In the early morning light the sun shone a deep red over the small valley of Manutip. The faint calls of birds could be heard while the light wind rustled in the trees. Within the middle of the valley, surrounded by hills, forests and mountains, laid the small village of Nun, farms dotting the surrounding flatlands. This was a peaceful place, quiet and undisturbed by outer problems.

At the eastern border of the village there was a small farm where a humble farmer lived in peace with his daughter and their few animals. Some small chickens, a pig, two horses and a lone cow were their only source of income and food; yet they managed. Italyn, the 17 year old daughter of the man, tended a small crop of vegetables to daily. She did the majority of the farm work, her father tending to going to the village to sell and get supplies that were needed. Otherwise, he would be relaxing, unable to do very much hard labor around the farm.

When there was no chores left to do, chickens fed and cow milked, Italyn would saddle up her horse, a snow-white mare named Moonbeam, and go for a ride into the dense forest towards the north of their farm. Within the green foliage there was a special clearing that Italyn had found, hidden deep within the forests depths. It was here that the girl and horse retreated to when they needed a break. Italyn often brought a book, small and simple, ones that her father brought back from his visits to town. It could be hours before Italyn would return home to get the few animals into the small barn and finish up for the night, cooking a simple dinner; usually stew.

The days on the farm were always the same, simple and uneventful for both father and daughter. That is, until one fateful day. . .

It started out like any other day that Italyn had grown up to learn. The tending for the animals was surprisingly easy, it seemed as if a chicken or two had gotten out somehow, perhaps stolen. This barely fazed Italyn though; there were a few eggs that would hatch to give the farm a few new chicks. As soon as the chickens were fed, eggs gathered, cow milked and the pig was fed Italyn headed back inside with her gatherings to make her father and her some breakfast.

Breakfast was quite, as usual, with little to no conversation passing between the two of them. After her father was done he informed her in his deep, gruff voice that he was going into town to sell a few of the vegetables that he had harvested the other day. With a nod and a quiet 'good-bye', Italyn watched as her father's mule-drawn cart disappeared around the bend.

A sigh escaped the woman as she shook her head, looking about as her baby blue eyes landed upon her horse, grazing peacefully in the middle of the field. A smile appeared on her face as she slowly moved towards the snow- white mare. With nearly the rest of the day to herself, after some more chores at the early afternoon, Italyn decided that it was about time to visit her special spot in the forest.

It didn't take very long to saddle and prepare Moonbeam for riding, and the two were soon rushing through the tall grasses of the surrounding wilderness. The pair always loved the feel of the wind rushing through their hair, making it fly and swirl behind them. The pace was always quick and set early on, both of them enjoying the peace and serenity of the secluded forest clearing. With the lush green foliage nearing them at a quick pace Italyn urged Moonbeam on, she didn't want to waste any time getting there.

Only a short while later did the pair arrive in the moss-filled space of the forest. The tree's made nearly a perfect ring around the clearing, leaving the smaller shrubs and large masses of soft moss to gather in random, darker spots of the area. It was on a certain patch that Italyn preferred to sit, one that grew on a large sitting rock under a particularly large and dense tree. The light shone down at the exact right angle for Italyn to be able to read her book with no hindrance of any kind. With the smaller shrubs around Moonbeam was more than partial to snack or rest upon a larger patch of moss, using this time to rest and relax away from the farm.

Time passed, though the exact amount was unknown to the girl absorbed in her story. It was her favorite and most prized book, one of the first few that her father had brought home when she was a young child. Of course she wasn't exactly able to read it back then but her father had found the time to read parts of it to her, a few paragraphs every night. With Italyn's great memory she found that, afterwards, she could remember the words to the story and how it went. Due to this she slowly began to teach herself how to read. Ever since it had been her favorite and most prized book, one of a story of adventure, battles, and romance.

Sometime during her reading Moonbeam got up, moving over to the oblivious girl. A whinny and a gentle nuzzle brought Italyn back to the real world as she carefully marked her page and closed the book. Baby blue eyes went up to her friend with a light smile, silver hair being brushed gently out of her lightly tanned face.

"Hm? Time to go already Moonbeam?" She gave a bit of a disappointed look, sighing as she shifted on her spot. "It never does seem to last very long, does it?" Standing she brushed off her bottom, placing the book in the small side bag on Moonbeam. "Well friend, we should be getting back."

She moved over to the side of her horse, easily swinging herself onto the saddle. Settling herself she gave a click with her tongue to get Moonbeam to take them back home. There were chores to do and the day was waning, resting was nice but not when things needed to be done back at the farm.

