Chapter 1, The future Queen of Vallestrella

Elena swung swiftly through the jungle. She leaped high into the air and gabbed a branced above, swinging herself over to the next tree.

"Wooohoooo!" She cried out as she few swiftly through the air.

Elena land in the canopy of the tree, she wasted very little time to rest and regain herself. She continued climbing up the tree, where she came perched over the highest branch. Elena looked out over the jungle. It was early in the morning, the valley was still dark. But she could just make out the red and orange rim over the horizon.

Elena has lived within the valley for twelve years. Though it wasn't the jungle where she lived, but rather a place known a Vallestrella. A realm who's doorway is said to have been hidden within the depths of the mountains to the south and is home to a mystical creature known as the Jaquin. A creature part Jaguar, part macaw. It was them who had found Elena alone in the jungle when she was but six years old many years ago. And who had taken in the girl and raised her as their own.

She was now seventeen years old, slender with a very sharp face with rosy cheeks and such red lips. Her hair hair long and a dark shade of brown, made into a ponytail, wore a dress fashioned by the light blue and yellow spotted fur and feathers of a Jaquin and had a leather strapped belt around her wait to hold a gold scepter with a light blue diamond on the very top.

"Princess Elena!" A voice called from above.

Elena looked back and saw her friend Migs, a yellow and orange spotted Jaquin flying right above her.

"Please, it's too early for this."

Elena grinning so conspiring at the winged cat.

"Come on, migs." She said.

"Lighten up, have a little fun!"

Elena turned and leaped from the branch of the tree. For a time she soured through the air before grabbing hold of nearby vine and began swinging off into the jungle.

"Princess Elena!" Migs called out again.

He groaned and rolled his eyes before he flew after her.

From vine after vine, branch after branch she flew further off into the jungle as she was being pursued by who was still hot on her trail.

"Hey, big sis!"

She gazed to her left and saw her two younger brother Skylar, a yellow fur and blue spots and Neko, who also had yellow fur but with green spots.

"Bet we can fly all the way to the other end before you." Neko playfully challenged the princess.

"That a challenge?" Elena asked, raising an eye brow as she grinned.

"You know it, sis." Skyler insisted.

"Oh, your on!" Elena said, taking on the challenge.

Right at that moment, another Jaquins who's fur was

"Hey, you all having a race?" She asked.

"Yeah." They both answered.

"Well I want in." Luna said.

"Only if you can keep up!" Skylar said, before he few off straight into the jungle.

Elena swung after him. As she came to the next vine, she released her grip of the tree rope and flew over to the next vine. For a time she soured along through the jungle with her brother and friend, coming to the point where her speed came to surpass them both.

"See you both at the finish line!" She called to them, looking back at the two.

"Hey!" Skylar said.

As she turned back and faced to what lies ahead, she saw a tree approaching fast in her path. With the most swift of reflexes, she pulled herself up on the vine and leaped up before grabbed hold a branch and swung herself down to the next branch below. She landed upon her bear feet with ease upon the straggling branch and continued to run along the branch all the way to the edge. It was there that she once more jumped and leaped through the air for only a short time. When it came to be the moment she began to descend, the Jaquin that followed from her left swooped in from underneath and caught in the nick of time.

The two then flew up above the trees, the jaquin let out a cheer of triumph to the young women.

"And it's a tie!" He announced, stopping in mid air as he turned to look at her.

Elena chuckled along with Skyler.

"But I almost had you there." He insisted.

"Almost little brother, but I'm still the fastest." Elena playfully insisted.

Since Elena came to be adopted by King Verogo and Queen Mariana, she became an older sister to two younger brothers born some time apart. The first being Skyler who was also to be the first child born with the blood of his father and mother. Four years after came Neko who was the third addition to the litter. The three grew up together as close as any siblings, with such love and care for one another. They played with days on end, even if it meant being reckless and going against the rules placed by their parents.

Both Neko and Luna flew up from behind the two. So too did Migs who had just caught up with them.

"Elena, Skyler, Neko!" He said flying up to them.

