• For Zoe, she always thought that the forest was one of the most peaceful places in the world. But now after seeing Meridith die, that memory has tainted her feelings about the forest as a whole.
    The minutes felt like hours to Zoe because of her worry about her own life if the lion came back, or if it found her only friend, and killed him for lunch. She could barley think of the thought that, if he died, she would be all alone, and on her own. None of the girls in school liked Zoe because of what she wore, and of her interests. Zoe hated to wear what all girls had for clothes: dresses. And she never like to sow or do housework. She would rather be free, enjoying the souds of the forest. No one really excepted her for that except for Oliver.
    About five minutes later, Oliver came back through the brush with twigs and leaves in his sandy blonde hair. Climbing up the tree he asked, "did you catch anything?"
    "Nope, nothing. I think that the kitty cat might have scared alot of the game into hiding," said Zoe starting to worry.
    "Yeah, unless he just ate them all," joked Oliver.
    Laughing Zoe said, "If nothing even passes us by lunch time, we'd better start gathering."
    "Yeah, or we can go down to the lake and shoot some ducks," said Oliver.
    "That sounds better actually. Maybe we won't starve to death if we go after them," said Zoe while getting the brush out of Olivers hair.
    "Thanks," Oliver said after Zoe was done.
    "No problem," said Zoe, pulling her long, curly brown hair back into a ponytail.
    They sat in silence for a while after that, listening to the birds conversation, and enjoying the warm breeze on the faces.
    After a couple of hours, Oliver heard the sound of an arrow whize through the air, and then a light thud as whatever was hit fell to the ground. Turning in Zoe's direction, he saw her leap to the ground and take the bloddy arrow out of a learge rabbits side.
    Picking up the rabbit Zoe said, "Well i guess the kitty didn't eat all of the game. He must have decided to share."
    "Yeah I guess so," snickered Oliver.

    By the end of the day, they each had just enough food to get their families through three meals.
    After dinner, Zoe had all of her siblings gathered on the floor of the family room to read them fairytales about princesses, brave nights, and sparkling fairy dust. But when she was in the middle of telling the children how the night planned to slay the dragon, there was a loud banging on the door.
    "I got it! I got it!" cried three year old Tucker as he got up and hobbled over to the wooden door of the cottage. But when he opened the door, he gasped and stumbled backward into his mother, Nan. Standing there in the door way were two stern looking soldiers.
    "Tucker, go back and sit with Zoe," Nan whispered into her son's ear.
    "Yes momma," whimpered Tucker, and half scared to death, toddled over to his siter and climbed into her lap.
    "Hello," said Nan, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible, "what can i do for you gentlemen this evening?"
    "We are here on important bussiness concerning the war against the nations," said the tall dark haired man on the right.
    "What bussiness may that be?" said Nan, thinking of all the possibilities that could result in having two soldiers standing on her doorstep.
    "We've come to recruit your oldest child."