~Leilani~

"I'm Leilani Aran," I answered in response to Demi's question. "I perform with the gypsies? Maybe you've seen me around."

A few people nodded. Even though I didn't know most of them, everyone knew the gypsies. They had probably also heard of some of the things I'd done, such as stealing bread from the bakery, exploring an old mansion, and generally getting in trouble. Suddenly I wished I hadn't done those things. 

But I could hope that none of these kids had heard about them, and that would have to be good enough. 

~Macy

"Oh the gypsies!" I say "You mean the ones that stole food and tried to let the livestock into the forest?" I tilt my head innocently.

Leilani pales and shuffles back.

"You'll have to give me pointers! I'm Macy, Macy Hood," I hold out my hand for a handshake, running the other through my hair. There is an innocent smile plastered on my face.  

I'm almost positive that the others know of me. And what I do.  

The gypsies were a strange group of people. I had actually helped them a time or two but I didn't remember this girl.  

-Ash-

"I'm Leilani Aran, I perform with the gypsies, maybe you've seen me around?" Leilani said.

Ash nodded. He knew everything about everyone. Well, everything that mattered, at least. Like what their name was and that was it.

"Well I'm Ash, and I can juggle!" Ash said, tossing the apples up into the air.

--- 

Quick update: I am changing Azi's last name from Kumar to Kamara.

* * * 

Azi ~

The sun reaches through the treetops with a glow that doesn't quite reach the forest floor. Even so, it's dimness feels alert, filled to the brim with the endless possibilities that might soon encompass us. Some of the others in the group look nervous at the looming oppressiveness of the forest, but I feel a thrill as I think of all the creatures within that could be watching us. 

Even so, spirits are high as we set off, equipped with our new supplies and a surge of adrenaline that keeps our fear - and a few rising tensions - at bay. I don't know most people in the group - just Leilani and Zander, in passing, and of course Sebastian. He and I have had run ins in the past, mostly centered on our opposing views on magical creatures, and already we have gotten close to argument twice.

I tune in to the conversation, and realize that we are doing introductions. Demi, Iyara, Leilani, Macy, and Ash introduce themselves. I frown at the mention of the gypsies; I've done odd jobs for them in the past, mostly when I was younger and willing to do anything to support myself, that were not usually, if ever, pleasant. The gypsies were how I knew Leilani. Macy, on the other hand, I had heard of, but never met.

Ash is juggling apples when I pass by him and snatch one out of the air. "I'm Azi," I say, taking a bite. I leave out my last name, Kamara - my family is not known around town for being the greatest of characters, and I'd like to keep that information to just the people I already know.

"I know a lot about magical creatures, I once destroyed an entire house, and I'm a really fantastic banjo player!" I say with a brilliant smile. This produces the expected groans from the group, but it also directs their attention away from more important details, like my family, the part of town I grew up in, and the reason I don't have many belongings with me. Details I don't quite trust them with yet.

The conversation continues, and we pull deeper into the forest.

Just a quick note, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. I believe that gypsy is no longer correct, that they would rather be called Roma or Romani. Iyara is part Roma, too.

Jeannie~

Jeannie surveyed faces as they gave answers. Demi Alder, she knew by sight, and her father Jeannie knew very well, as he’d treated her various mishaps including falling down the stairs several times. Demi was nice, peppy, energetic, and optimistic- what wasn’t to like?

Iyara she had never met, though she liked her immediately, because Iyara seemed just as insecure as Jeannie felt. Spirit, her dog, seemed nice. Or at least, Seafoam wasn’t freaking out, which was always a good sign.

Leilani Aran… Jeannie’d never heard that name before, but she’d seen Leilani before. Jeannie had gone out to buy a loaf of bread for her mother, who had forgotten to put hers in the oven and Alana and her family were coming over and they just had to have bread or what would Alana’s mother think. So Jeannie had gone, and she’d seen Leilani and a kid. The kid was crying, and Leilani was standing in front of him, yelling at a man who Jeannie had guessed made the kid cry. So Jeannie knew one thing: Leilani was a good person, no matter where she came from.

Macy was next. Again, Jeannie hadn’t met her, but she for sure had heard of her. Macy was kinda like a celebrity to Jeannie- a celebrity for causing trouble, being impulsive, and also all around crazy. Jeannie often had a good laugh at her antics after watching her parents tsk their tongues off. “Tsk, tsk,” they would say, “that Macy Hood, always causing trouble.” To Jeannie it made them sound like old “get off my lawn” type people, which was one of the reasons it was so hilarious.

Ash’s intro was quick. “I’m Ash, and I can juggle.” Which was already apparent, because he was juggling several apples at the time. Jeannie resisted the urge to roll her eyes, because Ash was eight years older than her and you can’t just roll your eyes at someone that much older than you.

Azi Kamara. Jeannie knew him, and she also knew he had purposely left out his last name. Well, he wasn’t all that bad, so Jeannie would give away his secret.

And now, her. “I’m Jean-Elisabeth Lucas, but call me Jeannie because Jean-Elisabeth?” She made a face. “I live at the Lucas barn, back over that way. You’ve probably been there if you own a horse.” Did that sound overly conceited for a twelve year old? “And this is Seafoam, my… second best friend, and, in the words of my seven year old self, ‘The fastest and bestest.’” 

Jeannie tried to grin, but saying second best friend was a bad decision. It made her eyelids prick and she had to blink back salty liquid before it spilled down her cheeks. She hoped no one would ask who her best friend was because then… well, Jeannie thought she might really cry.

