I unfolded the crumpled piece of paper. The writing was curved and the ink dark green.

Dawn. Our Secret. 

I was a little disappointed. It wasn't a very mysterious note or long either. It had no details but I had a little idea of what he meant. Dawn today at the pass. Our secret. I tore the piece of paper into tiny scraps and threw them into the dancing flames of the fire. I bounced up and down on my bed, I thinking about how being grounded would be. I had ever been grounded. I fell asleep into an uncomfortable rest. I woke up a few hours before dawn and dizzily got out of bed. I rushed to my bathroom, brushed my hair and pulled on some dark clothes. I didn't know how I was planning on getting away. 

The window creaked open and I craned my head down. The fall was far. I swung my legs over the window-ledge and peered down once more. I took a deep breath and I almost lowered myself down but I lost courage at the last moment. I took another deep breath. The courtyard below seemed more than a thousand kilometres away now. I gulped and lowered myself down. My fingers held onto the window and I tried to find footing for my feet. I found a few cracks and then I started my climb down. The air was cold and it numbed my fingers. A few minutes later, my finger could barely grip onto the rock wall. They were so cold, it stung. My fingers were stiff but I kept a firm grip on the wall and tried to climb down once more. I held back a muffled cry as my foot lost footing and almost slipped off. I felt fear grip me like the winter cold. Wind started blowing and it whipped my face, stinging me with the bitter cold. I bit my lip in pain. I lost hope. I was almost halfway down when my fingers and face could not take the cold or strain anymore. I didn't feel my fingers slipping as I couldn't feel anything but I saw them letting go. I fell. My room window got smaller and smaller as I sped to the ground and so did my vision. It blurred, dark edging to the side of my vision. Darkness seemed to pull me in and I closed my eyes before I hit the ground. 

I blinked my eyes open. I let out a gasp and my breath fogged in front of me. My head was thumping, my fingers were frozen and feet were aching. I tried to get up but my cloak added on to my weight and I was too weak so I slumped back onto the ground. A few branches tickled my face. I tried to move my arms and brought my fingers to my face. I blew onto them. They were ghostly white and it scared me. There was a deep gnash on one hand but I couldn't feel it. This added to the fear. My hands were frozen so I was unable to feel the pain of the cut but I knew it was there and I knew it was going to hurt later on. I gulped. It felt terrifying to know something should hurt but it didn't hurt. Maybe the cut was poisonous, maybe something got into it. I would never know as I could not feel anything. At that moment, I wished I could feel the pain of the cut as badly as I wanted to see River and Secret. When my fingers were less cold and I could move them again, I heaved myself up. A wave of pain shot through my head and I cried out in pain. I looked around, I was surrounded by a small bush. Next to me was the Mansion wall. How did I survive that? I looked down, I had landed onto a big pile of snow. I was lucky. This had been the spot the gardeners had shoved all the snow when they cleared the courtyard. I didn't have time to be grateful, it was almost dawn. I pulled myself up and limped across the courtyard. I knew there was a chance someone could spot me but I was too sore and pained to care about that. I would either reach Secret or not. I found the spot I used to use to sneak out when I was younger. I bent down and crawled my way underneath the small hole. I got stuck in the middle and panicked but I finally managed to get out. Now, I had to get out of Evebridge. Great, I muttered sarcastically under my breath. I started cursing as I made my way along the quiet streets. All the houses' lights were turned off and a few stray animals wandered about, eating scraps. I reached December's house. Its ivy covered wall was comforting but I knew he wouldn't let me in. As I started hobbling past it, I heard a noise. It was the soft patter of a footstep. I turned around. Standing there, near the gate was December. His hair was messy and his eyes were red but it was unmistakably December. 

     "Decem-?" I started. 

     "Shut up," muttered December fiercely. He came over to me and I suddenly felt a wave of nausea overcome me. I almost fell but December caught me. 

     "I should be asking you what you are doing here but I won't," whispered December, leaning me against the wall. "What do you want to do?"

     "Get out of Evebridge," I murmured under my breath, leaning my head against the cold wall. My head was throbbing badly now and blood poured out of my hand cut. 

