Closer to the Dark part of the Forest

Zumia was lost… again… she knew how to take care of herself, but she didn’t know which direction her home was. She had her bow an arrow for protection but it was on her back and not in the hand, showing all the animals she meant no harm. Just because she was lost didn’t mean she was frightened, she was instead exploring.

Zumia was walking and heard some cawing, as if something was getting hurt or attacked. She quickly and silently made her way to the noise and when she peeked over some bushes, she saw a beautiful crow, but it was getting attacked by two mountain lions. Zumia knew that in life animals hurt each other, but two on one was just unfair.

The Crow attacked one of the lions but the other used its paw and whacked it hard against a tree. The Crow was momentarily stunned but it recovered and tried to get away but one of the mountain lions jumped up and sank its claws into the wing and shredded it.

Zumia couldn’t take anymore and she got her bow so she could use it for protection and jumped out of the bush and put herself between the crow and the mountain lions. She said angrily in Elvin, “Leave! Don’t hurt it anymore!”

The mountains growled at her and paced before her, eyeing her bow. She showed her teeth and growled then hissed at them and got in a protective stance, showing that if they attacked she would hurt them. They growled once again before both running off the other way to find some other prey.

Zumia put her bow back on her back and turned to the hurt Crow. She said softly in Elvin, “Shh… shhh its ok… they are gone… I’ll help you…” Zumia scanned the area and saw the perfect plant. She quickly picked the red leaves and started smashing them. The Crow was watching her, but bleeding like crazy.

Zumia tore a piece of her clothing off to make a bandage. She finished mashing up the red plant and put it to the place. She smiled when the bird didn’t do anything and didn’t try to escape.

Zumia then tied the bandage around it and sighed then said in Elvin, “There, you should heal just fine… And don’t try to get into any more fights with mountain lions!”

Zumia chuckled lightly but was surprised when the crow hopped up on her arm then hoped to her shoulder. Zumia was quite surprised but then smiled and stood up. She said happily, “So you want to accompany me for a little? That would be so nice of you.”

Zumia then started walking with the Crow on her shoulder. She talked to it as she walked and the bird seemed to enjoy listening to her. When she asked it a question, it would just caw or ruffle its feathers. Zumia was glad she had saved the crow.

Cruscia was walking in the forest about to enter the dark forest when she saw a girl walking around with her crow. She narrowed her eyes and summoned her scythe but then noticed her crow was actually friendly with the girl.

I've never seen it with another person before......strange she thought to her self and hopped down from the tree and faced the girl.

"Hey what do you think your doing with my crow?" Cruscia asked. She noticed the bandages wrapped around her crow. The crow cawed and hopped over to Cruscia and it landed on Cruscia's fingers.

"That's strange my crow is never friendly with anyone else, your the first one it came to besides me," she said looking at the elf.

Zumia stopped when a figure jumped down from the trees, with a scythe. Zumia was a bit frightened but when the demon with the scythe asked about the crow, Zumia calmed down a bit. She watched as the crow jumped from her arm to the girl in front of her, and was happy.

Zumia smiled and noticed that she now had to use the human language instead of Elvin. She smiled and just said politely in English, "Well... two mountain lions thought they wanted to have your crow for dinner miss... I saved it and scared both lions away... um your crow is wounded a little... from the mountain lion's claws... if you want I can show you how to help it."

Zumia watched Cruscia's scythe, Zumia was part Elvin so if the demon girl tried to kill her, she would put up some of a fight. Zumia however didn't look as much Elvin as she did Human. Cruscia would most likely think that she was a human.

Zumia smiled and said, "Well I was surprised too... but I am Zumia, what might I call you?"

Zumia continued to watch the scythe and hoped she wouldn't get attacked... if she did, and her father found out, Cruscia would be in BIG trouble and have just about the entire Elvin Kingdom after her.

Cruscia smiled she never knew that her crow would like someone else. "You scared of my scythe?" Cruscia put it away so she wouldn't frighten the elf any longer.

"Thank you for rescuing my crow, my name is Cruscia," she said, "and please show me how I can treat my crow."

Zumia smiled and was happy Cruscia wouldn't attack. She smiled and said, "Follow me please!" and turned her back on the demon to show her to the red-leafed plant.

Zumia found the plant and bent by it then waited for Cruscia to catch up. Zumia smiled and said, "I am part Elvin so I know all sorts of herbs and plants." Zumia smiled at Cruscia. Now Cruscia would know she was not just a human, but also an elf.

