The room was cold and dark, as her back pressed against the wall. Husky, the mischievous little girl had come to this end. She had tunnel vision, as she stared at the boy who held a knife at her throat. He shouted at a younger boy, who cried and pounded his fists into the side of the older one. One name came to her mind, Chris.

A sneer peeled back her lips and a low growl came from deep within her. The older boy shoved Chris aside, as he poised to strike her. She crouched down low, awaiting the moment to pounce on her advisory. When she lunged in full demon form, she came up short, as the recoil from her leash flung her down and yanked her viciously back.

Husky jolted awake with a slight ache in her arm. The gypsies desperately scurried around franticly, as they searched for something and called out names.

"Hey!" Husky shouted to catch their attention. "Hey, what is going on?"

"I'm sorry, Husky." the boy from yesterday, Ryan, said a bit glum. Husky whirled her head around to face him.

He leaned against a pole, where they chained up the dogs. There was only one chain and her eyes tracked it all the way to her neck.

"What's the meaning of this?" She growled outraged. "I demand to know what's going on!" She stood up furiously. Those around her slowly backed away. A woman rushed over and pulled Ryan away from the Gwiligi. It was then she noticed her friends were not there.

"Where are Tiger and Slim?" "They are asleep elsewhere." The gypsy king informed her, as he emerged from his wagon. He eyed her with slight disgust, as if he despised her kind. ”Now, we have a few questions for you, demon!"

"You have questions for me!" She proclaimed in disbelief, "bloody hell, do I have some questions for you! Do you have any idea who you are messing with?"

"Your threats mean nothing right now, Gwyligi. You attack me and I will have my men take out your friends. Now, where are the children?" "Ha! As if, you could… Wait, children?"

"Yes, the children that chased you yesterday. They are missing, and seeing that you came back without them, I hold you personally responsible.

"How is this, my fault? You are the ones who let your kids run rampant like a bunch of wild animals!”

“Do not try to deny you had something to do with this. You tempted our children with your friendly playfulness. You pretended to have enough and ran away, knowing they would follow you.”

“I did no such thing. Your children like me and I wanted to run because I needed to stretch and get some real exercise before I went to sleep.” Husky spat back at the gypsy king.

Slim woke up outside Princess Tamara’s wagon and heard the mewling of the gypsy mothers. He looked around for his companions, but only saw Tiger sleeping nearby. He walked over to Tiger and shook her awake. She stretched, yawned and looked up at Slim. When she saw his concerned look and heard the mewling women, she bolted upright into her human form.

“What is going on? Where is Husky?” She shouted at Slim.

Slim looked dumbfounded at her. “I do not know, but whatever it is, is not good. It sounds as if there is something bad that happened here and Husky may be involved. Let’s go see what is going on.”

Princess Tamara came out of her wagon, as the two friends walked to the center of the camp. She stopped them. “I would not go there, if I were you. Your friend is chained like the dog she is and accused of stealing children last night.”

"Hey, only I am allowed to insult Husky like that! Not even a spoiled little princess like you can call her a dog without my say so." Tiger locked eyes with Tamara. The princess's face turned beet red with anger. Slim ignored his companion’s comment and injected what he wanted to say before a fight erupted landing them in jail too.

“That’s impossible, she loves children, they follow her everywhere. She ran away last night for her nightly run before going to sleep. They must have followed her and got lost outside the wagons.” Slim pleaded with Tamara. Tiger shook her head in agreement and stuck her tongue out. The princess rolled her eyes.

Tiger did not like the silly girl, she was a brat in her eyes and she would die being in her shoes. Slim felt the jealousy radiate off Tiger in strong waves. He knew she was thinking of her home before she started their adventures. He pulled the princess aside to let the feline cool her head.

She kicked a rock and saw some of the shy young men peek around a tree at her. She recalled last night, as she walked along a stream in the woods. She heard a bit of a nixie lullaby before she headed back to camp and fell asleep. Her mind snapped to attention and she rushed back to the other two.

“Wait! I saw some unusual activity outside the wagons last night near the stream. The nix and nixies came out of the water and danced to the music drifting from the wagons. Their lilting voices distracted me as I ran by drawing me toward them. They sang songs that draw children to them. When I ran out to get some fresh water and a rest they were dancing and paid me no mind. I bet they know what happened.” Tiger countered.

