| abstract | - I got out of my bed and changed into my apprentice outfit. The sun was still down, giving me time to practice before it got too crowded. I ran down two flights of stairs to the training ring. I jumped over the gate. A dummy waited in the middle for me. I pulled out my sword and swung with all my might. I kept landing blow after blow, till the dummy was no more. "ARGH!" I cried out in anger and frustration. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I allowed myself that moment to cry. "You killed another one?!" A familiar voice came from behind me. I turned to find my best friend Dominic Montiare. He leaned on the gate with his arms crossed. The grin that was spread across his face dissipated. "Yeah." A soft laugh escaped from me. I wiped away the tears that clung to my cheek. I tried to force a smile but it was almost impossible to do. "Why is the birthday-girl crying?" Dominic vaulted himself over the gate and walked over to me. "It's your day, Kaylee. You shouldn't be training," Dominic touched my cheek with his hand."Or crying." "What the hell should I do then?" I crossed my arms and waited for a response. "Come on." Dominic's hand left my cheek and grabbed my free hand. " Melanie will make you a pie." A smile spread across my face. I loved pie. I put my sword back into its sheath, and let Dominic take me away. Dominic led me to the kitchen. The sun started rise, and other apprentices appeared for training. The smell of fresh apple pie washed over me as Dominic and I entered the kitchen. "Happy Birthday, Kaylee!" A round, middle age women pulled me into a tight hug. Strands of her blonde hair were pulled loose from the bun. "Thanks, Melanie." I pulled away and offered Melanie a smile. "Now, where's that pie?" I scanned the room and found it on the table. I walked over to the pie and cut a slice for Melanie, Dominic, and I. I dug into the apple pie and with every bite I could taste the apples, cinnamon sugar. "She grows up so fast." A rough male voice rang from behind me. I turned around to see a young male leaning against a door frame. He had light brown hair that fell down a few inches above his eyebrows. Stubble dotted his cheeks and chin. His blue eyes sparkled in the light. "Josh!" I squealed. I got up from my chair and ran to hug my old friend. Josh was four years older than Dominic and I. He graduated from the Heroes Guild two years ago, making Josh a hero. Josh's cotten shirt was soft against my cheek, and his strong arms pulled me closer to his chest. "I go by the name of 'Bloodhound' most days," Josh smiled down at me. "But today you can call me Josh." "Hey." Dominic said with a wide grin across his face. Josh held on to me with one arm and greeted Dominic with the other. They grabbed each other by the forearm and shook hands firmly. "Looks like my baby brother is doing well." Josh pulled Dominic and I into a group hug. Josh and Dominic were brothers. You wouldn't know it unless they were standing right next to each other. Dominic had soft blonde hair, while Josh's hair was light brown and was kind of rough. They had the same eyes though. Deep, piercing blue. Their parents were the Heroes Red-Rose and Bear-Claw. Josh released us from the hug and joined us for pie. "I got you a little something, Kaylee." Josh said in between bites. "Josh," I smiled. "You didn't have to do that." "I was on a quest." Josh pulled out a small box wrapped in colorful paper. "I found it and thought you might like it." Josh gave me a sheepish smile. I opened the box to find a gold band ring on a chain. I lifted it out of the box and stared speachlessly at it. The ring was beautiful. The shinny gold twinkled in the light. It looked to be a few sizes too big for me, Must have been why it was on a chain. "It's said that the ring once belonged a great Hero named WolvesBane." Josh took the ring out of my hands and placed it around my neck. "His wife said that WolvesBane wanted their only child to be the one to wear it, To always remember her Hero father. Unfortunatly, WolvesBane died protecting his wife and kid from a bandit raid. His wife and child escaped, but no one knows where the child went. WolvesBane's wife refused to let her child grow up in a world where everyone would ask her questions. They say that his child is here at the Heroes Guild." "So if his little girl is here, why are you giving this to me and not her?" I questioned Josh and his motives. "I gave it you because you are Kaylee Blackwood. The daughter of WolvesBane and Rebecca Blackwood."
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