Ignore the bad grammar...lol...this is just if you need to refresh yourself! Also sorry some of the Chapter titles are missing...

Prologue:

She sprang over a fallen log landing gracelessly on the other side. She then ran as fast as she could her heart racing inside her chest, sounding like a drumbeat in her ears. She ducked as an arrow soared past her head, she heard the angry growls from behind, this was her luck. She thought back about everything that had ever happened to her.

Her parents died when she and her twin brother were young and they went to live with their uncle, but he sold them. She was separated from her brother. But her brother had promised to come back for her, to find her. Did she believe it, yes she did.

She had escaped from the buck who had bought her after two years, she had been unable to take anymore. She couldn’t stand the pain, the beatings, the words he yelled at her that she was a weak, pathetic, useless, little freak. Tears came to her eyes even now, so she ran faster. She saw that the wolves were gaining on her.

She ran around a tree and hid behind it, then she pulled out the long necklace from her dress, her brother had given it to her as the buck who had bought her dragged her away. He had told her to keep it and that there was a key that would open it. It was their mothers and so he kept the key and told her that as long as she had the necklace and he had the key they would always be able to find each other, then he had hugged her.

More and more tears ran down her face. She looked up into the sky as snow fell down on her face, she just wanted someone to love her and tell her that she was brave, she was pretty, that she could do anything. She took a deep breath as she ran out from behind the tree and into the deepening snow.

Faster, she told herself, run faster. Something scratched her back and she yelled out in pain. She tried running faster, she had too her life depended on it. She didn’t want to die; she was too young to die. She tried to force herself to run faster, but her lungs were tight and her air came in short gasps. Her lungs ached with short spasms of pain as they tighten in her chest. She tripped on her dress and fell to the ground.

She felt a wolf’s claws dig into her back; pain riding up her spine. They win, this is the end, she thought. she counted in her head, hoping that would take her mind away from the pain. One…two…three…but she couldn’t stand it as more claws dug into her already pain riddled back, she screamed.

Why is the pain so bad, why did she always have to have pain? She thought it would never end but then she heard a rough voice say, “That is enough, let’s go.”

Before she knew it the wolves left and she was alone in the cold, wounded, left to die. She tried to move but a sharp pain slowly moved through her back. She cried out, tears running down her face again. The only thing she could do was keep awake and call for help. “Help, please someone help me.” She said that for hours and hours, but no one came. What’s the use, she thought to herself, she would die out here a slow and painful death. She was cold and she just wanted someone to help her. Why did she have to be so weak, maybe the buck who bought had been right, maybe she was weak and useless, and a freak.

That won’t do, she thought to herself. She slowly stood up pain coursing through her but she ignored it. She stood her whole body shaking as she looked down at her clothes. She was covered in blood, she felt sick. But she started walking slowly, the pain getting more intense by the moment. Her vision blurred she became dizzy and still she pressed on. Then she collapsed. She cried out in defeat and agony, as she faded out. The cold snow pouring down on her, she would die and no one would know, no one would care.

She woke and looked around. No one was there it was just her. She tried to move, but the pain, oh the pain. It was like nothing she had ever felt before and she had felt a lot in her life. She had been whipped, slammed to the ground, yelled at, and was used for a shield. She had nightmares and visions like no others, she never knew what they meant and neither did she want to find out. She called for help one last time before she fell asleep again and hoped that someone would find her.

Chapter 1: Sidetracked

He looked out the window at a beautiful doe. She had long shiny black fur with amber eyes, she was so pretty. He took his eyes off of her and looked down at the broom that he held in his hands. You should get to back to work before Sir Connor gets you in trouble, he thought to himself. He was about to do his chores when he heard Sir Connor yelling his name.

“Leo! Leo! You are dead you hear me!”

He turned his head to see a tall rabbit walking towards him. The rabbit wore black clothes and carried a whip by his side, this was Sir Conner and he did not look happy.