Tamara shook her head, “Maybe we better tell daddy this information. The nix and nixies are fond of gypsy children and have been known to steal them.”

The trio walked back to the center of the wagons. The gypsies moved the wagons closer during the night to protect the remaining children. A crowd gathered around the pole holding the chain that held Husky in her human form. The king and Husky talked and the crowd stood shaking their fists at her. It did not look good for Husky. She silently glared at the mass of angry people. The king and crowd turned at the approach of Tamara and Husky’s companions.

“What do these demons want?” The king loudly shouted.

“Papa, they have news and so do I, possibly about the missing children. Let them speak please, I beg you.” Tamara pleaded.

The crowd parted to let them through, but immediately closed in on them as they passed. Slim and Tiger went to their friend and touched her to see if see was all right. Assured that she was fine, they turned and faced the king and crowd.

“Last night as Tiger left the camp to get some cool fresh water and rest from the pursuit of your young men, she encountered some nix and nixies dancing and singing on the shore just beyond the wagons. They paid her no attention, being a demon. Tamara saw them too.” Slim told the king and crowd, making sure to leave out the fact he was there with Tamara.

“Maybe they took your children to their underwater homes. It has happened before and we know how that turned out.” Tamara added.

The king shook his head, as the crowd murmured. No one was sure of anything now.

"Hey, while all of you are taking a reality check, can someone release me please?" Husky snapped itching at the collar. Everyone barely glanced at her.

"You will remain chained until our children are returned," the king commanded.

Ryan sneaked over to where Husky waited her fate. He took her hand and comforted her. His sister joined him shortly after. Husky laid her head on Ryan’s shoulder in gratitude and licked his neck. She said to Ryan, “be careful, please, I do not want you punished for being kind to me right now.”

Ryan looked at her and said, “I do not care. You are unjustly accused here and it is not fair.”

"It's not fair, she’s my friend, it's not fair!" Chris's voice echoed in her head. Suddenly Husky was back to where she was in her dream.

"She's a mutt, Chris." The older boy glared, "no, she's much worse actually, she is a demon mutt. She has tricked you Chris, tricked you into thinking someone actually cares about you, that you have a friend. I will put her down before I let her lie even more." The older boy raised the knife.

"Jake, please!" 'Jake,' the name sneered in her mind. He was the older brother, told to take care of the younger one. He knew Chris needed help, but all Husky had seen him do was pawn off his chores and made sure no one would befriend the boy. Husky felt that abandonment like that connected them and so she tried to play with him, both in human and Gwyligi form.

A hand came down and smacked Jake across the face. An older man, she presumed was their father, came to see where his boys went. He was furious at the boy and the next thing she knew, Chris freed her. The father scooped her up in his big strong arms and carried her to a small log house. She felt lightheaded and looked down at her bleeding arms. She faded out and Husky snapped back into reality.

The kids had vanished, but she became aware of the situation again.

Slim spoke up again, “Let Tamara, Tiger and I go to these nix and nixies and get your children back. They are afraid of demons and bow to our strength and powers. We will return with your children, if they have them and you can release our friend from her chains.”

The crowd answered as one, “Why should we trust you? You are demons just like your friend. We will come with you to make sure this is not a trick.” The crowd murmured their approval.

Outside the circle of wagons behind a thicket of bushes nearby, the two elves listened and waited. The elder elf wrung his hands in anticipation of the group leaving the remaining children unattended. The nix and nixies took the children last night and later would sell them to the elves. The elfin mines needed workers and soon the children would be theirs.

"Can you believe our luck?" The old one said to the other.

"What about the Gwyligi? She is still there as a guard dog perhaps?" The other asked worried.

"No, can't you see her plight from her expression? She is a prisoner. So when the children go missing, she will fall to take the blame."

The gypsies led by Tiger and Slim walked to the banks of the stream. Slim looked at Tiger as if to say you are the best at getting them to give up things. She shook her head ‘no’, because she did not like going in the water. Reluctantly, she dove into the water down to the homes of the nixies. These homes were a series of tunnels built into the bottom of the river. No water was in the tunnels and Tiger quickly entered them. She encountered the elder nixie right away.

“Where are the children you took last night? The gypsies have a demon chained, accused of stealing them. If you do not want to incur me and my friend’s wrath, you will release them to me now.” Tiger’s eyes narrowed to slits and had a show of power roll off her. It was unnecessary, but an exhibit of power is something she rarely gets to do to submissive creatures.

