Previously: after sleepwalking, echo ended up captured by the lionwalkers where she meet an old friend, Galaxy. the wolves ransomed her(in fear the lions would let her change) for a torch from the flame, which soon after the wolves weakened. it is believed that the torch was used to destroy the black pool, something related to the strength of the moon, and by extension, the wolves.

echo woke up in the middle of the night, groaned, and rolled over. suddenly 5 wolves were standing there starin at her.

"wha? I'm trying to go back to sleep..." they silently laid down again, but she could feel eyes on her. was she ever going to sleep again? she wasn't.... nnngggg

echo felt a tiny little warm tongue lap her cheek, and smiled. she opened her eyes and saw an adorable honey-colored pup wagging her til and licking her. frost in human form stood above her, smiling.

"meet pipe."

"who r u?"

"aww, I'm echo." pipe wagged her tail and snuggled into her. echo stroked her and stood up, carrying pipe with her.

"i dont think ill ever get to sleep again."

"why?"

"last night i woke up for no reason, so when i rolled over 5 wolves glared at me. how can i ever sleep if I'm constantly being watched?"

"are you tired now?"

"no, i fell back to sleep."

"ok. so, i dont have school today and secret said i could show you more. we can also get some wild lettuce and stuff, explore a little."

"ok." echo gently put down pipe, who wagged her tail and ran off to play with raven.

"do you want to see anything?"

"yeah, whats the windstone?"

"nobody knows, but ill tell you what we do know when we get there." frost turned into her wolf form and echo got on.

"so, are there any other things? like shark walkers- er, swimmers, or something?"

"no. altho the lionwakers have something, we arent sure what, but it can become a lark."

"yes, i saw it. why dont the wolves have one of those, like a nightingale or something?"

"we think the lark is the only one of its own race that choose to take up residence in the sunlands."

"oh, ok."

"oh, we're passing something else, should we make a quick detour?"

"sure. is there any lettce there?" she hated lettuce, but she had been feeling a little sick, and not very energetic.

"there's some." frost pointed at an odd, tall plant and stopped. echo picked a leaf and tried it.

"ew! this is so bitter!"

"so no vegetables?" uhhhh

"no... i guess ill cook it."

"alright. pack some up. you need your entry, we have a lot to do!" frost was being so friendly... was she being manipulated? normally she wouldn't have thought such a thing, especially of frost, but things were different. and also what she overheard frost say.

"ok. where are we headed?" she athered a bunch of leaves.

"a prison, only alphas can take people in and out, its magically fortified. in fact, after you got captured, we almost had you start sleeping there-"

"what?!"

"no, for your ow protection. secret would get you out every morning, we just didn't want you to end up lost somewhere."...where she could change.

"ok..."

"its also where pine was- actually, lets skip it." echo tensed. she was almost held there. and so was he... she didn't finish the thought.

"do you have enough?"

"yes, it should last about a week."

"ok, lets go." she took her back to the border, and the windrock. 

"nobody really knows what it does, at least not anymore. its powerful, and possibly related to the lark. it makes sense, if you think about it as natural elements. wolves for the moon, lions fr the sun, and a bird for the wind. we arent really sure at all." echo stared at it. it felt familiar. good. her mark started feeling soothing and warm, but she didn't notice. the rockhad something to say. a story. it held some ancient, important secret but she didn't know how to get it. she caressed it, and suddenly her mark felt really cold, in a good refreshing way. she glanced down at her foot and it was glowing darkness.

"what in the?!"

"i dont know, lets go!" echo jumped on her and frost sprang into motion.

"what happened?"

"i think your mark reacted to the rocks, secret will know what to do!"

"ok!" frost just ran her back, not sure what else to say. echo was also confused. they had a strong wind to their backs, but it wasn't a problem. they ran into the cave.

"secret!" frost gasped for breath.

"yes? are we under attack?"

"i.. took echo... to the... windrock... when... she touched it... her mark glowed black."

"let me see it." secret picked up echos leg from under her, and she tried to balance on one foot. 

"its darker. the closer to changing someone marked is, the darker their mark gets. you have maybe a week and a hall left, tho to be safe, a week from today."

"what?! but... no!"

"yes. its only a small difference. just over 2 weeks less." what? no! she hadn't been ready for this! she was supposed to have a month! no! she didn't know how to handle this! she looked at frost, searching for support r sympathy, but her expression was serious and composed. not a hint of pity.