“Yes sir,” he said. Sir Connor didn’t speak, instead he grabbed Leo’s arm and slung him through the closed door. Leo crashed through the door landing outside and rolling over and over again on the ground. Pain attacked him with every roll. He heard a loud sound from the whip as Sir Connor cracked it. Leo hated whips. He looked up at Sir Connor, “I’ll do my chores, just please don’t…” he said glancing nervously at the whip.

Sir Connor looked down at him with a small smile showing on his face. He then said, “You already had your chance.” Sir Connor then slung the whip out at Leo. It hit Leo’s arm and he cried out in pain. It was tense and terrible. “Please, please stop Sir Connor.” He said as he grasped his bleeding arm that felt like it was on fire.

Sir Connor didn’t stop. He just kept doing it. Leo did everything he could, he begged and everything and finally it stopped. “You all see, this is what happens when you don’t do what I tell you to do! DO you understand?” Sir Connor didn’t look at Leo just kicked him in the stomach then left.

Leo wanted to scream in pain but he had no air left in him, so he laid there gasping. All the other servants left, glancing at him but none of them brave enough to help him. Once everyone was gone the black doe came. Tara that was her name, she walked over to him and bent beside him. “I’m so sorry Leo,” she said as tears ran down her face.

“It’s not your fault,” he said, groaning.

“I know, but you need to get out of here, look what happened to you, this shouldn’t happen. I mean look at you,” she said, looking at his tore blood covered clothes.

Leo looked at his clothes, they were covered in blood, his blood and it hurt so bad. The agonizing pain filled his whole body. He looked at her, “We can escape together.”

“Percy, I mean Percy will find out,” Tara said looking down.

“You mean your fiancé, but you don’t want to marry him, besides if they see you helping me you will be disgraced and you know it, you’re a Lord’s daughter, I’m just a servant.”

“Percy is not my fiancé and I do not love him at all he is forcing me to do it, he says if I don’t he’ll disgrace my family, you know my father’s been ill Leo. I’m scared. I just want to be somewhere safe but its not safe in this world.” Tara said as more tears ran down her face.

He wiped the tears away from her eyes, the pain to move was intense, growing worse by the moment. He hugged Tara pulling her close, letting her cry on his shoulder which made him think of his twin sister, where was she? He turned his mind back to Tara, “It’s going to be fine,” He said, he wanted to escape like she said, but he didn’t want to leave her, he couldn’t leave another rabbit he loved. But they couldn’t escape now, not yet anyway. He pulled away form the hug and looked at her, she was so pretty she didn’t deserve to be without anyone she loved. He smiled at her, “You need to go, we don’t want them to see us together.”

She smiled back at him and nodded her head. She then got up slowly, looked at him then left.

Leo was left there alone. He got up slowly, fighting to keep from crying out as he did so, the pain was bad. He walked toward the house slowly, although he didn’t want to go in, he didn’t want to see Sir Connor. But he had to go in. All the servants looked at him as he passed and some gasped. He walked past Sir Connor sitting in his chair by the fire and shuffled to the kitchen.

He sat down at the table, collapsing into the chair as he laid his head on the table and clenched his teeth. He wouldn’t let this happen again; he wouldn’t get sidetracked next time. But that’s what he always told himself and he always got sidetracked. He then heard Sir Connor say, “Why aren’t you doing your chores Leo?”

Leo looked up. “I can’t sir it hurts.”

Sir Connor walked over to him and grabbed him by the shredded remains of his shirt. “I don’t care how bad it hurts; you do as I say!”

Leo nodded his head. Sir Connor let go of his shirt. Leo stood shakily and stumbled toward the broom across the room. His steps faltering, his vision blurring, the whole room was spinning around in circles. He stood still trying to get his bearings as his head felt like it was floating away, then he fell to the floor and fainted.

Chapter 2: Cold Run

The cold snow crunched underneath their numb feet. The harsh wind blew through their fur causing them to shiver, but they walked on. They walked into the cold harsh wind as snow fell down on them, now they wouldn’t be able to see the tracks of the wolves, that was just great. A short, young, white buck with black powdered into his fur, and greenish blue eyes stopped walking. He wore nice clothes and carried a well-made sword by his side, around his neck hung a gem on a silver chain, a green emerald, the Green Ember. He was the heir, King Lander’s second son and his name was Adrian Grant, more often called by his friends and family Grant which his great-grandfather Grant had started.

