Anxiety clutched at my soul as a dark form, black upon black shot towards me. The eyeless figure with teeth like stalagmites was getting closer and closer aiming for my heart. Somehow I knew that if one wisp of that shadowy like mist touched me, I would be gone forever. Thrashing wildly I flailed in the tresses that held me, trying to get away. I froze as I felt a claw grip onto my tunic.
Snapping my head up, I was jerked into consciousness. I looked about me and a wave of vertigo hit. I was skimming the clouds with the sunset glinting off of them. I would have enjoyed it if I was not so uncomfortable. Twisting myself to look up, I saw the underbelly of a feathered creature. Its powerful wings beat the gust of wind and clouds, sending them spiraling after us. Looking farther along the powerful body, the feathers had changed to fur as two giant cat paws were tucked into its reddish fur. Switching my direction from the back to the head, it confirmed my suspicions of him. The creature was indeed, a griffon. And I was, indeed, its captive. The rough leather straps were so uncomfortable that I didn’t notice the rider that sat astride the griffon until the bearded stranger spoke.
“Quit yer wigglin’ gal! Yer goin’ to scare the willies out uf me poor Torque!” he shouted in a round tone. As if on cue, the griffon growled menacingly. I paid him no heed as I tried to undo the knot that held me fast.
Grumbling to himself, the stubby man took out a peculiar looking rock. It was jade green with gold runes on it. Of course, I was too ignorant to know that it was magic, and anything that contained magic was bad news. But I didn’t know, so I took no notice of it and continued with my knot.  I managed to flip myself into a more comfortable position, which held me on my stomach, but my arms were still tied behind me as was my legs and back. Well, better than being tied up like a goose, I thought. I squinted up at the man, about to ask an annoying question to settle my boredom when a flash hit me. It burned like ice at first and cooled to a temperature similar to a river in the winter. The cold started on my back and spread through me until everything was aching. Against my will I went limp. I tried to get my body to do something, but it was like I was a doll. The only movement I could get out of me was breathing. I concentrated as hard as I could to make something move, but the most exciting thing that happened was my arms swinging to the beat of wings. In my mind I sighed, as my mouth didn’t work. Hours went by and the sun rose and fell. Occasionally some crumbs would fall on me as Beardy, as I called him, ate some unappetizing food. After another day, hunger clawed at my insides. Looking up I turned my head. With surprise I did it again, and again, and again, until my neck was sore. I couldn’t move the rest of my body, but still! This was a breakthrough. I tried all my facial functions and they all worked! I was overjoyed to actually move. Feeling slightly more humble I asked, well more shouted, “Hey you! Beardy! I am starving! Feed me or I’ll climb up!”
  Beady looked down in surprise.
“Y-y-your not supp-posed to move until next week!” his eyes, now fearful, searched my back to see if I really had untied myself. Still trembling he took out his stone. I could now move all of my body. I swung back and forth to make a harder target for him to hit me. His hands shook as he prepared to shoot at me. Unfortunately his hands shook so much that the stone dropped from his hands. Fortunately for me it landed it landed on my back. Wincing as I stretched for the stone I held it in my hands.
“Now you feed me!” I politely asked. He threw some food down to me. He probably thinks that I know how to use the stone! That suits me just fine. I thought to myself as I fingered the stone. Suddenly I bit my lip as one side cut my finger. My eyes brightened as I used the stone to cut the knot that held my hands and then the knot the secured my legs. The only thing stopping me from freedom and death was a harness around my middle. I scampered up the griffon to the saddle that held Beardy. Cowering he cried, “Don’t hurt me! Please! You- you don’t know how to control Torque! Umm- umm I could drive him for you! If you don’t hurt me!” his eyes where bulging as I drew closer to him. He looked me up and down and turned his face away. I looked down saw that I was wearing a tattered tunic with a cloak wrapped around the middle. With a sigh, I realized that this is what I’ll be wearing for the next week. No wonder Beardy was afraid of me! I look terrible! I pictured a smooth soft blue shirt with a skirt the color of a brook.  I slapped myself into the present as I sat down beside Beardy. Crossing my legs I said, “You have any other food to give me? I’m famished!”
“Aww, you’ll get enough food tomorrow I reckon. I mean… I mean… yes in that bag.” He finished quickly.
“What happens tomorrow? If you don’t tell me I slap Tork in the rump to hurry him up.”
Looking horrified he said, “His name is Torque and I umm h-honestly don’t know. Honestly and truly do- DON’T know. I don’t know.” His head drooped as his shoulders came up.
Sighing I said, “I would be terrible if Turkey here were to have a sore on his sweet rump.” I said with mock sadness. “But there would be no choice for poor Tewy right now. The sweetie needs to speed up! And because of you Tarx would be sore for days!”I added empathetically.
“Fine!” he snapped, “fine girl, just, just d-don’t hurt Torque.”
I felt bad to do this to Beardy, but I had no other ideas. Torque did speed up and Beardy said that we’d be there in about ten hours. So I took a nap. Naturally I woke up as a small monkey. Raising my eyebrows at Beardy, he mumbled, “Sorry, spell went wrong.” He had the stone in hand and a canteen as well. I reached with nimbleness for the canteen.
