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Walking down the road Keelan's young face had a small frown crossing his lips. He's followed the directions that Miss Angie had given him and he was standing on the road he'd taken when he'd parted ways with her, and looking at a beautiful orchard. But it wasn't WinK's orchard and that seemed to be the main problem. His lower lip trembled and he tried his hardest not to cry, but he wasn't sure which direction to go now. He missed the angel, and Aurora, and all the cats, dogs and a few mice that seemed to live around the house. Even Morgon and the Nereids were pressing on his minds.

He sniffed and stepped into the orchard, settling to sit down underneath a tree to think and hopefully figure out which way to go from here. And maybe stop crying.


Footsteps echoed nearby, perhaps louder than they should have normally been for the woman that made them. Blue deads bounced on her shoulders as she walked, humming a bit at the music that came from headphones.

However, she suddently stopped, turning the music off as she perked. ...Sniffles ? And hooves marks, too tiny to be one of Adrian's horses...

It was then that Zero noticed the small centaur, near the tree. Her eyes softned, and she sat beside him, laying against the tree.

"What's wrong, kiddo ?"

Keelan rubbed his eyes, sniffling loudly and when he spotted the woman -however odd she might appear- walking closer he scrubbed his face harder, trying to rid himself of any signs of having cried. What he didn't realize is that it only made his tear-streaked face look more guilty of the action.

Looking at the woman he blinked, openly staring though he wasn't aware his mouth was slightly open. He'd never seen anyone with blue hair before, and when she walked she sounded so ... heavy on the land. Wondering why he was too stunned to shy away when she sat down and spoke. "I'm lost," he said stubbornly sticking his chin out, as if daring her to make fun of him.

"Ahhhh." She simplely answered. "I get lost sometimes too. It happen to everyone, really... Where are you trying to go ? Maybe I would know the way." However proud the young boy might seem, it was obivious he would need help. His reaction to her did not seem to bother the lady much - as if she was too well used to it and had learnt to ignore it by instinct.

Blinking, having heard this twice already, he was starting to wonder if adults spent half their lives getting lost. "I'm trying to find home," he said simply, still pouting, his eyes watering over slightly without his realization of it. "I got scared ... and I ... got lost," he said, wrinkling his nose.

A hand snaked up out of habit to play with the small pony tail that his black hair was tied into as he gave Zero the same description of WinK's house, with the gardens, the Nereid pools, Aurora's gardens and the orchard. "That's why I'm here," he said, glaring at the surrounding trees as if they had betrayed him. "I met a nice lady and she told me these might belong in WinK's orchard and they aren't," he said sadly, his hand tugging on his black hair.

"Ahh, I could see why it would seem familiar." Zero's face turned pensive, as she tried to recall if she had ever seen something like this... She had talked to WinK before, but had no clue where the angel lived, or even his phone number... which posed a problem, really.

"Is there a city around where he lives ? What does it look like ?" That would be a good point to start, yes...

Keelan watched the lady and nodded, thinking. "He lives on the land next to Hatter ... outside of Dor ... Dur ... eeeem?" he said, raising an eyebrow. It was a large, crowded city. It was where he'd gotten the vest he was wearing, and as he glanced down at it his nose wrinkled momentarily. He hoped WinK didn't mind the few rips.

Looking back up at the blue-haired woman. "What's your name?" he asked, his curiosity overcoming his sense of worry as it did in most small children.

Durem ! Well, this was a big improvement.

"My name's Zero." She answered, idely flicking a strand of blue hairs away from her scarred eye, that she tried to keep hidden as much as possible in hope not to scare the child. "I live in Durem... This is a friend of mine's place. I could get you back in Durem, at least..." Her lips curved in a smile, and she asked. "And what would be your name ?"

He blinked. Durem! Yes, that was right! A small smile spread across his young face as he beamed at the odd-looking but nice woman. The tears vanished from his eyes as if he'd never been crying, though his cheeks remained tear-stained.

"My name is Keelan-fel of Strongwood, but I live with WinK now," he said, nodding curtly and crossing his arms loosely, as if that explained everything. When she offered to help him back to Durem his gray eyes went wide and black eyebrows shot up. "Would you do that really, Miss Zero?" he asked, his tail brought to life with excitment as it flicked back and forth.

"Of course I would." She grinned. "That's a nice name, Keelan..." The little centaur was so adorable, really. What a little darling !

"Would you ratter go now, or ?"

"Thank you, Miss Zero," he said. He smiled and this time was succesful at fighting the blush that came along with a compliment aimed at him. Instead he scrambled up onto his legs, his tail frishing to the left and right with excitment. This was turning into an adventure!

"Could we go now?" he asked, glancing around. "Or, is there something you need to do?" he added, to make sure he wasn't imposing upon the woman, remembering that adults had things to do too.

"Oh, no, its all fine." She smilled, getting back on her feet as well. "I was just walking around and enjoying spring, but that's much better to enjoy in great company, ne ?" Pushing another bang of rebelious hairs, she jumped over the fence and went back to the road.

"Durem's over there." She announced, pointing torward the west.

Keelan thought about this, glancing up at the sky pouring down with golden sunlight as the birds sang merrily while they flew through the air. As he climbed through the fence carefully he nodded, agreeing with her. It would be nice to have someone to walk with, certainly.

Looking to where she pointed he headed off in that direction, his hind legs giving a little kick with excitment. He was on his way again, back home! Even if Durem isn't where WinK resided someone would know where he lived with all of the shops that the angel had accounts at. "Is it far?" he asked, skittering around the road with a grin, circling her with a hyper air.

