Here's the next chapter! I wanted to finish it really quick!

Unknown.

Unwanted.

Un-. I thought as I sat in the dark corner of the room.

I watched the others laugh and eat, Stone and Griffin… having fun together (kissing), Winter eating her meal like a crown princess, Calder Watching her contently, and Chet- oh, Chet- laughing in the same laugh he had when we first met. His mouth opened wide; showing his two rows of perfect teeth, and his chest rose and fell in sharp exhale. He threw his head back, causing his blonde locks to rise on his face and reveal his glistening, blue eyes. Everyone was content, and no one seemed to notice I was gone.

I stood up slowly, careful not to arouse the senses of the people around me. I swiftly ran to the door, my feet making no noises when they met the floor. I grazed my hand gently across the doorknob an swiftly grabbed it. I pulled it open slightly, just enough for me to get through, and dashed outside.

I ran across the snowy plain, the ice fading into water when my skin made contact, causing a trail of green grass to spread behind me. When I could run no more, I set myself down in a circle of freshly-melted snow. I lit a small flame in my palm, and watched it dance.

"I touch the fire and it freezes me,

I look into it, and it's black.

Why can't I feel?

My skin should crack and peel!

I want the fire back…" I sang softly as I thought of- well- everything.

"Now, through the smoke she calls to me,

To make my way across the flame.

To save the day,

Or maybe melt away!

I guess it's all the same…

So I will walk,

Through the fire!

Cause where else can I turn?

I will walk,

Through the fire!

And let it…" I stopped as I heard footsteps behind me.

I doused my fire and quickly turned to see Raina looking at me softly.

"No, don't stop." she said, "It seems to calm you." she sighed.

I tried to say 'no', but it didn't seem she'd take 'no' for an answer. So I continued.

"So one by one they turn from me,

I guess my friends can't face the cold…" I continued.

"But why I froze,

Not one among them knows,

And never can be told.

These endless days,

Are finally ending in a blaze…" I lit a large fire that went up my arms at the last verses.

"And I am caught, in the fire,

The point of no return.

So I will walk through the fire and let it!

Burn." I whispered the last word and let the fire disperse.

"You didn't say it right." she sighed when I finally ended.

"Hmm?" I asked, confused.

"I know there's a 'we' somewhere in there." she said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, but, there's no one else really there with me." I sighed and turned away.

Raina walked to my circle of grass and sat down beside me. "That's not true."

I looked up to her face.

"There's your sister, Winter, and your other friend, Chet."

I noted how she didn't mention Calder.

"They're all here for you."

"Sure." I mumbled.

She rolled her eyes. "I know things seem, dark. No one knows much about you, and you think no one cares." she said softly, "But they do. You may feel, alone, but, they all care. It's like what you did for Winter. I bet you hated her right then, the way you were acting."

I nodded and hid a smirk.

"But you still helped her, you have a connection with your group. Even that boy, Chet. I've seen the way you look at him."

My face turned bright red and I looked away quickly, causing Raina to giggle.

"You've done this a lot, haven't you?" I asked her, suddenly warmer.

She shrugged, "Even Stone gets a little moody sometime." she said.

"Aednat! Come on we have to go!" I heard Winter call out.

I leaped up at her voice, I started to run back, but stopped and turned towards Raina. "Thank you." I said and ran towards my twin.

"Where have you been?" she asked once I got to the doorway.

"Out." I said, not wanting to explain.

"Good you're back. I was starting to worry." Chet said when he walked into the room.

I was about to reply, but Calder pushed me aside to get to Winter.

"Come on, we should go, it's getting late." he said.

We walked towards the distant ocean and I looked back to our 'companions'. They all waved and called out 'goodbye', even Griffin. I smiled widely and waved back at them.

"Hurry up Aednat." Calder called out.

I turned back, and ran to catch up to my group.

We reached the ocean in almost no time at all. Beside us was a rough river that flowed from the ocean it was born from. My boots started to sink into the soaked earth, and my feet constantly got stuck. The boys also had the problem, but Winter just walked on it gently with her high-heels. I soon got frustrated and slid my boots off of my bare feet. My skin touched the cool, damp ground, and I laughed. This was much better. I ran to catch up to my sister, leaving my boots in the marsh. When we got to the edge of the land, I dipped my hand into the lukewarm water. It turned to steam and I pulled my hand out quickly.

