not so S E C R E T, Tagg;; Violet!

[Rani Drop]

In the predawn darkness, where most beings slept, the birds were awakening and Rani seemed to be thrust in a state of awakening along with them. It seemed to take her a few seconds to realize where she was, much less why it was so sudden. It wasn't as though she'd had a chance to ease out of sleep slowly, it had just heaped and fallen upon her quite suddenly causing her to ache, her stomach to be nauseous, and her head to throb. Lying quite still, Rani tried to figure what might have caused her to awaken so violently but no answer came, just the thick pressing noise of the morning silence.

Sighing softly, Rani waited a few moments longer before sitting slowly up in bed. Stretching her arms and yawning widely, the small blonde flexed her fingers, trying to remove the strange aches from her small form. Stretching her right arm across her chest, she felt the muscles in her right shoulder strain and stretch, releasing knots in the muscle caused by reckless sleeping. Cringing slightly, the strange tension and pain was unexpected, yet still expected at the same time. Rolling her shoulder, she was soon tossing her sheet and coverlet away from her to land on the far side of her small bed.

Pulling herself away from her bed, Rani walked to the small window; the small girl propped her elbows against the sill, dropping her head onto her hands and presently smiled at the noises of the few creatures awake at such an early hour. Jumping back from the window, Rani skipped through the Hollow Tree making quick time to the area the Doves lived in. Seeking out Brother Dove's room, small Rani knocked on the door and was greeted by a much larger face covered in gorgeous white feathers. Smiling at the large bird, Rani was pleased that Brother Dove was awake as early as she was; he typically was. "Do you think you could take me somewhere? It's here in the forest!"

It was rather silly to think that Brother Dove would deny her a quick flight. The large lovely bird had promised to fly the small blonde wherever she wished, within reason. But really, Rani never asked for anything unreasonable, not that she thought of anyways. Pointing at a clearing near her general destination, Rani braced herself for the landing though knowing it would be of a gentle light nature. Giggling as her feet touched the ground Rani quickly turned and faced the sky, "Thank you Brother Dove!" Rani exclaimed, waving to the lovely white bird as it flew away. Turning her face back to her current location, Rani traversed the few feet to the entrance of the small pond. Pushing back the moss, the small fairy skipped towards the waters edge.

She loved this place. Truthfully, she was never much for keeping her own secrets, but she really really loved this place. Hidden deep in the Neverwood, the small pond was a rather large, strangely shaped pool of calm. A small creek fed waterfall flowed from one end, the only disturbance in the lucid clarity of of its beauty. One could clearly see that this site was rarely visited by any. It's overgrown nature proved that quite simply. Still, those who managed to find the little secret place were lucky indeed. It was only through her water talent that Rani had discovered the hidden gem.

Perching herself on a small rock, Rani watched in fascination as small koi swam beneath the surface, and Rani was compelled to join then. Standing up, the small wingless wonder dived from her rock into the cool water. Chasing the koi, she had soon convinced the koi to play with her. Smiling at the orange and black splotched fish, Rani felt the need for air. Swimming upwards, the fairy breached the surface of the water, giggling at the much larger fish tickling her bare feet with their fins.

[Violet Brier]

Violet couldn't sleep somehow and she hated not being able to sleep lately. And she didn't know why. Things seemed to be bothering her about her sleep and something just wasn't right. Butt she wasn't sure just yet what it could be so she found herself wandering in the night, knowing that even Peter needed sleep and that he wouldn't follow her out there.So here she was almost to dawn when the other boys would be waking up soon wanting to play and she was all on her own in the dark forest. She was feeling a little anxious but was quite positive no pirates were around as even they had enough sense to be asleep at this hour. Whatever hour it was. She hadn't seen a clock of any kind in ages and hoped to find something that could help her tell the time somehow. She'd probably have to talk to Peter or Dan about that one, Dan being the smarter one. But that wasn't her problem just yet and wondered what would happen next.

She yawned sleepily, her eyes still tired and sagging a little. She hadn't slept in about two days well enough and she wished she knew why. Maybe she was just restless. She didn't know anymore. AT the moment, she was beginning to really wish she had a fairy of her very own to help her see where she was going. Bare foot and still wearing her night gown, she felt silly and out of place there in the woods. Yet the light of the morning sun was slowly rising and she could she a little bit better the farther she went and it was beautiful. The dawn of it all let her see the perfection of the woods and the colors of the trees that shone gold in the light of the pumpkin sun.

The light glowed off her face as she went along, her eyes shining in excitement when she surveyed the woods as she never had before. She was excited actually and glad she hadn't been able to sleep to see such a sight on her own, independent for the first time. But she heard something just as she found herself wondering where she was. She heard something splashing in the river. Was it the river? She had never seen the river so beautiful, the blues and gold from the sun mixing into a strange kind of opal in its ethereal beauty. But something else was in that river of hers, that she couldn't quite tell what it was just yet. It was tiny, whatever this creature was and she was sure most of all that it wasn't a fish.

Biting her lip curiously, she wandered quietly to the little creature in the river. The creature floated just barely above the surface and looked like a pearl in a sea of teal it was so bright. And yellow almost. What was it? Violet had never seen anything so strange and beautiful before that she couldn't think of what it could be. IT certainly could be no fairy because the only fairies she had ever seen had wings and this little creature, feminine as it must be, had no such things. That was strange to Violet and reminded her of a story she had heard. Something about a girl named Thumbelina? Was that her name? She had heard it from Peter and it was probably a strange version of the real story someone else had said.

Violet found herself sitting at the river now, her face lit up from the sun and her curious, broad smile. She was going to meet a little , little girl for the first time and it would be all hers! Nobody else could take this discovery away from her and she had never been so proud indeed. She giggled though, giving herself away and she stared at the creature before her, wondering if it would disappear as soon as she saw her there.

"Hello! My name is Violet. What are you?"