galka smiled.  I could tell she loved to teach this class.  She went to the board.  It was a black board, with twisting vines around it.

"A connector animal is an animal that you get paired with.  You are connected to it.  It is part of your soul," she explained.  My eyes widen with interest. 

"You will be paired with you connector animal after you are analyzed by what you are.  All of you here are either Woodlind, or Artica.  If you are First Year or a late bloomer, you will be paired with your animals today," she continued.  A chitter of excitement went through the room.  Miss Galka smiled.

"So, today we will be learning about how to care for you animal," she said, snapping her fingers.  The lesson topic appeared on the board, in swirly letters.  Miss Galka returned to her desk, but didn't sit.

"Hmmm.  Harold what is your animal?" Miss Galka asked.  Everyone turned to a boy in the back of the room.  He had thick black hair, and was ripped.  He.

"Um... it's a fox," he gulped.

"To learn to care for your animal I want any one of a Thrid Year or a Fourth Year to call their animal please," Miss Galka instructed.  Smiles flashed on some of the students faces, and a series of animal calls roared through the room.  There were the sounds of whoosing, and then...

"AHHHHH!" I jumped on top of my desk, and a wolf growled at me.  Everyone laughed.

"Rocks down!" the girl next to me yelled.  The wolf gave a final growl, and laid on the ground.  I climbed off the table and sat into my chair.  The wolf glared at me.

Miss Galka let out a nervous laugh.

"Sooo... to continue I need someone who has a connector wolf, please come up?" she asked.  Hands flew up.

"Hmm. Julia, come one up!"  We all turned to a girl, who made her way to the front with a wolf at her side.  It glared at me as it trotted by.  The girl had her jet black hair tyed in a braid.  She had dark gold eyes.  Her wolf had shining black hair,and gold eyes matching hers.

Actually they looked the same.  Same hair, same eyes.

"This is my wolf, Moon.  She is super great and I wouldn't trade her for any of the other wolves," Julia explained, crouching down, and scratching Moon behind the ears.

"So her care is pretty easy.  You need to connect with you wolf twice a week, if you have one.  They usually stay in the woods, but bring food from breakfast and dinner, and but it in you deposit box in you room.  It'll make it's way to your wolf.  I suggest playing with them, and talking.  They love conversation," she continued.  

I made a face. Talking and having conversation with a dog?  I rolled my eyes. 

"Thank you Julia," Miss Galka commented.  She looked to the clock.

"Thank you class, but the bell will ring in-" She was cut off by a loud bell.

"Okay if you are a Woodlind or Artica 1 please go to room 344!  If you are Woodlind or Artica 2, please go to 224!" Miss Galka yelled over the crowd.  The students raced out of the room.  I slowly made my way to Miss Galka's desk.  She looked at me smiling, like she expected me to come.

"Um... I am still confused," I murmured.  Miss Galka, took off her glasses.

"Roxy.  You are dead.  When you die, you come here.  Well, most people do.  Some aren't worthy... or some aren't good enough.  Weren't good in their first life.  In jail, cheated on people, stuff like that.  Now that you are here, you will get connected to the animal.  They will be part of your soul," Miss Galka paused, like she was trying to decide to tell me more or not.  She pursed her lips.

"Okay, get to class, Loki won't want you to  be late," she sighed, and shooed me out.  I looked around the hallway, and whoosh!  I fell down, and landed in a pile of snow.

"Ouch!" I yelped.

"Oh gosh you okay!" a voice yelled from behind me.  I saw feet shuffle in front of me, and then crouch down.  I looked at the face, and froze.

"RICKY!?" I yelled.  I slapped my hand over my mouth.

What if he didn't remember me either?  What if he-

"ROXY!" Ricky yelled, and threw his arms around me.  He squeezed me tight, and I sighed with relief, breathing in his smell.  He finally pulled away.

"Isn't this place cool?" Ricky exclaimed.  I made a face.

 "Yeah sure. Being dead in a strange building is great," I scoffed.  Ricky gave a crooked smile.  

"Room 344?" he asked gesturing to the left.  I smiled.

 

"You coming?  Or what sector are you?"  I asked.  Ricky replied,

"Oh, Amazon.  Rainforest basically."

"Ooo, a jungle cat or something," I laughed.  He smiled.  The door flung open. 

There stood a pale man, wearing a long-sleeve trench-like coat.  Green streaks went through it.  His black hair was slicked back, and curved at his shoulders.

"Miss...Roxy," he seethed.  I gulped.  I recognized him immediately.  

