Four Walls Won't Hold Me

The girls feet pounded against the ground, a fine sheen of sweat glissening off her as her lungs burned in protest.

But she wasn't going to stop. She needed that burn.

The breeze was slightly cool against her bare arms as she ran, but she did not mind - the early spring air was better than any of the days she had recieved before then and she was going to take it. She needed to run, to stretch her legs.

If she had to stay inside one more day, she would snap; she had been going stir crazy. A bark a head of her brought her attention back up and she grinned at Heaven.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming," she wrinkled her nose that the dog playfully as her breath came out only a little winded. "You've been running all winter, allow me a moment to warm up will yeah?"

She shook her head and continued to weave around the trees. God, it felt good to be out again.

It felt great to be outside. Before, he'd barely be able to step outside without the call of a bird or the crunching of footsteps sending him running back inside. But now, Afonka felt better than he had in a while. And after spending all winter inside, a little bit of exercise was exactly what he needed.

Jogging through the forest, the teenager glanced around at his surroundings, admiring the beauty of spring weather. There were buds on the trees now, and everything smelt all flowery and springlike. Grinning, he continued his morning run, slowing down at the sound of a dog's bark. Tilting his head, he glanced in that direction for a moment before running towards the sound.

Who knew, maybe the dog was lost.

Ashleen froze as she heard another set of footsteps coming through the trees. Her eyes were gaurded as she watched the spot. Her voice sharp as she called ahead.

"Heaven, heal!"

The dog - for once - did as her mistress told her, pausing for a moment, and then after looking between Ash and the spot, barked once and ran towards the nose Ash was rather hopefull to avoid.

"Heaven" she growled as she charged after her. "I swear if you get me into trouble here you're getting turned into a rug."

Continuing to jog towards the dog, Afonka smiled to himself as he imagined what this dog looked like. Really, it depended on how long he or she had been out in the forest for if it was lost. And then there was always that chance that the dog was out with it's owner.

Ears pricking up as he heard a girl's voice, he nodded slightly. So the dog had an owner. And if he heard right, he or she (he wasn't really sure from the name) was named Heaven.

Slowing down as the golden dog came into view, Afonka grinned, patting it's head as it came to a stop in front of him. Kneeling down, he grinned again, beginning a very one sided conversation with the dog.

Ashleen leaned against a tree and smirked at the boy who was talking to Heaven.

"You know, she's pretty smart but she's never going to talk back to you," she snorted slightly, eyes dancing as she watched him. Relaxing slight both at the apperance of the boy and the way Heaven wasn't pulling away from him.

Ash had learned to trust Ash a long time ago. The dog was way smarter than she'd ever be.

"Me? I'm the other way around. Not too smart, but hey, I can string a few words together and make a pretty conversation."

Glancing up at the blonde who he assumed owned Heaven, he grinned, patting Heaven's head softly. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out." Shaking his head softly, the Hrabrost hummed softly for a moment, before looking back up at her.

"I think you're smart. I mean - I don't even know you - but you seem smart." Nodding, relieved that he hadn't totally messed up that sentence, he smiled slightly. "I'm Afonka by the way."

"Just thought I'd let you know," she said simply with a shrug, her eyes still dancing, "When I first got her I was young enough to pretend she'd talk back... now I got over that; though I can read you're glances can't I Heaven."

She grinned goofily down at the dog who just looked back with the glance that Ash always imagined would acompany an eyeroll if the dog could.

"Well Afonka that just proves you don't know me; I can make myself look smart, but trust me..." she shook her head. "Ashleen."

"How old were you when you got her?" Afonka asked curiously, looking from Heaven to the blonde. He'd always wished he had a pet. But he guessed that Ariel sufficed.

Grinning down at Heaven again, he ruffled her ears.

"You have to be somewhat smart to have passed - wait, you're not still in first year, right?" A little alarmed, he looked up at her.

Smiling she snapped her fingers and the dog came over to her, smiling she bent down and ran her hand through her fur around her head, "Eleven; she was just a little runt. No one else wanted her - couldn't see how amazing she'd be."

She huged the dog before straightening, "I'd be lost without my Heaven."

"God no, Fifth year and proud," she laughed and rolled her eyes, "I just, don't think things through I suppose."