"So, how do we get a boat?" I asked, for none was in sight.

"Um…" Winter pondered, like she hadn't thought of that before, "we, don't need one, right? I mean, Calder can control water, right?" she suggested.

"Yeah, can't you, separate the water, ad make a passageway for us, right?" Chet offered.

"N-no," Calder stuttered, "it's too much water." he said, immediately getting rid of the option.

Chet shrugged and thought some more.

"Maybe I can help." a voice said.

I turned around to see a woman, her head resting on a stone.

Her skin was pale, and reflected the water. She had dark blue eyes, with a tinge of green at the bottom; it all resembled the sea. Her hair was dark brown with blue tinged at the end. Her lips were as red as a rose and her teeth glistened like pearls. She wore a top garb of what seemed to be silk with pearls and gems dotting the ruffles. Below her, curved a blue tail, with scales that glistened in all the colors of the rainbow.

She was a mermaid.

"Oh, hello." I said and curtseyed, not wanting her to get offended. Sadly, my friends didn't do the same.

The mermaid nodded back. Her eyes slowly blinked, revealing her blue eye shadow and long eyelashes. "Oh, I like you." she said, gesturing towards me. "Don't you know manners?" she asked Winter sternly.

"Oh, sorry." Winter curtseyed. "Good evening."

"You call that a curtsey?" the mermaid asked, seemingly annoyed.

Winter slumped her shoulders, obviously saddened.

I wanted to punch that mermaid in the face for that, but, no, I couldn't do that now. We needed help.

"Oh, never mind that. So, you need help crossing the sea?" the mermaid asked.

"Yes, please." I replied, almost forgetting the 'please'.

The mermaid nodded. "What were you, raised in a barn?" she asked Winter, obviously insulting her again.

"She's perfectly fine!" Calder said, rolling his eyes.

"Don't you get snappy with me young man! I'm trying to help you." she mermaid sternly said.

Calder was about to say something, but Chet put his hand on his shoulder.

"Good boy, calming the beast. Now, fix your face while you're at it." She said.

Now I was angry. She can insult my sister (even though I'd still punch her for that), she can insult my sister's boyfriend, (well, not exactly her boyfriend, how about romantic interest?), but she CANNOT INSULT MY MAN!

I leaped up, and before I could stop myself, I punched her in the face.

When I finally noticed what I did, I gasped. "OMG I am sooo sorry! Here, let me-" I tried to say.

"You little *****! You'll pay for that!" (Mermaids get very furious when they're insulted)

Before I could interject, seaweed wrapped around my arms.

"I curse you!" she glowered.

"At dawn, you'll turn into a creature of flight,

And so shall you be, until comes night,

When it comes you'll be in your former spawn,

Until comes again the break of morning dawn,

When you are your former self,

You cannot speak, or show yourself,

And so the curse will go, to revenge my vain,

And you will suffer in horrible pain,

This shall be, unless you dare,

To gain a piece of unicorn hair,

Then place it in a boiling heap,

Of gold from inside a dragon's keep,

And mix it with a special load,

Of mushroom, a home to a special toad,

When all of this is done you'll say,

'make these feathers go away!'

But if not done within two days,

The curse put on you shall not fade." she chanted.

When the chant was done, dark water rose from the ocean and surrounded me in a dark cage. It moved around me like a hurricane, that caused my hair to fly inches above my head. I could hear the mermaid laughing, and I tried to escape, but the water trapped me in.

My arms begat to tingle, and when I looked, I saw that they were turning white. Glistening feathers sprouted from my skin and created large wings. My body shifted and became that of a white bird. My bare feet turned webbed and transformed into two small paddles. My neck elongated and my face turned white, with a black mask that surrounded my eyes. A beak replaced my mouth and nose, and I could feel myself shrinking. The water dispersed and faded back into the water.

I looked forward, but only saw the vast ground. I looked up to see Winter, Calder, and Chet staring at me with wide eyes. I tried to ask why, but only a honk slid through my mouth. I looked down at my body and came to one conclusion.

I was a swan.

Review Responses!

SavvyMagic: Yeah, I recently read it over, it has ALOT of grammar mistakes, sorry, and thank you! :D

RandomWords247: Yeah, you spelled it right. Ikr. :)X

Cynthia Darling: Yeah, it's cute. What romances are you allergic to? :)