Okay, so, last update, I was so giddy about finally posting, I completely forgot about everything I was gunna say XD

And I forgot again. . maybe I'll remember when I update again tomorrow :D

Then again I might not be able to update to morrow, I have a dialectical journal due on Friday and I'm beginning to panic. I'm on chapter two and we need 3 per chapter. D: there are only ten chapters though, thank god, but still…

If ya want a disclaimer, look at chappie ones', cause I'm not posting one again, they are a waste of space, and I think everybody knows I'm not J.R.R Tolkien.

Ava awoke sprawled out in her sewer tunnel (now dry). She looked out into the city below her, seeing the daily bustle of the little street her home was positioned above. She sat on the edge of her tunnel, dangling her legs down, and tried to brush unruly knots out of her hair. She looked a lot different than she did on that cold February night when she found her home. The tails on her head were a bit longer, so they reached mid-back when she hung them down straight. They were very wide at the top where they separated from her head, then getting smaller 'round as it got longer, much like the tails of a lizard, only red and smooth, not scaly like a lizard's. Her skin had turned a deeper shade of red too.

Today was her eighth birthday. A special birthday, for eight was her favorite number. That's what she had told all her neighbors on the street. She looked out to her 'front porch', which was nothing but a small mat, a broom (for she liked to go down and pretend to dust it when she saw some of her friends coming), and a small ladder leading up to the bottom of her tunnel. On the mat, she saw a small pile of random nik naks her friends must have collected or stolen. With a great burst of joy and anticipation, she leapt down, gathered her presents in her arms, and raced up the ladder again. She looked at the pile; each present wrapped up somehow, and settled for a rather largish pack first. She unwrapped the small cloth that was tied around it, and with a gasp, pulled out a small loaf of lemon poppy seed bread. It was rather deformed, so it must have been home made. Ava smiled widely and took in its sweet scent, savoring it while she could, for many a night she had to go to bed hungry. She was a skilled thief, she could move about on bare feet without the slightest sound, but she was not always successful. She had been around long enough so some of the market sales people knew all her techniques. Some even chose to turn a blind eye to her thieving, for she was well known and well liked by all.

Except the city guards. They had been after her blood since the day she was born. They thought she was a demon. Everyone had at first, but they had either accepted her or took it back once they got to know her. She was a kind, free spirit. She loved adventure of any kind, anything from stealing a fresh chocolate from Drama's, or trying to cook for the fifteenth time, she always had a ball. She could also sing. Oh Valar, could she sing. That was how she made her first few dollars. Her friend Driymer and her stood out in the middle of the street, and Ava sang while Driymer played his home-made flute. They made 12 pieces of copper.

Her next gift was a small wooden flute. Probably from Driymer, for he had taught her how to play his flute. Ava smiled and placed it to her lips, blowing out a long, sweet note as clear as a bell. It rang out strong on the street and lingered in the air long after she stopped blowing. Ava smiled and moved onto the next. This one was long thin pole with a bow around it. It was quite thick, but pointed and very sharp at one end. Ava squealed in delight when she realized what it was. In the town, she had a friend, this friend was a very skilled wood carver. He made models of everything, small animals, people, trees, boats, everything. He made things out of leather too, and there, in the middle, were 2 pieces of leather attached to the spear, a small charm hanging from one. Ava gripped the spear, placing her hands on the leather grips, and got to her feet. She wielded it above her head and swung it at an invisible enemy, twirling and ducking and thrusting, her tails flying about her head and her red skin gleaming in the morning sun. She sat back down, panting, and returned to her reduced pile. She selected a significantly smaller box that was not wrapped. She pulled off the lid to see a curious little silver twisty string of metal. It looked like a twirly noodle, small, glinting in the sunlight. She remembered seeing the blacksmith (for she was sure it was from her) twirl her hair around one, so she looked in the small waterfall at the back of the cave and twisted her hair for a while, then she placed the metal piece in it and twisted her hair into the loops. Afterwards, she tugged at it, and it stuck. Pleased, she tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled. She did care quite a lot about her looks, and she liked to look and smell nice, which is why her next and last gift was a bar of soap. She smelled it and sighed, loving the fresh herb scent. Everybody knew how to make it, but only a few had the means, so this was probably from the cook at the fresh food kiosk at the market. Ava stood up after pinching off a small bit of bread, and slid down the ladder. She was off to market to thank her friends and steal herself something nice.