Adrian Grant looked over at Captain Massie, he was a tall brown rabbit and carried a bow and a sword. Massie was loyal to the king and loyal to him as well and was one of the only rabbits close to him who called him Prince Adrian instead of Grant.

Adrian Grant then turned his eyes to Brindle Cove’s son, Kei, whose given name was Keith but he hated that name so insisted people call him Kei instead. Kei was reddish in color with dark brown eyes and he had two swords strapped to his back. Kei had a twin sister named Abbi Gale who was very pretty, the rumor was that she would be queen, but he didn’t really like her and she didn’t really like him, which was fine with him she wasn’t really his type.

He looked over at Captain Massie again as he said, “How are we going to find the tracks in this weather and get back home? I think we should head back.”

Massie looked at him for a long moment then nodded his head as he said, “I think your right Prince Adrian, we should head back before the weather gets worse.”

Adrian Grant turned to head back and saw something on the ground beside him. Something burning bright against the snow in deep contrast, blood stains. Kei and Massie had already started to leave. “Kei, Massie wait, you need to see this.” He then bent down by the stains.

Massie bent down beside him and examined the blood, he then said, “This isn’t wolf blood this is rabbit blood.”

Adrian Grant rose. “What?”

He then heard Kei say, “There’s more and its heading that way.” Kei pointed to a trail and then ran down it, Adrian Grant followed him, Captain Massie not far behind them. He ran fast and passed Kei, then he froze as he saw the worse image he had ever seen. A doe lay on the ground, she was covered in blood as was the ground around her. He turned his head away, he thought he was going to be sick. He didn’t talk as Massie and Kei ran over to the doe, he swallowed big and followed them. Kei was by Massie’s side helping but Adrian Grant didn’t bend down, he couldn’t. He watched Captain Massie check her pulse, he waited.

“She has a pulse its weak, but she has one. We need to get her out of here.” Massie said looking to Adrian Grant.

Adrian Grant nodded as he said, “Me and Kei can run ahead and get a doctor to come out and meet you.”

Massie nodded, a look of slight pity in his eyes as he seemed to notice how nervous Adrian Grant was. “That’s a good idea.” Adrian Grant watched as Captain Massie picked the doe up in his strong arms. The doe lay there as limp as a rag covered in blood. He tore his eyes away gagging and feeling sick, he couldn’t stand the sight of blood, especially that much blood.

He then looked to Kei and said, “Let’s go.” As he ran off, Kei hard on his heels. They ran in the deep cold faster than they ever had their lungs burned and it was hard for them to breathe in the cold air, but they ran on anyways. They soon reached the warren and ducked past the startled entrance guards. Not letting up any speed they zipped through tunnels until they reached the hospital. They busted through the doors and Adrian Grant gasped out, “We need a doctor.” To the first rabbit he saw. The nurse nodded her head as she went to get a doctor.

Soon a doctor hurried out with a medical bag and coat which he was shrugging on as he ran. He nodded to the two bucks and they turned to lead the doctor back to Massie and the doe. They would go back into the cold.

Chapter 3: Awake

She opened her eyes then clinched her teeth as a sharp pain ran through her head and down her back. She then looked over the room trying to distract herself from the pain. She wasn’t in a hospital that much she could tell. The room she was in was big. A large tapestry hung on the wall to her right, it showed a grey rabbit holding high a black shining blade. Under the tapestry was a desk and chair. A jewelry box sat on the desk, long necklaces and jeweled bracelets lay around it.

On the other side of the room a large wardrobe stood. It was a beautiful work of art carved with intricate details of flowers and vines. A modest chandelier hung from the ceiling five candles burning brightly. She had never seen such beauty.

She tried to sit up in the bed so she could get a better look around, but the pain was too much and she let out a cry. She fell back onto the bed and laid there for a long time, before pulling the necklace from the front of her dress. She looked at the heart shaped locket and slid her finger across its smooth grey surface and the red gem in it’s center.

