• I flexed my brown hawk's wings, a jab of pain hitting the inside of my skull. I raised a hand to feel my forehead. It was hot and sticky with blood. My blood. My tunic was ripped along the base and a slash along my trouser leg showed a tear in my flesh. Slowly opening my bright green eyes, i took in the gruesome scene around me.

    Avariel bodies lay scattered across the battlefield. Memories of the fight raced through my head. My village, attacked, dark elves. These words swirrled through the torrent of thoughts in my head, most of which i could make no sense of. I attempted to stand and immediately regretted it as my leg throbbed. I heard footsteps, faint but there. Raising my hand I wiped the blood from my eyes and saw someone. An avariel coming this way, most likely a healer. I jummped when a voice echoed in my ear, close by, but it sounded so distant...

    My vision flickered and wavered. "Magelli! over here, i found one. She's still alive, but barely." I heard wingbeats as another Avariel landed next to me. A healer, judging by his white owl's wings. "can you hear me?" a musical voice spoke next to me. I nodded faintly. "can you tell me your name?"
    "Artemis Snowfall."

    I saw him nod. "a warrior, i take it?"
    I nodded again, feeling too faint to do much else."your tough to have survived these wounds," a gentle voice. Different from that of the healer, younger, at least sixteen. The one who found me here. I felt another stab of pain in my head as the healer's hand moved over the gash in my leg, feeling sick as i saw the flesh stitch together and the blood cease to flow from it. My vision flickered one last time, and i lapsed into unconciousness.

    I blinked at the harsh light pouring from the window. My hair splayed across the pillow, now free of blood. I lifted a hand to my forehead and found the wound and the mess of blood were gone. My golden brown hawks wings were folded at a comfortable angle behind me. Several healers with their white owls wings sprouting from their backs tended to surviving victims of the siege on the village. "hey, she's awake!" The voice of the person who had found me. I sat up and turned to look at his face. His eyes were deep blue and full of innocence, his hair was blonde and flyaway, nearly covering his pointed ears. His wings were not the brown hawk's wings of a warrior avariel, nor the soft white owl's wings of a healers. They were the white-and-brown wings of an eagle, signalling that he was a craftsman. "that was a pretty major beating you took, Magelli will want to know you're awake."

    No sooner than he said the name, the healer that had saved me the other day was there. "before we can let you leave, we need to ask a few questions of you. How old are you and who are your parents? we need to register you in the logg books."
    "My parents are Kenai Snowfall and Ariasa Snowfall, and i am 17."
    "Im 16," the boy next to me, the craftsman who found me, blurted out before his face turned red and he turned away. I smiled a little and reached out to shake his hand, "I'm Artemis, Whats your name?"
    "Rowan"

    I turned to Magelli, "can i leave yet? My family is probably worried." The healer nodded and smiled kindly, "of course. Rowan will escort you home. The battle is still on and Dark Avariels plauge the paths waiting to swarm and rob travellers. Rowan is fairly skilled with his sword." I scowled a little. I dod not like being thought of as meek enough to need protection. I got out of the bed and turned to Rowan this time, "Is there somewhere i can buy new clothes?"

    "theres a stall in the market. I'll take you there." Rowan told me. I stood up and flexed my wings quickly. They felt stiff and heavy. Rowan led me through the marble halls of the Healer's Temple and out into the market square. Over the course of an hour i purchased a new green tunic, a pair of brown trousers, and a new longsword and a leather sheath. I handed the vendor the money and turned back to rowan. "come on. I need to get changed then i am going home." He showed me and empty room, and i stepped inside and closed up the door.

    We went back to the courtyard after i was changed. i had to make a few modifications to the trousers, but they now fit propperly. My new sword hung by my side, and my moss green tunic was comfortable. I sprang up into the air and flapped my wings to gaim some altitude. Rowan lingered behind me, he was slower in flight. I hated having to slow down, but i did owe him my life...

    I sighed and ceased to beat my wings, gliding slowly for a distance and allowing him to catch up. I regretted it instantly, for as soon as he was close enough he started to talk. He talked about his family, his village, he chatted on about how his life was and what he thought of the dark elf avariels. It took some time but i learned to tune most of this out.

    "lets land and set up camp" I suggested. Slowly i descended in a spiraling motion. He landed with a thud next to me. "what do you need me to do?"
    I glanced around for a space to build a fire. "if you can find some shelter that would be great. Im going to go get some firewood." I had turned and strode into the forest before he could say a word.