:shock: No topics on the Avalon: Web of Magic & Avalon: Quest for Magic series!!!! I guess I'll have to fix that. Oh, they're written by Rachel Roberts by the way.
The Avalon books start with Avalon: Web Of Magic- Circles In The Stream. The last book out is (I think, someone please correct me if I'm wrong) Avalon: Quest For Magic-Ghost Wolf.
In the first book (A:WoM-CitS)Emily Fletcher: the Healer and Adriane Charaday: the Warrior get magic stones (Adriane already had hers and had bonded with the Mistwolf Stormbringer when the book began). When the Healer and Warrior first meet, Adriane is taking a wounded magical cat named Lyra to Emily's mom (a veterinarian).
A day or two later, Emily goes to the Ravenswood Animal Preserve and rescues Ozymandius (Ozzie), an elf from the world of Aldenmor who is trapped in a ferret's body, from a trap. She also gets her stone and finds out she's a mage.
I'd include more but I've already spoiled like five chapters of the first book. Has anyone else read this series?

I am (or was) quite into fantasy novels.

That one never crossed my eyes, but I highly recommend:

"The Ranger's Apprentice."

Although primarily targeted at young adult's,

it's high fantasy at it's best.