Tygura's mind was churning at a fierce pace, the adrenaline of panic causing the rush of thought. They seemed trapped, but he knew there was a way out. The problem could be solved, however slowly. That is, until, the lights came into view. A hushed groan undulated from the Tigerpaws, imprisoned within this ring of undetectable marsh. They had seen the lights. The twin beacons began to alight from the surrounding vegetation. The lighteyes had returned. The corsairs knew they were trapped with their backs to the wall, a wall that would suck them down into nothingness should they be pushed against it. A grunt emanated from the forest surroundings, presumably a command for the islanders that had the 'Paws surrounded. One lighteyes stepped forward from the rest, the commander of the fairly large group of ferrets. He carried a short sword of bone, which he held at the ready. Tygura felt as if he were before a firing squad, helpess against the missles that would soon deliver him to the Dark Forest's gates. If they charged the assailants, they would be engulfed in the mire. If they remained here, they would be turned quickly to pincushions before the lighteyes. Tygura swallowed hard, the thick jungle air stuck like a lump in his throat. A feeble plan was formulating in his mind, as he stared with hatred into the lamp- like eyes of the ferret commander. Suddenly, a soft sound pierced the tense night air like a knife through taut-stretched fabric. Bursting into rapid bloom, a crimson flower spread its petals open wide upon the face of the lighteyes, withering away in the same instant it had come to fruition. It took a moment for the sight to register with Tygura, and his thoughts were confirmed when the commander's luminous eyes went dull, the light dimming to red, then blackness. The commander had been shot be'twixt the eyes with some sort of missle. The next moment was that of only confusion, chaos in its purest form. The first thing that struck Tygura was sound. Sound from all around. Murmurs of surprise came from both the islanders and intruders. More sound soon joined the sonic fray, a sound that halted all else. A piercing, fierce howl struck the night like a divine thunderbolt, followed by the sound of padded feet, running with swift expertise and care. Growls, then screams followed. More soft thuds were audible, to the Tigerpaws, the sound was that of both victory and added horror. Surely none of them had been struck yet, but all the comfort in that thought was drained by the added word 'yet.' As swiftly as the chaos had begun, it ended. Silence rang in the ears of the weary and trembling corsairs, it howled louder in their ears now than the ruckus had only moments before. The padding feet took up again, moving softly away. However, the sound of distinctly different footpaws followed, though they were just as calculated. Soft as the wind, a voice cooled the terrified corsairs, even in the thick, humid depths of the bamboo forest. "I bring you peace, seafarers. And I bring you a way out of this terrible place.." (To be continued...)