Long ago, in China, there was an enchanted forest. It was said that in this forest, a mystical talent giver lived. The talent giver was a beautiful woman who had all the talents in the world. It was said that if anyone who journeyed through the forest to her, would be granted one talent. However, this forest was no ordinary forest. It was full of talking trees and wild beasts. No one had ever entered the forest and come out alive.

There was a small village near this forest where everyone talked about this mysterious talent giver. This village was also home to a little child named Sakura. Sakura was a brilliant girl who was adventurous, loving but also stubborn. She always sat in the meadow by the forest, wondering if the talent giver were real. Sakura may have been adventurous but her brothers and sisters were all gifted with musical and crafting talents. However, Sakura had no real talents to match theirs. She believed that was why her parents didn't love her as much, even though they always said that they did.

Day after day, Sakura would sit in the meadow and make flower necklaces. Then she would gaze into the forest and wish the Talent Giver would just come to her. Sometimes Sakura would even think she saw this Talent Giver dancing in the shadows.

One day Sakura decided that she would go to see the Talent Giver. She headed for the forest with an eager heart and mind. When she returned, she would have a real talent.

As she reached the edge of the forest, she heard her grandfather's voice calling to her.

"My dear child. You are full of wondrous talents yet to be revealed.

Please, be patient."

Sakura shook the thought out of her head quickly. Her grandfather had been dead for over a year, but the words sounded so real. With a determined mind Sakura headed into the forest.

The forest was dark and eerie. The trees silently swaying in the breeze, seemed to be deformed. With each step Sakura could hear leaves crackle underneath her sandals. As she made her way deeper into the forest everything became darker. Soon she couldn't see light from the edge of the forest. She could barely make out the forms of the trees. Sakura stopped for a moment to ponder if she were going the right way. Deeply in thought, she hardly realized that a long vine made it's way around her ankle.

When Sakura tried to move forward, she couldn't because the vine was tightly wrapped around her ankle. She tried several times to remove it but it was no use. Sakura sighed and fell to the ground in frustration.

"WHAT do you want me to do!" Sakura shouted, not expecting to get a reply.

"Tell me what your greatest weakness is!" An eerie voice behind her demanded.

"W-What!" Sakura asked as vines slowly tied themselves around her arms.

"TELL ME YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS!" the voice demanded.

"Um…..Well…..I…..I'm STUBBORN!"

There was a moment of silence before there was a rustling of leaves behind her.

"The child tells the truth," another voice said as the vines on her arms became loose, "Release her. She must face the next trial."

All the vines relaxed their hold and she stood up, dusting herself off.

"Go now child. You mustn't waste any time. The next trial will not be as easy. Brace yourself, child. There is only one who knows the way to the Talent Giver." It was another voice, one that reminded Sakura of her grandfather.

She shook her head and continued on, deeper into the forest.

As Sakura carried on she began to hear howling in the distance, so she slowed down a little and looked around. Glowing blue eyes were watching her from all around.

They stared at her for a moment before moving closer. Sakura could make out the shapes of wolves. Soon they were easily seen and there seemed to be a dozen of them circling her like vultures.

"There is only one who knows the way to the Talent Giver… choose wisely, my child, for if you choose wrong, you shall surely be killed…"

It was her grandfather's voice again, and Sakura realized that, somehow, he was guiding her.

The voice lingered for a moment on the breeze. She closed her eyes and tried to hear the whispers of the wind.

A howl brought her eyes open and she looked around to find only one wolf remaining. This wolf was unlike the others. It had beautiful white fur and piercing dark eyes. After staring at her for a moment, it turned and walked a little. It didn't take but two steps away when it turned around to look again at the girl.

Sakura then knew to follow this one. She quickly caught up with the wolf and followed it as they headed to a lighter part of the forest.

They came to a clearing where the rushing water of a waterfall could be heard, then seen. There were beautiful and exotic birds and butterflies flying around When they reached the waterfall, Sakura saw a beautiful woman seated on a rock near the edge of the pool at the bottom. She had flowing brown hair, white skin and beautiful, bright blue eyes. Those eyes were focused on Sakura and the wolf as they walked toward her.

Sakura stopped a few feet away from this beautiful woman. She was a little shaky because she was unsure if this might be the Talent Giver. Would she grant her a talent?

"Is something wrong, child?" the woman asked.

"Huh?…Oh no….it's just…are you the-"

"Talent Giver?" the woman interrupted.

Sakura looked at her, shocked for a moment, before shaking her head and smiling at her.

"Yes, child. I am. Now what talent shall I grant you?."

Sakura had always wished that this moment would come and that she would receive the greatest talent in the world. But now that it was here…she really didn't care.

"What is troubling you, child?"

Sakura looked down at the ground, ashamed that she would disappoint the Talent Giver by not asking for a talent.

"I really don't know if this is what I want," Sakura replied looking at the ground.

"Child, I do not need to grant you talents because you have so many that have yet to be found."

Funny, that sounded like what Sakura's grandfather had said.

"It will take time for you to have these talents surface, but when they do they will be wondrous." The Talent Giver said lifting Sakura's face so that their eyes met.

Sakura was a little uneasy about going home without a talent, but she was happy to know she would get her own special ones later on in life.

Sakura smiled and sighed in relief. She closed her eyes as she hugged the Talent Giver. She was thankful to be who she was…maybe she would go back to making flower necklaces after she returned home.