She held it tightly in her hands as tears started in her eyes. “I’ll find you Leo,” she said quietly to herself. Then she heard a door open. She sat up quickly as she let out a cry of pain, that had been a bad idea.

“It’s okay I’m not going to hurt you,” a doe’s voice said. It was sweet and calm and beautiful.

She looked to the doe. She was reddish in color with darker red tips to her fur, and dark brown eyes that looked kind, but held a hint of fire. The doe wore a long green dress that had beautiful white flowers that went up the skirt and around the sleeves and waist. She watched as the doe walked over to her. “Who are you?”

The doe smiled, “My name is Abbi Gale Cove and what’s your name?” Abbi asked.

“My name is Aliegha Kay Peters,” she said smiling. She then said, “So you are a medic?”

She watched as Abbi smiled shaking her head. “No and thank goodness I’m not. I want to be a scribe, but I don’t know if that will happen. What about you?”

Aliegha thought for a while about what she wanted to be. Then said, “I would like to be a field medic like my mother was.”

Abbi nodded her head and said, “I think you would do better than I would, I would probably scare all the patients.”

They laughed together and Aliegha laughed so hard that pain shot up her back, but she ignored it. She then looked into Abbi’s dark brown eyes as she said, still laughing, “I’m sure that is not true Abbi.”

“But it is so true,” Abbi said, smiling, then she added, “but never mind that how do you feel?”

Aliegha thought for a moment, she already knew the answer but she took a minute to think anyway. She liked Abbi and she was sure they were going to be great friends. “It still hurts,” she said slowly, “not as much as it used to, and I’m used to pain so its okay.” She looked down not wanting to see the pity she was sure would be in Abbi’s eyes.

She then heard Abbi say, “Well its okay, no ones going to hurt you here.” The Abbi hugged her. Aliegha was startled but she hugged her back.

The Abbi pushed away as she said, “Well, I would love to stay and chat but I better go check on my brother and Grant, they probably have poor Gabriella and Cleo driven crazy by now.”

“Who are Gabriella and Cleo and Grant? And what’s your brother’s name?” Aliegha asked partly out of curiosity and partly because she didn’t want Abbi to leave.

“Gabriella and Cleo are my friends and the twin princesses of King Lander and Queen Shakira. Grant is actually Prince Adrian Grant, but we call him Grant, he and my brother Keith, better known as Kei, found you with Captain Massie. They ran all the way back to fetch a doctor and their both down with a cold now, but they’ll live.” Abbi said as she smiled. She then walked to the door and said before slipping out, “Get some rest Aliegha, there’s lots to do once you get better.”

Then Abbi was gone and she was left alone. She closed her eyes and fell asleep and drifted into a world of nightmares and visions.

Chapter 4:

A few days later:

Leo worked hard in the cold winter air as he tried to think of a way to escape. It wasn’t going well. He thought of every single way, but none of them would work. He thought about sneaking out in the night, but what if they found out. He sighed it was not worth trying. He thought of some more ideas but dismissed them all with one excuse or another.

He heard someone trying to get his attention it was a doe’s voice. “Hello, hello. You there.” He turned his head to his left, but no one was there.

“That’s right you there.” He turned his head to his right and saw a beautiful doe. She was average in height, white in color with a gold spot that went around her eye, and the prettiest eyes. She wore a beautifully elegant red dress, but though it was gorgeous it did not outshine her natural beauty in anyway.

“Are you talking to me?” He said nervously, looking around to see if there was anyone else.

“Yes, I am and it was hard to get your attention. I was wondering if you could help me with something, I need someone as tall as you,” she said, as she looked him over.

Leo looked down he was tall, taller than most bucks his age. “Well I don’t know, I’m kind of busy as you can tell.” He held up his axe over a piece of wood.

She smiled and shook her head, “I believe that can wait. Now come along, follow me.”

Leo didn’t know if he wanted to follow her, she made him so nervous. “What’s your name?” He asked as he reluctantly began to follow her.

