Larkspur

Larkspur gazed up at the clear sky above shyu, and then at the treetops below. Shye was only eight and a half, but shye already loved spending shyu time climbing trees, and this exceptionally tall one was shyu favorite. Shye could see for miles up here in any direction. Shye could even see some of the places shye visited reguarly; the park, the street with the shops shye loved, such as the art store and the costume store. Shye could even see her home, and a little way after thet, the sports ground. Shye loved spending time there, as well as up trees. In fact, shye enjoyed anything that kept her active, even if it did tire shyu out. The only problem she had with the sports ground was that whenever she went there, the various coaches would always pressure her to join their group, learn their sport. The wouldn't let up, at least not untill shye father warned them to back off and leave her alone, although that didn't stop them trying again next time.

Larkspur breathed deeply, sat down on the branch shye was standing on, and swung shyuself backwards, hanging upsidedown by shyu legs. Training in one sport was enough for shyu. Shye was currently learning how to rock climb. Shye didn't take it very seriously, it was just a hobby for fun. But even shyu teacher pressured shyu to persue it as a career, become a professional, compete in events, blah blah blah... Maybe shye would one day, but right now shye didn't care about that, shye just wanted the fun.

Shye put shyu hands up to hold onto the branch, and pulled shyu legss off, landing on the branch below, before proceeding to climb down the tree, occasionally picking and eating fruits, and being carefull not to break any branches. Reaching the lowest branches, shye jumped, rolling head over heels as shye landed, and just lay back, looking up through the tree. Shye loved this tree so much, it was like a friend to shyu. Larkspur just lay there happily for a while, almost falling asleep, when shye heard shyu mothers voice from behind shyu, "Come on sleepy head. You know you shouldn't be out here on your own for very long." Larkspur sat up slowly as shyu mother walked over, and bent down to pick shyu up, with Larkspur sleepily wrapping shyu arms around shya neck.

"You found shyu!" Larkspurs father rushed up to shyu mother when hye finally reached home, Larkspur asleep in her arms, "Where was shye?"

"Shye was under that tree again," hye replied, passing shya daughter into shyu fathers arms, "You know how much shye loves it there."

"Yes, I know. But shye shouldn't be going out that far on her own! It's not safe for her!"

"I know, but shye just got carried away with shyuself." They both began to head back inside, shyu mother resting shya head on shyu fathers shoulder, and stroking Larkspurs hair, "It's hard for shyu to wonder off. Shye just loves to be outdoors."

"I just don't what happened to her to happen to me..." chye rested Larkspur gently into a chair, and sat down in another, the other side of the room, sighing tierdly. Chyesh wife came over to chya and stroked chyesh hair, "Shye'll be fine. We won't let anything happen to shyu." Chye looked up at hye, and smiled, "I sure hope so. I'll go and put shyu into bed."

"Come on! Just a bit further!" Larkspur reached shyu arm up above shyu head, and grabbed the ledge. Shye pulled shyuself up, and sat gasping for breath over the edge, enjoying the view that lay ahead of shyu. Shye'd finally made it to the top of the cliff! Shye'd never been so high up in shyu life! It was amazing! Laughing, shye took shyu bag from off of shyu back, and pulled out shyu flask of water, and poured it over her head, refreshing shyuself. After having made it this high, shye was sure to win the competition next week. After catching shyu breath, shye pulled shyu sleeping bag from shyu bag, and lay it out on the ground, before lying back on it, and gazed up at the sky as the night quickly drew in. Shye smiled to shyuself. Shye'd stay here tonight, and go back home tomorrow morning, after camping out under the stars. Shye'd have a few more days of training, and then it'd be time for her first contest, and shye was determined shye would win.

"I'm home!" Larkspur called as shye entered the house, carefully shutting the door behind shyu. Dumping shyu bag on a chair, shye headed up to shyu room, to change into some clean clothes. Shye pulled off shyu beaten and broken combat pants and shyu vest, and pulled on shyu skirtalls, before heading back out to the hallway. Sliding down the banister, shye almost crashed into shyu father as shye reached the end of it.