"If it's all the same, I think it's time we should be getting back to the gateway."

"And miss a chance to see the Night Fury?" Neko said.

"No way!"

"Migs, it's fine. There's nobody's around to see us." Elena said.

"Yeah Migs, lighten up." Meko said, flying upside down behind Migs.

The yellow and orange spotted Jaquin sighted and shook his head.

"Need I remind you we're not suppose to be out here?" Migs said

"What will your parents say when they find out we used the portal without permission... Again?"

Elena simply rolled her eyes, shaking her head so amusingly. It was so typical of Migs, to be so uptight and serious about everything. He valued the rules and laws of Vallestrella the same as their father, something which his three cubs tended to bend more times then often.

"It's still early, Migs." Skyler insisted.

"Mother and Father are still asleep. We'll be back long before they even know we've been gone."

"You said that a hundred times before." Migs stated, squinted his eyes.

"And over a hundred times we've ended up standing before King Verogo."

"You seriously need too relax, Migs." Luna said.

"Your gonna get your feathers in a ruffle."

"Hey guys, look!" Meko said, pointing high to the darken sky above.

The five gazed up to the still presently dark blue sky above, where high to where the stars twinkled they saw a small path of the small lights being blocked for an instant. A blackened shadow of a winged creature hurtled across the sky like a shooting star. All the while there came sudden bursts of light being spat by it, which flew ahead of it and exploded just as the creature passed through it.

Elena glanced with both her eyes and mouth gaping wide open upon her face, basking in amazement at the sight. The Night fury has always been a tale she had heard when she was little, when she came to live with the Jaquins. It was said that through the generations, a creature called the Night Fury would fly high above the valley. It was a beast unlike any other and had never been seen by any. No human or Jaquin for that matter had ever came faced to face with the beast before, never to see what it appeared to be outside of the sight then what the five were witnessing at this moment of time.

"Wow!" Meko said.

"Did you guys see that?"

"It's kind of hard not to see it, Neko." Migs insisted.

"Man, that is so cool." Neko said.

It was then that the Night Fury flew off into the far horizon, where the morning sun was already starting to rise.

"Alright, can we get going now?" Migs asked, turning to Elena and Skyler.

While there was still the same paranoia Migs was associated with, she did feel that he had a point. It was probably best if they were to return to the gateway of Vallestella. Sunrise was already soon to commence and their parents were to wake up just as well.

"Well, maybe it's time we should head back." Elena insisted on the matter.

"It's already passed sunrise."

Meko in turn groan, frowning as he then bowed his head.

"Thank you, princess Elena." Migs said, nodding his head to her.

However that was when she grinned, squinting her eyes before glanced down at Skyler. He in turn did the same back to him.

"But that doesn't mean we can't race all of you back!" He announced, before he bolted passed Migs.

The yellow Jaquin was sent into a spinning vortex, stopping right to where he was facing the direction they had gone.

"Last one there is a rotten Anoki berry!" She called back to him, Meko and Luna.

"Hey, no fair! I wasn't ready!" Meko said, before he took after them.

Luna was quick to follow, leaving Migs to sigh and groan before he chased after them.

Elena and Skyler flew up to a wide cave entrance embedded in a mountain nearby and swooped inside. The others followed right after, entering the cave like bees returning to their hive after gathering nectar. As Skyler set down upon his four paws, they turned back to the others who landed behind them.

"We win again!" Elena announced to them, raising her arm up in the air triumphantly.

"No fair!" Meko complained.

"You guys got a head start."

"Well you gotta be quicker next time, Meko." Skyler insisted to his younger brother.

"Gotta be ready for whatever comes."

"I hate to interrupt but can we please just open the portal now?" Migs said.

"Alright, alright," Skyler said, turning from him.

Elena and Skyler turned to the cave wall behind them, where they came faced with the face a Jaquin carved in the stone. Skyler placed his paw upon the middle of the cave, where the floor which outlined the paw print then lit up. The mouth of the stoned Jaquin opened wide to reveal hidden swirling portal.