“Eh, eh, eh, Monkey! No water for you. You stay there while I try a better spell.” Of course I had no intention of “staying there” so I danced around him for the stone. He was right in the middle of a spell when I took hold of the rock and he stopped. A cry came from the griffon as his foot was encased in ice. Bready glowered at me and I shrugged. He quickly said the spell again, and before I could move I was entirely encased in a dome of ice. At least I can still move. I thought. Three hours went by and the monkey spell wore off. Man! The, the oxy-oxygen is really… really… getting low in he… I slumped down into unconsciousness.
The dream came again, this time it was more vivid and I saw the beginning. I was walking through a picturesque forest, with trees in full bloom and birds singing in the trees. I saw a messy dark haired boy around my own age smile crookedly at me. His warm brown eyes danced with light. His ears were pointed at the tip and his light brown skin shone in the sunlight. He smelled of pine trees.
He laughed as he pet my hair. “Good to see you again…” the birds drowned out the sound of his words. “And I missed you___, you’ve finally come back. I want to see what you’ve brought! Did you find it yet___? You are so…. And… I…” His words where breaking up and his expression changed from one from joy to concerned. “You need to go. You should have gotten you element by now… you really really need to go. I love you ___, and will always love you. Please come back to me, please.”
A cold laugh came from behind me as I was about to reply.
“GO! ___ GO!!” at that moment, I realized two things. One that I couldn’t hear when he said my name and two, that I was about to die. I ran, and ran, and ran. My feet knew where to take me and I found myself in a cave, the dark laugh following me as I ran, suddenly I was free falling and my stomach caught and I felt myself being taken from my home. My emotional, as well as my physical connection was severed.
I found myself dangling above a never ending hole where black streams glowed black upon black. That’s when I heard the scream. It was much worse than the chilling laugh, it was silent, yet it pierced my eardrums and tore at my heart. Anxiety clutched at my soul as a dark form, the darkest blackness of nothingness shot towards me. The eyeless figure with teeth like stalagmites was getting closer and closer aiming for my heart. Somehow I knew that if one wisp of that shadowy like mist touched me, I would be gone forever. Thrashing wildly I flailed in the tresses that held me, trying to get away.
I was curled up in a ball, my breathing labored. I stopped for a moment, trying to get my bearings. I was in a dark room with no windows or lights whatsoever. I couldn’t see anything else. As soon as I lifted my head I felt exhausted and sore. I sagged down into the position I was in earlier. I almost cried out in pain. My wrist felt like it was on fire. I stifled a scream and settled down, careful of my wrist. A few minutes later I heard the door open. I thought it best for whoever it was to think I was still unconscious. The trick worked, kind of. I lengthened my breathing to match what I was like when I was asleep. I don’t know how I knew this, but it came in handy.  A soft hand checked my pulse and started rubbing my wrist. I couldn’t take it anymore. I jerked my head up and took my wrist away. Bad move. It was hurting worse than before. I looked into the eyes of the soft hand person. The elf looked at me with piercing, but kind green eyes. I surveyed his perfect nose to his beautiful robes, embroidered with colors I’ve never seen. My only thought was he’s hot.  A melodious voice wafted from his lips in a language vaguely familiar. “I am very sorry, I did not mean to hurt you.” His voice was the sound of every good thing in life. My expression relaxed, I sighed, “yes well, you are forgiven. May I ask what your name is?”
Tapping his nose he said, “Well, that information is something I can’t answer at the moment. But, may I ask, what is yours?”
My brow furrowed as I thought. I couldn’t pull it up, that was a problem. Just how big of a problem I couldn’t tell yet. Suddenly a voice floated to my conscious mind, never give someone you know you real name. But he must be here for a good reason; why else would I take to him so well? Defying the voice inside of my head I told him I couldn’t remember.
For a split second anger washed over his face, but it was quickly masked. That split second troubled me.
“Wait, now I remember, it was… Jane…” I fibbed.
The elf’s features relaxed as he stored that information into his brain. “Well then, come with me and I will give you some food. You’re probably famished.”
I followed him, silently cursing myself for trusting so blindly to a stranger and he led me to a grand dining hall. Stepping lightly made the room vibrate with the sound; I had made slightly more noise than an elephant. Relieved I sunk into my chair and began to eat. There were all types of food, roast duck, steak, vegetables, I was amazed. When I finished, the elf began to ask questions. At first the usual type of questions, like “what food do you like best?” “Favorite color?” and then more personal questions. He got more and more frustrated when all I answered was “I don’t know,” or “I can’t remember,” he took a bottle from his pocket and smashed it onto the floor. Mumbling he said, “stupid… truth bottle! She was …. Sing like a bird…. Going to make…. Rich…. Thomas will have… head…. Let her go…. No, dungeons. Yes the dungeons!”
Glaring at him I concentrated my entire mind on him. A bluebird alighted on his shoulder, then flew away.
“well I am very sorry to do this to you… Madam, but I am afraid that you will have to leave the perimeter at once.”
I pretended to look speechless. “But, but… I want to be with you! I mean here.” I cried.
With an irritated sigh he said, “Go at once or down to the dungeons with you!”
A soldier rode up in a mottled horse and threw me outside the castle. I ran to a cave and stayed there during the night, pondering what the elf and I had said. What troubled me most was when I said I don’t know to most the questions, I really didn’t know.  I ventured into the woods the next day. And the next year I spent memorizing every bit of the forest. I then found out I had a thing with animals. I went and made friends with the animals and learned all their secrets. And I have stayed there to this day.