Thanks for reading.

I'm going to be updating Heron's Wings soon, but for now I'm more focused on this story.

I really wanted to express that Heron and Ella's friendship isn't like any other. They are extremely close and I wanted to really show how big their friendship was. What better way to show that then get a deeper look into Ella's mind when she sees Heron's face for the last time. (Before the dreams of course.) I feel that this is one of the best chapters I've ever written. I'm very proud and I couldn't stop reading it again and again. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Broken Braids

6 years ago

Ella looked through her visor at Heron. In a few minutes he would receive his helmet. His face would be forever hidden behind a mask. Ella had already received her's, two months earlier. It took awhile to get used to hearing her voice muffled by the helmet. Everything also had a darker tint. She was excited when she could finally receive her helmet, but that excitement turned into sadness. She would never be able to show her face to Heron again. It was difficult. Heron was still shy and his only friend was her. He was upset that he couldn't see her eyes again.

Ella blinked a few times to help her focus. Today was the last day she would ever see his face. She needed to make it important. So that she could remember her best friend. They had spent the last hour talking about it. Saying "goodbyes".

"I have to go now Ella. I don't want to keep the Armorer waiting," Heron said standing up.

"Wait!" Ella shouted, grabbing his hand, "Hold still."

Ella reached up under her helmet to where a small clip was. She pulled it out and her hair fell below her helmet before she tucked it back in.

"Just wait one more minute."

Ella carefully reached up and took part of his hair in her hands. She carefully weaved it to form a tiny braid behind his ear and ended it with the dark purple clip she had.

"There," she said.

Before Ella had gotten her helmet, Heron would braid her hair for her. It meant a lot to her and was a big part of their friendship. She was sad to have to leave that part of her life behind. Now Heron's hair was finally long enough for a tiny braid to be woven in, like he used to do for her.

Minutes later she watched the boy's hair slip below his new helmet. Heron's brown eyes looked back at her before disappearing behind silver and a visor of black.

A deep sadness tugged at her heart. She should have been happy for him. But she only felt something different. Something she had never felt before. Something that she couldn't explain with words. He would always be there, but it would be different. Something would always be missing.

From that day Ella always held that emotion close. She didn't want to. She wanted to rid herself of the distress in her brain. Whenever he spoke, whenever they played together, she felt it. She felt like she had lost a brother.

That's what she felt;

Loss.

Thank you again for reading! I really loved writing this chapter! It was a way for me to give more backstory and emotion at the same time. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to make it better. All help will be credited. That reminds me; Thanks again SilverGate48 for helping me with Heron's Wings. I made this story as a gift to thank you and I forgot to mention that in the first chapter.

I also wanted to say that in my fan fiction a child receives their helmet the day before their seventh birthday. I don't know why I wanted it to be like that. It just fit.