-Ash-

"Soooo . . . who's your first best friend?" Ash asked Jeannie, tossing her an apple.

She looked like she was about to cry once Ash said that.

"Um . . . you know what, nevermind, have a cookie!" Ash said, giving her a chocolate cookie.

Jeannie took it, and looked at Ash with . . . something he couldn't identify. Venom? Exasperation? Anger? Sadness?

Well, Ash didn't know, and . . . he should probably care though. "Okay, I guess we're off then!" Ash said.

--- 

~Leilani~ 

I had grown hearing stories about the Woods. i had heard that it was dangerous, and foreboding, and black as night. I had heard that was where nightmares originated, and people died. But upon actually entering the forest, I found it wasn't that bad.

For one, it was not dark as night. It was pleasant and shady, and there were mushrooms and rabbits and streams.  But I knew it probably wouldn't last. It had to be called the Forest of Shadows for a reason. 

Sure enough, the farther we rode, the more gnarled the trees became. The air turned a little bit colder, but it didn't bother me. Some of the others had begun to shiver. Finally, when it became dark enough that we couldn't see where we were going anymore, Zander asked, "Should we camp here for the night?"

Everyone consented, because we were tired, and the horses were tired. But I was beginning to get a bad feeling about the Woods. 

Demi~

A couple hours in, we stopped at a stream and let our horses have a drink. Then we continued. I noticed a major drop in temperature. I also noticed that a few others and I started to shiver. I hoped we could survive the night in this cold. Good thing I had brought extra blankets. The sun started to set and soon we couldn't see five feet in front of us.

"Let's camp here for the night," suggested Zander. "Everyone get out your blankets and bedrolls and settle down for the night!"

I dismounted Callisto and grabbed my things out of the saddle bag. "I have extra blankets if anyone needs any! It is going to be a cold night!" 

After passing out all the blankets, I lay down and huddled close to my blanket. I didn't sleep well at all, it was freezing! I woke up shivering, just as the sun began to rise. After packing up my stuff, I started searching for dry wood, in hopes of making a fire. When I had found several lying around, I started working on the fire.

Bradley's POV

I woke up to EXTREME coldness, which then caused me to crawl under my covers a little more.

"Oh, come on! This coldness is lucky that it isn't a living thing. Otherwise, I would totally give it a piece of my mind!" I said.

I heard my stomach rumble and noticed that I didn't eat in several hours.

"Way to go, Bradley. Ya went without your daily midnight snack!" I told my self. I walked over the the river and saw Zander fishing.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked him.

"Ah! Oh, Bradley..." He said, jumping.

"I know, I know, I have a tendency to do that, but I just wanted to get something to eat. How about this: I'll catch the fish, and rouse the other peeps, and you make the fire using the sticks. But make it small, but also make it big enough so we can roast these fish." I said, gently nudging Zande rover the the trees.

I continued fishing until Zander came back.

"Wow, Bradley! How many fish did you catch? 3,000,000,000?" Zander said, noticing my HUGE pile of fish.

"Well, maybe a little less than that. But right now I need to wake the other sleepy heads, and you're gonna watch the fish." I said, walking to wake the others.

How did I do?

That was good, Em! 

Iyara’s POV

I wake up early and wander into the woods. I know it’s not safe, but I need some time to think. And I have Spirit with me. Why do you not fit in? Why are you so weird? Do they like you? Can you be friends with them? My brain asks the questions I don’t want to hear. And then I see a ketryx. Ketryx are tiger-like animals with wings and beautiful horns. I’ve always wanted to see one, and hear that they’re quite friendly. I sit down and it walks over to me, and... speaks in a musical language that I can somehow understand. “Do not worry about how you are, as you cannot change it, child. Soon you will discover who you are.” Then it walks away again. I sit there, stunned, until Spirit nudges me to my feet. I smell fish cooking, and run back to camp. 

Demi~

As I was working on the fire, which stubbornly wouldn't start, Zander came over.

"Hi, want some help? Bradley told me to come work on the fire." he said

"Sure! More help would be great! I have always used coal to start fires, so this may be more of your expertise." I smiled and he smiled back. After a couple of tries, we managed to spark some flames.

"Good job," said Zander, standing up.

"You too, oh! Bradley's back with A LOT of fish!" I remarked. We went and took some of the fish and began cooking. The rest of the group rose to the smell of the fire, and stretched their legs and some helped pass out the food.

The warm fish was delicious! The morning was still frightfully cold, because fog blocked the sun, but the warm fish helped slightly. Then I remebered the children. It's going to be fine, I told myself we are going to find them no matter what!

I stiffened when I heard a branch crack behind me. I whirled around. It was Iyara, emerging from the woods that surrounded the path.

"Hi! Breakfast is ready Iyara! Come sit next to me!"

"Oh, are you sure?" She asked. 

"Yes! Here..." I walked over to the fire and took a fish off, and then handed it to her.

"Thanks!" She said.

"Your welcome!" I replied.

After breakfast we got ready and mounted our horses, continuing on the path. I talked with Iyara about life at the village, but soon that converstaion came to a halt.

"Tonight we will pass an inn that usually houses the traders that come on this path, we will stop there for the night. That is the last inn around for a several weeks so don't get comfortable." Sebastian called out. 

That's good, at least we don't have to freeze to death tonight. I thought.