"Hang on, big sis!" Skyler said, spreading out his wings.

He then took off and zipped right into the open portal.

The five friends came out the other end of the portal, entering back into their home of Vallestrella, the hidden realm of the Jaquins. They soured high in an orange sky, with a few clouds drift above. Elena looked below to a land covered with jungle, clearing grass fields with ravines crossing through them. All the while she could see pea-bunnies in the fields with Velociervos who raced through the clearing as fast as a cheetah in the savannah. Faringo's who were grazing right before the moment the five flew above them, to which they gazed up at them.

Elena looked back ahead and saw a stone castle right ahead, passed a long stretching blue bridge over the river. The kingdom which in time she would rule in a matter of wings which were to soon follow in suit.

They flew over to the castle and entered into the main hallway of the throne room, to which seemed to be deserted at the moment. One of which the three siblings had counted on being.

Shyler came to land upon the marble floor below, to which Elena turned herself to one side and slid of her brother's back. The two looked to Migs and Luna, who landed beside them.

"It looks empty." Elena said, looking about the throne room.

"See Migs?" Skyler asked.

"I told you we would make it back in time."

As he, Elena, Meko and Luna walked into the throne room, Migs stood there where he stood and gazed about the hallway. He found it to be very convenient for them to have arrived right at the time when the castle hall was completely deserted.

"I don't know." Migs said, as he moved along with them.

"It seems quiet, as in too quiet. Usually there would be a few Jaquins "

"I'm sure it's fine, Migs." Elena insisted, looking back at him.

"Yeah, can't you just admit that we actually pulled it off this time?" Neko said, before he flew up and landed upon the throne.

"Besides, when Elena's queen we won't have to worry about getting back on time. We can go out for as long as we want."

"Is that so?"

Meeko was stunned for a moment, his eyes gaping wide open. Both Elena, Skyler, Migs and Luna were also frozen in place, stunned upon hearing the voice which was all too familiar to them. They looked up to the Balcony above where they saw the king as well as Elena, Skyler and Meeko's father, King Verogo, a black furred Jaquin with blue and green wings.

He stared down at his three cubs, Migs and Luna with squinting eyes and a frown upon his face. All the while they stared up at him very nervously.

"Dad... hey." Neko said, grinning.

Migs glanced to Elena, who simply gave the same nervous smile as her younger brother.

The Jaquin leaped from the balcony and flew down to his throne. Meko in turned jumped of the throne just as it was that his father landed upon it. As he stood up, he gazed to the five friends.

"Where have you been?" He asked in a very authoritarian voice.

"Uh, nowhere, papa." Elena insisted.

"We were just out for a fly around the kingdom?"

"Yeah." Skyler insisted upon her sister's claim.

Verogo raised his eye brow to his middle son, groaning.

"Oh really?" He asked.

"Because I was informed by the Guard of five Jaquins using the gateway. You wouldn't happened to have seen them, Have you?"

"Uh..." Elena said, trying to think of what to say.

She glanced to Migs who stared sternly to her.

King Verogo sighed and shook his head, turning from the five friends. Such undisciplined actions from his three cubs had not gone unnoticed by the king. They were known to commit to such things in the past, despite such warning and discipline from him.

"How many times must you three disregard my wishes before you listen?"

"I would just like to say your majesty that I had nothing to do with this." Migs insisted.

"I told them this wasn't a good idea, but they-"

King Varogo glanced to Migs, growling in response.

"Silence!" He demanded.

It was as he was commanded that the yellow fur Jaquin was then silenced right then and turned away, uttering no further words to the king.

"I have told you all time and time again how dangerous it is to venture outside of Vallestrella. But my own cubs still defy me in such a way. Has it ever dawned on you both of the dangers you would have put yourselves and your sister in?"

Skyler and Neko bowed their heads as they frowned. Elena looked to her two brothers. She felt that he father was unfairly taking it out on them. While it was true they were responsible for most of the trouble they had gotten in the past, the blame wasn't all to be on them this time. She was in on this small excursion from Vallestella. She was just as eager as they were to see the Night Fury for herself.

