It had been a month since she left and Maurice still counted the empty days that passed without her. He wasn’t over Noda, nowhere close to giving up as long he felt her beating in his heart. Maurice knew why she left but, couldn’t make sense of it. Lately, he couldn’t make sense of anything.
    Standing at the edge of Angel Island, where the wind would ruffle his fur and tangle his spines behind him, he felt closest to her. Here, he could feel her clearly, he could hear her breathing, and almost, just almost he could see her if closed his eyes.
    This was her spot, their spot for only a night. This was also the spot where she fought her Father and lost. Maurice remembered that painful moment very clearly…
                ______________________
     The Guardian lifted his daughter high above the ground, his un-gloved nails digging in the fur around her neck and his dark lavender eyes piercing through her very soul. In a very low voice he commanded, “Mari-le-su. You are nothing but, a great dishonor in my name and hereby are not to be known from the House of Edmund. You are no longer of my blood and will never to step on this island again!” with that she was drop in the dirt and left, confused and very much in pain.
                ______________________
    Maurice shuddered with the memory of the terrible ripping through her heart. Half of her family line was torn out of her. He knew he should have stay, comforted her to the best of his abilities but, of course, ran back to his studies.
    He wanted to throw himself off the edge that night when he couldn’t find her. It was as if she vanished into thin air. There was nothing. It was that night he couldn’t hear her singing in the wind. Maurice desperately wanted see he again, hold her tightly, and maybe if she let him…

“Having fun?”

    Maurice jumped. He quickly spun around to find himself nose to nose with his older brother, Edmund.

“Yes? No? Maybe so?” Edmund asked, trying to make Maurice laugh. No luck.

    Maurice turned back around and was greeted by a gust of wind that blew his loose clothing wild. He lifted his arms and ignored his brother with thoughts of flying. Edmund stood next him and followed him.
    There was a large difference between the two. One, being the obvious one, Edmund was shirtless and in blue-jeans that were torn at the knees, while Maurice had a brown T-shirt far too big for him and baggy jeans that had fit him fine over a month ago. Two, Edmund was large and very muscular when Maurice was small and too skinny. Three, Edmund always smiled and was happy enjoying people as Maurice once had but, all he cared about was finding Noda to a point where it was ridiculous.
    Edmund opened his eyes watching Maurice continue to be distracted. He tackled his brother to the ground laughing. Maurice tried to shove him off but, was hopelessly pinned down, laughing so hard and loud that he started to choke and Maurice eased free. As Maurice stood he started marching home, furious at Edmund’s carefree behavior.

’He at least knows where his mate has gone.’ Maurice thought bitterly.

“Hey, what’s with you?” Edmund asked stepping in front of him,”I was only playing.”
    Maurice pushed him aside and continued to walk. Edmund quickly grabbed his arm.

“Maurice. Just forget about her. She’s probably dead anyway.” Edmund claimed.

    Without a second thought, Maurice swung and punched his brother square in the jaw, dropping him to the ground. He continued to walk home, knowing his brother was wrong. Very wrong.