Prologue 

 It was getting dark, and the sound of laughter faded as Willo Pierce pushed past briars and overgrown weeds. Her seven-year-old body passed easily through the tight underbrush, snagging occasionally on wild rose thorns. She reached a clearing, resting and dusting cockaburrs and spores off of her. The moon and sun competed for the sky, casting colors of pink and purple across the sky and meadow, creating a fantastical scene. Willo looked up in awe and smiled. Her parents had told her once that no matter where she was, or where they were, that they will always be under the same sky, and to never be afraid if she were to get lost. But she wasn't lost there. She went frequently to the meadow, the only of her three siblings small enough to get to it without needing to clear the paths, which hadn't been done in years.

          She was headed towards her rock when she heard a soft noise that sounded like the cry of an injured bird. She removed her play-apron from her dress and held it our, hoping to catch it, letting her parents nurse it back to health. Walking slowly towards the bush, Willo lightened her step like her mom had taught her, and approached cautiously. She crept around the edge of the bush, anxious about the poor bird. Willo gasped quietly when she saw what was around the corner.

          It wasn't a bird at all, but a boy, probably two or three years older than she. He was clutching a locket tightly to his chest, rocking his frail frame. Willo stepped on a branch, causing the boy to look up. His face was covered in dirt, the saline tears leaving streaks of grime down his face. He looked at her, terrified.

         "Boy, why are you crying?" Willo crouched to the ground next to him, causing him to flinch away. Her brown hair nearly touched the ground before she brushed it away. Willo's voice, full of that bossy innocence only a child could give, questioned him again, "Boy, why are you crying? where's your mum and papa? They're probably looking for you. Are you lost?" The boy, no longer afraid of her, it seemed, buried his head into her small stomach, knocking her to the ground, and sobbed again, harder.

         "Momma!!"

         "I ain't your momma, boy." She said this lightheartedly, putting her small arm around him, patting this strange boy in which she found. She looked at him twice over and noticed the locket. "Is that hers?"He just looked up and nodded, clinging to Willo's flower gown. "Boy, what's your name?" She looked at him and gave him her best cheer-up smile.

         "Y....Yak."

         "Strange name for a boy, Yak. I'm Willo. Named after the tree. Without the end 'w', though. I like it that way." She looked at him again. "You're a lot darker than I am, Yak. I like you." Willo leaned her head away from the boy a bit and cupped her free hand over her ear, listening. She pushed Yak off of her gently and stood up. "That's my folks. Want to meet them?" Yak stood up, looking much bigger than he did on the ground. He cleared her height by at least four inches, and she was the tallest in her class. He looked out at the region where Willo's parents were calling for her.

         "Momma?"

         "Yes. My mum's calling for me." He looked at her, his tears no longer gushing against his dark cheeks. She noticed a bruise along his cheek, connecting at his massive black eye on his left. She tried to touch it, but he shied away. Yak looked at his locket and back at Willo.

          "Momma." He sniffled and put the locket in her hand. She hesitated and tried to give it back, but he had already left, darting through the forest full of fall. Willo walked home slowly, the dark haired, dark skinned boy named "Yak" burning a permanent image in her mind, creating an image that she would search for for the rest of her life.

----------------

If I made any grammatical errors, feel free to let me know! I wrote this a while ago, but just got a Wattpad. It needs more love! I have more, but I may wait for a comment or two to post it! 

Thanks, guys! 

Lily-Mae13