“My name, well let’s see.” She stopped and turned toward him a mischievous smile on her face as she placed her hands on her hips and said, “Let’s see, oh yes. I think I remember now.” She smiled at him; it was a beautiful smile. Leo thought that she was so beautiful, right up there with Tara. “My name is Julia, but you can call me Jul. Now come along.” She turned back around and nodded her head for him to follow her.

Leo glanced around as everyone looked at him. “Are you sure I’m not getting in trouble? I mean, by you know who…”

Jul looked back at him, “He’s not here. He went to the auction to buy more servants. Now come on.” She seemed frustrated that he kept asking questions.

“Fine.” Leo said surrendering to his fate whatever it was. He followed Julia into a shed, but he paused in the doorway of the shed as he saw something. He saw Tara in front of her home, she looked beautiful. But Tara wasn’t alone there was someone with her. A tall brown buck, with the darkest green eyes Leo had ever seen. The buck carried a spear and wore the fine clothes of the higher standing citizens. Leo focused on Tara; she was wearing the prettiest light blue dress that paired perfectly with her dark fur. It was long and had a beautiful train that flowed out behind her, it had bell sleeves, and flowers and vines embroidered on the skirt of the dress. She had thin silver ringlets around one ear that made a vine, and a long necklace with a flower pendant. He wanted to look at her all day, but he heard Julia yelling his name, again.

“Hello, Leo I’m waiting.” She said.

He turned toward her. “Of course, what is it you wanted me to get.”

She pointed up to the top shelf and a pair of shears that laid on it. “I need those so I can trim the roses.”

“Of course.” Leo said as he reached up and grabbed the shears and shoved them toward her.

“What’s wrong with you,” Julia asked as she took the shears.

“Nothing,” Leo answered. “I just need to get back to work, and I’m sure you have other things to do than talk to a servant, or better yet a slave.”

He watched as Julia rolled her eyes. “Bucks are so annoying; I will never understand them. We want the same thing and that is…”

Leo huffed Julia was getting on his nerves. He then heard her say, “We both want Tara happy. I’m going to go now, since you are so busy with whatever you are doing.” Julia then left the shed and Leo was happy.

He stepped out of the shed and leaned against the wall. Now he could stare at Tara as long as he wanted. He didn’t know who the buck with her was, but he guessed it was fiancé, Percy. He watched as they walked and talked. Tara didn’t look happy with him. He watched as Percy reached for her hand and she pulled away. Percy then grabbed Tara’s arm and spun her to face him as he raised his hand and struck her across the face.

Leo wanted to do something but it was too late Percy had already slapped her. He saw Tara cry out in pain as tears welled in her eyes. It broke his own heart, so he ran over to her as fast as he could. When he got there, he wrapped Tara in his arms.

He then heard Percysay, “Get off her, you scum.”

Leo didn’t say anything, he just held Tara that was all he could do as she cried in his arms. It made him want to cry, he looked up at Percy and said, “Why would you hurt someone? Why would you hurt someone like Tara? What did she do to you?”

Percy smiled and said his voice stern, “I won’t tell you again you little freak. Get away from my fiancé or else.”

Leo stayed still, he was scared of this rabbit, but he wasn’t going to let him hurt Tara. “I’m not a freak,” he managed to say. “If anyone’s a freak around here it’s you. You hurt Tara and if you ever hurt Tara again, I will find out and do something about it. If you ever hurt her again, I will make sure you regret it.”

“You don’t know who you are talking to freak.” Percy said, haughtily as he added, “I beg to differ with you, you will be the one to pay. You will see.” With that Percy stalked off.

Then it was just Leo and Tara, he hugged her tighter in his arms. He then heard her speak, her voice shaken. “Oh, thank you. Thank you.”

His heart broke to see her so shaken. He broke away from the hug and wiped tears from her eyes. Then he laid his hand on her face and she leaned into it. “I would do anything for you, even if it meant dying. I would gladly be the one to die for you. Never forget that you mean everything to me. You remind me of someone I used to know well.”