It was Loki.  From the Marvel movies.  I thought they were fake!  Like fiction!  I guess fiction characters were here too!  Then I realized I was going to faint.  It was LOKI!! Like the LOKI!

"Um... hi," I replied, trying not to get excited.  I mean it was really Loki!

"Let's go.  I don't like those who are late," he seethed.  I nodded.  Ricky gave a hopeful wave, and the door closed behind me.

The bell rang, and I headed to my third class.  

Loki's class was okay.  He talked a lot about the history of magic, grew an extra eye on this kid, and made the trees start dancing.  You know, normal stuff like that.  

When I asked him if he was dead, he said he couldn't tell me.  Could spoil the movies. SO he told me that he liked to come down here to teach classes.

I hurried through the halls trying to find the courtyard.

This class was called, 'trying your animal.'  

I was not ready for that.  

"Hey!  Hey you!" a familar voice called.  I whirled around to see Axe jogging up to me, smile on his face.  

My throat tightened, and my muscles tensed.

"Oh... hey," I whispered, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Do you have that trying your animal class right now?!" he asked.  I nodded, pursing my lips, trying not to cry.  His smile grew bigger.

"Me too!  Hey, want to walk there together?" he asked.  I looked up, my brain turning, studying his face.

I don't know how, but I could feel his emotions.  Like, I could read them.  He was happy, but also a little nervous.

"Yea," I said slowly, processing how this could work to my advantage, 'yea, let's walk together."  His smile grew bigger, his nervousnes falling away.

The gears in my brain turned.  He didn't remember me.  He didn't remember who I was, how I acted.  It was like I had a clean slate.

"So, know what animal you are?" I asked.  He nodded.

"Yeah a gray wolf or something," he replied, and asked if I knew.  I shook my head.

"They haven't told me yet.  What's you schedule?" I asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Um, after this I think I have lunch, and then I have caring for your animal, and then trying your magic."

"Hey, me too!"  I exclaimed.  He smiled.  I read his emotions, and they were bursting rays of happy sunshine.  My smile grew.

"Well, hurry up why don't cha!" a voice called.  I looked ahead to see a man standing infront of a double door.  His brown hair was in cowlicks, and he had hair growing around his chin.  He wore a tank top, and had a glowing blue circle hidden behind it.

My jaw dropped.

"Tony... Tony Stark?  Iron... Man?!" I exclaimed, my heart pounding.  He smiled.

"Yep, in the flesh.  Now hurry up you're missing my class."

"Peter, is going to be so happy!" I cried.  Tony's face dropped.

"Wha... what?  Peter?  Here?" he choked out.  I gulped, and nodded.  He stood there scanning my face.

"I'll talk to you after class.  Come on out," he finally said, and opened the doors.  We were in a huge circular dome.  It was clear glass,and rain drops ran down the sides.  There were trees lining the dome, surrounding the grass.  A big stone circle was in the middle of it all with the crest.

"This is amazing," Axe said in awe. 

"ROXY!" Liv's voice yelled, rushing towards me.  We embraced in a hug, and she started jumping up and down.

"We have a class together!  The whole gang does!" she cried, and moved so I could see.  She was right.  

There was Ricky, Peter, me, Liv, Axe, Charlie and-

Wait... Charlie.

I clenched my jaw, and stomped up to him, and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen.  You try to pull anything, and I swear I will hunt you down, and have you gone before you can even blink," I seethed.  His brown eyes were big, and shone with fear. 

"Woah, woah, woah!  Break it up you two!" Tony exclaimed, picking me up and setting me away from Charlie.  Charlie fell to the ground clutching his chest.  Tony whispered in my ear, 
"Don't ask questions.  He doesn't remember, I'll explain later."  My heart thumped aganist my chest.

What was going on?  Axe doesn't remember and now Charlie doesn't?  I gulped down my fear, and walked to Liv.  Axe came to my side, as did Ricky and Peter.  Peter laced his hands into Liv's.  She smiled, and my heart ached.

"Peter!!" Tony called.   Peter looked up and his eyes shown.

"Mr. Stark!!" he cried, and raced up to him.  Tony clutched him in a big hug.

"Now get back in line squirt," Tony smiled.  Peter ran back to Liv.

"Today.  We will be meeting you connector animals, and connecting with them," Tony ordered, pacing around the stone.  He stopped, and snapped his fingers.

There was a howl and a roar that came from the woods.  I clutched to Liv, and the trees shook.

Out ran a black wolf, and a lion.  The lion roared , and the wolf howled, coming to Tony's side.  