Zumia got a leaf and then started to mash it and said, "So you just mash it like this and then after it is a bit wet, you put it on the wound... if you get hurt you can use this too."

Zumia smiled and wondered if Cruscia was going to ask her anything about the plants. Zumia loved working with plants; it was her favorite thing to do.

Cruscia followed Zuma and watched carefully, "how fascinating, what kind of a plant is it?" she asked.

((look this could be the plant its called Hawaiian ginger plant!))

((OMG THAT IS PERFECT!!))

Zumia smiled and said, "It is called the ginger plant... I don't know why though but yeah. But don't eat it, its bitter... and nasty!"

Zumia giggled, she remembered when she accidentally put some in her father's food (COMPLETELY BY ACCIDENT) and he spit it out and made a face. She didn't get to spend much time with her father anymore.

Zumia smiled and said, "Do you have anywhere to be? Or can you stay and talk for a little with me?"

Zumia didn't want to show Cruscia she was actually lonely, but she didn't want to bother the other girl too much either. Zumia waited to see what Cruscia would say.

Cruscia smiled, "of course we can hang out," She looked around and sat down somewhere comfortable. "This looks like a nice spot," she said.

Zumia grinned and exclaimed with happiness, "YAY! Uh I mean... um that is awesome!”

Zumia grinned sheepishly and said to Cruscia, “It is kind of obvious that I don’t get too many people to talk to isn’t it?” Zumia smiled and sat near Cruscia. She wasn’t afraid of the demon anymore and now almost thought of her as a friend.

Cruscia smiled, "yes I can tell." She began talking to her new friend until something just randomly popped up in her head.

"Hey whats the longest name you ever heard before?" She asked Zumia.

Zumia raised her eyebrow and wondered briefly if Cruscia was just messing with her, or if it was just a coincidence. Zumia didn't say her name yet... which was 21 names. She just smiled and asked, "Well do you know any really long ones?"

Zumia first wondered what Cruscia thought a long name was. She was sure that she had THE longest name, but if there was any name longer than hers she was always interested to know it.

Zumia waited to see what Cruscia would say... then she would say her FULL name... which defiantly was long.

"Well the longest name I have ever heard was 9 names though I forgot the whole name," Cruscia explained. Little did she know that Zumia was most likely the longest name anyone ever had.

Zumia grinned and said, "Yeah... nine names is quite long... HOWEVER I know a longer name... it is 21 names and I know them all!"

Zumia raised her eyebrow and waited for Cruscia to say she was joking or lying or something like that. Zumia smiled and waited for Cruscia to dare her to say the full name. Cruscia would probably be shocked when she found out that the name Zumia knew with 21 names was HER name.

"Impossible, 21 names in one name?" Cruscia questioned Zumia she really didn't believe it at first. "Prove it who's name has 21 names?" she asked Zumia.

Zumia grinned and said, "Well you asked for it..." Zumia took a breath and said, "My name is... Zumia Arelmer Majestima Ara Zara-Zera Elezhana Betan Forestyia Kairai Wamu Topia Tranmi Hamiz Kamaioa Juoqé Pinta Quro Larai Yaraimal Arwen Zumizu"

Zumia grinned and then said, "But you can call me Zumia or Z or... well anything pretty much." Zumia smiled at her new friend. She started laughing then answered Cruscia's unasked questions, "Yes... that is my full name and No I did not just make that up... that is really my complete name and I think I win the long name contest don't you agree?

Cruscia listened to the first couple names then her eyes grew wider when she kept on continuing saying the names and her jaw was about to drop once she was finished.

"I have to agree that is THE longest name I have ever heard!" She said surprised. She couldn't believe that Zumia had that long of a name but she never called Zumia a liar.

"Wow that's just....amazing!" She laughed.

Zumia sighed and said, "Yes but all Elvin people don't have long names... they have normal length… it's only the royalty and because I am the youngest, I have the longest name... my father has a name slightly shorter than mine and my child will have a name slightly longer than mine... but that’s how it goes anyway."

Zumia sighed, she didn't exactly like being royal. Her father never had time to spend with her. Zumia however did not realize that she just told Cruscia she was royalty.

Zumia didn't even realize she had told her new friend and just continued acting as if everything was normal. She looked up and saw a little bird. She said in Elvin, “Come here little bird… I mean no harm to you.” and put her arm out so it could land on her finger.

