People... I could hear people nearby... They were digging into the mountainside. I wonder what they were like? Were they dangerous? Would we have to leave again? I wonder if- My thoughts were cut off as I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder.

"It will be okay, my child. Your father will go and talk with them, to let them know we are fine with sharing the land. Besides, we can't fault them since nobody really knows we live here in the first place." My mother's soft voice soothed me, calming my worries with her gentle words.

"Momma, do you think there will be kids to play with? That won't mind?" I asked in a soft voice as I pulled at one of my sleeves.

"I am sure there will be at least one who would be willing to play with you. You just need to meet them. Have patience and good things will happen. Just like they always do." Gentle fingers ran through my hair as I smiled in my mother's direction, feeling my worries fall from me.

"Yes, Momma. I'll try to be patient."

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It took a few weeks before we were allowed to visit the new tribe that had started building their homes into the mountainside. Standing beside Momma and Papa I could feel them staring at us, hear the whispers that ran from one person to the next. Feeling my father's hand rest gently upon my head, I leaned against his side and smiled up towards him, reaching up and grabbing tight to his warm hand.

I giggled when I felt myself lifted and placed onto his broad back, my arms circling around his neck as he began walking forward, my mother's soft footprints following close behind. The whole time we were there trading, I could feel eyes following our movement, even when the whispers finally grew silent as we finally began leaving for our own home.

That night, even in my dreams I could feel the eyes watching me.

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It took months before the tribe's people began to actually accept us amoung them when we went to trade with them. I could still feel them staring at us whenever we arrived, but the whispers had finally stopped following us through the caves they were still digging for their home. The children never seemed willing to play with me, but I was used to playing alone.

I was sitting by myself when I heard the sound of bells ringing from further down the tunnel. Carefully standing up, I slowly began walking down the tunnel, one hand trailing along the side as I tried to follow the pleasant sound I could hear ahead of me.

Step after step, I moved further away from my mother, the sound slowly moving down the tunnel ahead of me. It had begun to feel like a game and I could feel the smile grow on my face. My steps became less cautious as I sped up my movement until I was almost racing down the hall to reach the bells dancing ahead of me, laughter pouring from my mouth. What fun I was having!

Suddenly the world tilted as I tripped over something on the ground, bringing my hands in front of my to try and cushion my fall. When I felt pain in one of my knees, I let out a loud wail, rolling onto my side and grabbing at the throbbing joint. In the far distance of the tunnel, I could hear my Momma calling out to me, panic in her voice.

The sound of bells faded into the distance, unnoticed beneath the pained sobs that had begun filling the air.

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It was over a month before I was allowed to go with one of my parents to the village again. Day after day of laying in bed, unable to move without feeling pain. Week after week of being reminded not to wander off alone like last time. A month to heal enough to walk without needing to use something to brace myself against.

Papa had said I was lucky not to have broken something, having fallen like that while running. I had to promise my parents that I would never run off like that again, multiple times, before they would agree to let me come with one of them the next time they went to trade with the village.

That is how I ended up here, sitting quietly as Momma traded fresh water and a few herbs for some new clothing for me. I'd finally grown enough to need mine replaced again and it was easier to trade for something already made than to get the materials to make it herself.

In the distance I could hear the soft chime of bells and although I brought my head up and smiled towards the sound, I knew better than to try and follow it this time. Not without asking Momma first.

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The next few years seemed to speed by, until finally I was about to turn 8. Today I would get to explore the halls again while Papa traded the salted fish we had brought back from our trip to the coast. We had been gone a long time, but the abundance of fish we had brought back, salted and dried before being placed into large clay pots, was a treasure in this mostly barren land.

Eager to get started, I gave my father a hug and told him I was heading off down the tunnels. Promising I would listen for his call, I trailed my fingers along the wall and started walking further down the tunnels, away from the noise of the people Papa was trading with. Far ahead in the distance, I could hear the soft chime of bells.

It was hours later that I heard my father calling for me, having gotten no closer to catching whoever it was carrying the bells, but even so I had fun trying. The smile stayed on my face long after I got home, only fading away long after I had fallen asleep.

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Each time I was brought along to the village, I would end up making my way deep into the tunnels following the sound of bells in the distance, trying to hear them over my laughter as I attempted to find the person who had them. Even after months of playing our game of 'find me' I had yet to win, although sometimes I would get closer than before.

On days like this, where I had come so close I felt like I could reach out and touch the gently ringing bells, I would often find 'gifts' in my pockets when I got home. I'm not sure how they managed to sneak them in without me noticing but I would always treasure what was given to me. Even the simplest gift left in my pocket would bring a smile to my face for the rest of the day.

Usually it would be something simple like a rock with an unusual shape or feel to it, or a short length of braided thread I would wear like a bracelet. Sometimes it might even be a bit of dried food. But once in a great while it would be a bead that Momma would braid into my hair for me each day.

By the time I turned 12, I had 5 beads braided into the hair on each side of my face. Momma said the blue color of them matched the ocean we traveled to each year. That year, I worked hard searching with Momma until I had 10 small, blue flowers that I carefully preserved like I was taught by my mother.

After returning home, I went with Papa to the village with a small box made of woven grass. After just over an hour of following the sound of bells, I could hear my father calling to me. I stopped and gently placed the box on the ground at my feet.

"This is my gift to you, in return for all the wonderful things you have given me." I touched my braids gently as I spoke. "It's not much, but if they bring even the smallest of smiles to your face, then I will be happy. I have to go now, but I hope we play again next time I come back! And every time after!"

