When I awoke, it was as if nothing had happened.  I was alone by the dip of the hill.  There was no blade ship.  There was no Visser Three.  I was lying on the ground, like I had fainted.  Then I remembered striking Visser Three.  I looked at my tail.  There was blood on the tip.  Visser Three really had been here.  They really had taken my parents and my brother.
        Out of anger, I ran over to the tree I had been slashing at earlier.  I began slashing again.  I struck my target.  I never had before.  I fell to my knees, but held my emotion inside.  I knew I was lost, but I did not cry.  I had no where to go.
        After I had sat where I was for a few moments, I decided to go to my friend Nathstap.  I needed to talk with her.  She would listen.  She always does.
        I ran to her scoop, not knowing what to expect.  Not knowing if anything was going to step in front of me, or cross my path.  I stopped at the peak of the hill I was galloping up.  I stood with my back straight, trying to look like a warrior.  My hands rested at my side.  I turned slowly in a circle, observing my surroundings.  On one side of me, I saw one of our two moons rising above the horizon.  I turned my head to the left, seeing our only sun dip down behind the woodlands that created the horizon.
        I returned my gaze to the direction of Nathstap's coop.  I could now hear the distant babbling of a waterfall.  I was close to Nathstap's scoop, because the waterfall is not far from it.
        I stood uneasily on my four hooves, swaying from side to side momentarily.  I started to run once more.  My face was as grim as I could make it.  It seemed as if Nathstap's scoop came running towards me.  I stopped abruptly, but I skid a few feet--my hooves digging up clumps of the blue-green grass.
<Nathstap!> I nearly screamed to her.  I saw her head shoot around and look in my direction.  Then her mother's did, also, as Nathstap said something in private thought speak.  I took off running towards the waterfall.
        I turned my stalk eyes to see her following close behind.  The waterfall was in my sights, now.  Clip-clop.  Clip-clop.  Clip-clop.  One....two....three.......JUMP!  I jumped through the waterfall.  That was my favorite part of getting into the caves behind it.  I loved the feeling of the water running in little rivulets down my back, and cascading off my fur.  Clip-CLOP.
        I landed, and caught my balance.  I pounded on.  I ran through the caverns and winding tunnels.  As I came to the crossroads that I had never dared wander beyond, I hesitated.  I could hear Nathstap following close behind, catching up to me.  I trotted around for a moment.  Where would I go?!  Which way?!  I turned to the left, and ran as fast as I could.  Maybe Nathstap would lose me.
        Another crossroad.  Nathstap was still following. I turned left once more.  <Serina!  Stop, please!  I cannot go on much longer!>  She paused, and cried in pain, <Stop!  Please, stop!>  She fell to the floor of the cave.  <Serina!> she said as best she could.  I ran back to her.  She was breathing hard.  I got down on my knees, and took her hands.
        Andalites usually do not fondle one another, but I think it helped Nathstap.  I held her hand, and stroked her head, and eventually her breathing returned to normal.  She sat up, halfway.  <Serina, why didn't you stop before?  You called me, and I expected you to wait, but you just kept running.  You did not even check to see if anyone was watching when you jumped through the waterfall.  What's wrong?>
I was staring down at Nathstap's hand, clasped within mine.  <Nathstap....I....my parents....>
        <What about them, Serina?>
        I focused my main eyes on Nathstap's.  I let my stalk eyes wander around the ceiling and walls of the cave.  What was that strange glow at the end of the tunnel that I was heading towards?  There was only darkness the other way.  Why had I done this?!  I knew I would probably get lost going back!  What if there was no other way back?
        <What about your parents, Serina?  What is it you are not telling me?> Nathstap interrupted my thoughts.
        <They....Visser Three....Visser Three has my parents!> I shouted.
        <Serina!  How?  When?>
        <Today.  Before I came to your scoop.  I was slashing at Zancian's tree....I ran back to the ridge of our scoop, and looked back.  I saw the ship's cloaking device, Mother, Father, and Brother came up to meet me there, and Visser took them, but not me.  I do not know why.  He knew I would rebel.  They would never get a Yeerk in my head.  Rather leave me than slash them to bits.  He knows I am as good a fighter as Elfangor.  Elfangor taught me young.>
        <Serina….I….I’m sorry….>
        <There is nothing you can do.  There is nothing I can really do, either.  Are you ready to get going again?  I want to know where that glow is coming from.>
        <Yes, I think I am ready.  What glow?>
        <That one.>  I pointed to the part of the tunnel I was heading towards.
Nathstap painfully climbed to her feet.  <My leg…> she said, lifting her front right foot delicately.  I looked at it.  She had scraped it when she fell on the floor of the tunnel.
        <Can you walk with your other three hooves, or limp on it, until we get back?>
        <Yes, I think so…>  She tried to limp, but found it unsuccessful.  She next tried to walk on just three legs, holding her fourth bent at the knee.  She found that this worked well, but she was off balance at first.
        As we slowly turned the corner, an incredible site met our eyes.  In the distance glowed a very familiar city.  I recognized the tall towers made of crystal, and the spacecrafts hovering by the space station.  Andalites walked from building to building in the city lights.  Yanshil and Sciltan walked from our scoop, around the distant mountains, across the river, and came to this city day after day.  I ran through a few passageways, and in a matter of ten minutes, came upon the same city.
Slowly, Nathstap and I walked into this beautiful city of lights.