It was after school, and Aviva was at archery club. She stretched back her arm, aimed, and hit a perfect bulls-eye.

“I just love getting the shot exactly right,” she said to herself. A voice said in her ear, “Yeah, me too.” Startled, she turned around and was staring into vivid green eyes. She looked the new girl over. Interesting hair, she thought to herself. Light brown with purple streaks. Kind of looks like a kougra’s stripes.

“Sorry,” the new girl said. “I didn’t mean to startle you. My name’s Tora by the way.”

“It’s ok,” Aviva said. “My name’s Aviva. Are you the new girl?”

“Yeah, my mom and I just moved here. I was kind of lost at first, but then I got used to it. I’m good at getting around new places, since we have to move around a lot…” Tora blushed.

“Really, why is that?”

“Oh, nothing, I don’t want to talk about it.” Tora was angry with herself. How could she have let herself almost tell somebody about her past? They would think that she was crazy, or lying. Then they’d have to move. Again.

“Oh, well, that’s ok then.” Aviva wondered what secrets Tora could be holding. She didn’t want to pry, but any information these days could be useful. “Maybe you could talk about it later.”

“Well,” Tora hesitated. She had never really had a close friend before, and this girl seemed to like her. To have a friend again, she thought. “Maybe. Later.”

Aviva was just about to tell her that was great when suddenly three Hissladys sprung out from behind the archery targets that no one was using. The others at the archery practice screamed and pointed at them. “What is it, what is it?!” one screamed. “We have come to dessstroy the Sssssailor NeoPetssssss,” one Hisslady hissed. “Yesssss, Dr. Sssssloth hassss ssssent usss,” another said. “He hassssss told usssssss that only one or two of you will be here today. You will be easier to defeat when you are not with your little friendsssssssssssss.”

“Oh my gosh, what are those?” Tora asked.

“Evil creations of Dr. Sloth,” Aviva replied. She was really worried. She couldn’t transform right there in front of Tora and the other students! “Run, Tora, go hide behind one of the targets! Hurry!” Tora hesitated for a minute, then ran from the horrible monsters. The other students copied her and ran.

Well, now at least I can transform, Aviva thought. “Blumaroo Power Make Up!” she shouted and prepared to deal with the monsters. Oh no, oh no, she thought. I’m all alone, oh why can’t the others be here to help me??

She was unaware of Tora peeking around the archery target, staring at what her new friend had just become.

Tora thought to herself, is this another madness, come to haunt me? First I lose myself with a pack of Kougras back home in Mystery Island, I still cannot believe I thought that I was a Kougra, and now I think I just saw Aviva turn into some super hero!

Then, Sailor Zafara came dashing around the corner. “I was late to archery practice,” she panted, “And then I heard the Hissladys come down. Let me help you, Blumaroo.”

“Oh thank goodness you’re here, Sailor Zafara!” Aviva said with relief. “Let’s get down to defeating these monsters. Blumaroo Ball!”

The blue sphere of energy knocked down one Hisslady that didn’t get up again. “Hssss you will not sssucccceed agaissssst me. You are but two little onessssssss. I am mighty and great. Thissssss my lord Dr. Sloth has decreed, that you will perish!” the second Hisslady said.

“Right. Of course we’ll perish,” Zelda said sarcastically. “Zafara Flame!” The beam of fire burnt the second Hisslady to a crisp.

Tora couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her two friends, she had met Zelda earlier in study hall, were some kind of super hero! Tora knew that she couldn’t tell anyone this or else they wouldn’t believe her and she would get in trouble and they would have to move again. Maybe it was madness, all a hallucination. Yes, that was it and she didn’t have to tell a soul.

Suddenly the third Hisslady sprung around the archery target, leaping for Tora. “My lord will be pleased with thisssss one’ssss life. Maybe he won’t be as angry with me if I kill an innocent,” it said.

“Blumaroo Ball!” Aviva shouted, and the third Hisslady dissolved into nothingness right before it got Tora. Tora fainted, and awakened to Aviva, in her regular clothes, shaking her.

“Tora, you’ve got to wake up. Tora!”

“Huh, what? What happened? I remember seeing monsters…”

“They’re gone now Tora. Did you see anything else?!” Aviva was worried. Had Tora discovered their secret?

“No. Nothing.” Tora didn’t want Aviva to think she was crazy! She would just keep her visions of Sailor Blumaroo and Sailor Zafara to herself.

“Ok, great. Let’s get you home, so you can rest. We had quite a scare today, with those monsters.” Aviva and Zelda led Tora to her neohome, after making her promise to keep the monsters to herself. “We don’t want to have people panicking,” Zelda explained. Tora was only too quick to agree. She didn’t want anyone thinking she was crazy! But all the same, she wondered if any of her classmates at the archery practice had seen what she had seen.

Coming Tora! called Aitama. Tora heard this, even though nothing had been said in Neopian. For as long as she could remember, she could hear the thoughts of kougras: the thoughts of her pets as well as the wild kougras on the island. Anyway, you know your mom doesn’t like us going too far into the jungle, Aitama said. I think we should turn back -- we’re headed into a wild kougra pack’s territory.

“I know,” Tora said calmly. “I’ve been hearing a noise, almost… a call coming from this part of the jungle, and I wanted to investigate. None of my friends can hear it, so it must be one of the kougras in here.” Anyway, she thought, what Mom doesn’t know can't hurt her. I told her I was over at Katie’s so she probably won't notice a thing.

 “Hi Laverna! How are you?”

 “I’m great. I just wanted to see how Tora was doing.”

 “What do you mean? Tora isn’t here…” Adrienne broke off, looking confused.

 “What?!? She must have gone off exploring again! I must’ve told her a million times not to but will she listen? No! I’ll have to go find her. I’m sorry to bother you.”

