Chapter One (part 5)

Dymetri watched the tiger run off at a speed that would look nothing more than a blur to the human eye. He was confused and hurt more than he was hoping to be.

-She's a werecat? Wait...she cant go out there. There's hunters that look for a prize like her. Especially when they know she's a werecat.- Panic flooded his mind, but shock held him still.

He couldnt take his eyes away from where Echo had run into the trees. And he couldnt figure out why she had run away in the first place.

-Did I do something wrong?- Hurt flooded his eyes, changing the normal gold to a dark depressing bronze. They were lackluster, no more stars in is eyes. He hated to think it, but he knew those stars were only for her. His forehead creased as he tried to recall the things he had done that would have made her want to leave. But he couldnt get her face out of his head.

In his memory he could see as she stood by the window, the breeze blowing the curtain behing her, almost dream like. Even with the face of a cat, Dymetri could see the pain that was there, hidden by the fur, muscle, and bones. Her eyes were pleeding for him to understand and they had held a hint of gratitude.

The light had shined on her face, giving fire to boil her blood as she prepared to fall down to the earth. If he wanted to believe, he could find proof that she didn't want to leave in her face. Even her movements said that she wanted to just lay in a corner of the room rather than jump out of the castle window. He could find many plausible reasons that proved she was reluctant to leave. But she still did.

"But why?" He growled to himself, closing his eyes. He didn't want to look back at the forest. The more he watched those death filled trees the more he felt he needed to run after her. But he couldnt and he knew it.

As the elvin princed turned his back on the window, eyes still closed, he heard the door open.

"Darlin, ohh good your awake. I have a fresh pair of clothes for the--" The Queen finally noticed the girl was no longer in the room.

"Where is the young woman Dymetri?" His mother asked gently.

He jerked his thumb towards the window, face filling with the emotional pain again.

-I really have to get better at hiding what I'm feeling or I'll make a misserable King.-

"Echo jumped." Was all he said in an emotionless voice, pulling his face into an empty mask.

His mother squeaked and ran over to the window, peering down into the garden below. All the flowers were unruffled and undamaged. And she could find no corpse down below.

"But where's her body, surely she couldn't have survived that fall." She sounded hurt.

"She didn't fall, she jumped. She landed and ran." He didn't think it wise to tell his mother yet that Echo wasn't entirely human.

He opened his eyes as his mother sank breathless onto the unoccupied bed. She was utterly confused and worried out of her mind. "We need to find her. She cannot be found running around. Your father wont hear of it." She whispered.

"Mom." He walked over and kissed her lighty on the cheek. "I need to get out."

"How long will you be away? Are you going to look for Echo?" She remembered her name. But still she kept up a constant flow of questions, asking even more with her eyes. "Are you going into the forest? Are you going to take Atnela?" She pointed with a finger towards the horse stalls. "Are you going to be home tonight? You do know that the ball is in two weeks right? You'll be back by then right? Are you--" Dymetri raised a hand to cut her off.

"Quiet mother. One question at a time please. Yes I will take my horse and weapons. Yes I'm going into the forest. I dont know when I'll be back. And no Im not looking for Echo." He left her there in silence. Walking with a firm pace out of the room and down the long staircase. The front doors were open and he walked glumy into the sun.