Hidden Glitches (Animal Jam)

Julian2

The sun was bright and surprisingly warm, considering that it had been snowing the earlier day. Wisps of honey gold mist floated amongst the pines. Somewhere up in the branches, a cardinal sang. Julian breathed in the fresh air, for a moment forgetting that they were on a dangerous quest. The morning breeze blew his mane and a brown curl danced across his forehead. Skorm walked alongside Julian, looking tense. Julian wondered if it was about Bepper. Those two just didn't get along. He trotted up next to Deplin, listening in on the conversation he was having with Aparri.
"The reason I came here was to learn more, but in secret." He laughed,
"Phantoms and mysteries are my passion"
Julian smiled,
"Mine too!"
Deplin gave him a warm smile,
"There is much joy in figuring out conspiracies,"
Aparri spoke up,
"So, what did you find about the fortress?"
Deplin's gaze darkened. He shook his head,
"It is a dark place, with many dangerous glitches. What I know for sure is it affects the weather; as you may have noticed"
Julian nodded, suddenly understanding. The fortress was some kind of glitched palace, perhaps that was the reason for the-yes! The black wolf army was a black clone glitch!
"Julian?" He snapped out of his trance, realizing he had stopped. He shook his mane, excited to tell his theory; and caught up with Deplin again. The path they were following curved along a tumble of rocks where a stream bubbled over the stones and down the mountainside. Julian turned to Deplin, there was something about the deer that made flashes of memory dash through across his vision: then disappear again. He blinked to clear his mind,
"Deplin, perhaps the black army could be-" he was cut off as his hoof caught on a stone and he tripped. He fell into Wisteria, knocking her over and landing on his nose. He scrambled to his feet, suddenly awkward.
"Oh uh sorry Wisteria; um you okay?"
But Wisteriamoon wasn't listening, she was on the ground, her tophat off, dust on her muzzle and eyes twinkling as she laughed.
"Oh my goodness, you're so clumsy Julian." She stood up and shook herself as Julian turned beet red. She walked up to him.
"I'm okay," she winked at him and he couldn't stop staring. Why was she so captivating?
"You were saying?" Deplin's eyes were filled with amusement. Julian shook himself out of his trance,
"Oh um, yes!" He turned and made his way down the trail. "That wolf black army, is there a chance that could be a black clone glitch?"
Deplin looked thoughtful as they waded across the stream, Julian trying not to trip again on the slippery pebbles. 
"Its possible." Deplin's simple response made Julian wonder if he was hiding something. He shrugged it off.
The group rested and drank warm broth that Deplin had taken. Little words were said, no one knew what they were going to do when they reached the fortress. Julian's heart felt like it was hanging on thin threads, and any moment it would break and fall. The fortress was bigger as they approached the bottom of the valley. It stretched into the sky, towers of crumbling stone covered in shriveled vines. Soon they broke out of the forest and into a stretch of long golden grass, the silvery surface of the river glimmering.
"Race you!" Wisteria shoved him and sprinted towards the river. A warm feeling flooded Julian's body and he galloped after her, feeling the grass brush against him. He stopped at the edge of the river. The storm from the previous night had swelled the river over its banks. Waves of foamy brown water lapped around washed up debris. A rickety wooden bridge stretched across the rippling waves, boards broken off by the risen waters that rushed directly underneath it. Julian stood next to Wisteriamoon, following her gaze. A dark cloud was rolling across the sky from the fortress. Julian took a deep breath as the others caught up. Deplin stepped in front,
"We'll have to be careful," he looked distressed and fear washed away Julian's earlier happiness. The last shaft of sunlight caught the light of a object, and a sparkle of light on the sand made Julian turn. He took a step towards it, mesmerized. There was a pull he felt, to touch the gleam, to find out what it was.
"Julian where are you going?" It was Bepper's voice. He didn't answer. His hooves sunk into the mud, and the gleam stared up at him. It glittered from beneath a leather bag. What's this? He turned over the bag, and the object slid out. A purple and silver dagger. Two lines, a curve, and a dot... Julian froze, memories crashing and washing over him.
He saw Wisteriamoon, her pretty face as she leaned and kissed him. The scene changed. Aparri was glaring at him, and he felt anger surge through his veins, then noticed Wisteria watching sadly in the background. Then he was in the conservation museum, talking to a security guard. The ring... He saw it behind a glass case. Then it was gone.
He was falling, water surrounded him and his lungs screamed for air. A silhouette of an eagle. An old deer explorer. A fight for love, an unsolved mystery. Six friends... One journey.
He remembered! The moments, the memories, the tears; the laughs. Julian jerked open his eyes.
"Julian!" Wisteria barreled into him. He landed on the mud as a purple beam flashed where he had been standing. He looked up in horror to see the black wolves surrounding them. Deplin was standing in front of Skorm, Bepper, and New Jammer; who were scrambling across the bridge.
Julian jumped to his hooves, feeling like a new animal. How had he not known! He had met Deplin and not even known who the deer was! He looked at Wisteriamoon, and for a moment he wished he still had his memory lost. There was so much pain there.
"Get to the bridge!" He told her. She looked at him, her terrified face smudged with mud.
"What about you?!"
Julian gritted his teeth and pushed her aside as another wolf sent a beam. As the last light diminished, Julian saw the sword glint. He grabbed it in his mouth and faced the wolves, pushing Wisteria towards to the bridge again.
"Let's go!" He shoved the sword in his empty sheath and ran beside her to the bridge. Deplin saw them and turned,
"Hurry!"
Wisteria ran onto the bridge, and it creaked under her weight. Julian took a step and and a board cracked under him. It fell down, splashing into the roaring waters below. He turned to see that the wolves were shooting beams at the bridge, splintering the boards underneath Deplin. He fell, and Julian froze. No! There were too many things he needed to ask him. He didn't notice his golden bloom glowing as vines shot from it and wrapped around Deplin, saving him from the rushing river. They glowed and entangled around the bridge, blocking the wolves. The deer struggled to his hooves, scrambling onto the bridge; and the two ran. There was a yelp as just ahead of them the bridge underneath Skorm cracked. He fell, his paws catching on the side.
"Skorm!" Bepper screamed, reaching out a paw. Julian dashed forward, but was too late. The board snapped, and Skorm fell, a horrified look on his face as he disappeared into the racing river.
"NO!" Bepper yelled. Julian was frozen in another trance. He stared into the waves, the threads on his heart snapping. The waves, the crushing water, the ice cold depths. No mercy.
"Julian!" A voice yelled and Julian snapped out of it as the bridge exploded and Julian was thrown by the force, landing on the bank with splinters grazing his skin. He scrambled to his paws and ran, almost hoping he could run from everything and wake up from this nightmare.