"Thanh?" I croaked, looking around the terrain of the mountain top. I sat up and stretched my arms to the sky, "Thanh?"

I rolled to my feet and peeked under my bandages of my leg. We've been taking a slow travel back to the Capitol Crocus for two days now and my wounds had been healing slowly but efficently. I tightened my bandages and paused as gust of wind twirled my hair up and around.

"That was abnormal." I muttered, "Thanh?" I called out again, hurrying climbing up into the cliff of the mountain.

Thanh was hovering a few feet off the mountain. Her white wings spread out in full as she was about to rise to unthinkable heights, "Thanh!" I called out just before she flew away.

"I'm sorry Aurora." She whispers giving some distance from the mountain and myself, "Don't forget everything I've taught you. Keep your insight, and don't cut your hair. One day it will turn a color you'll never stop admiring."

I pressed forward and Thanh flew back, "Why Thanh! Why are you leaving me? I thought we were doing well these past days."

Thanh hovered for a moment then began to flap her wings hard, blowing wind everywhere in different directions, "Return to your mother and father. They are in the city to the east, the Capitol. Be safe Aurora, I hope you never fall into darkness."

My hair whipped around me as Thanh flew toward the open blue sky. I took a step forward then paused. I bowed my head slightly, "Goodbye Thanh." Then hurried down the mountain side and toward the rising sun; To the Capitol of Crocus.

I wandered along the streets of Crocus, eyeballing every couple in hopes they'd pick me up and call me their own. With no hope, I dragged myself into a smith shop and tossed the chunk of crystal onto the table.

The elderly man eyeballed the crystal in disbelief, "Where did you get that?"

"The peak of the mountain." The man gawked at me, "Yes the mountain with the monster. Look mister, I want you to turn thi crystal into a hair clip. One that looks like this," I ordered reaching into my pocket to pull out a wrinkled napkin with a doodle on it, "Make sure there is a whole so I can string it up."

The man nodded, picking up the napkin, "This will be used in you hair? Isn't it kind of small for you load of hair?"

I sighed, "As for pay, you can keep whatever crystal remains."

"Are you kidding? These crystals are worth a load of money!"

"Half of whats left then." I shrugged, turning around to leave the shop.

I stepped outside and let out a soft sigh. I looked up to the blue sky glowing in the sun above the neighboring houses. The canaries hanging in the windows were singing loudly for the first day of spring. the awakening earth puts on its garment of green, and the warm, fragrant air fans our faces and fills our lungs and appears even to penetrate to our hearts, we experience a vague, undefined longing for freedom, for happiness, a desire to run, to wander aimlessly, to breathe in the spring.

With every breath I felt a sharp pain of loniliness. Everybody I met seemed to be smiling; an air of happiness appeared to ade everything in the warm light of returning spring. One might almost have said that a breeze of love was blowing through the city, and the sight of the young couples whom I saw in the streets in their morning toilets, in the depths of whose eyes there lurked a hidden tenderness, and who walked with languid grace, filled my heart with agitation.

I rubbed my face down with my hand and half heartedly smiled as I stuffed my hands in my back pocket of my shorts, "Such a beautiful day and I stand here alone."

"Aurora?"

I looked over to my side to a boy about my age. His deep dark blue hair fell across his gleaming light blue eyes.

"Hey Triston."