Spirit stared off into the horizon. She watched the sun climb up into the sky, filling it with colors of red and orange. She woke up hours before any other creature in the cove, all she could think about was Askar. The painful shrieking from him last night stabbed her ears, it was all she could hear.
She would give anything to go back to the stadium and see him again, but if she showed her face at that place again, who knows what will happen to her.
'You can't change the things you've done,' she heard a voice in her head say. 'Doesn't matter how far away you get from this island, the guilt will cut you like a knife.'
Spirit thought for a moment. What would happen to her after the trolls set her free? She had to find her pod, her family. Clay agreed to help her find her pod if she proved she wasn't dangerous, but how long would it take to find them? The ocean isn't exactly tiny. What was she to do?
When Spirit was in the stadium, hours after it was closed, she would sing. Usually at midnight so no one else could hear her. Lykars that came to the stadium were forced not to talk, only communicating to their fellow lykars by using clicks and squeaks. The trainers at the stadium knew that lykars were smart creatures and if they were allowed to speak, they would communicate with the visitors of the stadium. Years ago, during one of the shows, one lykar slid out on the edge of the pool and yelled 'help us, you don't know what they're doing to us'. The snatchers that ran the stadium only cared about the money the lykars made for them, so they sent the lykar away on a grey truck...but he never came back...

But Spirit wasn't in the stadium anymore, surely it wouldn't hurt for her to sing. It was still early in the morning so no one would be awake, she'll stay quiet.

***

Branch couldn't stop thinking about last night, the things he and Poppy found out shocked him. All he wanted to do was set Spirit free before the snatchers find her. Them problem was, they wouldn't be able to release her for another week and Tekai was still working on the brace for Spirit's tail.

A voice struck one of Branch's sensitive ears. It sounded like a singing voice.

"Tell me where did I go wrong? Everyone I loved, they're all gone..." The voice sang. Branch was curious to find out where it was coming from. He used his big, sensitive ears to find the source.

"I do everything so differently, but I can't turn back the time. There's no shelter from the storm inside of me..." It was coming from the lagoon.

"Hello?" Branch called out, the song continued.

"There's no way out of this dark place, no hope, no future..."

Branch called out to it again. "Hello?" Even louder than the first time.

The voice stopped. Branch ran to the shore, trying to find anyone who could have been singing. He only saw Spirit. She was on the edge of the lagoon looking at Branch.

Spirit drew her ears back and gulped, she didn't realize how loud she was singing. There was a part inside of her that didn't want Branch to find out that Spirit could talk, but she also wanted to tell him everything that has happened to her over the last decade and answer his questions about her. Branch approached Spirit slowly and placed his hand on her snout.

"I don't suppose you heard someone singing did you?" Branch asked her. Spirit shook her head. He looked around and saw that there was nobody else at the shore. He looked back at Spirit, confused. "Who could have been singing? There's no one else here...unless..." He hesitated, "...Spirit?...was it you?" Spirit froze, she didn't make any gestures, any sounds, she just stared back into Branch's eyes.

"So how's the training going?" A loud, stern voice called. It was Clay. Branch ran across the edge of the lagoon and jumped down onto the shore in front of him.

"I-it's going great," Branch replied, he was slightly intimidated by Clay and was a little afraid of him.

"Oh really?" Clay said sarcastically, "because I saw you talking to the sea lykar as if it was a person!" He did not seem pleased, this made Branch feel angry.

"Clay, she's not a dumb beast," Branch spoke through gritted teeth, "she's a sea lykar, one of the most intelligent animals in the known world."

"Oh please, they can't even talk."

"Actually, sea lykars can. They're much more intelligent than forest lykars so they..." Branch was interrupted.

"Shut your mouth!" Clay snapped, startling Branch and causing his ears to droop. "If you think you know these animals then let's here this lykar say something." He turned to Spirit, who was underwater looking through the glass, "go on then." Spirit didn't say a word, she just lowered her head. "Intelligent creatures, sure." He said as he walked away back to the rivered trolls' village. Branch frowned and looked at Spirit.

"Come on girl, I know you can talk," Branch pleaded, "just tell me if you can talk and I promise not to tell anyone." Spirit remained quiet, until she let out a squeak. Branch sighed, he placed his hand on the glass. "It's okay girl, I've got your breakfast for you." Branch climbed back onto the lagoon edge and Spirit followed him in the water, swimming slowly with her damaged tail.
Branch picked up the cooler that he brought with him and moved it to the lagoon edge, he took a handful of fish and threw it into Spirit's mouth.
When he turned around and crouched down to grab some more fish for her, Spirit placed her front paws on the edge, moved her head to reach Branch and nudged him in the butt with her nose causing him to stumble forward.

