Sorry if there are spelling or grammar mistakes in this! I have read it over and over, but any advice or help is welcome! Please review!

Hara silently slipped on his boots and clicked the door shut behind him. He hurried down the street; the clipping of his boots against the cobbles the only sound bar the odd bark of a dog as he ran past it. The houses towered over him like grey giants. The streets were still dark as Hara made his way along them. There was no-one else up. Someone peered out there window as he walked swiftly past their house. As he drew nearer the blacksmiths, the sound of clanging metal filled the street. Hara slowly pushed open the blacksmiths door. Ghyll the blacksmith stood over an anvil, hammering away. The room was warm and a roaring fire burned in the furnace. Carcoa, his daughter, sat perched upon one of the benches. She smiled as he entered.

“Morning Hara!” she called, barely audible over the sound of the hammering. Ghyll glanced up at the doorway where Hara stood.

“Come in Hara. On your way to the butchers?”

“Yes, I’ve started work there. I just thought I would say morning since you are the only others who are awake!”

“No rest for the wicked!” Ghyll chuckled, “Well you better get going. You don’t want to be late!”

“Yeah, if I am late again he will kill me!” Hara walked back over to the door and slowly turned the handle. “Bye! Have a nice day.”

“And you, me lad!” Ghyll waved before returning to his work.

Carcoa waved to Hara and smiled as he walked out the door. She blushed as he waved back, her face turning as red as her fiery red hair. Hara grinned and closed the door. He slowly walked down the street. The butchers shop was on the outskirts of town and it would take at least another five minutes to get there. The town was still asleep, but as he walked, more and more people emerged from their houses. Soon the town would awaken and the streets would be filled with people, going about their busy lives.

Hara sighed and breathed in the warm spring air. As he rounded the next corner, the sound of merry music filled his ears. This time of year was when the gypsies arrived. Some people hated them. Said they were a waste of space. However, Hara loved them, they were always bright and cheery, they loved games and told storied filled with adventure and myth. Just the fact that the gypsies had come, lightened his mood. The butchers shop was further away still and Hara had twenty minutes before he had to be at work. As he walked into the campsite, the first thing he noticed was how few people there were in comparison to the last time the had come. Hara walked through the rabble of carts and tents. The smell of food, bubbling over fires was comforting and uplifting. Children ran about, through the camp without a care in the world. Several times, they nearly knocked Hara over. He walked blissfully through the camp. Hara looked at the sky. It was a beautiful blue and there was barely a cloud in the sky. He stumbled over a wooden statue that sat outside a trailer. It was a statue of the goddess of health. Hara picked up the carvings arms.

“Oh no!” Hara sighed, “More money spent before I earn it!”

He sighed and walked up the three small steps that led into the trailer. The trailer was decorated with small, coloured feathers and strings of shells. On the door, a sun and moon were painted. Hara rapped gently on the door. As there was no reply, he rapped again, only this time a little harder. The door creaked open and Hara saw nothing but a sea of bottles and beads through the door.

“Erm, hello?” Hara stepped cautiously through the door.

“Come in Hara. Sit down.” a harmonious voice called.

“Who - where - how…?” Hara stuttered.

A tall thin girl appeared from one of the other rooms in the trailer. Her long black hair, tied messily up.

“Sit down! The chair shouldn’t bite!” the girl laughed, “It has already eaten today!”

Hara slowly pulled out a chair and warily sat down. The smell of mint and jasmine wafted past him. The girl soon joined him after she stirred a pot of soup that was simmering on the stove. She noticed him staring at one of her decorations.

“It’s a dream catcher,” she said plainly, “It catches your dreams before they become your dreams and stops the bad ones getting to you.”

“And what does it do with the bad dreams?”

“Keeps them till the first light of day when the light destroys them.”

Hara nodded in amazement, “How do you know me?”

“I know everything!”

“Really? Could you tell me who my family are? Just to prove it!”

“Okay then,” the girl fell silent, “Your younger sister is Rhinar, she is eight and your older brother it Leon, he is nineteen.”

Hara’s jaw dropped, “Wow! How did you know? You really do know everything!”

There was a howl of laughter and a loud thump as something crashed to the floor. Hara jumped to his feet and walked to where the sound had come from. He pulled open the nearest door. A tall, blonde haired boy tumbled through the door, his green eyes watering with tears of laughter.

“Leon, you bastard!” Hara kicked his brother hard in the ribs.

“Good old Hara! So gullible!” Leon laughed, “And wasn’t Tia brilliant! Well done Tia!”