"Hmmm..." Zero pondered, a black and white hand pushing the sunglasses over her eyes before both ended up deep in his pocket.

"About maybe 20 minutes walking... But that mostly depends at the speed you walk at. You seem to have gotten awfully far from home, ne ? How did you get lost, anyway ? I mostly get lost when im not thinking about where im walking." She grinned. "...Or when I see a huge spider." God, Zero hated spiders.

Looking from Zero he stared down the road, almost as if he knew that if he looked hard enough he could just see Durem at the end of the road. His back legs pranced in excitment as his rump rounded around his front legs, his forward hooves moving in place.

When asked about how he'd gotten lost his face blanched and his small body lost all semblance of excitment as he glanced around, almost scared to see another one slithering nearby. "I saw a snake," he said quietly, as if saying the word might make one appear.

"Ahhh... Well I don't like snakes much. But spiders really does it for me." She shrugged... Then seemed to feel a little bad for making him sad. An idea entered her mind trough, and she grinned.

"I bet that, if we run, ill make it to Durem faster than you !" She grinned, visibely ready to dash, but waiting for Keelan to start up first.

Keelan shivered a little, remembering the little green snake and how it had hissed at him ... shaking his head to clear his thoughts he caught the last of Zero's words. Spiders? But spiders were so silly! How could she be afraid of them, but not of something as frightening as snakes?

His eyes lit up instantaniously, almost ignoring the fact that he'd been scared nearly senseless only moments prior. With a snort, that sounded like it came from a horse and not from any semblance of human, he picked up his back legs and dropped them, letting them thump into the ground. "I'll win!" he said before spinning sharply and running off, his little form darting down the road with equine grace.

Hah ! Zero was getting good with this whole kid thing. Daring them always seemed to do the trick...

"We'll see that !" She started to run as well, making up for the lost distance and running after him. There was no way she could beat a centaur in run... or could she ? It seemed like she was as much focused into the race than Keelan was.

Keelan laughed, a giggle that sounded bubbly that blossomed into a whiny as his legs sped over the dirt road, kicking up dust. His arms outstretched as he welcomed the sunlight. It reminded him of back home when he had first ran, the sun was gold just like it was today.

Glancing back at Zero he laughed again and pranced once, Zero catching up quickly as he turned back around and looked ahead, focusing more on the race at hand.

Zero, indeed, was slowly but surely catching up, and did not seem intent on running out of breath anytime soon. A playful grin was present on her face, and she sent a playful wink to Keelan when he looked her way.

"Watch out, im catching up !" She teased a little, in a playful fashion.

He grinned and kept on racing, his delicate legs strong and pulsing as he pushed over the dirt road. Keelan was young and even with the trials of being lost he still had energy to spare as he ran down the road, troubles and snakes forgotten for the time being.

He snorted and skidded to a stop, his hind quarters almost touching the ground with how fast he halted his once-speedy pace, as the road split. His nostrils flared and he blinked, looking for Zero. "Which way?" he asked.

Zero caught up with him, then stopped as well.

"Hmmm... Right." She remembered, going down that path, but not resuming her running.

He followed, his sensitive ears picking up the sounds of people and commotion. "I can hear it!" he said, prancing sideways. "I can hear Durem!" His hooves danced across the dirt, his eyes sparkling with excitment at the idea of getting closer to home. "Hurry!" he said, flashing Zero a grin. "Let's go!"

He took off again, his excitment getting the better of him as he pounded down the road, happy when only after a few twists he was at the back alleyway of the outskirts of Durem. Glancing behind him he laughed and trotted down the paved street, his hooves echoing loudly against the stones.

"H-hey !" Zero let out in surprise, but laughed at herself as she went into a wild run again. That was one thing that should have been expected, given the playful nature of this one, but she did not mind in the least. The buildings of Durem where showing in the horizon, as the two travelers came closer to their goal. Once they would have reached the city, and there would need then would be to find where WinK lived... or maybe, given extreme luck, he was allready looking for Keelan in the city ?

Yes, this was certainly the city that WinK took Keelan to a lot while he was working on errands and such. Looking around he balked slightly; there certainly were a lot of people. Glancing back at Zero he smiled, "I'm closer to finding home!" he said with a grin.

Stepping out into the street he was immediately swept up into the crowd of people and whinnied, frightened. "Zero!" he said, crying out. Looking around as he was dragged and pushed along he couldn't find the woman, now lost in Durem, more lost than he had been in the country-side.

Zero nodded, visibely glad.

"Now, stay clo- Keelan !" Damn, just what she hoped WOULDN'T happen, he got swept up in the crowrd. She could hear him call, but she couldn't see him !

"Keelan ! KEELAN !" Zero tried to cut trough the crowd, but there was no use... it seemed like the centaur was long gone...

And they say TODDLERS are mobile... Then I ought to shoot myself now.

Shiku seems to dislike sunlight... I am thinking this has either to do with his parents being nocturnal, or maybe the sun rays burn his skin ? That might be why he only stands near windows at night...

But he does not seem nocturnal in the sence that he is... pretty active during the day. At night he tends to remain awake, but he is much calmer. He seems to like my star charms alot... Definitively there's some kind of connection in between him and the night, but what ?

Too many things to worry about... His parents had one hell of a timing, I admit, but taking care of children is all about sacrifice.

I just pray my hairs will survive until he's older.