Author's Note: No fear, Fenrir. I don't write attempted suicide. I just put angst for what happens in the next chapter. And yeah, I know the last chapter was sad. Honestly, it was a reflection of some of my own feelings about myself a few years before I wrote this. I guess it was like therapy for me. Anyhow, enjoy!

Chapter 2

When they met again later, near evening, they all knew what Duo was talking about. They gave their reports, and with each one their concern grew more and more.

“And I’m concerned about something else,” Heero added.

“What?” Zechs, who had joined in, as had Relena, to solve this mystery by added brain power, as they hadn't been able to find Quatre at all.

“It’s nearly the end of the third day, and we’re still not close to going home.”

“Hey that’s right!” Duo agreed. “Where’s Zatana? Maybe she can explain this.”

“I’m afraid I can’t,” Zatana said from nearby. “My mother knows what she’s talking about, but I can’t understand it at all. And she won’t answer my questions when I try to talk to her. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Trowa reassured. Suddenly Zatana jumped. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s a Scavenger Serpent nearby. Very nearby.” Her voice trembled, making them believe her even though they had no idea how she could know such a thing. “Something’s very wrong here.” Suddenly a unicorn ran out of the woods. It was Lighthorn.

“Princess! Princess!” he cried, running over and rearing to a stop. “I just saw a Scavenger Serpent heading away from here. He had a captive.”

“Who?”

“Quatre! The snake had Quatre!” Instantly the five Preventers and Relena jumped up.

“Some snake’s got Quatre?” Duo asked.

“We’ve got to hurry and rescue him,” Zatana said. “If we don’t hurry they’ll take him all the way to their dens and kill him!” They took off, even Relena, who refused to be left behind, with Lighthorn leading the way.

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“This was the lat place I saw him,” Lighthorn said once they reached the riverbank. It was late evening now, the sky tinted in the colors of the late sunset. "He was just walking about, his head down, and one lunged out of the bushes and nabbed him. I know I couldn't take a full grown adult alone, so I ran."

“There’s tracks,” Heero pointed out, indicating the flattened path where the snake had gone. There were no signs of a struggle or bloodshed.

“At least they apparently haven’t stung him yet,” Zatana said. “Their bites won’t kill for sure, unless it hits something vital, but the stings on their tails carry poison that in the adults is strong enough to take down a dragon in a matter or hours.”

"The snake slithered off with several others, all with stingers, so they're at least a couple of years old, and plenty deadly. "

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Duo asked. “Lets go!”

“Lighthorn, go back and find Blackwing or another dragon,” Zatana said. “We may need the transportation.”

“Right.” He galloped off as the rescue party followed the trail left by the snake to rescue Quatre.