"Okay boys, change back," he said with a laugh.  There were too puffs of smoke, and in the place of the lion a boy with extremely pale skin, and green hair.  The other one had tan skin, and brownish hair with white streaks.

And wow did he have some abs. 

I mean wow.

"Everyone meet Wyatt and-" Mr. Stark began, but Liv cut him off.

"ZED!! HOLY CRAP IT'S ZED!! HOLY CRAP IT'S ZED!" she screamed, and ran towards the green haired boy.  He had the biggest smile, and took her in his arms.  He spun her around in circles.

"WHO ARE ALL THESE BOYS!  LIV I'M SICK OF IT! THERE'S JACK WHO TRIED TO MURDER US, AND NOW THIS GREEN HAIRED FREAK WHAT DA HECK!" Peter screamed.  He ripped Liv out of Zed's arms, and set her down, and got in his face.

"I am her boyfriend thank you very much, Peter Stark, Stark Peter, and I don't give a CRAP that I just said my name wrong, because I'm mad," Peter snapped. Zed gave a crooked smile.

"Dude, I'm her brother, it's all good," he laughed shaking Peter's hand, and turned to Liv, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Boyfriend Liv?"  Liv blushed, and nodded.  Peter stomped back over to her grabbing her hand.

"I am sorry for all the interruption," he apologized, saluting to his dad.  Tony just shook his head, trying to keep his laugh in.

"Okay, so to continue, this is Zed and Wyatt.  They will be helping you with your animal," Mr. Stark looked to the boys.  They both smiled.  

Their fingers snapped.

At first nothing happened.  By then the tiny pebbles on the stone, began to vibrate,then jumping up and down.  Ricky grabbed onto me protectively.  Then out of the woods came a little squirrel.  The vibration stopped.

"Awwww!" the class went.  But then their was a huge roar, and a stamped of animals ran out of the woods.  Wolves, lions, snakes, weasels, an elephant, jaguars, cheetahs, bunnies, foxes, and tigers.  They all ran and went in a straight horizontal line with Mr. Stark.

"By my side are the animals that you will be connecting with today," Mr. Stark boomed, getting our attention.  

"You will step in front of each animal that is part of you realm.  Woodlind students to the north of the stone circle, Artica to the south, Amazons to the west, and Sandanaras to the east.  Single file line, chop chop now!" he ordered.  I made my way to the top of the circle, where animals waited for me.

I don't know how it happened, but I was in the front of the line, face to face with a squirell.

"Commence connecting.  This is a serious time students.  Look straight into the animal before you eyes.  Connect.  If you think you have a connection... well you can figure out what to do.  BEGIN CONNECTING!" he boomed.  And everything went silent.  The animals stopped chittering, and the wind froze. Total silence.

I gulped and looked deep into the eyes of a red squriell that sat on the stump of an oak tree.  The squirrel chittered, and hopped off.  The next animal was a bear.  A grizzly bear to be exact. I gulped, as I looked into it's deep brown eyes, waiting for it to rip my face off.  I tensed, as it opened it's mouth-

And let out a yawn as if to say this is boring why do I even try, and made his way to the back of the line.  I tried to keep my nerves down, as I felt the heat of everyone's eyes on me.  The next animal was a fox.  It hopped up on the stomp.

It's fur was a bright orange, and eyes deep green.  I peered into them.

Hello, a sweet voice rang.

Woah, can I hear your thoughts?! I exclaimed.  The fox seemed to smile.

Yes, you can.

Does this mean we're connecting?  I replied eagerly.  The vixen seemed to sigh.

I haven't connected with a student in 20 years.  And sadly, I won't with you either.  The fox hopped off, going to the back of the line, head hanging low.

Poor vixen.  

The next animal was an eagle,  It flapped up to the stump.

Hmph  It said, and flew to the back of the line.

Rude.

I went animal after animal, until I was back at the squirell.  I gulped

"Um... Mr. Stark... I didn't connect with any," I murmured.  He walked over to me, and studied me and then the animals.

"Well, that's peculiar.  Maybe it's just because you haven't been here long enough.  Stand off the the side, and watch," he suggested,and walked over to the Artica group.  I sighed, and sat on a tree stump to watch.  

Liv approached.  She took a deep breath, and glared at the squriell.  It let out a quick squeak, and ran off into the woods.

 

"Oops," she said, and went to the next.  The bear just glared at her, then up came the vixen.  Her ears perked up.  Her fur seemed to grow a shade brighter and her eyes turn to emerald.  She made a chittering sound.  

