The world lay white and quiet when Tellka opened her eyes. All around her life was sleeping, and even the trees seemed like frozen beams of ice. She shook of the layers of snow that covered her back and looked down at Kate.

"Okay, little girl, now how do I find out where you live?" She stood up carefully. 'I have forgetten what it's like to be cold...' A shiver ran down her spine and she was suddenly aware of the fact that she was numb in many places. One of these places happened to be her legs. She didn't really stand up, she managed to slump up, roll over, and stretch her legs out so the blood would start running through them again. It wasn't for about another 15 before she finally got onto her aching feet. 'I just got this body.. I wonder how long it's gonna last me...' She took a quick glance at herself. 'What did he do? Clone me? My old body was destroyed... why does this one look like me?'

She pushed the thought past her mind. Right now she only had to worry about getting Kate home. She could think about this later. 'Yea.. later.. when I don't have to babysit.. Geesh, Landon, I outta smack you for all of this. She reached down and picked up the cold form of Kate in her arms. 'She's so cold....' Tellka began to wonder if Kate was even alive. The slight rise and fall of the childs chest gave her all the answer she needed as she started through the white woods.

'Where.. where.. where do you live?' She scanned the woods for any signs of a path, footprints, people, smoke, houses, anything that wasn't just more woods. 'I grew up with nothing BUT woods.. a little CHANGE might be nice...' Tellka sighed. Surely the girls parents were looking for her. All she really had to do was wait.

She sat down on a log, the frozen child in her lap. Tellka watched her for a while as her mind stirred with questions. 'Where am I? How long has it been? How long am I here? Is there really a purpose to it, or did Landon just choose me because we are the same. And even then, he could have chosen Tiyna, so why me? Where is Tiyna? And the others? Are they alive again too? Would I be able to find them if they were?' The last few moments of Tellka's life whizzed by in her mind and she pushed them aside. She still had her memories, and her life experiences. It was as if she had never died in the first place. 'I almost feel like all I have to do is leave this forest and I can find the others a go home...' A shout broke her thoughts.

"KATE!!! KATE?!? WHERE ARE YOU?"

It was a womans voice. Tellka picked up Kate and stood up. Her ears twitched as she waited for the sound again.

"KATE...."

A little louder this time. Tellka began following the noise. The little bundle in her arms twitched a bit and moaned. Tellka continued to follow the voice.

"KATE... KATE!?!"

"Here, come HERE." Tellka shouted out in annoyance. "I've found her, I have her here with me."

There was a small silence, followed by crashing of bushes and loud breathing. An a few minutes, she watched as an elderly woren came crashing out of the brushes infront of her. Besides the fact that the woren was wearing bundle after bundle of warm winter clothes, she shivered as she came walking over to Tellka.

"My baby, my child... how did you find her?" She took Kate out of Tellka's arms. "My child my child... who are you? How can I thank you?"

"Name's Tellka... Landon sent me."

"Landon?!? Then, you are the one we asked for!" The woren's eyes lit up. "Yes, yes, come, follow me, I'll take you to our house."

* * *

It wasn't long before Tellka was sitting infront of a warm fire listening to Janis. Kate was in her bed, covered in blankets. She was expected to be okay.

"You're the one we asked about.." Janis sighed as she sipped a cup of hot water. "It's just in time too.. with this hard winter, and the blizzards... And Kate's dad..."

"What about her father?" Tellka glanced over at the snapping fire.

"Oh, after Kate vanished, and then the blizzard, her father went out to look for her.. but.. it's been two days.. and still.. he hasn't come back.." Janis looked down. Tellka watched her for a moment with cool eyes. She waited patiently as Janis wipped away a tear. She could figure enough that Janis was sad, she just couldn't feel it. She didn't care about Kate's father, or about Kate for that matter. Infact, half of the time Janis had been talking she was thinking about what a whopping she was going to give Landon if she ever got the chance. Tellka's tail twitched a bit.

"Anyway," Janis glanced back up. "I had been praying to Landon for a guardian and a helper. We're.. going to need a bit of help.. if we want to make it through the winter.. and well.. without her father.." Tellka nodded.

"Yes, yes, I see alright. Well, I'm here, aren't I? I suppose I'll be helping you out." She sighed. "It's in the job description.."

Janis nodded. "We have an extra bed if you need-"

"I'm fine." Tellka got up and stretched. "Miss Chan, I'd love to stay up and talk but you look a bit like you need sleep and the fire is going down. Why don't you head off to bed."

Janis nodded, got up, and left without a word. Tellka stood by the fire and glanced around the quiet room.

'By Landon.. what have I gotten into?'

e-mail author, talonr@hotmail.com