A Day Off

As we entered castle, I finally managed to free myself from my mother's grasp. I turned to her, and saw that she still had the serious and frightened look on her face. As she was leaving me, I quietly asked her: "Mother, what was that place? I've never seen it before,"

My mother immediately stopped walking, and turned to me and quietly whispered just loud enough, for me to hear: "That is place of great suffering and darkness. The lair of a monster, that takes everything without remorse. This is all you need to know," before she resumed her walking.

It took only moments, before I realized what she was talking about. I felt a haunting chill run down my spine. I shivered in fear, as I quietly, yet sacredly asked: "It was the cave of The Dark One, was it not?"

The moment I said that, my mother's look became one of absolute horror. She stood completely frozen in place, as if time had stood. Her face became paler, than I thought possible. Her eyes shrunk in eyes, until they where the size of peas. And I could've sworn I could feel, her blood freeze and her heart stop. She stood like that for a few seconds, before she marched to me and nearly shouted: "I thought I told you, never to speak of him!" I could see her eyes where had a look of anger, but at the same time fear.

"I-I…I am s-sorry mother. I-I-I did not mean to…" I stuttered in an apologetic way.

My mother sighed, as her tone lightened. "I know, and I am sorry I snapped at you. I was just worried about your safety. I do not want to lose you, like I lost…my brother." She whispered the last part, and I could barley see a tear fall from her right eye. She noticed this, and quickly dried her eyes. She then coached down to my level, placed her hand on my left shoulder and with a serious look on her face, she sternly told me: "Now Aisling, I want you to promise me something. Promise me, that you will never enter that place in your life!"

I nodded, looked my mother right in the eyes and promised: "I will not. I swear it."

The two of us looked at each other, eye to eye for a long while. Before my mother sighed and said: "Good." She then smiled and gave me a small hug. "On a different note, congratulations unlocking your two animal forms," She congratulated with pride in her voice.

I chuckled as she let go of me. "So when do you think, I can try to unlock my final form?" I asked curiously.

"I think that's enough training for one day. We will start again in three days time," My mother answered calmly, before walking back to her room. After that, I just spent most of my day reading, eating my meals and just relaxed until it was time for bed.

The Next Day

After breakfast (which was mostly eaten in silence), I went out to play with my friends Oisin, Ronan and Nuala. I met them by Oisin's home, where they just talking to each other. "Hi Oisin, Ronan, Nuala," I happily greeted them, while waving.

They all turned to me, and smiled as they waved back and greeted: "Hi," "Good morning Aisling," "How is it going?" After that, Oisin asked: "So, how did your training go?"

My smile grew as I proudly and happily answered: "Great! I have already unlocked my first two forms. A salmon and a deer." To prove it, I turned into a white deer in front of them and changed back. Oisin and Ronan were amazed at my deer form, while Nuala being blind was just impressed by the fact that, I had managed to unlock my two animal forms at such a young age.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Oisin exclaimed amazed. "Do not you think so?" Oisin asked Nuala, still a little impressed, while Ronan congratulated me.

"I am not really sure Oisin, I did not get a good look at it," Nuala muttered sarcastically/offended, while crossing her arms.

Oisin suddenly realized "Oh, Nuala I am so sorry! I forgot…"

"Do not worry, I am used to it. Still congratulations Aisling," Nuala reassured Oisin and then congratulated me, with a smile.

"That is great!" "Good job Aisling!" They all congratulated me, while giving me a small hug and padding me on the back. "What about the rest, of the animals you wanted to try?" Ronan asked curiously and yet quietly.

I simply shrugged and answered: "Well I did try to unlock the bird and the rabbit, but in the end I failed. And I have decided to unfortunately not try the otter after all, since I already have a swimming animal, as one of my forms and I don't think I'll need another. Which only leaves me with the fox, which I will try to unlock with my mother in three days."

"So, what do you want to do today?" Nuala asked a little while, after I answered Ronan's question.

"Well, I would like to see how fast my deer form is. How about a race to the field?" I asked.

"Sounds good to me," Oisin said.

"As long, as no one get's hurt," Ronan said.

"You know I love a good race," Nuala smirked determined. After everyone had agreed, we made our way to the entrance of the city and got into position.

"Ready, set…GO!" I yelled and we were off like birds. I turned into my deer form and bounded away. It didn't take long before I was in lead, and after a few seconds I was at the field. I got there first, with Ronan being a close second, Nuala coming in third and finally Oisin came last, panting as he slowed down.

"Wow, Aisling you sure were fast, in your deer form," Nuala complimented.

"Yeah, you ran faster than any deer, I've ever seen," Ronan exclaimed in happiness.

"Yeah Aisling, that was nicely done," Oisin annoyingly muttered, once he finally stopped panting.

"Are you ok Oisin?" Ronan asked a bit concerned.

When Oisin turned to Ronan and just said: "Yes Ronan, I am fine."

I turned back into a Tuatha Dé Danann, as Nuala walked up to him and said: "Oh come on, do not tell me your mad, just because you lost a little race."

Oisin just snorted, and looked away from her. After a few moments I saw a few apple trees nearby. "Hey, do any of you want some fruit?" I asked them.

"I would like some thanks," Ronan answered.

"Sure why not? I do love apples," Nuala replied, before turning to Oisin and asking: "What about you Oisin?"

Oisin just sighed, turned to her and said: "I am in the mood for apples. Sure." As I walked over to the apple trees, Oisin smirked and challenged: "In fact, why don't we have a race? I first one to get an apple wins. What do you say?"

I thought about for a little while, and I smiled confidently and replied: "I am up for it, if everyone else are."

"Sure. It sounds like fun. I just hope I do not fall." Ronan stated.

"This is going to be fun!" Nuala exclaimed excitingly. "But do not go off whining, if you lose."

