I feed the rope through my fingers, letting the bucket fall farther down into the black abyss. I give it a small tug, and when I feel the weight at the bottom, I begin to pull it back up.

Hoisting my bucket over the mossy edge of the town well, I glance around. The streets around me buzz with people and animals alike, the humans depending on their animal bonds for their status in the town.

A noble in expensive-looking robes strides confidently down the cobblestone streets, a golden eagle perched proudly upon his shoulder. A shifty-looking man slinks down the streets, much like the fox in tow behind him. A filthy woman desperately clutches an even filthier brown rat to her chest, begging for coins on the side of the pathway.

I set off to my cottage, another small addition to the string of houses lining the street of my small town. We are a small village surrounded by forests and mountains, a small island of civilization in the middle of a sea of vegetation and stone.

It's not like it matters much, anyway. No one could get past the large stone wall that surrounds our village even if they wanted to. It works as well keeping villagers in as keeping enemies out.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the boy in front of me until I ran into him. Literally. My water bucket flies out of my hands as a "Hey!" escapes my mouth.

"Oh! Sorry!" He exclaims. Apparently he wasn't paying any attention either. With a few gestures of his hands, a strong wind sweeps the water back into the bucket before it hits the ground, and the bucket shoves its way back into my arms.

He glances up, and I recognize him immediately. He was, well, you could say the town weirdo. He was obviously bonded, because he has control of an element, but no one knew what his bond was. His face was always too muddy to see the tattoo that is on the cheek of every bonded, and he never had an animal with him.

No one even knew the boy's name. He must be at least seventeen, perhaps a year older than me and not much taller. His face is too grimy to make out much detail other than sharp, pale-blue eyes and a mop of brown hair.

"I'm so sorry." he repeats, glancing around him.

I barely suppress an eyeroll, and say "Yeah, well, next time watch where you're going." Also, it would be nice if you would look at me when I'm talking to you....

He continues to glance around, before suddenly his face becomes worried and he stutters out "Um, look, I gotta go now, so, um, yeah" before rushing off.

This time I don't deny myself an eye-roll. I continue on, squinting against the bright sunlight. Only a few pale clouds drift slowly across the sapphire sky.

When reach my small, run-down cottage, I shove my whole body against the door, as it tends to stick. Inside, it is a simple cottage, one main living room with a cheap bear-skin carpet, a fireplace, and a kitchen table with four chairs pushed up against it.

One is for my sister, Catalina, one for me, and the other two for my parents. The other three rooms in our cottage are my parents room, the room my sister and I share, and the small kitchen.

I drop off the water bucket in the kitchen, before heading back out. I still have more chores to do. The first stop is the spice shop, the spices imported straight from the capitol of our kingdom. Our kingdom is known for it's spices.

I grab some saffron, some salt, some sugar, and a bit of paprika. Next I stop at the butcher's shop, picking up some steak and stuffing the brown paper packages into my bag. A few more stops at the bakers shop, the clothing store, and the market supply me with some rolls, some loafs of bread, a new school dress for my sister, and some fresh produce(tomatoes, lettuce, apples, and peppers).

The reason I didn't get a school dress for myself for the new school year is because you can only start school once you are bonded. My older sister is already bonded to a beaver, and much like the rest of my family, remains in middle class.

My mother's bond is a coyote, and my father's a raven. Middle class animals, much like i expect mine to be.

I start heading home, before a movement in the corner of my eye catches my attention. It was that boy again. He kept looking around him, as if hiding something.

I keep my eye on him as he works his way across the main square, always glancing around to make sure no one is watching him.

What is he up too? I wonder. When he glances my way, I pretend to be examining some turquoise jewelry a merchant is selling.

When I look back, he has turned away. He slips around a corner behind a few cottages, disappearing from view.

Normally I would let it go, not thinking much of it, but I knew that all that was behind those cottages was the barrier.

Before I can second-guess myself, I re-adjust the strap on my bag and start to follow him.