Prequel to my fic 'nightmare dust and the silver sands.'

This can be read without reading that, but I highly recommend reading Nightmare Dust first so anyway. Some scenes may be confusing to those who have not read it.

But, just so people don't get confused, please be aware this is part of a series. But since it is the first in its order, you do not need to read them all first.

This is the list the stories take place. Most aren't that long (some are one-shots).

A Blackened Memory

Nightmare Dust and the Silver Sands

Scarred

Of Silver Horses

The Spirit of the Thaw

A Sandman's Wisdom

Tricks and Treats and Forget-Me-Nots

The Shadow at the Side.

Guardians

Please review.

Chapter one: Black Sand

Everyone knew the Tooth fairy. She was, in essence, adored by children around the world. She protected the precious memories of childhood, and kept them safe and as innocent as they'd been when they'd been lost; In the form of baby teeth.

Tooth, the hummingbird fairy, fluttered in mid-air in her main tower with her little mini faires hovering around her, talking all at once as she gave out orders. She did so with all of her little selves around the world (something that made her a tad bit dizzy) but as she did so, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that one of the minifaires was...arguing with the other.

She frowned, her head feathers standing up slightly and she hushed the ones speaking to her, holding up a hand so she could look over. Ah.

It was the same little one from before; Smaller than the rest with a notably smaller, blunter nose. Tooth wasn't sure from whence this little version of herself came nor why she looked different. She simply was...there.

Now that they arguing little ones had seen Tooth looking over at them quizzically, one of the more normal little selves pointed at the odd one out, accusingly.

Tooth was told that the minifairy had pushed her on purpose and wasn't gathering as much teeth as her. Tooth shook her head, tittering her teeth.

"Girls, there's no fighting when there are teeth to be collected!" Tooth gasped upon hearing one of the other little faires began talking again. "San Diego! two molars..."

Unbeknownst to her, as the other little faires began fluttering around and getting back to work, one held back, hovering on the spot. Tooth noticed her but was too busy to speak to her right now. The odd one...was different needless to say. And sometimes tooth was a little wary of how... separate one of her little selves were.

She was too busy to worry about the matter now, and as she continued conversing with her mini helpers, the odd little minifairy sighed and turned.

With slightly cloudy little mind, the odd one wondered why she was different. She did not feel the same connection as the others did to their carer, Tooth.

Looking at them now, they were all together...all one. She was apart.

Sighing, the odd one wandered away from the tower, like she usually did. She loved collecting teeth, but for now she'd leave it to the others. They were more enthusiastic today anyway.

She fluttered over the landscape of Asia by herself, humming in a high-pitched tone. This wasn't so bad, being away from the others. It was strange, but away from Tooth, she could...think. By herself. Even though the others traveled further from her, they remained connected. But she didn't.

I'm thinking and Tooth isn't hearing...or having similar thoughts. Teehee! lalalala...

It was like water traveling away from the river by itself. She could be herself here, alone. The odd little fairy twirled in the air, still humming when she heard something out of the ordinary.

It was...like sand. Sliding sands. But there was no beach.

The little fairy hovered in mid-air, glancing around curiously and tilting her head. What...

Abruptly something traveled past her like water down a windowsill, slithering through the night air. Black, sinister sand was traveling through the sky, spreading out...into the windows of the houses below.

The little fairy retreated back, hands risen to her small mouth in worry. Black sand? Oh, now that she was far from Tooth she couldn't look into her memories.

But she knew it was something bad. Maybe she should go home now...

Suddenly a shadow loomed over her tiny, fragile frame. One she did not notice for a while as she stared at the snake-like sand moving around the buildings with growing unease.

Then, she heard a deep, inward chuckle sound from somewhere right behind her. A dry, nasty one. She whirled around and caught just a glimpse of golden, malice-filled eyes before a pair of hands were clamped around her like a fly-trap, fingers parting to mimic that of a cage. She squeaked, pounding tiny fists against the grey, cold hands.

The voice laughed again in a low, malevolent tone. "What a feisty little creature..."