Turning, I made my way back towards my father, smiling as I heard the bells come close to the spot I had set the box down. The soft 'Thank you' that followed caused the butterflies in my stomach to fly.

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When I turned 14, I heard some of the teens in the village whispering about me. About how my hair caught the light of the sun. How my eyes were a nice color. For the most part I would ignore them, since in all these years they had not once ever paid attention to me before.

Except for the one with the bells. Lately, whenever I hear his bells chime from inside the tunnels, I can feel my heart begin to race just a little faster. Most likely because it knows I will end up chasing after the sound. Even my heart enjoys our game!

Walking deeper into the tunnels, I follow the familiar sound I had grown to love, my lips curved up into a smile I only ever wore for my parents and for the boy I followed about as his bell chimed from ahead of me.

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When I turned 15 I began to wonder if I would ever meet the boy I felt affection for. I had refused every other suitor so far, waiting for that one specific boy to finally speak to me, but so far the only thing I ever heard from him was the gentle sound of his bells as he followed me about.

Yes, in recent months I had begun hearing the bells trail behind me as much as I trailed after them. Where I had once been free to follow them down the endless tunnels the tribe had dug into the mountain, I now spent part of my days here helping my mother and father trade our goods with the villagers.

I also had to keep track of the young feline I had acquired during one of our trips. I'm not sure where the small bundle of fur had come from, but mother had said he was the cutest little black kitten she had ever laid eyes on. He seemed to come and go as he pleased, but somehow I always ended up waking to his gentle purr against my side each morning.

I'd quickly named him Mistofelees and attached a small braided collar to his neck, a bell hanging from the front. One that sounded different from 'his' bells, of course. I wouldn't want to get confused about who I was following.

It had been funny the first time Mistofelees followed me into the tunnels and I could hear 'his' bells stop as he froze at the sound of that tiny chime from behind me. I'd quickly explained that it was my new kitten. It took him a few weeks to get used to having another bell chime every once in a while when I came to play, but it soon became a new game for us to play with Mistofelees joining me in the chase.

Of course, if Mistofelees ever vanished away into the tunnels, I knew that he would be back at my side come morning. But only until he decided to vanish again. Sometimes I think I could hear him chasing the few small creatures that lived nearby. I could only hope that it would never be the sound of him being the one chased.

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On my 16th birthday, I stood frozen inside the tunnels as I heard my father talking with one of the villagers about me. Or more specifically, about marrying me to the man's only child next year when they came of age.

I couldn't stop the feeling of hurt, knowing that my father had not once thought to ask me if I approved before he began making these plans. Did my feelings really matter so little in this subject?

Slowly, I began dragging my feet down the corridor, for once ignoring the sounds of bells chiming, both in front of and behind me. All I could hear was my fathers words repeating over and over in my mind.

The bells ringing in front of me faded as they moved down a different hall, slowly making their way into a different part of the tunnels as I continued forward.

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The ceremony complete, the gathered people slowly began walking back into the tunnels, heads bowed as quiet whispers ran from one person to the next. I could feel several pairs of eyes watching me as I walked beside my father, my mind stuck on the freshly turned dirt of my almost-fiancees grave as their mother cried on her knees beside it.

The soft chime of bells for once did not being a feeling of warmth along with them.

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I could feel 'his' eyes on me as I walked through the tunnel, searching for Mistofelees as I listened for that one specific bell to chime in the distance. I felt my heart begin to race as I heard a bell sound from behind me.

"Mistofelees!" I called out, crouching down carefully as I reached a hand out, waiting to feel his soft fur brush against my fingertips.

I gasped and pulled back my hand against my chest when I felt an empty collar pressed into my fingertips.

"No! What did you do to him?!" I could feel the tears being falling down my face.

"Took it off." I could hear the soft voice whisper from in front of me, twin bells suddenly chiming as I felt two hands brushing tears from my cheeks.

"Why?" I asked, my voice trembling with sorrow.

"Don't want to share you anymore." My already dark world suddenly felt so much darker as the words that gentle voice said became clear to me.

"It was you..." The words passed through my lips as I felt the world start spinning around me, the pungent smell of burning herbs suddenly filling my nose.

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When I finally awoke, I could hear quiet breathing to one side of me. My heart stopped for a moment when I felt something around my waist tighten. Slowly reaching down, I realized it was an arm that I was feeling under my fingers.

"Who are you?" I whispered out, my voice shaking in fear.

"Seiryuu." His voice was soft as he whispered the name into my ear from behind. I could feel the warmth of his breath against my neck as his arm tightened gently around me. But no matter how soft or how gentle he was, all I could do was tremble as I lay there, trapped in his arms.

I jumped when I felt something furry brush against my fingers, thinking for a moment it might be Mistofelees until I realized it was even smaller than him.

"That's Ao." My heart sank when he confirmed it was not my own small friend returning to me.

"Why?" It was the only thing I could get out, the one question left racing through my mind in circles as I felt his fingers start running through my hair.

"I love you." His answer, although filled with a love that I had once wanted with all my being, now devastated me as I realized I was trapped here.

"Always love you." His hands slowly traced my skin, causing shivers to run down my spine. My dull eyes slowly closed, tears dampening the bedding under my head, as I felt warm lips slowly press against my neck.

I would be trapped here forever. After all, how could I escape from a prison I couldn't even see? I had never hated being blind as much as I did right now.