Tara shook in his arms as she sobbed. They slid to the ground and sat there together as the wind whipped their fur. They cried in each other’s embrace as the cold air closed in around them.

Chapter 5:

Adrian Grant lay in bed, lost in deep thoughts. He wondered about the doe they had found last week and if she felt better? He thought many more thoughts as he tried to fall asleep. Kei was already asleep so, he thought it would be good if he got some rest too. He closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep when a scream echoed down the hall. His eyes shot open, and he looked to Kei. He was awake, and they both looked at each other. Then jumped out of bed and ran to their swords, strapping them on quickly before bolting out the door.

Adrian paused in the hall, trying to figure out where the screams were coming from. He looked down the hall to where his sisters' and parent’s rooms were. He saw his mother with a hand on each of his sisters’ shoulders. She nodded in the other direction, and Adrian and Kei took off in that direction.

They ran down the hall and soon arrived at a door where his father, King Lander, stood sword drawn. Adrian also saw his older brother Nicholas, Captain Massie, a few guards, and Abbi, who was standing to the side.

He watched as his father looked the group over and said, “Captain Massie and I will go in and see what's up. The rest of you stay out here unless we call for you. Grant, that means you and Kei as well.”

Adrian Grant shook his head. “No, I’m coming with you, please!"

King Lander looked at his son for a long moment before finally consenting. Adrian drew his sword and took his place behind Captain Massie as he winked at Kei. They then entered the room, fanning out to cover more ground. Adrian Grant saw that Abbi had followed them inside, and he rolled his eyes does. He wanted to tell her to leave, but he knew it would be no use. Abbi was a stubborn doe, and everyone knew it.

Adrian Grant couldn’t see past Captain Massie, but he held his ground and prepared himself for anything. Then Captain Massie stepped aside, and he saw by the flickering light of a candle that no one was in the room but a beautiful, terrified looking doe. She had sweat dripping from her fur, and her breathing was fast and rough. She had what appeared to be brown fur, but the flickering candle soon revealed that the brown was highlighted with gold, and here and there, when the light fell right, you could see red fur glimmering. Her fur was like none Adrian had ever seen. He hadn't known you could have that many colors mixed into your fur.

He then looked into the doe’s face and saw a pair of grey-blue eyes peering back at him. They were large with fright, but to him, it only made them all the more beautiful.

Abbi shoved past him and ran over to the doe. She then wrapped the doe in a hug, and the doe started crying as she rocked back and forth while Abbi shushed her. Adrian watched his father bend down by the bed and take the doe’s hand.

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry!” The doe said, choking on sobs.

Abbi gently rubbed the back of the doe’s head. “It’s okay, we’ve got you,” Abbi said, her voice sweet and assuring.

Adrian didn’t know what to do so, he continued watching as his father squeezed the doe’s hand and said, “It’s okay, Aliegha. Now tell us what’s wrong.”

The doe, Aliegha, nodded her head slowly as she pulled away from Abbi. “It was just dreams. I dreamed that…” Aliegha stopped as more tears ran down her face.

“What was the dream?” His father asked, his voice gentle and kind.

Aliegha looked scared, and Adrian Grant felt bad for her. She swallowed hard and then took a deep breath. “There was so much that happened. I don’t even know where to start.” She said, her voice shaking.

Abbi put her hand on the doe’s shoulder as she said, “Start from the beginning.”

Aliegha took a deep breath, then started talking as they all listened.

“Well, I was on the ground. I don’t know where I was, but he was there. He had come for me, and he was everywhere I couldn’t get away. He was taking me away. My hands were chained; I was bleeding. It was so scary and so real I could feel his hand gripping my arm. I could feel the pain as he beat me. He dragged me away, back to that place.” Aliegha looked up her eyes tear-filled and terrified as she said, “My dreams always come true. I don’t want him to take me away, please, don’t let him take me!”

Aliegha crumpled onto Abbi's shoulder, and Abbi hugged her. Adrian Grant watched, his heartbreaking for this doe whom he hardly knew. He watched as his father hugged the two does and started talking to them in a quiet voice.