Slowly, the hands turned around and she was brought face-to face with her captor, who closed a and around her waist. She pounded her fists on his clenched hand, but it didn't help. She stared up at the tall, looming figure and shrunk back, feathers standing up on end.

He was a tall man, with golden eyes tinted with green sparks. His skin was grey and lifeless; His teeth, shown by a broad, mean-spirited smirk were sharp and slightly crooked and he was dressed in a dark attire that blended in with the night behind him.

She began trembling, but knocked her hands against his none-the less Despite her fear she would not stop trying to get away.

"My, My." He murmured, raised his other hand and poking her surprisingly gently on the forehead. "And such a strong little spirit."

She glared at him. She's show him spirit! Opening her little mouth wide, she sunk her teeth into his hand. He hissed and let her go, and at once she began speeding away- only to have him catch her by he wings. He was waving his other, bitten hand furiously, a irritated, dangerous scowl present on his sharp features.

"Perhaps too much spirit. Maybe I should fix that, Hmm?"

Suddenly the shadows seemed to leap around them, closing them into a cloud of black, slithering sand. The frightening man flipped her around and caught the tiny fairy by the foot, dangling her in a evilly playful way over a ball of black, slithering sand.

She squealed in response, shaking her head frantically and curling up, fists clenched and eyes screwed shut. Whatever this black sand was, it was bad, bad, bad!

"Aw...am I frightening you?" She nodded quickly, evoking another wide, sharp-toothed grin. "How delightful."

She glanced around quickly, looking for means of escape as he laughed maliciously from above. There was none visible. The mini-fairy began struggling as hard as she could, squeaking in fury.

Then, her free leg landed a kick to the man's hand, and he released her. Her snarled as she blew a raspberry his way and propmtly fled, slamming right through the shadowy sand making around them, narrowly avoid getting caught.

Pitch tilted his head back, laughing loudly to himself. "Suppose I'll have a little fun!"

With a swift snap of his fingers, the black sand around him morphed into that of frightening, formidable horses that charged after the little fairy. He chuckled darkly to himself as she noticed hem, purple eyes widening in terror. Pitch offered a little, mocking wave before turned and eloping into the shadows below. He'd love to stay and watch, but he'd give his position away if he was seen at the place where one of Tooth's little fairies had gone missing.

The little fairy in question was flying as fast as her little wings would carry her, panting and her large pupils dilated. She could hear the horses behind her, breathing deeply. She looked over her shoulder.

Hmm...horses were usually nice...

But not now, she noted as one snapped at her wings. She ducked and flew downwards, only to find one in her way. She was surrounded.

She looked left- one was coming right towards her.

She looked right; Another was approaching fast.

There wasn't enough time to fly away. All she could do before he impact came was curl into a ball and close her eyes. Her heart pounded in her head.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud-

Then...they hit.

The black sand burst from the horse-like forms and began swirling around the tiny figure, completely engulfing her in the sand. It burned at her skin, and her mind felt like it was swirling around and around. She coughed, inhaling some of the horrible stuff as whispers filled her head, ones that she couldn't understand but was petrified off all the same. She clenched her fists, and slowly, her consciousness-and her everything in her mind- began to fade away.

The small figure began spinning, the sand swirling around her. Then, from above, a moon beam shined on the cloud, and it glittered in it's gaze.

A glowing, crystal blue light ignited from inside the cloud, and the small figure, who had been curled into a tight ball, abruptly stretched out, throwing out her arms. The sand dispersed, and fluttered away from her as she began to fall.

The figure that was falling slowly, very gradually, began to change. Her wings disintegrated into black, meaningless dust, her feathers darkening from green to a deep shade of blue. Her nose became soft and round, her tiny body growing bigger and bigger with ever second. Her face, once covered with feathers, was now pale and soft.

Then, she crashed through the roof of a fragile shack as if it were made of nothing more than parchment. She landed with a thud on some old, ragged blankets, black feathers fluttering down with her. Black sand slithered around her, and as her tiny, now toddler-frame shuddered, she clenched her fists and her eyes snapped open.

And thus in the darkness of the night, two ember orbs glistened through the shadows, blank, unknowing...but awake.

"Who...what...am I?"

Next chapter will come soon.