Therefore she was just as fault as they were. Though she also felt that her brothers had taken the fall way too much. It was her turn.

Elena turned to her Jaquin father.

"Papa, please. This is my fault" Elena stated stepping up to her father.

"I was the one who suggested we enter into the human world."

Verogo groaned and shook his head to his heir and adopted daughter, shamed by her actions. He knew well that she knew better then this and that he had taught her so. Yet still she and her brothers behave like their cubs. Always failing to listen or obey the rules all for the sake of having fun.

"Elena, what have I told you about the rules of Vallestrella?" He said.

"I know, papa." she insisted to her foster father.

"You are the future queen." He explained to her.

"And,as such it is your duty to follow and respect the rules. Otherwise what good are the rules if you no one follows them? Have I taught you nothing?"

"Oh, Verogo, must you be so hard on them?"

The two looked back up to the balcony, to which they saw the Queen of the Jaquins and her mother, Mariana gazing down at them. She was a bit shorter compared to that of her mate, with dark blue fur and white spots.

"Mama." Elena said.

Mariana spread out her white feathered wings and flew down to her family, landing beside her king.

"Your forgetting something, Verogo. I found Elena in that same world you forbid her to go."

Elena smiled graciously to her Jaquin mother, appreciating her defense for her and her brothers. She always knew that her foster mother could be counted upon, after all she was more understanding then their father. Although she also understood that the rules and laws were sacred and needed to be respected.

"I know well that she came from that world, my love." Verogo explained, knowing well of what had happened upon that very night.

"But as future queen, the only world she must be concerned about is Vallestella."

"I understand the rules, Papa." Elena insisted, stepping before her foster parents.

"I didn't mean to disobey you, we just wanted to go see the Night Fury."

"The Night Fury?" Verogo said.

"Yeah, you should have see it, dad." Meko said as he came up beside Elena.

"It flew right over up. It was so fast it was like..."

Meko flew up in and the air before he bolted forward and sun around in a circle before he landed back down beside his older sister. The sight of which came to make their mother smile and chuckle at her youngest son.

"Is that so?" she asked.

"Yeah, it was so cool." Meko insisted further.

"And did you get a better look at the creature then everyone else?" Verogo asked, raising an eye brow.

Elena glanced to Meko, who looked back up at her. They then looked back at Skyler, Migs and Luna, who only gave the same bleak expression as them.

"Well no, but..."

"Ah, so this excursion has all been what it was to others." The Jaquin king proclaimed.

"What the tale has told to all of you proved to be so and none has seen the beast up close."

"They were just curious, Verogo." Mariana proclaimed.

"That is besides the point, Mariana." Verago stated.

It was then that he turned and looked upon the five friends one final time, his eyes squinting and frown upon his face. Seeing that he was unable to place his trust in any of them, he was forced to resort to certain actions.

"Since you three have proven you can't be trusted with your own safety and well being, i'm afraid you have left me not choice. As of today, this will be the last time any of you venture on your little excursions. Skyler, Neko, you both shall endure guardian training with Chief Zephyr."

"Guardian training?" Skyler said, turning to Neko who looked back at him frowning.

It was then that Elena tried to speak up to her Jaquin father.

"But Papa, we-"

"And as for you, Elena," He said, turning his attention to his adopted daughter.

"You are not to leave Vallestrella again. It is time that you take your responsibilities seriously. Just as serious as me and your mother take them."

Elena in turn frowned and bowed her head.

"Yes, papa." she then said to her Jaquin father.

Seeing the matter was settled, King Verogo turned away and spread his wings before he flew up into the air. Mariana only stood where she was as she looked upon her adopted daughter and saw how distressed she was upon the conversation. Already could she see that all the weight of being the next queen had started to weighing her down, as she was now forbidden from the world where she had came.

(I hope you enjoyed this chapter, if anyone had any requests feel free to share and I look forward to hearing what you have to say.)