Kailor: Okay, okay. I know. Most of you probably got the email and went "Who? What is this?" and just deleted it. Or thought it was a hallucination. I get you. BUT IT'S REAL. I'M BACK, I'M GOIN' HARD AND WE'RE GONNA DO THIS THING TO THE END. Next chapter IS WRITTEN AND READY. Send the reviews (a.k.a scream at me all you need to, I deserve it) and let's gooooooo.

Ashlyn's voice ripped away in the wind, but Setsuna could tell she was yelling for them to go faster. She glanced down, past her feet.

The entire Crow force was hot on their heels, the sky almost nothing but black feathers. It ached all the way down her spine, but she beat her wings harder, driving for the trees ahead. They'd left behind the fake army and the real advancing army, flying south along the gully. She gasped in breath, turning her face back to the branches that were quickly growing closer.

Ashlyn hit them first, dipping under the canopy and disappearing. Setsuna twisted, dropping into the trees feet first, pulling her wings back in. She landed on a branch and it snapped. Another one slammed into her feet and she shoved her chi down, leaping away, branch to branch. "Ashlyn!" she called. But there was no answer. She kept going.

Behind her, she could hear branches snapping and screaming voices, beating wings. She thought she heard her name, but she didn't stop.

Twigs slapped her face and arms, but she barely felt the stinging. She knew her clothes and bared skin were getting torn up, but every time she felt like she could slow for a moment, she would hear what sounded like a flap behind her or a rustling branch and it would drive her farther into the trees. Just a little farther, a little farther, a little-

She gasped as her whole body jerked to a stop. She barely registered the hand around her ankle as she fell, flailing. Her shoulder slammed into the tree trunk, shoving her air out, and she bent, clawing at the hand and sucking in shuddering breaths.

"Setsuna! Set, stop!" Ashlyn hissed, grabbing her ankle with both hands. "Get in here!"

She stopped fighting and saw that Ashlyn was hanging out of a deep hollow in the tree. She nodded, grabbing her sister's arm and pulling herself up. Together, they huddled down in the hollow. A few minutes passed.

Then the crashing started, branches ripping, as the Crows burst from the trees and continued on, yelling to each other. They kept going, hundreds of them, hacking with their swords. Setsuna covered her ears as the ripping trees and shouting voices grew louder and louder, too loud. Next to her, Ashlyn jumped as someone's beating wing pushed a breeze into the hollow, rattling the leaves that had gathered inside.

It seemed to last forever. The screaming. The wings. The leaves and feathers falling past the hollow. Then it began to fade. She slowly pulled her hands from her ears, listening closely. But the Crows trailed off, groups of one or two hurrying past, the distant sound of a voice-unintelligible.

They waited, Ashlyn's hands wrapped around Setsuna's forearm. She counted, ears straining. When she'd counted to sixty without a single sound out of place, she turned to Ashlyn. "Quick thinking," she said, patting the floor of the hollow.

"I grew up in this forest, if you forgot," Ashlyn said. She shrugged. "You learn a lot about trees in Kirah.

Setsuna shifted to her knees, ignoring the twigs that stabbed her legs as she crawled to the edge of the hollow.

The trees were empty, huge chunks stripped of their leaves, broken branches hanging at odd angles. She listened. The lightest sound of running water touched her ears and somewhere a frog croaked. Birds whistled in the distance. She turned back to Ashlyn.

"I don't think I like this family reunion," Ashlyn said, smiling.

Setsuna chuckled. "Shut up. Come on. We've got to get back." She hopped out, spreading her wings and turning back the way they'd come. Ashlyn followed a wing beat later.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

They stopped when the trees thinned, when light spilled through in heavy yellow globs on the forest floor. Landing, they folded their wings and moved forward on foot. The valley was empty, the sun setting across the way. And the Ahrimani army sat still and quiet, right where they'd left them. Setsuna's stomach sank and she burst from the trees, wings spreading as she leapt into the air.

They were almost there when she saw movement. Soldiers lined the perimeter and a whole line of them had spotted her and Ashlyn. They drew back on their arrows and Setsuna pulled up sharply, holding her hands in the air. Ashlyn grunted as she flew straight into her back.

"Stop! We're with you!" Setsuna yelled, quickly lowering herself to the ground.

"Setsuna!" The archers parted, most of them immediately lowering their weapons, as Ku came rushing through them. She held her left arm a little stiffly, tucked against her chest, but looked otherwise unharmed. "You made it! Where are the Crows?"

They clasped forearms. "We dodged them in the trees. What happened here? Where are the riders that were coming from the north?"

Ku nodded, clasping Ashlyn's arm. "Vaiden got to me and warned us. It was like magic. You took off and the Crows were suddenly all gone after you. We shot down as many as we could as they fled. We were able to rally and turn to face the Puhvalians riding in." She laughed, leading the way back into camp. "But the second the Crows were away, the Puhvalians started to retreat. We met their frontlines and fought a little, but by the time we'd cut through the first few lines, the others were hightailing it back across the border."

"Cowards," Ashlyn snorted. "Their trap failed and they just ran away."

"I doubt that will be their only sneak attack," Ku said, dodging a group of soldiers carrying an anvil. "We're regrouping. Patching up those that were injured. Preparing for anything we can think of."

"The Crows will be back, when they realize they're chasing nothing."

"Hopefully they'll fly through all of Kirah before that happens." Ku stopped outside her tent.

"How are my people?" Setsuna said, glancing around. She hadn't seen a face she recognized yet. The camp was mostly still, soldiers sitting around small fires and sharpening weapons or taking turns sleeping.

Ku followed her gaze. "They're fine. Little banged up and bruised mostly." She paused, glancing at her tent. "There was a... Well, when the Crows attacked, a group of them cornered Chao. She's going to be fine, but." The queen sighed, pushing back the tent flap. "Come in and see."

Setsuna glanced at Ashlyn, seeing the blood run from her face, then they ducked into the tent together.

Rakan was sitting beside a table in the corner, a wet rag tiny in his giant hand. Chao was laid out on the table in front of him and he pressed the rag to her forehead. Negi and Kaede were each at an end of the table, eyes closed and hands held out over Chao.

Konoka, Asuna, and Ayaka looked up the second they entered and Konoka threw herself at Setsuna. "Oh gods. You're here. You're okay."

She hated the relief in Konoka's voice. What would it sound like when this war ended and she wasn't there anymore? When she wasn't okay? She hugged Konoka tighter, breathing her in.

"Hey, Setsuna. Ashlyn. You guys made it." Chao's voice shook a little, but she was smiling.

Konoka's fingers wrapped around the sleeve of Setsuna's tunic as they moved forward. Setsuna took a sharp breath through her nose, stopping beside the table. Where Chao's right arm had been, there was just a stump, the end wrapped in spotted red cloth.

"How do you feel?" Ku said, voice softer than Setsuna had heard it yet.

"I'm okay." Chao grinned. "All ready to go again, Captain." She winked at Setsuna.

Setsuna forced a smile onto her suddenly stiff face. "I believe that. Just rest for a bit. Then we'll get you back out there."

Chao's eyes fluttered closed. "Okay. Just so you know, I'm saluting you."

Nobody laughed. A few moments later, the tent filled with Chao's quiet snores. Konoka's hand slipped into Setsuna's.