Then Liv fell back clutching her heart.

"Liv!" Peter cried, rushing to her.  She laughed.

"No, I'm okay!  I think I just connected with this fox!" she exclaimed.  The fox gave her a glare.

"Sorry vixen," she corrected.  The fox scampered down from the stump, and rushed to Liv's lap, giving her a kiss on the cheek, and curled into her lap with a happy purr.

"Yay!  I got an animal!  Mr. Stark, I've got an animal!" Liv exclaimed.  Tony congragulated her, and went to watch the next person.  I slumped down, sad and ashamed.

Next up was Axe.  I sat up a little straighter, excited to see who would connect with him.  

I jumped as there was a loud howl, and a gray wolf trotted out of the woods.  It got in line with the other animals.  Axe looked into every animals eyes.  Most of them didn't even look at him for a nanosecond.  Some just walked right passed him.

FInally he came to the gray wolf.  It was gray fur, and a white belly, and bright blue eyes like ice. 

Just like Axe.  

I sat up straighter, eager to see if they would connect.  The wolf let out a sound that sounded like a happy growl.  He stood up, ears back and growled.  

Axe gulped.  I wanted to get up and help, but something told me not to.  The wolf gave a final growl, then sat on it's hunches, content.

And connected.

"Good job Axe!" I exclaimed, coming over.  The wolf pounced on Axe and they wrestled in the grass.  I let out a small laugh, smiling at him.  

"Whatcha gonna name it?" I asked crouching down, the wolf coming to lick my face.  Axe stood up brushing off his jeans.

"Rocks," he replied.  I nodded in approval.  Rocks bounded up to Axe, jumping on his chest, wanting to play.

"Well now what, Mr. Stark?" Axe asked.  Tony smiled.  

"Go play.  Rocks like that kinda stuff."  Axe and Rocks bounded out in the never ending grass.

Everyone went, getting their animals.  Ricky got a tiger, after being chased around by it for a good 15 minutes.  Peter got a giant spider, about as big as a bulldog, and named it Spidy.  I sat on the stump, watched my friends with their animals, and then played with them too.

But I still felt sad, not having my own animal.

"Okay, time to get going.  Bring your animals with you.  This is Phase Two:Seeing how Well Your Animal Listens," Tony ordered.  I sighed, shuffling over to the doors.  Axe came up behind me, giving me a pat on the back.

"You'll find one.  I know it!" he smiled.  I smiled back.

Then, the trees began to blow in a wind, and pebbles began to shake.  There was a low howl, that was defeinetly a wolves, but sounded different then one I ever heard.  

Tony whipped around to the woods, fear in his eyes.

"Oh no.  Not the Prophecy," he murmered. Prophecy? 

"GET INSIDE NOW!" he yelled.  Those who had been at the school seemed to know exactly why.  They screamed, and pushed and shoved their way to the doors.  I tripped over a rock, and rolled out of the way being trampled.  There was the howl again, lower and closer.  I gulped, knowning something was wrong.  Then it began to rain.  The rain pounded through the glass, raining water and glass into the arena.  I rolled behind a rock that came out a bit, so I was almost under it.  The trees bent in the wind, and the wind caught up, howling with the unknown call.  There was shouting, yelling,sreaming.  I covered my ears to all the noise, it growing louder, and louder, rain,glass,shouting,yelling,howling,wind-

Stop. 

I uncovered my ears.  It just stopped.  I was to scared to move, and my suspicions were confimred when Tony yelled,

"Don't move!"  I peeked out from my rock to see snow falling lightly on the ground, and a few feet of it sparkling in the sun.  I gulped.

Then I saw it.  A wolf.  It was as white as the snow, with ice blue eyes and a black nose.  It was walking right towards me.  It made it to infront of my rock and sat down.

Hello, a calm voice like silk entered my mind.

Um... hi?

So do you mind if we like... connect?

All I could do was nod.  The wolf came forward, and a gasp went through the crowd.  It sat right in front of me and I met it's eyes.  A warm feeling surged through me.  I heard Tony gasp-a gasp of fear.  I stood up, and so did the wolf.  

"Blu.  I'll call you Blu," I cooed, scratching her between the ears.

"Roxy!" Tony's voice boomed.  I jumped and looked to him.  His face tried to stay stern, but I still saw the fear in his eyes.

"Come with me."  I nodded, and began to walk, and Blu followed at my heels.  The students parted on either side like I was the plague or something.

I gulped.

I could just feel I did something wrong.