The elder replied with a little mental push from Tiger, “We are sorry, they came willingly to us as we sang to the music. We did not know that demons traveled with these gypsies.” She moved through the tunnel to where the children cowered in fear and released them to Tiger. "Take them and go in peace. We do not want any harm to come to our home. We are very sorry for taking them.”

The children followed Tiger holding each other’s hand. As they came to the water, Tiger pulled them all to the surface to the waiting arms of their anxious parents. Every missing child appeared and was happy to be home again. The king declared the demons were their friends again and hurried back to the wagons.

When the elves saw the people leave the wagons, they jumped up and down clapping and giggling gleefully. It was time to get the rest of the children left behind. The elves boldly walked into the circle calling for the children to come out. Husky saw the elves and barked out a warning to the children.

"No! Do not listen to them! Stay in your wagons! Whatever you do, don't follow them!" Her heart gave a dreadful leap as one by one the children came into sight. Even more so, when she saw Ryan and his sister were among them.

She opened her eyes to see Chris above her. She flinched back, not used to being this close to him. Her face flushed as she got her bearings straight. She was in his house, in his bed.

"Why am I here?" Husky asked confused. Chris smiled warmly and hugged her tightly.

"Daddy carried you in after he saw what Jake did to you. I can tell you, Jake won't be sitting down for a while." She smiled weakly in return.

"But I thought your father wouldn't approve of me."

"I guess he did. After all you are my best friend." Husky remained silent, as she felt badly for the boy. She felt his misery of something unknown to him. She could tell there was something wrong, her senses as a Gwyligi allowed her to. He would be gone soon, and then she would be friendless and alone again.

She hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. "Thanks Chris"

Husky growled at the elves and in demon form, grabbed the shirt of one of the children with her mouth.

The elves entertained the children with magic and hypnotized them. Husky continued growling and whined, as the elves gathered the children and herded them out of the circle onto the road to the mines. The children walked sluggishly and did not make a sound. The fabric of the child's shirt she tugged back began to stretch and tore leaving a piece of fabric in her mouth. The elves took them quickly up the road and disappeared from view. Husky no longer saw them and she lay whining, wishing she could follow them, tugging on the chains willing them to break.

The families returned with the saved children and celebrated their good fortune. When they entered the circle, they knew immediately something was wrong. Husky in her human form sat crying and sobbing very loudly.

The king came up to her, looked at her and asked, “What is wrong my friend?”

“The elves stole into camp after you left and took all the children. They hypnotized them and led them away to the mines.” Husky sobbed.

“Can you follow them in your dog form? It seems we need your help again my friends. We are so sorry for doubting your love and friendship. We will give you our friendship forever and our love if you help us now, please?” The king pleaded and the gypsies murmured assent with him.

"Oh now we're best friends again!" Husky snapped full of revenge.

"Now is not the time, Husky." Slim whispered.

“We will do what we can your majesty. These children are precious to you and to me. I want to get those elves and teach them not to pick on demons and their friends. Release me and we will get them back for you.” Husky smiled viciously as the king unchained her.

Husky jumped for joy, grabbed and hugged her friends. “Let’s go get those pesky elves and bring back those children!”

Husky, Tiger and Slim grabbed their weapons and assured the families that they will come back. Everyone clapped their backs and wished them well on this task. They drank a final cup of wine to cement their friendship and love. The trio was together again and embarked on the road to the elfin mines and the gypsy children. Cheers of joy and good will echoed from the gypsy camp, as the trio left. When out of sight of the camp, they changed to demon form and moved quickly to follow the elves. Husky sniffed the trail and led the way. This was a day, which Husky waited patiently to get these annoying elves.

She changed into her demon form and caught a whiff of the elves scent. The scent was strong due to the number of children taken. The road was long and twisty, but the path led straight to the foothills of the mountains. She burst into a full run, not worried if the other two were keeping pace or not. They rushed down the loose dirt path all the way to an earthen mound with a heavy wooden door in its side. A troll was asleep next to the door.

"I got this," Tiger said as she walked up to the troll. "Hey!" She shouted at it. It did not even stir. "Hey! You bimbo wake up!" There was still no response. She waved for the others to hurry over. They slipped into the mine soundlessly, leaving the troll to continue its loud snoring.

This is a full collaboration between 3rebels4 and frogprince.