"Carefull! You almost made me drop this!"

"Sorry!" shye helped steady the potted plant, stroking its small delicate flowers, "When did you get this?" Chye put it down in a corner before replying, "Yesterday. It was half dead with disease when I found it, so I brought it back to help it get better. How about you? Get up there yet?" Larkspur laughed happily, "Yep! The view was amazing! I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful." Shye sighed happily, thinking back to it. Shye was glad shye'd listened to shyu coach when shye was younger; becoming a professional was deffinately the best career choice for shyu. A hand was suddenly waved in her face, and shye was brought back to reality from shyu daydreams by shyu father, "I said, what are you planning on doing today?"

"Sorry," shye replied, blinking and shaking her head, "I was gonna just relax today. Let my body recuperate from the climbing, so I'd have energy to train more tommorow." Chye ruffled shyu hair, before walking outside, calling back to shyu, "You really wouldn't be able to do any other job, Lark. All you ever seem to think about is climbing." Larkspur flatened shyu hair back down, and headed to the lounge, grabbing a book from the shelf, and curling up to read in a chair, one of the few things that shye did that didn't involve climbing in some way or another. Just as shye was settled, there was a knock at the door, so shye dumped the book down again, and went to see who it was. There were two floauna, dressed in their military uniforms, standing there, looking all official and important.

"Good day!" the smaller one of the two began, "We're recruiting in your area. Would you be interested?" Larkspur shrugged, and shock shyu head, "Not really. As I told your lot last time, I'm happy with my job-"

"Don't say no too quickly," the taller one interupted, taking a step forward as chyui did so, "You know you would more than likely be put up the ranks very quickly, maybe even only having to be a trainee for a month, and a commander within a year!" Shye rolled her eyes, having heard it all before, buy chyui wasn't put off, "Not only that, but we could also offer you and your family extra protection, if the event of war should ever arise. A home could be provided for you and your family, with all your needs payed for by us. You could have an easy life, and not have to worry about your familes safety or comfort ever again!" Chyui smiled at her triumphantly, as if everything chyui'd said would conice shyu chui was right. Instead, shye just closed the door, and went back to shyu book, as if they had never been there.

"Larkspur! There you are!!" Shyu trainer came rushing up to her, as Larkspur was sizing up the rock face which she woul dbe climbing up in just a few minuets.

"Hey! What's up?"

"I've just found out who your main competition is. Tye's just over there, talking to the one with very dark green hair." Shye looked in the direction that shyyu trainer was pointing in, and saw the floauna chyui had meant. Tye was pretty tall, which put shyu at a bit of a disadvantage, but shye had a strength advantage, so hopefully that would even things out, even if tye had been competing for longer than shyu. Larkspur turned back to her trainer, "I think I can take tya."

"CONTESTANTS! TAKE YOUR STARTING POSITIONS!!" Larkspur winked at shyu trainer, "Wish me luck," before shye flounced over to the rock face, and got shyuself roped up.

--

"Come on! Just a bit further!" Larkspur reached shyu arm up, and gr abbed the top of the ledge, pulling shyuself up and over it. Breathing heavily, shye stood up straight as shyu mother came over, and handed shyu a drink, "Thanks, mum. How'd I do?"

"You did great, Lark."

"D'ya know what place I came?"

"No, but if you head over to that desk you can find out," hye indicated to a table, a few feet away, with three floauna sitting at it. They began to head over to it, and when they reached it, Larkspur asked the one to the left, where she had placed.

"Yes, Larkspur....You've come 2nd. Congratulations," chye placed the medal into her hand, "You will get your prise when the others have finished." Larkspur looked down at the medal in shyu hand, slightly disapointed that shye hadn't come first.

"Who came first then?" shye asked chya, and chye pointed to the floauna that her trainer had previously indicated, "Avis came first. But it was very close. You have some real talent there, you know." Larkspur smiled, and turned away. Shye looked at the medal again, before grasping it tightly, and putting it into her pocket. Shye may not have won this race, but one day, shye would beat tya. It might take years, but shye would do it some day