"You're so impatient aren't you?" Branch laughed, he took out another handful of fish and gave it to Spirit, she ate it happily while Branch jumped off the lagoon edge and stood in front of the glass panels. Spirit followed Branch until she was face to face with him.
Branch raised his arm and started waving it, Spirit copied him and waved her flipper. He started  walking to the other side of the lagoon, hoping Spirit would follow and she did. Branch broke into a run trying to overtake the lykar but even with her flukes, she was still able to beat him. Spirit got to the other side of the lagoon before Branch did, when he caught up, Spirit stuck her tongue out at him.

"Alright, you win," Branch panted, Spirit collected a mouthful of water and spat it out at Branch. "Okay, I get it! You don't have to rub it in," he shook off his hair then used it to climb up the glass panel and sit on top of it, being careful not to fall off. Spirit lifted her head above the water and rested her nose on Branch's lap, he hugged her close. "I've got to go now, I'll see you later, okay?" Branch patted her on the nose and climbed down the glass and left the lagoon.

***

Branch walked into the rivered trolls' village to find Tekai, they needed the brace to be finished as quickly as possible. He checked to see if Tekai was at the vet helping Olive like she usually does, but she wasn't there.

"Branch? Is that you?" Olive said, Branch gave a little wave to the green troll, "what are you doing here?"

"Do you know where Tekai is? I have to find her," Branch asked her.

"You could check the stables, she'll probably be there with Manta," she replied, Branch thanked Olive and made his way to the stables.

The door to the stables was open and Branch could see Tekai petting Manta and feeding him fruits. She was so focused on Manta that she didn't even notice Branch come in.

"Hey kid," he said, Tekai whipped around in surprise with her fist balled up, ready to swing a punch, she narrowly missed punching Branch square in the nose.

"Oh Tough-tail, it's just you," Tekai relaxed turning back to Manta, "so what brings you here?"

"I just wanted to ask about Spirit's brace, how's it coming along?" He asked.

"I just finished it this morning," she replied, "thanks for your help by the way!" She said sarcastically. Branch felt a little guilty, Tekai had to build a lykar-sized tail brace all on her own and all Branch did was mess around with Spirit in the lagoon.

"About that, me and Poppy found something last night at the old marine stadium," he stated.

Tekai turned to Branch, "you mean the old one over the cliff? What did you find?" She asked.

"The years that Spirit was missing, all along she was in captivity, performing to crowds. But they're still looking for her, which is why we need to get her out of the lagoon before they find out that she's here."

"Just under a week, we have to make it until then."

Suddenly a lykar with its rider came running into the stables and stopped just next to Manta, the rider dismounted.

"Hey Correy!" Tekai greeted the rider.

"Hey there Kai," he said as patted Tekai on the shoulder. Correy was a dark green rivered troll with brown hair, he was a little taller than Tekai and Branch. He wore brown overalls that were ripped at the legs and he had a huge chunk missing from his left pointed ear.

"Correy, this is Branch, I'm helping him train the sea lykar in the lagoon," Tekai said as she pointed at Branch.

"Cool, so you're the one that faced up to Clay?" Correy asked as he patted Branch on the back, Branch nodded.

Correy's lykar was Sparky, Manta's brother, he had dark grey fur with a white face and his eyes were teal around the pupil and faded to yellow toward the edge of his eye. The three trolls watched Manta and Sparky as they played with each other.

"Sparky and I ran like there was no tomorrow," Correy stated, "we went to the lake in the forest and Sparky had a swim."

"I'm guessing that's why he smells so bad," Branch said as he held his nose. Wet dog smell was bad enough, but there was nothing worse than the smell of a drenched lykar.
There was a small squeak coming from one of the pens.

"Oh, Everest is awake," Tekai stated as she walked to the pen where the noise was coming from.

"Everest?" Branch questioned, he followed Tekai, who was crouching down next to the entrance of pen, Branch knelt beside her and peered through the gate. Inside the pen was a beautiful light grey lykar.

"Hey there old girl," Tekai walked over to the lykar and sat down by her head. "This is Everest." She was lying down on her side with her snout on Tekai's lap. Branch took a step towards Everest but she started to growl, Tekai calmed her down. "Don't worry , he's with me," Tekai reassured her as she stroked her forehead, Branch slowly walked over to Tekai and Everest. "You can touch her," Tekai said, "she just gets wary around new people,"

Branch looked at Everest's eyes, they were beautiful. They were purple around the pupil and faded to blue. He'd never seen anything like them.

"Her eyes are beautiful," he complimented.

"I know," Tekai responded, "she was the offspring of a double blue eyed lykar and a double purple eyed lykar."

Lykars had two colors in their eye. If the two colors were the same but a different shade or tone then it's known as a double colored eyed lykar, and if the two colors are different from each other then it's known as a single colored eyed lykar but with each type the colors blend into one another. Double colored eyed lykars were rare but the fact that Everest was the calf of two double colored eyed lykars and one of them had double blue eyes was unbelievable.

"She's one of the oldest lykars here," Tekai stated, "not to mention one of the fastest in the lykar races."

"She used to race?" Branch asked.

