The vast verdancy of trees swaying beneath me sends a mellow thrum through my being. As I sit atop the cliff, watching the world move, thoughts swarm my mind. Ideas of how to spend my time make it impossible to get anything done. I sigh and rise from my secret spot, this was supposed to be my thinking time but I’m exhausted with my thoughts. I head back to the village with no plan, no specific destination in mind. Maybe I’ll find myself at Mama Igaroo’s hut while she’s cooking her famous okra fish stew. Or I might find Master Zedi’s lost training sword and turn it in for the prize he’s advertised. Though I know it’s not missing, the village talks. His students hid it somewhere along the shoreline. They were tired of Zedi’s new training methods, apparently he’s gotten quite harsh recently. Nobody blames him though, he’s suffered the most these past few moons. His entire hut succumbed to a strange illness, one he has yet to speak to anyone about in detail. Some rumour he killed his family, but I find it hard to believe. Zedi meditates daily, he is by far the most peaceful soul. Despite his intensive warrior like build, and eyes that seem to see straight through you, his aura tells of no evil intent. Even that one time during lessons when I was a student of his, before everything changed. He knocked me down so hard I swore he was out to get me. Everytime I regained my balance, shifted my weight and gripped my hilt exactly how he’d taught me, I was back down on the ground before I realized he was as close as he’d gotten. “Milaya!” A shrill voice pulled me from the gruesome memory, and i swiveled around to see who’d called for me. My lip began to lift on its corner, as I plastered a look of confusion across my face. “That’s strange, I thought I heard something,” I said, scratching my head. “Milaya, I’m right here!” the tiny voice shrieked again. My grin became unhideable as I continued my sherade. I kept my gaze leveled with my height, frantically searching for my caller. “I wish whoever was there would show themselves,” I sighed. A small foot swung my way, despite its impressive speed, I caught it by the ankle. Dangling in front of me now was a giggling Liyeshi. “Put me down!” She screeched, kicking and laughing. “You shouldn’t put such dirty feet on people Liyeshi, this is criminal,” I say, wiggling my eyebrows and crinkling my nose at the abomination. “Milaya it’s serious!” Liyeshi screams. I dropped the village girl and she landed on her feet like a cat. As devious as she is, i’d think she was one in numerous past lives. “Master Zedi is sick, and he’s calling for you!” the young girl frantically blurts out. My entire body stiffened, and my knees almost buckled beneath me. Things were different between Zedi and I now. We stopped training secretly on the beach together. We stopped sneaking out late at night, chasing eachother through the forest. When we passed eachother nowadays, we didn’t even spare a glance in the others direction. He’d been at Mama Lalasonti’s shop when I’d run in one day for some fabric my Mama sent me for. As soon as I spotted his tall body lounging against the wall like he owned the place, I turned on my heels like i’d spotted a predator and high tailed it out of there. That was four days ago, and I hadn’t had any run ins with him since. He’d seemed perfectly fine, still as big and strong as always, I couldn’t imagine him being sick so suddenly- and calling for me of all people. I gulped, regaining myself and locked eyes with Liyeshi. “Where is he?” I asked her. “He’s in his hut-”i didn’t let her finish,...