When Ava reached the market place, she paused and took a look around before going in. Guards were at only a few exits, and they looked new, so she was probably safe. She draped a cloth over her head and tied it under her chin just in vase, hiding her tails from view only slightly. She then stepped out into the crowd, too used to strange looks at her red skin to feel self conscious. She walked to the herb seller first.

"Hello, Av, what brings you here so early in the morn?" The old lady in a rocking chair next to the garden said with a sparkle in her eye. Ava smiled.

"Hello Miss Wood, I came to thank you for the soap! It smells lovely!" The lady smiled.

"Lemon and Rosemary, eye, none can look me in the eye and tell me it is not just so." she said, grinning with yellow teeth sticking out.

Ava smiled and nodded. With a 'why I do believe it, ma'am.'

"Say, where did you get that trinket may I ask?" said Miss Wood, peering to the left of Ava's face. She felt her hair and remembered the twisty she got from the iron maiden.

"it was a gift" she said enthusiastically. "from Delilah, I think." The gardener smiled.

"Aye I'm not surprised, she is very fond of you." Ava smiled and nodded. Delilah had taught her a bit of metal working herself. The only thing Ava didn't know how to do was cook. As Miss Wood was approached by a customer, Ava dipped down and snatched a clove of dill, shoving it in her bonnet before leaving. Ava walked around, trying to catch a glimpse of her friends to thank them for the gifts, but she couldn't find them. The place was getting crowded, fast. She had to push and shove to make her way through. The more frustrated she got, the redder her skin became, and soon, she was literally as red as a tomato, and she stood out like an elf in the shire. Ava then saw something that caught her eye and stuck in her brain and would not remove itself. Hanging from the belt of a customer at a stand, was a beautiful little dagger. The sheath and the handle were black leather, and the hilt, curving down slightly at the tips, was stainless steel, and runes were wrought into it. She had to have it. She, immediately slipping into stealth mode, slipping effortlessly between the growing crowd. She walked behind the person who owned the dagger, now seeing it was a boy about her age, and tried to inconspicuously lift his cloak a bit to get at it better. He suddenly moved, and Ava leapt back trying to blend. He moved on to another kiosk, and Ava followed. She didn't lift his cloak this time, for she needed speed. She quickly grabbed the handle and lifted it out.

Unfortunately for her, the boy turned around, and she gasped, dropping the dagger. This was no street boy of lower Gondor, as she now saw from his handsomely embroidered tunic and finely accessorized belt. This was the steward's oldest son Boromir, and she knew if she stayed she would be hung for theft, so she ran. she took off, tails bursting out of the bonnet in fright. She looked behind her, hearing shouting, and saw the steward's son running after her, she noticed, dagger back in it's place at his belt. She ran faster, pumping her legs, breathing harder, red skin getting redder and redder. She darted behind a corner, still hearing his steps behind her, and, in a panic, found herself at a corner. She looked around frantically, looking for an escape, but there was none. When she turned back around, she was confronted by the little stewards son in all his glory. He was about 13, quite a few years older than herself. He had cool blue eyes, sandy hair that reached his broad shoulders, and he was buff. He looked like he exercised quite a lot and could beat the living daylights out of her in a second. Ava gulped, assuming a defensive position as he leaned against the stone wall.

"You, my friend, have made a huge mistake." he said in his heavy gondorian accent, raising his eyebrows. Ava didn't answer. "You have tried to steal the dagger that my father gave me." Ava gulped and desperately looked around for an escape route. She was taken by surprise however, when he didn't try to beat her to a pulp but simply asked 'why?'. She looked at him for a moment, her tails dropping almost comically when the threat disappeared.

She replied "It's my birthday, Boromir, Steward son. I am eight. I was thanking people who had given me presents, a loaf of bread, a flute, a spear, this," she ran long, nimble fingers down the spiral in her hair "and a bar of soap, so I was king to steal something nice for myself, and your knife was so perfect, sir. Small enough to hide in public, yet sharp, both in looks and edge. It would not rid it's image from my mind, My lord. Boromir studied her with eyes that saw into the truth of the matter, and softened, for the son of the steward was truly a kind soul. He felt sorry for this little creature, for she was so...different. Her red skin shone and probably stood out mightily, not to mention the tails growing out of her head. Thinking about it, he wondered how many people have shunned her, or how many shop owners kicked her out, thinking she was a creature of evil. He kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his.