"Yeah, she belonged to my dad and he was one of the best lykar racers around...well...until he died," the tone in Tekai's voice changed. There was a pause. "Then after that I took care of her,"

"She doesn't race anymore though," Correy joined in, "on her last race she broke one of her hind legs," Tekai nodded.

"It did heal, she can walk and slowly run, but she wouldn't be able to race again," Tekai sighed, "which is the best thing anyway, those lykar races are horrible." She stroked Everest's head gently, she turned to Branch, "come on, let's get this brace fitted onto Spirit."

***

Branch and Tekai dragged the brace to the lagoon, Tekai made the brace as light as possible, to the two trolls it seemed heavy but to a lykar it would be a breeze to push it through the water.

"Just to clarify, you did make this thing strong enough to use in the wild, right?" Branch asked.

"Yep, I made it so that when her flukes have healed and returned to the angle they're supposed to be at, the supports on the joints of her flukes will disconnect, and the rest of the brace along with it," Tekai replied, feeling proud of herself.
Spirit soon caught sight of the trolls and let out a squeal of excitement. Branch could tell that Spirit's flukes were getting worse because she was moving her tail side to side like a shark instead of up and down, it seemed that her flukes weren't able to carry her much longer.

"Branch, if you can get Spirit to the side of the lagoon, I'll put the brace on her," Tekai ordered. Branch sat on the lagoon edge and called Spirit over to him. Spirit floated on her side on the surface of the water, right next to the lagoon edge. Branch grabbed the end of her tail just below the flukes and kept it still so Tekai could fit the brace on.
Spirit wasn't fully aware of what was going on but she didn't like the idea of it, so she thrashed her tail out of Branch's grip and back into the water. The force of it knocked Branch clean off the edge of the lagoon and into the water. Tekai couldn't help but laugh. Branch surfaced and started to swim towards the edge, but felt Spirit nudge him in the back. She lifted her head out of the water and let Branch climb onto her, then she swam to the edge with Branch on her head, Branch dismounted her on the side of the lagoon.

This time Branch kept Spirit calm when Tekai was fitting the brace, she did growl a little but let Tekai continue.

"If this works, we will be able to get you back in the wild in no time," Branch said calmly to the lykar, stroking her head in a slow rhythm.

"That and you'll have to ride on her back while she swims around the perimeter of the lagoon," Tekai called out, Branch looked at her annoyingly. With a few more clicks, the brace was on. The brace was made of plastic covered with a leather layer, apart from the supports on her tail fluke joints which were made of metal but had a thin cover of leather over them to protect the supports. On either side of the brace there were long supports for Spirit's flukes, to keep them at the right angle so they wouldn't heal in a strange way, there was also a strap at her tail stock (the tip of her tail, just under the flukes) to keep the brace attached to Spirit's tail.

Spirit started swimming, trying to get used to the slightly different weight on her tail that the brace had given. She was able to move her tail up and down with the brace on easily. Her flukes were now more stabilized and looked less flimsy, she could push herself through the water quicker and easier. When she got out of the water and sat on the edge of the lagoon, she curiously looked at the brace attached on her tail and sniffed it.

"Is...is she okay?" Branch whispered to Tekai.

"I don't know," Tekai replied, "but she hasn't tried to rip it off so that's usually a good sign." Spirit dove gracefully into the lagoon again and disappeared underneath the glistening blue water. 

Silence. 

She didn't surface for some time. Branch was worried. He was about to go to the glass panels to try and spot her, until he spotted dark shadow in the water growing larger and larger, getting closer and closer to the surface. It was Spirit. She leaped out of the water, reaching incredible heights up to over twice the size of her body length. Branch had never seen a sea lykar jump so high.

"Did you know she could jump like that?" Tekai asked him, amazed. Branch didn't reply, he watched in awe as Spirit dived back nose-first into the water. She swam back over to the two trolls, face to face with them.

"Even after a decade, you're still the incredible lykar I used to know," Branch smiled as he hugged Spirit's snout.

"I think it's safe to say that the brace was a success," Tekai stated, Branch nodded.

***

Deep in the woods, a purple troll was working on a map at her desk in her hut that was hidden among the trees, there was a loud knock at the door and entered in a tall, red troll with slightly darker hair.

"Iris!" The troll called out, "the new boss wants to see you," Iris turned to him, confused.

"New boss?" Iris asked, the red troll just stood there and nodded slowly. Iris got up from her desk and followed the red troll. "So who is this new boss?" She asked him.

"Oh you'll know him, I guarantee it," the troll chuckled.

They got to the boss's hut, which was larger than the other huts. The boss was the only one in the dark room, he wore a ripped blue cloak around his shoulders with the hood over his head. He was a troll, the same height as Iris.

"Iris! What a pleasure to see you again," he spoke with an accent. Iris stopped dead in her tracks and pricked up her rounded ears. She recognized that voice. The troll removed the cloak to reveal his purple skin, blue and green hair and an orange nose.

"Creek?"