SECRET (UNDER EDITING)

Prologue

"Shhh! You know you can't do that!" 

Ivy looks up and tosses her friend a sly smile. With one finger resting on her lips, she uses her right arm to clench her hand into a fist in front of horrified yet excited faces.

With a swift flick of her wrist she snaps open her palm. A single orange flame flickers in the centre, dancing in thin air. Ivy grins in pride, completely drawn to its warm heat. The smile doesn't quite reach her eyes, its dark pupils eyes longing for more. Beside her, the youngest gasps in awe whilst the other winces and fidgets uncomfortably. 

Unable to hide her nerves, Hazel hisses in protest, waving her arms about in panic. "Ivy stop! If mama catches you she'll-"

Ivy snaps her hand closed before rolling her dark eyes and looks at her reproachfully. "She'll what? Your mama doesn't scare me. Nothing scares me!" The girl's sneering tone irritates Hazel, yet her admiration for the girl doesn't waver.

Fern claps, not bothering to hide her own admiration. Looking up from a bushy ginger fringe, Hazel glances at the pair of them and allows a small smile. My best friends. She sighs in content. It was always the three of them together. 

Underneath midnight's full moon, the three of them; no older than eight, are huddled in a makeshift tent that had been struggled to put up at the very bottom of the garden. Hidden by a wall of thorny bushes where blood red and snow white roses grew, it served as the perfect hiding spot. With no prying eyes to observe the spectacle, the naivety of their young minds could create what they fondly called "magic".

Catching Ivy's hard gaze, Hazel stares down at her hands and toys with the edge of the thick blanket. 

"I just don't want us to get into trouble." She mumbles, aware of always being the scared one. Fern snuggles up to her friend and gently places a small hand in her own. 

"I'll protect you." She whispers, eyes big and determined. Hazel smiles and tickles her pinkie to which Fern giggles and leans against her friend. She shakes her head slightly in amusement at the thought of a tiny girl protecting her older friend. I should be the one protecting you, yet here we are!

Across the blanket Ivy snorts although a small smile touches her face, softening her normally sombre features. A sparkle flickers across her eyes, marking the sudden rush of excitement she often had. She points a finger at both her friends. 

"Your turns." She states, her voice full of secrecy and already had a sense of thrill that made each of the girls quiver in eagerness. 

Hazel looks to her left as she feels Fern's familiar warmth leave her side as she sits up. Her face scrunches up in determination. 

Briefly looking around, her eyes hone in on a small shadow that had appeared not so long ago outside the tent. The outline of the shadow reveals a pointed snout, four short legs and a bushy tail. A fox. 

The two girls watch Fern in anticipation as she closes her eyes. A moment of silence falls upon the tent before their eyes dart back to the fox's shadow. The fox had stiffened, its form going rigid and inanimate. With bated breaths, a few minutes drags inside her tent before the fox suddenly jerks out one of its front paws and begins to circle the tent. Hazel's eyes widens in amazement, surprised at Fern's capability to do this. Ivy sucks in a breath as the fox's steady trot turns into an awkward run. Round and round, the fox's shadow races around the tent with no signs of slowing down. This is amazing. Hazel tears her gaze away from the running shadow and looks back at Fern to see that her small frame was trembling. Small beads of sweat were beginning to appear the girl's forehead and her back had become rigid. Frantically, Hazel reaches out and gently shake her shoulders.