The bird chirped twice but then flew to Zumia’s finger and chirped and looked at her. Elvin was the ‘language of the animals’ after all, so even if the bird couldn’t understand what she was saying, most elves didn’t hurt animals (except when hunting… XD) so it trusted her.

Zumia smiled back at Cruscia and said in English, “So, now when you are out around the forests and towns, and you hear someone say they have a super long name… you can tell them different yes?” Zumia grinned to her new friend.

Cruscia nodded, "yeah I don't think anyone could top your name," she laughed. Cruscia watched her talk in elven and watched the bird flew down to her finger.

"So do you have any siblings?" she asked trying to make a conversation.

Zumia smiled and replied, "Nope, I am the only child. Do you have any?"

The bird flew off to go somewhere else and Zumia looked at Cruscia, "I am sure it is only because my mother is a human and the Kingdom is still trying to get over it. They didn't accept me at first so if I had any siblings, the people wouldn't like it. My parents love each other though."

Zumia smiled and wondered if she would ever find someone she loved or if her father would make her marry someone so they would have a family "tie".

((pssst!! Cruscia should be shocked that Zumia is royalty! Lol just a FYI XD XD))

"Lucky I want to be an only child!!!" Cruscia said then grumbled, "I have an annoying brother.

When she heard that Zumia was royalty she became shock, "You're royalty!? Wait if you were shouldn't you be back at your castle or whatever?" she asked.

Zumia shrugged, she didn't care if she was an only child or not. Even if she did have a sibling, she would probably spend most of her time away from the Kingdom, just traveling the forests.

At hearing Cruscia ask about her being royalty and being in the castle, Zumia blinked twice and was surprised, but then she realized she had told Cruscia that she was royalty. She grinned sheepishly and said, "Well... yes I am the only daughter of the King... sooo I guess that might make me royalty... but no, my father controls the Kingdom. I am not needed... if they need me they will send someone to find me."

Zumia grinned and said, "They have WAYS of tracking me down." Zumia laughed, she knew that elves were the best at following tracks and they also had tracking dogs to find her.

Zumia sighed again and said, "I will probably not be needed however until I am 18... then I will not have as much freedom as I do now."

Zumia smiled and looked at Cruscia then asked, "I bet you can't believe meeting a member of the Elvin royal family in the forest huh?" Zumia laughed and grinned to Cruscia.

Cruscia laughed, "you're father must have a great search party for searching for you in this huge forest," she smiled. "And meeting a royal person is a great honor."

Zumia laughed and imagined her father getting worried and sending a huge party out. She however shook her head and said, "It would only take three or four and about two dogs... Elvin people train for that. If you ever need a tracker, call us!"

Realizing what she said, Zumia grinned and said, "Well you can call me too! I know how to track." Zumia knew more than tracking, she could track someone and keep them in sight and they would never know she was there. You could look in the place she was, turn, look back, and she would be gone.

Being royalty was something, but not for Zumia. She wasn't needed for anything and probably would just get in the way. Most princesses had a duty in their Kingdom. Zumia's duty was to stay out of the way. Zumia smiled and said, "When I am 18 you will probably have more honor in meeting me."

Zumia grinned to her new friend, when she was someone important in the Elvin Kingdom, she would invite Cruscia over and no one could say anything about it.

She thought little about it and knew what she wanted so she told Cruscia, "When I am closer to the Elvin court, you can come and see the Elvin Kingdom! I would love to show you around my home." Zumia couldn't want to show Cruscia the Kingdom. Cruscia would probably be the only demon GUEST that would ever be in it.

There were other demons of course that went to the Kingdom, but they were usually there to have trial or for an arrangement of a business deal. NOT for a guest. Cruscia would be the first demon guest.

"I would love to see your kingdom someday," Cruscia smiled. She would feel awkward knowing she is a killing demon walking inside a royal palace filled with innocent elves. She would just need to calm down and not summon her scythe at all.

"Well how old are you now?" She asked wanting to know how many more years she is to being 18.

Zumia smiled sheepishly and said, "Ok... brace yourself... everyone tells me I look way older than I actually am... I am only 14. Scary huh!"

All the voices of everyone going "SERIOUSLY?!" rang in her mind. Everynone she met was normally surprised at that she was still only a "baby". Zumia looked at least 16, at the yougest, but people even thought her sometimes to be older, to around 21.

Zumia might have been very young, but she already knew the ways of the forest, two different languages, how to track, how to "stay invisible" and how to "dissapear". Zumia might have only been 14 but she didn't act like it.

((Sorry if this has mistakes... my Microsoft word is going bezerk... -_-))