Hooves were making soft 'thuds' on the ground as Moonbeam slowly made her way back towards home, she wasn't exactly in the mood to rush at the moment, though something about her was a bit different. Yes, Italyn noticed this but really didn't take much note of it, she knew that Moonbeam would allert her to any problems when, and if, they arrose. So the pair continued on at a careful pace, Italyn just making sure that they were going quickly enough to make it back in time to do all that was needed.

It was a short while later that they broke through the final few trees of the forest. Even though the farm was still a ways away, Italyn could already tell that there was something wrong. Coming from the ground in the direction of her farm was a large cloud of billowing smoke, dark and black as it poured upwards. Flames weren't seen from Italyn's perspective but the smoke was enough for her to know that her farm was fully ablaze. Fear touched her eyes as she urged Moonbeam into a full gallop across the plains. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if her father was in danger; she was supposed to be there for him.

'Please say he's alright...'

They made it there in record time, both horse and rider in a great panic for their home and family. When the farm was reached and the true horror of the situation had been viewed upon by Italyn she found herself throwing her body from Moonbeam, before the beast had even began to slow down. Fear was in her wide eyes as she stumbled, nearly falling as she raced towards the flame-filled house.

She didn't even have to look at the cart parked outside the house, or at least what was left of it; she already knew her father was home. Despite the flames that licked the wood of the house eagerly in hunger, Italyn ran through the open doorway, immediately bringing a cloth to her mouth to block out the smoke.

"Father!" Her voice was nearly lost in the deep raging of the fire but she tried anyways. The house wasn't big and she had to be able to find him; he was here! "Father! Where are you?"

A swift side-step prevented her from being crushed by a falling pillar, far too close for the girl to say she wasn't lucky. Gaze yet again flicked quickly through the burning house, barely able to see more than a foot in front of her through the deep, black smoke. She knew that there was little to no luck of her finding him but she was going to try, going to try her best anyways. Besides, there was always the possibility that he had gotten away before the flames had consumed the house. She was risking her life this way, not even knowing if he was still there.

With these thoughts, Italyn had paused, now second-guessing her rash actions when some movement and faint coughing hit her ears. Her body spun on the spot, freezing as she quickly, but carefully, searched the room in an attempt to find where the sound had come from.

From somewhere to her right, Italyn caught sight of some movement, along with another cough. With fluid and swift movement Italyn was kneeling beside a mound of black cloth, the bottom end of it caught under their rather large, and heavy, kitchen table. Carfully pulling back the blanket from the ground with her good hand, Italyn found the huddled body of her father underneath. A gasp escaped her as she looked down, dropping the smaller cloth covering her mouth. "Father!" She quickly moved to the right, pulling the blanket down until the majority of his form was seen. Unfortuenatly she couldn't pull it back any more as her father's legs were trapped beneath the table. Italyn knew this was going to be a problem but she would get him out of there; somehow.

Making to move the table from atop of him Italyn found that her father had grabbed her leg. Looking down she noted the black, soot-filled face of her father, his eyes wrenched nearly shut to block out the smoke. His lips were moving, but Italyn could barely hear what he was saying over the roar of the fire. Bending down closer, Italyn moved her face closer to her fathers, ear pointing toward his lips in attempt to hear him.

"Ita-Italyn.. Please get out of here.." A few more deep coughs came, causing Italyn to turn and lift her head. Waiting for only a moment Italyn shook her head, now looking her father straight in the face.

"No! I'll get you out of here! I promise!" Yet again she tried to stand but her father's grip only tightened.

"Listen to me Italyn; My legs are broken, I can't get out. Just leave before you're hurt too!" With surprising force he shoved her away from him just in time to keep her from being hit by a burning rafter that fell from the ceiling. Italyn's cries of 'No!' were lost in the crash and roar of the flames, piece of wood now resting in the spot where her father had been.

Italyn backed up, sitting and curling up on the ground. Her arms wrapped around her legs as she rocked slightly, shaking her head while tears fell from her eyes, evaporating nearly as quickly. "No... father..."

Another falling piece of wood caused her to get up, finally realizing that there was nothing she could do to help her father now, and that she had to save herself. Running from the house and still crying, Italyn moved toward Moonbeam, gripping the mare's neck once she reached her. All she had left now was Moonbeam and her old book. All her clothes, her possessions, and father, they were all lost, but not forgotten.

Wiping the tears from her face Italyn put on a determined look, now atop the saddle and looking at the burning house. "I love you father. I won't forget you." Before more tears could fall Italyn twisted on Moonbeams reigns, turning the mare and urging her into a gallop away from the house and into the night.

A/N: Wow.. did I actually get the chapter re-written? dies I can't believe it, really I can't.

Well, I'm glad that I did anyways, and I do hope that this gets read and is more interesting for people. The next few chapters should be up in the next month or so, depending on my homework and such.

Oh yes, thanks to everyone who read my story before, it means a lot to me. .