Orange: I'm back, after a long break. Sorry to all of my readers who have been waiting ages for an update. I guess I've just been busy, starting college, more work etc. However I'm back now and I will try to update stories when I can :)

Yugi: Can I kill Atem now, please please please

Orange: No Yugi

Yugi: *pouts*

Chapter 4

Curse words could be heard from the small mage's mouth as he stumbled over the third tree root in ten minutes. The enormously tall trees towered over the teen, blocking out most of the light emitted from the early sunrise. Yugi had run throughout the rest of the night in a dazed panic- cautious for any other signs of danger. He had let his guard down against the fish; that was the last mistake he would ever make. Nowhere was safe in this death trap.

Once he had found the edge of the marshland he had found himself in a ridiculously huge, shady, eerily silent forest. The aged trees branched out in thousands of directions; reaching out at whoever was unfortunate enough to be in its range. The pointy branches grabbed at Yugi's robes as he passed, reluctant to let him continue on with his journey. Everything was stained in colours of grey, black and dark brown. Yugi shivered slightly as he surveyed the forbidding forest.

Of course the ebony night was partially to blame for this chilling appearance. As the sun continued on its journey into the sky, colours started to filter through causing the forest to transform. The greys and blacks were replaced with a range of greens, yellows and oranges as the leaves hiding at the top of the tree emerged to tan in the sunlight.

Yugi watched in awe as a couple of bluebirds poked their heads out of a hollow in a nearby tree and tweeted. Several melodious tweets answered the call before a sudden flurry of blue showered overhead. Bunny's poked their heads out of their burrows, their nose twitching as they sniffed the air. Yugi was fascinated as the wildlife came to life around him.

A poking sensation at his leg caused him to snap his head down. A brave bunny had adventured to his mysterious leg and had proceeded to sniff out the newcomer. It had pure white fur that shined in the light. Curious chestnut eyes stared intently at his leg. Yugi smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever as he knelt down to pet the bunny. Alarmed the bunny leaped back towards its bunny friends.

"It's ok, I won't hurt you" Yugi reassured it while he held out his hand. The bunny cocked its head to the side as if it understood what the mage had said. Cautiously it hopped back and poked the hand with its nose. Yugi petted the soft fur on the bunny's head and scratched behind its ear causing the bunny to relax into his touch.

The other bunnies slowly approached once they decided that Yugi wasn't a threat. One of them jumped up onto Yugi's shoulder and started sniffing his neck. It was a light onyx coloured bunny with big floppy ears. Dark brown eyes blinked innocently up Yugi. Yugi burst out laughing as the soft whiskers and fur tickled his sensitive neck. "Hey cut that out Mr Bunny" he chuckled.

The bunny let out and indignant squeak at the comment. Yugi looked down at the bunny on his shoulder before he said "Oh, I'm sorry Miss Bunny. How about I call you snuffles?"

The bunny- now entitled snuffles bounced in what seemed to be joy at her new name. The other bunnies let out squeaks now and hopped up and down trying to get his attention.

"Ok, Ok you will all get names, just be patient" Yugi chided them; surprisingly they listened and all sat quietly in a line. There was the white bunny from before and two others – an ebony black with floppy ears and a white and brown bunny.

Yugi crouched down before the white bunny and paused in thought for a moment before stating "I'm guessing you are a male as you are so protective so I'll call you Hosho". (means sentry in Japanese) Hosho peeped in delight.

Yugi turned to the black bunny. "Ok hop once if you are a female and twice if you are male". The bunny hopped once.

"Ok I'll call you twilight and your friend…" the brown and white bunny hopped twice, "can be called Hope".

Yugi sighed before coughing slightly, his parched throat demanding water. "I'm so thirsty, I wonder if there is a river anywhere near here". As soon as these words left his mouth Snuffles ran off a couple of meters before stopping and looking back at Yugi. Yugi got the message and followed after Snuffles along with the other bunnies.

A few minutes later Yugi emerged from the trees into a small clearing with a small pond and rushing waterfall. The water sparkled in a multitude of colours as its droplets reflected the light. Snuffles was stood by the edge of the pond, waiting.

Yugi smiled and petted her head before he scooped up some of the water and began to drink. He also washed his face and this was when he spotted it. Glinting in the sunlight was what appeared to be a golden object, at the bottom of a hole in the pool.

Yugi took a deep breath before he submerged and dived down. Upon closer inspection, Yugi could see that the 'object' was a metal chest. Yugi pulled it from its muddy resting place before swimming back to the surface.

Yugi brushed his damp bangs from his eyes as he studied the chest. It didn't appear to have a lock yet it was well sealed to avoid letting water inside. Hosho sniffed the box before squeaking up at Yugi who opened the mysterious box.

Inside were general medical supplies such as bandages, healing remedies etc. There was also a water pouch for storing water and a hunting knife.

Yugi smiled. At least someone in a position of power actually cared about the people enough to try and help them.

"Thank you, whoever you are".

xXx

Tears poured down her cheeks as she forced her way through the forest. She whimpered frightened as she heard a crack behind her, reminding her of her relentless pursuer. She headed towards the light in front of her which brought her to a meadow full of flowers.

Why? Why was this happening to her?

Fear stabbed at her heart as her pursuer decided at that moment to jump down in front of her.

"Times up for you, this is where your story ends". Atem declared with a smirk.

Tea jumped backwards in terror. "P-p-plea-please don't kill me" she stuttered out. "I don't want to die" she screamed in desperation as he chuckled and stepped closer.

Tea tried to run, but alas, it was as Atem said, her time was up. In her last breath before the darkness closed in, she managed to scream out one last, desperate word.

"YUGI".

xXx

Yugi startled awake, heart beating frantically. He looked around disorientated. He was lying by the pool of water, the bunnies curled up in sleep around him. Silence surrounded him in its chilling embrace.

'That's funny, I could've sworn I heard someone call out my name…I hope Tea and Darren are ok. No, I've got to stay positive. I will find them no matter what it takes. But I need to find something to defend myself with, I doubt I can fight off the King with a hunting knife, and I only know a few basic spells – they can fry a few fish but at most they can only cause some pain in a person for about half an hour. The King has been training and practising murder for years… I just don't understand. How can someone be so heartless, and why does no one stand up to him?'

Yugi sighed. Glancing over, he saw the golden chest, still covered by mud in places. He picked it up and began to wipe away the mud with his robes. He gasped and almost dropped the box in his surprise, for engraved on the side was the royal crest.

"What could this mean… Are there any more boxes hidden? I need to find more of them".

With his decision made Yugi stood up and stretched, working his slightly aching muscles. He looked down at the sleeping bunnies and smiled sadly.

"Goodbye" he whispered before walking off deeper into the forest.

Orange: See I'm being nice to you after that last chapter

Yugi: Yay bunnies XD

Orange: ^-^

Tea: You killed me!

Orange: Shh Yugi doesn't know

Tea: *glare*

Orange: .' please review

Tea: I WILL HAUNT YOU!