FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, ARIA WAS TAKEN IN BY THE TOWN’S physician, Cad had followed the town’s sheriffs the whole way to the physician’s house. His hands kept shaking and he cursed every time he’d ever fumbled for an arrow. Aria, Cad wondered. How could she have learned all of those fighting techniques? She’d never shown me those… But then again, why would she? Cad glanced at Silas who was walking nervously next to him.

I.
How you tilted your head skyward
and the sun filtered
over your freckles
I've never had such a
beautiful day.

II.
How I have loved you
with every step you have taken
even when the breathing
got to be too much for you
How I have forgiven you
when you have brought me down
with your tight jaw and sometimes
self involved disposition
How I have missed all the good days
but they are gone and we won't
get them back
that's okay.

Chapter Ten

“GIVE HIM SOME SPACE!” Iris said, pushing her way in. She looked at the man carefully. A long thin cut, spilling blood was on Julius’s head and his arm was slightly burned. His face looked so peaceful, as if he was finally at rest.

“You’re not going to give up on me that easily,” Iris whispered. “Pika, go get my satchel!” The boy rushed to her tent, with its singed edges and smell of smoke. He retrieved the satchel and returned it to Iris.

“Here,” he said.

Chapter Nine

AS CAD AND IRIS RETURNED TO THE CAMP, Alaric was, of course, running around in a circle like a rooster with a missing head. As soon as he saw the two come out of the trees, Alaric ran up to them, hugged Iris close to him and glared at Cad.

“What were you two doing in there? Answer me!” He demanded.

Cad began, “I—”

“Cad was only teaching me how to shoot properly, and in turn I taught him which herbs were the best for headaches and cuts.”
Alaric scoffed and shook his head. “And why would a healer need to know how to shoot an arrow?”

Chapter Eight

WHEN DAWN CREPT OUT OF NIGHT’S ROBES, SO DID IRIS. She crawled out of her tent and looked about the camp. All of them were sleeping. She turned and watched the slumbering Bear and noticed that the new one was missing. Maybe Stilicho sent him out to hunt, Iris thought. She slung her satchel over shoulder, tightened the laces on her otter furred boots and snuck her way into the depths of the forest.

I. Swingset
Quiet, hush
Don’t say a word
Breathe, push
Bring me a little closer
Swing, rush
Upward toes to the sky
Euphoria in my veins
Staccato creak of the swingset chains
Just enough childhood
To bring a smile to my face.

II. One Step at a Time
I’m releasing the little bits of myself
still attached to you
I’ve been like a willow tree
quiet and unassuming
leaning deep over the grass
but now
I will emerge.

Forest Song
Flowers down the mountainside,
Fire on the horizon.
Lupines thick as a waterfall,
Clouds as hued as heaven.

Purple clouds of majesty,
Yellow laughing levity,
Orange streaks of bubbling exuberance,
Pink puffs of winsome effulgence,
And a deep blue sky reaching overhead,
Softly putting the sun to bed.

Lupines in the moonlight,
Pale as snow.
On a new moon night,
The stars are aglow
In clusters made of a million gems
That wink at the rising of the sun again.

I. Shrew
how much depends
on an apologetic
shrew
how much can you
say
how much can you
do

II. It's Complicated
airily, you said that
I had told you a lie
I have done no such thing
I said
you just rolled your eyes

I woke up on December 31st feeling relieved. 2013 was not an awful year until I realized that I was giving my all to someone who didn't feel the same way, and that my friends didn't feel like my friends anymore, and that I had sorely neglected my overall education for my first two years of high school.
New Year's Eve was wonderful. I went to an old friend's house and we shot off a firework display that would put Macy's New Year's Eve to shame. I felt optimistic, I felt happy. It was 2014, and I would get a fresh start.

DISCLAIMER: Contains mature thematic content (i.e. mentions drunk driving, one strong word edited with asterisks)