The heart of the forest.

(Juria's and My storyline)

The trees were thick and the path was non existent. The branches and leaves tangled against with each other that it trapped the sunlight outside so it made the forest seem night time all the time. Thalia walked among the trees with ease since she knew her way around everything since she lived here. Her grip on her bow was firm ready to attack for some prey or predator. She bit her lower lip slightly and narrowed her electric blue eyes feeling an eerie presence near by.

Her knees bent down a bit so she crouched as she stealthily walked across the moist ground. Different noises from around the forest was hear, but natural noises such as birds, crickets, the creek flow. Her eyes darted left to right cautiously as she continued to walk to where she had built her hut she called home made out of leaves, sticks and mud, she was coming home from the Xiaolin Temple after hearing news of the new Shen Gong Wu.

When Thalia thought it was nothing she relaxed, but still was on her guard.

How am I going to get to New York? She questioned in her mind. Was she going to steal one of Jack's flying machines? If they even work. Or try stealing one of the traveling Shen Gong Wu from the Xiaolin Temple. But she just came home from a long journey and the Xiaolin warriors were most likely on their way to New York. She sighed and thought maybe she can steal the new Shen Gong Wu when they got back and put it in the temple. Thalia really wanted that bow and arrows. She continued her walk home not knowing she would soon enough get a visitor...

The forest may have been dark and looked almost threatening, but Juria wasn't afraid. She knew she could handle anything that came her way, the only thing was that Chase actually WANTED her to go ALL the way to New York to get a stupid little statue.

Chase’s apprentice muttered to herself how she had to go all the way to New York just to get Chase a decoration for his house. Juria then became calm, there was no one to bother or be hyper around so she relaxed her composure and if any one (Raven, Chase, or Jack) saw her now, they would be VERY scared of her calm…ness.

Juria sighed and looked up to the tops of the trees. The sunlight streaked in beautifully and it made Juria think of her happier days. For a second, Juria’s red eyes turned gray but she then felt a presence around and they turned back to red as if they had never been gray.

A girl was walking not far away and Juria smiled, “Hello there!” she yelled in a friendly tone. Juria’s keen eyes saw the girl was carrying a bow and arrow, she hoped that the girl wouldn’t shoot out of being surprised, but if she did… Juria was fast enough to dodge it.

Thalia was continuing her walk to her home until she heard someone greet her, she tensed up and pointed an arrow towards her, about to shoot.

"Who are you!?" Thalia asked aggressively and not friendly at all. She narrowed her electric blue eyes at the other girl and stayed on guard. Slowly she was loosening her grip on the arrow and was about to shoot the girl, but didn't yet.

At the aggressive manner, Juria then put up her guard, but made it so she looked relaxed still and she said back, "Wow, well isn't someone having a bad day?" Juria raised her eyebrow at the girl who now had the arrow pointed at her.

A glint of mischeviousness worked its way into Juria's red eyes when she saw the girl loosening her grip on the arrow, ready to shoot her. Juria, without warning, made a sudden movement towards the girl and shouted, "BOO!" trying to scare Thalia into releasing the arrow.

Juria was ready to dodge and then catch the arrow, it would be a fun game for the quick Heylin warrior.

Thalia narrowed her eyes, ready to strike, but when Juria suddenly made a move she released the arrow. Not because of her being scared by the boo, but of the sudden movement of Juria that made her jump a bit. Her eyes widened, she never really intended on shooting, but did anyways.

Ah well its her fault for suddenly moving, Thalia thought as she watched the arrow shoot towards Juria.

As the arrow sped towards her, Juria chuckled and like a blur got out of the way, and in the blink of the eye then caught it. After the small task was over, Juria casually said, "Well that was fun... now I can talk to you without an arrow in my face... I think I’ll start again, hello there." Juria showed she was friendly and there would be no more need for arrows.

Thalia was glad she didn't hit the other girl, but she wasn't in the mood to talk, she needed a plan to get to New York.

"Hi, can you just say what your going to say, I'm quite busy at the moment," Thalia said with a rush and rudeness in her tone.

If Thalia was going to be rude, so could Juria... I mean... Juria was evil just to be evil. She then said back with a bit of a rude sarcastic tone, "Oh I see, you are SOOO busy just walking in the forest, I'm not surprised you don't have any friends." Juria raised her eyebrow and knew that she was right about Thalia not having friends.

"Fine if you are so busy, then I'll leave you alone... I have to get to New York anyway so I shouldn't waste my time here with you, I was just trying to be friendly and perhaps give you some company but sheesh be like that and you'll get nothing in return and be alone for the rest of your life."

Juria turned on her heel and started walking towards a city in order to stow away on a plane.

A flash of anger grew in Thalia's eyes, "I DO have friends thank you very much." Even though Thalia barely met Yinglong and barely knew Yinglong, she still considered him/her her friend. "And no I'm not just walking in the forest I'm trying to plan out something here!" She growled.

She then heard New York when Juria was speaking, "And my plan is to get to New York as well," Thalia said, with a bit of a nicer tone, but not by much. There was still anger in her eyes. She didn't mean to be rude, it was just who she is.

Juria didn't say anything back to Thalia, even though she could have and shown just how evil she really was, but instead she composed herself gracefully and continued to walk away from the other girl.

When Thalia mentioned it was her plan to get to New York, Juria tried one final time to be somewhat friendly towards Thalia. Juria turned around and looked at the other girl, "You are also getting to New York?" Juria raised an eyebrow at Thalia.

Though the two had somewhat just been fighting, Juria's seemed relaxed and not at all angry, Juria was one that when she really did TRULY get angry... it was probably the scariest thing someone could witness.

"How are you getting there? I am planning to stow away on a plane..." Juria said in a way that kind of was asking Thalia to come along with her.

As the girls were arguing, a large shadow was cast on them.
An enormous sparrow was hovering on top of the trees.
Seeds for eyes,
Nutshells for beak,
Leaves for feathers,
Branches for bones,
Roots for veins,
Petals for heart,
"Umm... Guys, sorry to interrupt, but I bet you need a lift."

Thalia saw her friend Yinglong and smiled, "Yeah, just exactly what we needed, better then your plan on a stowaway on a plane," Thalia said teasingly, but when she turned away from Juria she gave a smirk.

'Thank Yinglong." Thalia smiled at Yinglong.

"Just hop on"
Yinglong's face was as pale a piece of paper.
His/her facial expression was barley natural, as if he/she really could have one.
He/she could feel the sour and fish mixture at the top of his/her throat, willing to burst out any minute.
"We don't have all day"
When everyone was settled, he/she finally gave up in keeping the food inside.
Feeling much better, he/she yelled at the top of his/her voice
"Next stop New York"

Juria smiled and hopped on with Yinglong, "Thanks so much" Juria kindly said... which was ironic because she was very evil. Juria had no clue if Yinglong was a guy or girl, and his/her appearance was strange from what she was used to, but Juria didn't question it and knew that people were just who they were. The New York- destined apprentice gladly got a ride with Yinglong to New York.

Thalia flipped her hair out of her face and jumped onto the giant sparrow and held on tight to the bird. She didn't get motion sickness since she was so used to the fast twirling of rides right after she ate at a carnival when she was young, so she could hold her food that she recently ate with Yinglong in without having to throw it all back up.

"Alright, I'm ready," She said confidently, she never soared through the sky before, so this is her first time, she hoped she wasn't afraid of heights.