"I will tell you this, little one. I will not give you my dagger," her face fell ever so slightly. "but I will teach you how to work iron and make your own weapon." Ava's face lightened considerably.

"Really?" He nodded slowly. "That is ever so kind of you, Lord Boromir, thank you! How can i repay you for this awfully kind deed?" he laughed heartily and shook his head.

"Not at all, little one." Ava looked at him stubbornly, then a light came into her large green eyes and she bounced enthusiastically.

"I know! Follow me, Milord!" And taking his larger hand in her little one, she sped off, bright eyes and red skin shining, tails streaming out behind her.

She took him deep into the alleyways of the city, for she had run far from her own home. Finally, for it was late afternoon by this time, she saw her front porch and broke into a run once again. Boromir followed at a walk, looking at it curiously. He watched Ava, for he had learned her name on the way, quickly run a sweep over the filthy rug in front of the ladder and shoot up it like a squirrel. He climbed up it slowly, looking into the tunnel in wonder. This little child had managed-somehow- to make a decent living place out of this tunnel. She had gotten a great wooden board from somewhere and laid it over the bottom so it made a kind of flooring, also so she didn't have to step in the water. Back aways, down the tunnel, was a smartly built stone wall, with a little gap at the top to let water out. Water did run out of it, and it made a little waterfall in which he could see himself. Next to it, jammed in the rocks about halfway up, was a smaller wooden plank, set up like a shelf. It had a small stack of clay plates and cups, and a small pile of silverware, probably stolen. On another shelf above it, was...well he couldn't see what was on it, he guessed it was food, for it was covered by a cloth that was connected to the wall a ways up. Under these was a rather large pile of sheets and blankets, which he supposed was her bed. He hopped up into the tunnel to see Ava setting out a plate of lemon poppyseed bread. She set it in front of him, and said "I got this for my birthday, but you take it. I'm sure she won't mind my giving it to you. Boromir smiled at her.

"I thank you greatly, but I cannot accept this, it is yours! And a gift!" Ava snorted and sat down with her own plate. "Please, I insist." Boromir mock thought for a moment, tapping his fork against his chin, then shrugged and took a bite, and struggled to keep it in his mouth. It had the consistency of damp shoes and badly mixed coffee. He looked at Ava, who was munching on a piece thoughtfully. He thought she probably had a lot worse than this before, before she had learned how to steal. He thought back to his dagger and thought, maybe she really hasn't mastered that yet. People liked her too much. He swallowed his piece, trying not to grimace.

"So, Ava, today is your birthday?" he said after they had finished their bread. Ava nodded.

"Why don't you show me all of your presents?" Ava jumped up enthusiastically, a smile on her face. Boromir stood up too, almost smacking his head on the low ceiling. Ava came back with a small pile of stuff, and dumped it in front of Boromir. He saw a carved wooden flute, a handsome spear with leather handles, and a bar of soap. He remembered that the last gift was already entwined in her hair. He picked up the spear and held it up, inspecting it. It was skillfully carved, with a very sharp metal tip on one end. The leather handles were smartly fastened and didn't slide, and they were tied on on one side. One of them had a little wooden charm of a running horse dangling from a short, thin strip of leather. He raised an eyebrow. Apparently Ava liked horses.

"Ava, do you know how to ride?" he held out the little pendant. Ava's eyes widened.

"Oh no! I've never really even seen a horse! Not up close." Boromir smiled. He would have to teach her.

"Ava, tomorrow, meet me at the market, at around mid day. I have some things to show you." Ava looked ecstatic and he of up to leave. It was getting late. "It is getting quite late, and I have to leave for home. I have a little brother, about your age, to take care of." he ruffled her hair and jumped down the ladder. Ava laid down by the entrance and rested her head on her arms as she watched him. He looked back one last time. "Remember, market, mid day. Be there!" and then he jogged off, and around a corner. Ava called back "I will!" and heard a laugh. She smiled and sat back in her tunnel, munching on the leftover lemon poppyseed bread, and thinking today had been the luckiest day of her life.