 “Oh it's no trouble. I can also get Katie to help you look for her.”

A lone kougra slunk out of her hiding place. Hmm, she thought. Maybe this is the one whose coming was foretold to us. Who are you, she addressed Tora, who appears to be a two-legger but who claims to hear our call?

 “My name is Tora,” she replied, not in Neopian, but in kougra pack-speak.

She is the one whose coming was foretold! the kougra thought. With a signal from her tail, the rest of the pack emerged and crowded around Tora. You’ve come! Our savior! You can help us now! Shouts of joy and wonder surrounded Tora.

“What? What do you mean I’m your savior?”

You are the one whose coming was foretold to us, the head kougra said. You are a two-legger on the outside, but kougra within.

“What do you mean? I’m a human, a two-legger! No claws, stubby teeth, patchy fur! I can't be a kougra!” Besides, Mom would have told me if I was, Tora thought.

You may look like a two-legger, but inside you are pack, the head kougra replied.

“Aitama, what do you think?” Tora asked her pet and friend.

Well, before you adopted me, I was part of the wild. And there is a legend that tells of a person who will come and save the kougras of the wild from starvation when food is scarce. Her voice took on a prophetic quality. It is said: She will come to you as a two-legger, but she will be Pack inside and know your language. When I first met you, I admit I wondered if you were the one, but I never followed up on my suspicions.

“Oh…” Tora was baffled. “Me… a legend??”

Yes. You are the one, the head kougra said forcibly. Will you help us?

“I don’t mean to seem rude, but why do you need help?

The two-leggers keep pushing further into the jungle, clearing away our home and scaring away the game.

“But what can I do? I’m only a kid!”

You are the legend. You will succeed. You are our only hope. We will die if you don’t help us.

“…Ok…”

Tora’s mom rushed over. “You really think so? It’s getting dark, we need to find her soon.” Suddenly, they heard a rustling in the undergrowth. Tiger65927 burst out and started to circle around them.

Come on, come on I know where she is, he futilely cried. Stupid human, why can't they hear me like Tora can?

“I think he knows where Tora is!” Katie said. “Let’s follow him.”

Tiger led them deep into the jungle, until they reached the clearing where Tora and the pack were. There stood Tora with a throng of kougras gathered around her. Laverna thought, So it has happened. I hoped this day would never come, that she wouldn’t inherit her father’s legacy, but it seems I hoped wrong. Tora turned and saw her mother. “Mom!” she cried, but in Pack-speak rather than Neopian. “Mom, the kougra’s need me to help them!”

“Tora, come back! You’ve gone in too deep!” Why can't I understand my mom? Tora wondered. She started to get worried. By the second, her human memories were disappearing. The affinity for kougras that had fascinated her as a child grew stronger and stronger, obliterating her human identity. The call of the pack grew stronger, and when they bounded off away from the two-leggers, she went with them. Aitama and Tiger65927 followed her, calling for her to stop. Laverna and Katie stood there, desperately calling Tora’s name.

“NO!!”

“What’ll we do?” a voice from the crowd called out.

“What’ll we do? We’ll catch’er and kill’er! We don’t need nobody unnatural on our island! Whaddo you say?”

“Kill’er!”

The mob set off with guns and torches. They passed by Laverna’s house shouting and yelling. Tora’s mom heard the ruckus and rushed out. “What’s going on?”

“We’re goin’ to destroy that unnatural girl who’s helpin’ the kougras!”

“No!” she cried, “you can't do that! She’s my daughter!” I have to get to her before they do, she thought. But where is she? Tiger65927 felt the mob’s anger and Laverna’s worry. Oh no, he thought, they must be after Tora! I knew nothing good would come of this legend stuff. At least I know where they are. Now if I can just get Mom to follow me… He raced around her, growling and yowling.

“What? What is it? Do you know where Tora is?” She followed Tiger to the foodstores of the village. Sure enough, in a few minutes Tora, Aitama, and the pack slunk out of the jungle. “Tora, honey, please come back!” Laverna cried. “Please honey, you need to come back!”

Please come back, Tiger said, I miss you, Mom misses you, and besides, there’s a mob after you.

Something clicked inside Tora. She remembered her mom, her home, her pets. Ti’, why is Mom here? What happened? Last thing I remember is telling the kougras I’d help them… Wait… What do you mean there’s a mob after me? Tora asked.

Just what I said. The two-leggers are mad that you’re stealing food from them. They also think that you’re a freak of nature and should be destroyed. See, you need to come back! Before they get you!

But I don’t know how! Tora cried. Help me!

I may be able to, a quiet voice said. A small silver kougra who Tora had never seen before appeared. He came up to Tora and breathed on her face. A silvery cloud clung to her face for a moment, then faded. All her human memories came flooding back.

“Mom!” she cried, in Neopian this time. “I’m fixed!” She turned to thank the mysterious kougra, but he had disappeared. Tora ran to her mom and hugged her tightly. But their reunion was cut short when the mob abruptly burst in. “There she is!” “Get her!” Tora and her mom froze, then fled into the jungle. Tora quickly sped ahead of her mom, as she was more used to the jungle. “Tora wait up!” Laverna yelled. “Tora! Tora! Tora……..Tora…. Tora….”

“To-ora!” her mom called for the thousandth time. “Your friend Leslie’s on the pho-one!”

“Coming Mom!” Tora sat for a moment, thinking. Leslie did say to bring a pet, and Aitama could probably keep me from losing myself again. You know what? I’m going to go. Anyway, if I can't trust my new friends, whom can I trust? She ran down the stairs and picked up the phone. “Hi, Leslie? … Yeah, I can come! See ya tonight!”