This was one thing that Hara hated his brother for. Leon was good-looking and muscular. He could get any girl in the town to fall for him. Tia was just another of these girls.

“Sorry Hara, but it was funny!” Tia said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, “I’ll make it up to you! Come! I’ll read your future!”

“I am not that gullible!” Hara snapped.

“I am being serious! It’s just for fun!”

Hara looked Tia up and down, “Ok.” Hara sat down beside Tia. She took his hand and traced her fingers along the lines on his hand.

“You will have a long hard life. You have found or met the woman you love but you will not admit it!” Tia fell silent for a few seconds, “A great mishap is about to take place. Strangers will come and change your life!” Tia got up and picked up a crystal, “They will come while you hunt and take them.” Tia’s voice had grown more cold and unusual.

“Yeah right!” Hara snapped, “Next you will be telling me that it was made up!”

“No Hara! I am telling the truth!” Tia said.

“Sure you are!” Hara stood up and made his way to the door, “I am not that gullible!” Hara walked out the door, slamming it behind him. He kept on walking, even after Leon called his name several times.

“Gotcha!” Leon shouted as he grabbed Hara and pinned him to the ground.

“Get off!” Hara said, trying to wriggle free of Leon’s grip.

“But only if you let me walk you to the butchers!”

Hara drew Leon a funny look. He sighed and nodded. Leon stood up and offered his hand to help Hara. He hoisted Hara to his feet and they dusted their selves down. They began to walk along the busy street. Hara walked at a swift pace, as he would soon be late for work.

“Slow down!” Leon said, jerking Hara backwards.

“But I will be late!” Hara moaned.

“You need to lighten up!”

“And you need to get a job!”

“Maybe, if you got a girlfriend, you would relax!”

“Maybe if you got rid of your flock of admirers, you would work!”

“Oooh! Touchy!” Hara shoved Leon to the side and out of his way. “What’s wrong with you?” Leon asked, dancing along the street beside Hara.

“You are - older than me, nicer looking then me, luckier than me and Carcoa…”

“Likes me and you are jealous!”

“NO!” Hara barked, “Yes…” Hara bowed his head and continued to walk.

“I knew it!” Leon chirped, “But she likes you more!”

“Sure! You have got me once today; you won’t catch me out twice!”

“No. Seriously! She really does like you!”

Hara stopped outside the butchers shop and looked Leon in the eye. “Really?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Leon said.

Hara’s heart skipped a beat. “One more thing, do you think what Tia said, the second time round, was real or was she just acting?”

“I don’t know. She seemed, different when she said the last part!”

“Yeah…oh well! See you later!”

“It’s your turn to baby-sit Rhinar!”

“No way! I did it last time!” Hara hissed angrily.

“But you were covering for me!” Leon laughed, “See ya!” Leon ran off down the street before Hara could argue anymore.

Hara sighed, shook his head and pushed open the butchers’ door. The shop was dark and there was no sign of life. Hara cleaned his boots on the doormat before venturing inside. He walked behind the counter and filled a basin with water to wash his hands in. As he was drying his hands on an old rag, Valhi the butcher and his son Scarlet came arguing through the door that led to the storeroom. Scarlet was Hara’s best friend. He was only a few months older than Hara but had a mischievous nature. His scruffy black hair and brown eyes made him a friendly looking person but Hara would not want to get on the wrong side of his temper. He and Valhi never noticed Hara until he coughed.

“Oh Hara. I never noticed you there!” Valhi said.

“Don’t worry about it! What have I to do today?” Hara asked. The smell of salted meat wafted past Hara. The storeroom was filled with meats of all sorts; poultry, beef, pork and fish.

“We need to stock our supply of venison. You and Scarlet are going hunting!”

Hara suppressed the urge to jump for joy. He loved to go hunting in the nearby forest but had not had the time to go for ages. What made it even better was the fact that Scarlet was going as well. Hara waited until Valhi had left the room and the door had shut behind him before he jumped onto his feet. He shuffled across the floor in a dance like manor towards his bow.

As he placed his hand on the smooth surface of his bow, Tia’s words jumped into his mind.

‘They will come while you hunt and take them.’

Hara pulled his hand away from the bow and his eyes darted about the shop madly. Could what Tia said and that Valhi was sending them hunting just be a coincidence? Hara looked about the shop. Scarlet sat behind the counter, scribbling something on a piece of parchment. Different cuts of meat were lined neatly along the worktops and the usual knifes hung in racks on the wall behind the counter. Scarlet glanced up and drew Hara a curious look.

“What’s wrong with you?” Scarlet enquired. His eyes following Hara’s about the room.

