Oh, might. I forgot her charrie was named Wren! Her twin was named Asia instead. >_<

~Rain

A autumn moon slips past the nearly bare trees.  Sending her warm light through the one window in the girl's dormitory.  

I rest my arms across the sill, a light breeze catching the folds of my nightgown.  It is one of the rare times when the window is not completely obscured by bodies.  Many of whom only glimpse the light of day for a mere moment before they are dragged back into torturous training sessions.

I shiver, again feeling the sting of today's beatings.

A soft trill spills into the dorm.  I quickly withdraw from the open window, barely able to contain my excitement.  A moment passes before a silver owl alights on the sill, drawing her wings to her sides. Her dark eyes take in the scene, making me imagine her as a fallen star.  A messenger for the moon.  

"windswift" I whisper softly.***  She cocks her head slightly and coos.  

I smile.  "I made something for you." She chirups gingerly.  

I scramble over to my bed, removing a yellowed parchment from under my paper thin pillow.  

"Here," I gently place it a few feet from where windswift perches.  She gazes at me, unsure.  

I sigh.  "You won't take it till you know I'm asleep won't you?" She gives me a comforting look but doesn't move.

I gingerly shuffle toward my bed, pulling the filthy linens to my shoulders and closing my eyes.  Imitating the soft snore of Abigail, the bedside next to mine.  

After a minute or so I hear a light beating of wings, then silence.  

I smile contentedly.   

***he he he he he he he he... 

I'm assuming the girl was Aiyana?

~Aiyana

The next day, I ride Fire to the edge of the forest again, to see if the silver dust is still there. It isn't. It seems like it dissapeared. Strange. I peer past the trees to see the village. What's in there? I take a step, then hear twigs snapping, branches breaking? What was happenning? I take out my knife that Father carved for me, in case of danger from beyond the forest. 

Suddenly, a girl crashes into me. I cry out in surprise, and Fire growls, looking at the girl warily. 

"Sorry!" She huffs, then collapses to the ground.

I stare at her, then hear more cracking branches in the distance. I get onto Fire and prepare to take off, but I realize that I can't just leave the girl here, even if she is a stranger. I stare at her. Her hair is lighter than any of my tribe, and there is a white streak in it. And her eyes! They were a foamy green, with white specks in them. Is that what all of the pale skinned people look like? I hesitate, then drag her onto Fire. Fire takes off, running back toward my tribe. 

When he reaches the tribe, the girl's eyelids flicker open for a moment, then she falls unconcious again. She needs a healer. But Father will not be pleased that I took her here. I think for a moment, then drag her into my home, where Father won't see her. I live in my home with Mother, and Father lives with the other leaders. I'll have to wait for her to recover more to show him.

I leave her on my bed and go outside again, pushing the deerskin I use as my door aside. I take the wooden bowl to the river, where I fill it with water to take home to the girl. I'm curious about her. What was she doing here? And who were the people chasing her?

I'll have to ask her. I take the water home, and see that she is already awake. She looks at me then shrinks back, apparently scared, "What are you doing?" She asks.

"I'm not going to hurt you." I set the water beside her and move back, sitting on the dirt ground, examining her. These people are very strange. Her eyes... I've never seen anything like them before! 

She hesitates, then takes a small sip. Apparently, she realized how thirsty she was, because she drinks the whole thing in no time. Then she asks, "Where am I? Is this... a... tribe?" Her eyes go wide. 

I don't know how much to tell her, but I think I can trust her, "Yes. Can you tell me... about the village and what's in it?"

She stays silent for a while, then tells me everything. The king, the stolen children, the silver dust, suddenly everything makes sense, "A child army?" I ask when she's done, "To... destroy us?" My voice rises with anger. Why would they want to do that? What had we ever done to them?!

Wren~

I am geting ready to go hunting with Sasha to clear my head. The meaning of the silver dust from yesterday has always confused and disturbed me, and I haen't been able to stop puzzling over it. I am a girl that likes to figure things out. Suddenly, Ayiana comes out from the cover of the trees riding atop her tiger, Fire. I crouch down, unsure whether I should approach her, as I notice that their is a strange, pale skinned girl lying unconscious with her. I watch as they enter the house in which my friend lives with her mother. I shift my position into a hunter's crouch and keep my steps light as I creep alongside the house until I hear the voice of Aiyana, and a new, unfamiliar one. I know that this is distrustful of me, but I am curious to know what is going on. I listen carefully to the strange girl's voice as I take in her story. "... The king is building a child army to destroy your tribe, and any others of your kind. I don't want any part in that, so I ran."

I am unable to supress a gasp. I know that Aiyana has likely heard it, but she doesn't interrupt thepale-skinned girl's story. When the girl has finished, I stand and walk around the house and step inside. I follow their voices until I find the room in which they are. Lightly, I knock, then let myself in. I cast an apologetic look towards my friend, and attempt to convey with my eyes my reason for spying- curiosity. Then I look at the pale-skin. I try, and likely fail to appear kind, and welcoming, when I really feel wary and distrustful. But the girl clearly did not escape without a struggle, so it can't be a ploy from the pale-skin village. I see fear in the girl's eyes so I try to ease it by saying, "Hello. I am Wren That Flies in Early Morning. Better known as simply Wren. Who are you?" I close off with a small smile. Just then, Sasha lands on the window sill, looking perplexed. Oh, I'd completely forgotten about hunting. I think as I cross the room to open the window and let her inside. Sasha trills, sounding chastising and slightly disappointed and lightly bite my ear. I silently promise a hunting trip later. To Ayiana I say, "Where did you find this girl?" and I can almost feel the way my eyes light up with pure, childish curiosity.

sorry, but I'm dropping out as well.