"I…don't believe it!  We're here!"

A holy silence fell over the party as the human and three Enterrans gazed up at the awesome shadow pressed against the velvet sky.  As broken and ancient as it looked, there was an air of grace and authority surrounding it.  The full moon bathed the four travellers in a silvery light, making them look eerie and older than they actually were.  Shinzo was much bigger than they had imagined.  It towered above them like a monster; a red-orange light stabbed through the windows like evil eyes.

Yakumo shuddered.  "Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all," she whispered, as if in Church.  "It seems so… there's something not quite right-"

"Nonsense, Yakumo!" Kutall interrupted her.  "You'll be fine, it's just cold feet!  I know it looks frightening, but look-"  He began to gesture at various parts of the shadow.  "Those lights in the window may seem awfully scary, but they're full of warm light if you look from a different angle." Kutall glanced down at Yakumo, who was smiling.  "And it's not a big, cold dungeon either.  It's more like a big-"

"A big, cuddly teddy bear who just wants a hug," Sago's quiet voice finished sarcastically.

There was a long silence.

Kutall coughed.  "Yes, well, anyway… Yakumo, it's really not a good idea to turn away now, after all you've been through. You'll spend the rest of your life wondering if you should have stayed.  And what about your father-"

"Yes, I know.  I can't walk away.  It just looks so - empty."

"Never judge a book by its cover, Yakumo," Kutall assured her.  "It won't be as cold inside.  Honest.  There are other humans in there, Yakumo, think of that!  You'll be with your own people again!"

Yakumo nodded.  "Yes.  I'll go now, before I can lose my nerve."

"Good!  Mushra will walk you up to the door, won't you, Musha?" Sago grinned.

Mushra, who'd been fiddling agitatedly with the laces on his sneakers, looked up sharply.  "What?"

"Go on.  You haven't had much to say for once, so you two can talk on the way up the path.  We'll wait for you at the gates." Kutall nodded.

Mushra looked doubtful.  "Hello!  They're humans!  I'm an Enterran!  They'll rip me apart!  And why me?"  Yakumo smiled.  She knew he was going to end up accompanying her, he just argued because he could.

Kutall rolled his eyes.  "Because your appearance is closer to human than ours, in case a human sees you!  For one thing, I'm part cat, and Sago would just freak everyone out, his eyes are definitely not human.  So you're the perfect-"

"Hair."

"What?"

"Humans don't normally have pink hair."

Sago smirked.  "It's not pink.  It's more of a purpley…pinky…grey…colour…"

Yakumo suddenly had an idea.  She lifted a woollen blanket from their campsite and handed it to Mushra.  "There!  You use it to cover your hair!"  One glance at his face made her continue, "Ok, you'll look a bit…odd; but you don't have to speak or anything!  Please come!"  Something about Yakumo's face made him nod in agreement.

"Ok.  I'll come with you."  He handed Sago his crown and his spear, as they would give him away.

Kutall suddenly swept Yakumo up in the biggest bear-hug ever, then wiped a tear away.  "Oh, I'll miss you, Yakumo!  I do hope you're happy here!  We'll never forget you!"

Sago stood nervously beside Mushra, shifting his feet.  Yakumo smiled at him and gave him a hug.  "I'll miss you all!  And thank you for everything you've done for me!  I promise I'll never forget you!  Maybe someday we'll meet again!"

"I know we will!" Kutall assured her.

Sago and Kutall waved as Yakumo and Mushra turned and walked up the long path.

"I can't believe this is it!  We're here!"  Yakumo looked at Mushra, all starry-eyed and a bit scary.

"Uh…yea."

Yakumo looked down at her friend, who she couldn't see very well for the blanket covering him from his fringeline to his shoulders.  "You're taking this very hard, aren't you?"

"No."

"Then why so quiet?"

"I'm just tired, I guess."

"I asked you to come up here for a reason."

Mushra looked up from under the blanket.  "And what's that?"

They stopped outside the huge oak door and Yakumo crouched down a little so they were eye-level.  "When I first met you; you know, the waterfall, I didn't really like you.  You frightened me, to be honest, but-"

"Why did I frighten you?"

"I don't know.  You're an Enterran for one thing, and I was brought up to fear you.  But you seemed so hot-headed.  I'd never met anyone like you."

"I'm going to take that as a personal compliment."

"I just want you to know that since then, you've become my best friend, and you'll always be my best friend, no matter how long we're apart."

Mushra didn't say anything for a minute, just looked at the ground.  Then he smiled.  "And you'll always be my best friend.  Always."

They both nearly jumped out of their skins as the door banged open and a big, strong-looking man stood in to doorway.  Mushra turned away hurriedly.

"Hey there!" the man shouted.  "You planning on staying?"

Yakumo looked up nervously.  "Y-yes, but-"

The stranger let out a booming laugh and shook her hand.  "Hi!  My name's Benjamin, and I'd like to welcome you to Shinzo.  Hey, who's your friend?"

Mushra froze.  "Uh…I was just… leaving…"

"Oh, come on!  You can stay for a drink, can't you?"

"Uh-"

"He'd be glad to!"

Mushra looked round at Yakumo, who quickly whispered in his ear, "He'll get suspicious if you don't.  I'll bale you out after about half an hour, I promise."

Mushra sighed.  "The things I do for you." He adjusted the blanket to stop a few stray strands from his fringe from escaping.

They walked through the oak doors behind Benjamin; Mushra of course had to trip over the threshold.  Yakumo giggled.  "I thought you were all about agility!" she whispered.

The hall he was led into was like a palace.  It was lit with a bright yellowy light, and decorated in red drapes.  It was warm, and the sounds of happy voices filtered through the walls.  But Yakumo still looked nervous.  Mushra put a hand on her shoulder.  "You'll be fine," he said quietly.

Benjamin smiled at them.  "You're both very welcome here!  And apologies for the rather loud greeting.  What with the Enterrans flocking over the place, we don't know who to trust.  We generally just try to scare them away."

Yakumo looked anxiously at Benjamin.

"Sometimes they don't scare so easily," Benjamin smiled and threw his left fist to the palm of his right hand.  "Sometimes we have to be a little more… to the point."

Mushra shivered nervously under the blanket, and Yakumo quickly changed the subject.  "Uh, so, tell me what it's like living here!"

"It's one pretty great life, I can tell you that!  Everyone gets on so well, and – SECURITY!!!!  OVER HERE NOW!  ONE OF THEM GOT IN!"

Yakumo blinked and looked down at Mushra.

The blanket had fallen off his shoulders and his hair was extremely noticeable.

Everyone froze for a few seconds, then Yakumo yelled out, "Run, Mushra!"

Mushra looked around wide-eyed before turning and running for the doors.  He was blocked by two huge men who appeared out of nowhere to catch him.

Benjamin smiled and took a knife from his sheath.  "And the chase begins!" he laughed and ran after Mushra.

Ok, I admit that had a very shaky and rather boring start, but every time I got warmed up to writing, like, ANYTHING my mum wanted me to do some housework.  Mum doesn't want anything to do tomorrow you see, as it's Christmas.  I can't wait!  I hope you all have so much fun!