“I thought I saw someone…never mind.”

“Hm…? Grab your bow and let’s get out of here!” Scarlet said slinging his bow and arrows over is shoulder and leaping over the counter. Hara shook his head. He grabbed his bow and followed Scarlet out of the shop.

Scarlet was waiting for him outside the shop. He smiled and ran off as Hara came out. Hara groaned, Scarlet was an extremely fit boy and could run very fast. Hara’s only hope of catching him was to cut ahead of him and trip him. Hara began to run down the street. Scarlet glanced over his shoulder and laughed.

“Hurry up slow coach!” Scarlet teased.

“Slow down!”

“Or what?”

Hara smiled he stopped and strung his bow. He aimed it at Scarlet. He let it lose, aiming for Scarlet’s legs. “Or that!” Hara called as the arrow clattered the ground in front of Scarlet’s feet.

Scarlet stopped dead in his tracks. “Nice try!” he chuckled.

Hara had almost caught up with him when he began to run again. Hara cursed and hurried. The land beyond the town was bare. Only a few farmers lived out here and they only kept sheep. Scarlet leaned against a fencepost in wait for Hara. He smiled and looked up at the clear blue sky. The mountain ranges in the distance were toped with snow, making them look like cakes. The town was always said to be in the middle of nowhere. The closest town was about a mile away and not many people travelled through their town. Only the gypsies dared to go past the town as the land behind it was supposedly cursed. Only green fields lay ahead until you reached the forest, which you had to pass through to get to the next town. Alternatively, it was a day’s journey around the forest. Hara arrived next to Scarlet puffing and panting. He bent over doubled, hands on his knees struggling to breathe.

“Out of breath?” Scarlet asked. Hara nodded in reply. “Want us to walk the rest of the way?” Hara nodded. “Ok. We’ll go as soon as you are ready!”

Hara straightened up and looked at Scarlet. He was just regaining his strength as Scarlet shoved him to the ground, out of the way of a passing carriage.

“Watch were your going, you stupid kids!” the driver shouted back to them.

“Watch where you are driving! Then we wouldn’t have to worry about watching where we were going!” Scarlet roared back.

The carriage screeched to a halt, dust from the road was sent flying through the air. The driver turned the carriage and headed back towards them. Scarlet helped Hara to his feet. The carriage stopped beside them. The driver glared at Scarlet.

“Want to say that again?” the driver snapped.

“Sorry, I thought you were blind not deaf!” Scarlet retorted.

“Are you looking for fight?”

“Are you offering to have one?” Scarlet hissed.

The driver began to climb down from the front of the carriage. His grey moustache moved around his upper lip as he cursed and swore. The carriage door swung open. A black well-polished shoe was placed gracefully on the ground. A tall man stepped elegantly out of the carriage. He wore long black robes and he held a walking cane in one hand. On top of the cane was the head of an eagle.

“That will do Mr Forbes!” the man said in a gentle yet commanding voice. His voice had an authoritative ring to it.

“Yes Sir!” the driver said, clambering hurriedly back onto the carriage.

“I do not want you boys getting into trouble so I would advise you keep off the roads!” the man warned.

“Thank you for the advice but we can take care of ourselves!”

“I’m sure you can!” the man turned to the driver, “To the town and try not to run over any boys or stop again! If you do I will deal with you myself!” The driver cowered and the man climbed back into the carriage. The door snapped shut behind him. As the carriage pulled away, Hara peered in through the small window on the door. Three men sat inside, each one wearing a black suit and cloak. Hara dragged Scarlet onwards. He laughed as Scarlet growled under his breath at the carriage.

“Come on! Leave it!” Hara said.

“If I ever meet them again, I’ll punch their lights out!” cursed Scarlet.

“Calm down Scarlet!” Hara sighed, “We better get hunting!”

Scarlet reluctantly walked after Hara. They walked on in silence for a while. As they drew closer to the forest, the silence grew eerie. The forest was silent to. It was too quiet for Hara’s liking. The shadows of the tree’s fell over them and cast them into darkness. They walk further and further into the depths of the forest. The trees towered over them and shielded out the sunlight, leaving only enough light to see by. Climbers wound their way around the branches and trunks of the trees. They looked like fingers winding around someone’s throat. Leaves were scattered over the ground and alerted everything in the area to where you were. Not a bird whistled in the forest. It was uncannily still.

“I don’t like this!” Scarlet whispered, “It’s wrong!”

