. . . . .

Sun pushed away from Darius's chest looking confused and more than a little annoyed.

"Darius, I'm fourteen and a half summers old and your just fifteen summers old. Sure you like me but how can you possibly even think that you love me?! You probably don't even know what love is! Just when things were running smoothly you had to go and spoil it!" She yelled turning and sprinting out of the door.

Darius stood rooted to the spot, shock blatant on his face. He was about run out after her, when a voice in his head said stop. Wait for a little while; she just needs time to sort her head out. Darius sat on the floor and shut his eyes, willing time to pass quickly.

Three quick yanks on his jerkin pulled Darius out of his sleep.

"Sun, is that you?" He said yawning and stretching his arms. With another yank, he forced his eyes open to see a little boy who looked strangely familiar. A tug at the back of his mind told him he knew the boy, but he just couldn't work it out. It was very frustrating, like an itch that you just can't find.

"Please help me" said the little boy. He looked stricken with fear and was almost hyperventilating. "I have run almost half a day walk and I need help. My name is Fin and my mother is in a clearing half a day walk away. She got crushed by a giant bear that she had to kill and now she is unconscious but she is still alive. Please come, you have to help me."

Darius was astonished by the boy's speech. He could only have been five summers at the very most. "Yes I'll come and help you, but where are the rest of your family? What about your father?" He asked subspecialty.

"Please we can talk about this later, but right now my mother might be dying in a shelter somewhere." Fin said, before giving him a hard look – like the little boy was scanning him, and running as fast as his little legs could take him out of the doorway of the hut.

Darius noticed that the boy had ruddy cheeks from his run and looked very tired. It was almost dark outside but Darius knew that he had to go anyway. He ran after the little boy and picked him up. Fin smiled with gratitude and directed Darius to where his mother lay.

. . . . .

"...but after we kissed he said that he loved me! I mean, I'm only fourteen summers old! It's not even legal for me to look for a mate yet! Plus I'm too young love him and he's too young to love me. I'm so confused!" Sun Said to Dark.

"Sun, don't worry yourself. Even if he actually loves you, that doesn't mean you have to love him too. Your right, you are very young to be declaring you love to each other, so tell him. Tell him that you don't want to rush into it, that you want to take it slow. I know you like him, you always have. But you should leave him alone for a while. He is probably quite hurt right now." Dark smiled and hugged her. He looked proud yet somehow pained. He had been like her father for four and a half summers, and now she was growing up. He didn't want to let go yet somehow, he had to. He started a fire and they ate salmon cakes together. Renn would be so proud. He said to himself. Her little girl is growing up.