"I would never do that," Oisin simply remarked confidently.

"You mean, beside the fact that you just did so after our race to the field?" I asked with a small smirk, which caused Oisin to lose his smirk and replace it with a frown.

"Nice one," Nuala complimented me, while Ronan gave me a bit of a disapproving look.

"Oh come on Oisin, I am just teasing," I told him with an innocent smile.

He just rolled his eyes, and asked: "So are we going to race or not?"

"Of course. We all agreed did not we?" I answered. With that my friends and I, went over to the trees.

As we made our way to four equally long apple trees, the four of us got into position. I began: "Alright, on three. One, two…"

"THREE!" Oisin shouted/finished, as he quickly climbed up the tree. While I was a little surprised that he finished before me, Nuala, Ronan and I did not waste anytime and quickly climbed our way up the trees. While Nuala and Ronan where doing pretty good on their own, I quickly climbed above them and soon both Oisin and were in the lead. However I quickly managed climb in front just as I reached the top. I sat on a large tree branch while waiting for my friends. Oisin was close in getting second place, but then Nuala and Ronan just barley managed to bet him to it, leaving him in last place.

"Great job Aisling! You were great!" Ronan complimented, as he sat on his own tree branch.

"Aw, thanks Ronan," I said, accepting his compliment.

"You are the fastest, Aisling!" Nuala shouted, as she got on a tree branch of her own. I lightly chuckled at this. I've often been referred to as "The Fastest". Mostly by my mother, but a few people called me that as well, and for good reason. I was the fastest in my family, I was faster than most of the animals in the forest, and I was the fastest of my friends.

I was about to pick and apple from the tree, when I noticed that Oisin was sitting on a tree branch, and looking very annoyed at me and even avoided me, when I looked at him. My smile faded, as my friends and I looked concerned at him and asked: "Oisin are you ok?"

"Yeah, I am fine," Oisin, mumbled rudely, not facing use. He then started to climb down. "I think I am going go home."

The three of us, were concerned about him and we quickly climbed down as well. When we reached the bottom, I could see Oisin slowly walking back home. I ran over to him quickly, and shouted: "Oisin wait!" He turned to face, and I said: "Oisin what is wrong?"

"It is nothing, except you keep beating me all time! Do you have any idea just how sick and tired I am of losing all the time," Oisin shouted angrily at me. This shocked both me, and my friends. I felt hurt. Now I just felt bad for winning, and was almost on the verge of tears. Oisin noticed this this and immediately softened. "Oh my lords! Aisling, I am so sorry! I…I do not know what came over me," Oisin apologized, in a sad tone.

I dried my eyes, smiled back and said: "It is ok Oisin. Do you want to talk about it?"

Oisin sighed, and gave me a sad smile. "I suppose so," he said. The four of us walked over to a nearby tree, and sat down.

"So, Oisin why did you snap at Aisling earlier?" Ronan asked, curious.

"Yeah, what's eating you?" Nuala asked, while raising an eyebrow.

Oisin sighed and answered: "Well, I am just getting annoyed, that you all of guys keep betting me."

"Oh come on Oisin, that is not true," Ronan told Oisin, to try and make him happier.

"Yes it is. Every time we race nowadays, I am always at last place. Almost every time we play something, I end up at last place," Oisin explained.

"If that is the case, why did you snap when you lost every other time?" Nuala asked, a bit confused.

"Because back then, I in the very least won a few times. But now, I just keep losing at everything! Just like how brothers, always win when we play together," Oisin muttered.

Nuala walked over to him, and gently placed her hand on his shoulder: "Come on Oisin, just because you lose at something, it doesn't mean it that you're weak or even bad at it."

"And besides, your good at other stuff as well. You can sing a lot better than me, that is for sure," I reassured him happily, and it was true. His singing voice was 10 times more beautiful, than any bird I've ever heard.

"Yeah, and you have beaten me in a fight, several times," Nuala told him, as she joined me. Nuala and Oisin would occasionally get into a little brawl. It was never over anything serious, and they usually didn't get, aside from some minor broses, and it was all it good fun. Nuala would win most of the time, but Oisin had also won his share as well.

"And you are great at Hide and Seek! I cannot count how many times; I've had to search for several minutes just to find you!" Ronan proceeded to say. When ever we would play Hide and Seek, Oisin would always find the best hiding places. He would often have a very hard time, trying to find him because he was just so good.

As we kept encouraging, Oisin slowly began to smile. "You do not have to win, as long as you do your very best, that's all that matters."

Oisin smile increased and he went up gave us a hug, which we all gladly returned. "Thanks everyone. And sorry if I have been a jerk today," Oisin thanked and apologized to us.

"Hey do not worry about it," Nuala reassured, as we let go of each other.

"Yeah, we understand how annoying it can be, to lose all the time. If you want I can help you get faster," I offered happily.

Oisin smiled and said: "I would like that very much Aisling." Just then we heard a rustling sound behind us. "What was that?" Oisin asked, a bit nervous.

I turned around, and saw that the rustling sounds was coming from a nearby bush. I carefully inched my way over to the bush, and took a look at what it was. My friends were getting a bit nervous themselves (especially Ronan). I looked and saw it was…"A pup! Come on guys, its just a little wolf pup," I assured them, as I showed them, the black furred wolf puppy, which I found in the bush.

"Aw, he is so cute!" Ronan exclaimed happily, as the others came closer. We then proceeded to play with the wolf pup for a while, before it saw it's mother nearby and decided to return to it. After that we decided to go home.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry if it was a little rushed and sappy. I know this might be filler, but I wanted to give Oisin some character development, just as I eventually plan on doing the same to Ronan and Nuala. Anyway I once again hope you enjoyed this. Please leave a review. Constructive criticism is welcome.