Hara shook his head and stalked on. After about and hours with no luck what so ever, they sat and rested. There was a sudden crunching of leaves and, Hara and Scarlet fell still. They slowly turned to where the noise had come from. A light brown deer stood not far away, a beam of sunlight falling on its back and illuminating the creature. Scarlet reached over his shoulder and pulled an arrow from his quiver. He strung his bow. Hara snuck closer to the deer, to get a clearer shot, should Scarlet miss. Scarlet drew back the arrow. As he released the arrow there was a loud scream and the deer ran off.

“Shit!” Scarlet swore, “I could have hit that!”

Hara stood up and looked around him into the surrounding forest, “I just want to know what screamed!”

There was another yell. Hara and Scarlet looked at each other before running in the direction the sound had came from. They crashed through the undergrowth, taking care not to trip on the roots of the might trees. They emerged from the forest at the road. They looked frantically about. Hara looked down the road, back towards the town. A black carriage was parked not far from the forest.

“Hey Scarlet! Look!” Hara pointed to the carriage.

“Let’s see what’s -” Scarlet was cut off by a loud yell.

“PUT ME DOWN!” the person shrieked! Hara was sure he recognised the voice.

“We must stop them!” he said, running towards the carriage.

Scarlet watched for a moment, trying to register what Hara had said. “Hara!” Scarlet ran after Hara. He had soon caught up with Hara and pulled him to the side.

“Let go! I have to help her!” Hara snapped.

“But we don’t know who has her!” said Scarlet.

He began to walk sneakily along the side of the road, hiding in the shadows as much as he could. Hara followed stealthily. They lay down in the grass at the nearest embankment to the carriage to watch what was going on. They were hidden well by the long grass. Hara nearly shouted with rage as a tall man in a black suit dragged the girl out onto the road. Someone else was tossed to the ground beside her but Hara could not see the boy’s face.

“Now you two, if you don’t shut-it, then I will leave you here as a little feast for the wolves!” a man snapped.

Scarlet growled and turned to Hara, “That’s they guy who almost hit us!”

Hara looked closely at the man. It was him! He even had…The man struck her with the cane. Scarlet pinned Hara to the ground to stop him revealing his hiding place. He placed a finger to his lips. The two rolled over and listened into the conversation.

“What do you want with us?” the girl sobbed, tears ran down her cheeks.

“That is none of your business!” the man lifted his cane again to strike her.

“Leave her alone!” the other boy barked.

“Or what?” the man struck the boy. His head turned to the side and Hara caught a glimpse of his face. There was a loud rumble and Hara looked to the sky. The storm that had been gathering was about to break.

Hara had to go save them now! Scarlet hissed ‘no’ but Hara was not listening. “Hara, sit down!” ordered Scarlet.

“No! They have someone from our town! We might know them! We must help!” Hara was close to tears. “Please let me go save them!”

“It’s not worth the risk! You might get caught as well!” Scarlet reasoned.

“But -” Hara stopped as the carriage wheels ground on the gravel. He stepped away from the side of the road and faced the carriage. As it rolled past, a face appeared at the window. “Carcoa…? CARCOA!” Hara said, bolting after the carriage.

“Did you just say they had Carcoa?” Scarlet said, running after him.

“Yeah, look!” Hara pointed to the back window of the carriage.

Carcoa’s face looked out at them. She was screaming for help. A second face appeared beside hers. It was the boy. He lifted his bound hands and banged at the window. A long fingered had wrapped around Carcoa’s mouth and pulled her away from the window. The boy froze and fell to the side. Where he had been was a man with a cane.

“AND THEY HAVE LEON!” Hara yelled. He ran twice as fast. He had to get to that carriage! As the carriage increased in speed, it left Hara and Scarlet in the dust cloud it had kicked up. Hara fell to his knees and pounded the earth. His tears forming small puddles of mud, “No, no, NO! This can’t be happening!” the storm above them broke and the rain pounded down on them, soaking them to the bone.

“I’m sorry mate!” Scarlet said, placing a comforting hand on Hara’s shoulder. Water dripped from the ends of his hair onto his face.

“It’s just like Tia said…TIA!” Hara jumped to his feet. He began to run back towards the town. Scarlet sighed and chased after him.

“Who’s Tia?” Scarlet asked as he drew alongside Hara.

“The bloody girl who predicted this!” Hara cursed, “I should have listened to her!”

Scarlet shrugged and continued to run. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them back to the town. Hara led the way. He dodged past people, hurrying to get inside in the market street and knocked over several people carrying large baskets. As he arrived at the gypsy campsite, he froze in horror. Scarlet stopped beside him and his jaw dropped…