"Cat took her brother's hand as he led her into the Great Sequoia to behold....." Kiara stifled a sigh as she listened to her mother read aloud her all time favorite book for the third time this week. Some books are really good, but not enough to be read this many times out loud. However, Kiara had no choice in this matter. It was part of her "reading comprehension studies" whatever that meant. All Kiara knew about it was that she was suppose to sit quietly and work on her sewing as her mother read from the book, and Kiara had to understand what was happening. Kiara wished she was in the woods, playing with her best and only friend, Anaya.

Kiara looked at the old, wooden clock. Twelve fifty-five. Three more minutes. Then Kiara could go. At ten years old she was much more adventurous and independent than other girls her age, she always thought it was because of her father. Kiara never knew her father but her mother had often told Kiara stories of him. Always in some sort of adventure, like the time he jumped down from a tree in the Silvis woods while he was exploring, and broke his leg. The funny part was, he didn't even realize it was broken until the next day, he just kept going until he- "Kiara! Are you paying attention?" her mother said, glaring at me in a very teacher-like way.

"sorry mom, you can keep reading." I mumbled, moving my now idle hands into motion on the embroidery hoop.

My mother sighed "no, it's almost time for me to go to work anyway, might as well stop here." she closed the book and put it down on the little table beside her, rising from her chair and beckoned for me to do the same with my embroidery.

I did so gratefully, stretching my neck and back as I stood up and followed her into the kitchen. "ham or turkey today?" mom asked as she bustled around the kitchen, preparing my supper before she left for her job as a waitress at Jacobson's diner.

It's not like I couldn't make my own dinner but mom always wanted to. It was like her way of saying "no matter how far you go, I'm still here for you." but then again, it is just a sandwich, maybe I reading too far into it, but that's how I always like to see it.

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"turkey please." I said as I headed outside to the well to fill my canteen with some clean water. I flicked my long ponytail of strawberry blond hair off my shoulder before I started to turn the crank to the well.

As the bucket started to slowly come up, heavy with water, my mind wandered as it was apt to do, into the forest. The beautiful forest. Deep, mysterious, filled with animals you could only imagine in your wildest dreams. Black unicorns, also called jinxs because if you came across one it could curse you to do the weirdest things. Forest dragons, twice the size of a horse, but still as agile as a cat, able to run and fly in the trees, and so many more amazing creatures.

"clank!" Kiara jumped as the bucket's handle clanked loudly against the metal rod of the well, almost losing her grip on the crank. "darn it! This is what happens when you day dream!" Kiara said to herself angrily as she grabbed the bucket, lifting it into the rim of the well, and plunged her canteen into the bucket as far as it would go.

As she waited she saw her reflection in the water. Weird. That was what she always thought whenever she saw her own reflection, I mean who has eyes like that? Her left eye, a striking Amber, her right eye an icy blue. It was the only thing anyone would look at when they talked to her. If they talked to her. Most of the time they didn't, they just stared.

As Kiara walked back inside she wondered for the millionth time why she was so different. Even Anaya, Kiara's best friend, who was a Woodshift elf, and could literally turn into any non-mystical mammal in existence, had rather normal eyes. lovely, dark brown eyes so full of mischief all you had to do was look at her to know she was trouble. 

"here you go sweet pea" my mom said as she handed me my satchel, with my turkey and cheese sandwich wrapped in cloth to keep the bugs away, a small jackknife, and three gold tonks, or coins. "Just in case." my mom said as she pointed to the gold tonks. She didn't say what the case was but Kiara knew it would have to be an serious emergency before she would have need of them.

"love you mom, see you in a bit!" I hugged her before turning the doorknob, opening the door, and stepping outside.