I used to fantasize about what this forest was like before magic faded into obscurity. Was it a young meadow? A rich valley? Perhaps the foliage sparkled with emerald-cut leaves that caught the delicate rays of the sun and turned the forest floor into a world of shifting light. Perhaps there was once wildlife that breathed magic into the air; mammals, amphibians and insects living in tandem with one another. A place where magic thrived, even in the smallest life form.

It was less depressing to think about than the bare, dying trees that make up what is left of the forest. Branches sway in a cold breeze, and everything is dead* quiet save for the crunching of my deerskin boots. I wish I brought something warmer to wear; linen robes lined with sheep wool isn't enough to keep myself from shivering. But I've only promised to go to the market and come back, so bringing my bulky wintertime coat would've raised suspicion. The empty wicker basket hangs in the crook of my arm.

Chewing my hair, I brainstorm possible locations within the Vreni Forest that Raynne would have stayed during these two months. Which is ridiculous, because she could have gone far beyond the Republic's borders by now. My sister is determined like that.

My huff sends a puff of white smoke in the air. Not for the first time, I wonder what in the four winds Raynne was thinking. I don't blame her, but...still. Where would she ever run to?

I suppose I'm not any better. I don't even know what clues to follow from here. If there's one thing we have in common, it's that we can't be bothered to plan ahead.

***

Raynne grins. "Ready?"

She blows onto a paper airplane I've folded myself. It takes off, soaring above our heads. I giggle and chase it, but my chubby toddler hands miss every time. The paper airplane is so brave that it swoops even lower, though it somehow evades me.

"It's like those windtails," I whine. "Can't it go slower?"

Raynne laughs. "Of course not! I gave it air magic, and air magic likes to be free."

She catches me and hugs me way too close to herself. I try to squirm out of her grasp. "You don't want to be like this all the time, do you?" she teases.

I kick my feet in vain. "You smell like halberries, " I complain while giggling uncontrollably. "Let me go!"

A shadow passes over us. I look up, expecting another chance to catch the airplane.

It's Mother.

***

My eyes glance at it again, but the shadow is gone before I can discern its features. It reappears in the corner of my vision.

How terribly our parents would scold me right now. It's not like I'm lost, I tell myself. I can get myself of the forest. I know the place better than anyone. I'm just...I'm just being followed. By someone. Or something. I've heard that wildcats, bears and the like hibernate in the winter, but perhaps I was dreadfully mistaken.

Light as a feather, the thing lands on my shoulder and lets out a high-pitch trill.

Raynne told me the windtail has a beautiful birdcall that would echo across Sorre, back when magic was as common as they were. The only thing I can hear are my ears ringing like a thousand bells. What adrenaline I had turned into annoyance. I glare at the mystical bird, not caring about its sleek tail feathers, nor the chocolate liquid eyes that peer back at me. "You're mean," I tell it.

It chirps and promptly takes flight. I watch it circle above before it starts to head west.

I chase after it.

***

Three distinctive thoughts run through my mind as I keep up with the wily bird.

One: It's fast. Almost ridiculously so. Air magic must be augmenting its speed. It took me several minutes purely to locate the windtail by following its taunting trills.

Two: I've never seen a real windtail before. If not for the picture books that Raynne used to read to me, I wouldn't have recognized the elusive species. Something forms in my gut that propels me to run faster and see the bird up close again.

And three: We are heading toward the mountains.

Forest floor turns to rough gravel, and coniferous trees are replaced with evergreen as we gain altitude. My body can feel the thinning air; my breaths become quicker, sharper. My legs are aching to the point where the windtail seems to sense my fatigue. More and more frequently it pauses to wait for me, watching me as I catch up.

It's at times like this that I wish I had air magic. How easy it would be, soaring above and going wherever I please! Not to mention that baking would be more than a piece of cake. I wonder why everyone, and especially our parents dislike Raynne so much. She has a wild streak, sure, but was it really that bad? Having magic should be a cause for celebration, not disgrace. Especially when it's so scarce.

Eventually I stop and lean against a slab of rock. The windtail lands and begins preening itself. Gathering my breath, I don't realize how high we are until I look below.

We're on a rough mountain bluff overlooking Northern Sorre. Most of the unhabited forests and plains have lost their autumn luster. Beyond, the sea is dark and stormy, a flat expanse of unknown depth that contrasts with the sleepy blue sky above. But there's a strange beauty to it despite the somber loom of winter. Everything, from the faint streaks of cloud to the squirrel bounding across a hill, is in striking clarity.

"Like the view?"

Raynne lands lightly from above and steps up beside me. "I bet this is the best view we'll ever get of Sorre."

My throat tightens, and I look at her. Raynne wraps her arms around me. I hug back tighter, embracing her warmth and smell of fresh pine. She whispers something in my ear, but I'm too focused on the fact that she's here, my sister really has come back, to really listen. It's when she stares back at me that I sense something is wrong.

"Will you come with me?"

I shake my head and step back, ignoring the flood of past clues that are clicking together like puzzle pieces. I don't like the picture it makes. "Raynne, no...you don't know what you're thinking-"

I instantly regret my words. Raynne's face crumples into an expression I recognize too easily. How many times have I seen that face when Mother or Father reprimand her?

She takes a deep, shaky breath. "Nadina...you're so lucky. You don't have to hide..."

I tug her sleeve. "I don't know what you're talking about," I say plaintively. Of course I know what she means. But sometimes she needs the comfort of a little sister, not an opinion.

Slowly, the words unravel. "Every day, Mother and Father look like they'd rather be rid of me. You saw it too, didn't you? I bet they treat you better, too."

As a shepard would treat their only sheep, perhaps. "They still don't love me, if that's what you mean," I say. Thinking about them makes my head hurt, partly because I know that I shouldn't care. But I do. "It's not your fault that they don't love you. I'm rather jealous of you. Magic is a blessing."

Then I gesture to the wilderness around us. "But where are you going to go, Raynne? Live in the forest? How are you going to feed yourself?"

I'm not sure if she hears me. She reaches for my hand in slow motion. I let her point it northwestward. "See that lake?"

I frown and squint. "There's no-"

Suddenly, the edges of my vision warps and bends, focusing the clear blue lake into view. I gape at Raynne. She grins. She's never shown me this trick before!

"Well, what do you see?" she prompts.

I look again. "...The lake is sparkling! But there's no sun today." I notice the more subtle details. The little green leaves that still occupy the tree branches. Black-capped songbirds flitting in and out. Even the very air seems warmer, and more inviting.

Raynne smiles. "I can't explain it myself, but...I think there's a sort of barrier that makes the place invisible. It keeps the cold out, too. Like a sanctuary."

A magical sanctuary. It sounds like something out of the storybooks Raynne read to me, but now it feels closer.

My stomach starts to tie itself in knots. At the same time, my eyes gravitate towards the shimmering lake.

"I know it can be scary...but trust me on this." Raynne holds my hands. "It's the only place I can go to."

Would I go, too? What would my life be like after leaving home? I don't even have magic. Would I be allowed to pass through the barrier?

I look up at the windtail that's been silently observing us. It fluffs out its neck feathers. Not a straightforward response, but it's good enough for me.

I'm not going to let my sister leave again. I'm not going to stay put and accept things the way they are. I'm done being afraid.

I set my eyes on the lake, our destination, our home. "So...how are we getting there?"

Raynne looks at me in a way that says she has a plan. "Let's fly."

I'm not very happy with the title...if you have any ideas, do put them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!