     "Ok, I'll help you with that," December nodded, as if it were normal. "But first, let me see that cut." I smiled gratefully at him. He never was one to ask questions. He started working on my cut and warming my hands up. 

     "Your hands are as cold as ice," he noticed. I didn't answer. I could feel the heat seeping back into my frozen hands but I could also feel the pain from the cut. When my hands were warm again, I bit my lip in pain. The cut was burning and it stung so bad. 

     "It will sting a little. But you should be fine. I put some cream on it. Come on, let's get you out of here," December whispered. He helped me walk along the silent streets until we reached the wall surrounding Evebridge. 

     "There will certainly be guards on the other-side..., but I know a way to get past them," December whispered. I followed him behind some bushes and he uncovered something under dirt. He scraped furiously until he found a wooden trapdoor. My eyes shot open and I gaped at him, ready to ask him questions. 

     "Don't," he warned me before I could say anything. I closed my mouth again and he asked my to climb down. I did as he told me. There were rungs made of wood and I was scared they weren't too sturdy and I would fall but after the fall from my window, nothing quite competed with that. I climbed down the cold rungs with difficulty and found myself walking through a badly made tunnel. At times I thought I would suffocate or the tunnel would collapse and trap us. We finally reached the end and climbed up a steep slope. At the top, I had to push through a bush full of thorns. I got dirty scratched all over myself. December was right behind me. 

     "That was the most poorly made tunnel in the universe," I exclaimed. 

     "We made it," stated December in a serious tone. 

     "H-h-how?" I gaped at him. "W-w-when?"

     "Just in case, don't ask," he whispered. "Now you better get going before guards come and investigate that load noise you made."

     "Thanks...," I mumbled. "And one more thing." December was already pushing through the bush to get back into the trapdoor. He turned around though. 

     "What were you doing behind me?" I asked. 

     "You ask too many questions," December retorted coolly. 

     "But," I frowned. "Are we friends?"

      "I can't be seeing you anymore January. I told you. Now go," December replied firmly then added, "Miss." I pursed my lips as he slid back down into the trapdoor. I then swivelled around and made my way painfully towards Secret and possibly River. 

The pass. Finally. I gasped and fell to the ground. I was exhausted. The sun was already rising and the sky was bright. I stayed on the white snow for a while before dragging myself up and slumping into the pass. I made my way hesitantly through the pass and then stopped in front of the boulder. Ugh, climbing. I painfully grabbed onto the stone and hauled myself up. I finally landed on the other-side on the green grass. A big, face suddenly peered at me and I jumped back in fright.

     "Oh my gosh," I cried then realised who it was. "Secret. Don't do that."

     "He didn't do anything. He was just staring at you," came a voice behind Secret. 

     "River?" I said. 

     "Who else?" he replied rhetorically. "Whilst you took a long time coming here, I learnt that Secret can change his scales into grass and so he can blend in with, well the grass here. Also, I learnt that he is very friendly and annoying." I gave him a questioning look. 

     "He let me ride his tail for a while then started playing with my hair...," clarified River and I burst out laughing. 

     "What happened to you? You look a bit beat up," River claimed. I snorted. 

     "A bit," I nodded. "I fell from my window then I climbed through a thorn bush. While you were getting a ride form Secret and letting him do your hair."

     "He was playing with my hair," clarified River. 

     "Whatever," I shrugged. Secret started to snort and then lightly touched my gash on my hand. He traced his long tail on it and I felt a tingling sensation. His eyes were deep and a little flame in them told me he cared. I smiled at him. Then I looked away, to River. He was watching me with a small grin on his face. 

     "Well, now that we know he's friendly, we can learn a bit more about him. Like what he eats, if he flies, why he's here and so on," River clapped his hands together and Secret grunted before stomping away. River and I followed him to the middle of the clearing and sat down, not knowing how to start. 

     "I don't know if I'll be able to do this everyday,"I muttered. 

     "It doesn't have to be everyday," River replied.

     "Well, I won't be able to do this more than twice," I shot back. 

     "You don't need to," River sighed. "You could stay here."