Lark woke up early that morning. Briar had left three days ago and the cottage seemed quiet without hearing Briar talking to his plants early every morning. Sighing she got up out of bed and changed quickly into a habit. She then walked into the dining room and took a roll from last nights dinner and eating it she headed outside.
It was a beautiful day, the sun was low in sky and everything was still damp with dew. These were the kind of day's Rosethorn liked; nice and fresh and smelling of growth. Lark glanced back at the cottage; Kali was still asleep, she could tell by the darkness in the window. Kali always turned on the light when she woke up.
Lark headed down to the mail building and pushed open the door; it was early enough no one was here. She walked over to the boxes with people's names on it and found a letter in her box. She took it out and looked at it, there was no return address, it only said, Dedicate Lark, Winding Circle. The handwriting was oddly familiar. Could it be?
Lark hurried outside and sat down on a bench, hardly daring to hope. She ripped it open and pulled out the letter. The letter looked as though it had been hurriedly written. It read:
Dear Lark,
Yes, it's me, Rosethorn. I can't wait to see you! I can't believe I'm actually writing to you, but we finally got away from the slave camp. I'll explain when we get back. Crane is alive too. We're getting on the quickest ship we can get to Winding Circle. Expect us in a few days!
Love,
Rosethorn
P.S. I have so much to tell you! You'll have to update me on all that has happened while we've been gone!
Lark gasped when she read this letter. Mila bless, she was alive. They both were. It was unbelievable, after ten years. Would she be changed, different? Lark's thoughts swirled. Finally she stood up and walked quickly to Moonstream's.
After talking to Moonstream she headed back to Discipline to tell Kalyca, she'd probably be wondering where Lark was. When she got back to Discipline Kali was sitting in the garden pulling up weeds. Kali smiled seeing Lark and shouted a hello.
Lark waved back then headed inside Discipline and quickly scribbled a letter to Briar telling him to tell Tris, Daja, and Sandry and then come to Winding Circle as quick as he could.
****
Briar sat dozing under a tree in Riverton thinking about Kalyca. She reminded him a lot of Rosethorn he realized suddenly, and Crane almost for that matter too. Her glares, her arrogant looks. Suddenly a thought popped into his head, but it was so outrageous he almost laughed. Maybe Kalyca had lived with Rosethorn and Crane, Kali was from the jungle where Rosethorn and Crane had been. Maybe, then he remembered that bracelet he'd seen Kali wearing. The bracelet was Rosethorn's! He raised his eyebrows. This was interesting. It was too strange to be a coincidence. He supposed she just had lived with them, picked up their traits. Maybe she had been an orphan adopted by Rosethorn and Crane. Kalyca never had told them much about her parents. He had to get back to Winding Circle and ask her. Just then though a boy came running up.
"Letter for Mr. Briar Moss," the boy said and handed Briar a letter then scampered off. Briar looked at it curiously it was from Lark. He ripped it open and read the scribbled writing. His eyes widened as he read. Could it be a joke? Was Rosethorn really alive and coming back? He quickly stood up and packed all of his stuff into his backpack and set off down the road at the run. He'd write a letter to the people in Riverton explaining why he had to leave so quickly.