• Prologue

    “Falcon,” A girl fought back tears of dread as she ran through the bushes into a dark clearing. She tripped and fell, ripping her dress and getting dirt on her purse. She stood up as her auburn hair and light lilac dress fluttered in the gentle breeze. All around her stood hundred foot pine trees swallowed by the shadows. The girl feared the woods, the darkness, and the evil the shadows beheld.
    She ran to the center of the clearing and knelt by a body of man, tears streaming down her face. She starred at his pale face, his dark cerulean eyes peacefully closed. His mouth was slightly open as if he was trying to tell her something.
    “Falcon…” the girl whispered. She spotted a piece of paper in his black jeans. She ran her slim fingers through his bronze hair. She took out the paper ever so carefully, like she was stealing it while he was asleep. The note, in his perfect handwriting, read:

    Dove,
    My love if you are reading this, I am dead. This means I cannot marry you, as I intended. Don’t through your life away because I was foolish enough to get caught. You must have a future, please. I am not the only one; there is still hope for you. Reach in my pocket. I love you, goodbye.
    Falcon

    New tears formed as Dove read the note. She stroked his long falcon wings, soothing herself. She reached inside his pocket and took out a ring. It was a stunning ring, solid gold with a diamond dove in the middle. Dove starred at the ring, running her fingers across the sparkling dove, until she heard horses cantering in the distance. She put the note into her petite lavender purse.
    “If Falcon wanted me to live I shall, but not them.” Dove filled with rage and her hands formed fists. She stretched her long dove wings, ready to fly away if needed.
    Seven horses galloped into the clearing. Six were a deep, chocolaty brown and the largest one, the one in the center, was pure black. One of the horses snorted as the rider yanked on the reins to stop. Dove starred at the men. Dove couldn’t make out the details of their faces, but she could see the symbol that they wore proudly on their chest, a lion killing a bird…the symbol of Berd hunters.
    “Hello Dove,” the center rider said. He chuckled. “Hello Falcon.”
    The men behind him snickered.
    “You…” Dove whispered.
    “Yes, me. And you’re next. I’ll rip your heart out just like his, no mercy,” the man said in a casual voice. The man narrowed his eyes and he smiled.
    “Zador!” Dove screamed. She fell to her knees.
    “What are you waiting for, kill her!” Zador impatiently. . He glared at his men. They immediately took out their crossbows and shoved arrows in them.
    Dove picked herself up and took to the night sky. As she flew towards the stars she heard the whistling of arrows fly by her head. She turned around and looked at the insignificant group of specks on the ground, then flattened her wings onto her back. She shot down head first like a piece of hail, towards them.
    The horses snorted, and started to kick up dirt at the sight of her approach. A cloud of dirt surrounded the men and horses. The men started to cough and sneeze into their sleeves and the horses thrashed their heads. The horses whined and kicked. The men wrapped their arms around their horse’s neck, trying to stay on.
    “Get her you fools.” Zador coughed. Tears ran down his sand-filled eyes.
    The men struggled to stay on their horses and to complete the task of killing Dove…they failed both. The horses kicked and the men shot through the air, knocking Zador and his horse to the ground. The horse snorted and got up, leaving Zador behind. It trotted into the forest, with the others behind. Dove laughed. She took one last look and then flew towards the stars.

    ~

    Dove closed her eyes as she felt the wind brush across her face. Her tears had dried and she focused on her flight, to keep her mind from wandering. She concentrated on the wind, whistling in her ear. Her wings ached and she longed to curl up next to Falcon and stroke his soft wings. Tears formed as she thought about her love.
    Dove closed her eyes and shuddered. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up. A full moon was above her; she looked below and saw a stone formation. She glided down and let her feet hover above the ground, her feet silently dropped down and the dew from the grass dampened her high heels. She began walking towards the center of the formation. She took of her shoes and dropped them on the wet grass.
    Dove glided into the formation and looked around, she was in a stone circle. She spotted a pedestal in the direct center and walked over to it. She climbed on top of the stone and looked around.
    Dove counted walls, there were four. Each wall had a bird carved into it; there was a Hummingbird, Dove, Eagle, and Vulture. The Eagle looked like it was the most important, he held his head up high in honor and spread his wings wide. The Vulture looked sinful and wicked, they showed no respect like the other birds, which had their heads, bowed to the Eagle. Dove shuddered; the Vulture’s eyes reminded Dove of Zador, they were cold, dark, and bloodthirsty. Dove turned around and looked into the eyes of the carved dove, she felt…strange.
    Suddenly the carving lit up. Dove froze in shock; suddenly all the carvings moved off the walls and started circling her. The stone birds became a blur of light around Dove. She screamed and tried to escape the dreadful luminosity, but it held her like a steel cage. She dropped to her knees and let the light consume her.