Adrian Grant then felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Captain Massie, who then nodded his head toward the door. It was time for them to leave the room. Adrian nodded and left the room. But as he left, he made a promise to himself. No one would hurt that doe again. No one would drag her away. He would make sure of that.

Chapter 6:

Percy paced back and forth; he was going to get revenge sooner or later. He was going to take something from that rabbit, Leo. He was going to do something big, something that Leo loved dearly. But what did Leo love?

He smiled, Tara. Leo loved Tara and would do anything for her. Percy laughed as he thought of a plan, a perfect plan. Of course, he couldn't hurt Tara, but what about her sister. Yes, Percy stepped over to his little brother, who was lounging by the fire. His brother was brown with white splotches and the darkest brown eyes; a double-sided battleax lay on the floor beside him.

"I have a plan, Marcellus," Percy said, chuckling at the idea.

'What is it, Percival?" Marcellus said, uninterested.

"So, this Leo happens to like Tara, he would do anything for her or her family. So, this is where my plan comes in. I am going to kill Tara's sister." Percy then laughed at his genius idea.

Marcellus looked at him and chuckled sightly. Then they looked at each other for a minute before Percy said, "Let's get to work."

Aliegha lay in bed; she had not been able to sleep after the king and Abbi left. The prince, Captain Massie, and all of them that had come had been nice, but she still couldn't sleep. She didn't want to have that dream again. She sat up slowly and winced as a sharp pain shot down her back. Her back still hurt pretty bad, but it was feeling better.

She cocked her ear as she heard the door opening; she hoped it was Abbi. It wasn't Abbi, but it was a doe. She was average in height with long golden fur, brown tipped ears, and hazel eyes that leaned more toward green. The doe was wearing a long pink dress with a darker pink ribbon tied around her waist in a perfect bow; there was also a matching bow on the doe's ear. The dress was elegant and beautiful, and so was the doe.

The doe smiled as she walked into the room and towards the bed where Aliegha lay. Aliegha smiled back at the doe as she said, "Who are you?"

"I'm Gabriella," the doe said quietly as she added, "Abbi said that she will be here in a minute, and I, I just wanted to see how you felt."

"I feel much better, thank you," Aliegha said.

Gabriella smiled as she nodded her head, "Good."

Abbi then came into the room, a big grin on her face. She then ran over to the bed and said in excitement, "The doctor said you could actually walk some today! But first, we need to get you some clothes because that is not going to work." Abbi waved at the ruined dress draped across a chair, and then at the nightgown, Aliegha was at this moment wearing.

Aliegha smiled at Abbi. "Okay," she said.

Abbi walked over to the big decorative wardrobe and opened it. Aliegha's eyes widened when she saw all the dresses in the wardrobe. Gabriella walked over to Abbi, and Aliegha watched as they whispered to each other and looked at the dresses. She heard Gabriella say, "No, that one isn't right." Or "No, that one would clash with her fur." After a while, Abbi pulled out a beautiful robin egg blue dress. The dress had beautiful lavender flowers that went around the hem of the skirt and sleeves. A lavender ribbon tied around the middle of the dress, and a matching shawl hung with the dress.

Gabriella then said, "Yes, that's perfect!"

Aliegha then watched as the two does walked over to her. They helped her out of bed. The pain was a little intense at first, but it felt better once she was on her feet. The two does then helped her get dressed. Once she was dressed, Abbi took one of her hands, and Gabriella took the other, and they walked her over to a mirror. Aliegha looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was beautiful; she looked beautiful.

Tears came to her eyes, but these weren't tears of sadness; these were tears of happiness and joy. She looked at the two does as she wrapped the shawl around her shoulders.

"This is just the beginning," Gabriella said with a smile.

Aliegha hugged them both. "Oh, thank you, thank you so much!" Aliegha then backed away and pulled the necklace out of the dress, so it showed. It reminded her of her brother Leo. Oh, how much she missed him.

Then Gabriella and Abbi grabbed her hands and pulled her out of the room, giggling. Aliegha sighed. Her heart was full of so much joy; she didn't know what to do with it.