Sitting back as Heaven went back to her owner, Afonka hummed sofly, watching the two of them. "Some people just don't get that just because you're small, it doesn't mean you're unimportant." shaking his head slightly, he stood up.

"I know the feeling," he said wistfully, scuffing his shoes against the ground absentmindedly.

"Neither do I," he said with a slight shrug, "I get an idea and just do it. No self control."

"No, they don't," Ash said with a small smile, "But those are the ones that are the best to prove it too. When people understimate you... they're just asking to be made a fool of. And its the best feeling to be able to do it."

She nodded knowingly.

"Ah, a boy after my own heart then. I always felt self control was highly overrated. You only live once right? Might as well go with you're impulses."

Nodding at Ashleen, Afonka imagined - just for a very brief moment, and then almost instantly discarded said thought - about actually getting Feliks back for the years that he'd suffered. Shaking his head, he muttered to himself that he'd get murdered in his bed for that.

Looking up at her, he shook his head, flapping his mouth open and closed before squeaking out, "I - I'm not - erm - not that - but I have a girlfriend - so yeah." Nodding, he blushed. staring down at his feet.

Ash raised an eyebrow at the boys silly stuttering, before a smirk played across her face. Lord, she did love kids like this. So...

Innocent really.

"Don't worry, Brown eyes," she snorted, "Its a figure of speech; I wasn't flirting with you. I have more than enough men in my life, don't need another one. "

Rubbing at his still blushing cheeks, he flicked his gaze back up to the blonde, rocking back and forth ever so slightly on his heels.

"That - that's good." Afonka nodded quickly, stumbling over his words as he ran his hands through his hair absentmindedly, "I mean, if you're happy with all the men in your life, then it's good."

Ashleen smiled slightly, "I'm happy with most of them; a few of them could use a few lessons in boundaries but..."

She shrugged and in a childish moment made a face at Heaven before smirking up at the boy.

"But either way, you can tell that girlfirend of yours that she's safe. You're all hers."

Nodding at Ashleen, he smiled slightly. "I'm happy that you're happy." Brushing strands of his dark hair out of his eyes, he glanced back at Heaven.

Snapping his gaze back to the girl, he curled his lips into a smile, "I think I'll pass, but thank you."

"Well ain't you sweet," she drawled her tone sarcastic but there was a fondness in there too. "Barely know me and caring about my happiness."

There were people she'd known her whole life who certianly appeared as if they could careless.

"Hmm?" she blinked up at him, having zoned out for a moment, lost in her own thoughts. She ended up not being able to follow his next words.

Shrugging, he blushed slightly, completely missing the sarcastic tone in her voice. "I guess I'm just like that to most people. And you're nice, so I guess your happiness deserves to be cared about." Nodding, he smiled at her.

Blinking up at her, he shook his head, "It was nothing."

She raised her eyebrows again, "I'm nice am I? I guess I'm trying harder than I thought."

She smirked a little to her self, ignoring the nudge from Heaven. She reached down to pat the dogs head even though she knew perfectly well that was more a of a "Will you shut up" nudge than a pet me nudge.

"Oh, okay then. That doesn't leave one curious at all, does it?"

"Why would anyone not want to be nice?" Afonka frowned. "What - what's the point?" Titling his head, he looked up at her, her words not making any sense to the Hrabrost.

Shrugging, he glanced up at a squirrel in a tree, "I said thank you, if you really want to know."

"Its not that I don't want to be nice its more that... I've often thought I'm not very good at it," she grinned impishly. "What can I say, my mouth moves faster than my brain."

"I always felt... that niceness a was something you... earned. If you weren't nice to me well then... I don't honestly see why I should waste my effort on being nice to you. It takes a lot more effort to be nice than to be otherwise. I'm quite sure its a proven fact."

How could someone not be good at being nice? Though, as Afonka mused over that question, he had a feeling that the terrible people in the world weren't very good at being nice. "I guess that makes sense."

Twiddling his thumbs, he said, "But there are some people you just have to be nice to. Or it doesn't end well."

She watched the boys face, and couldn't help but smirk slightly at the confusion that was becoming evident on it. It was amusing her greatly.

"I suppose so," she said her mind instantly flicking to Papa - pretty much the only authority figure she hadn't bothered to attempt to cross in her entire life. Every other stepping stone in power leading up to him, she'd ignored orders from once or twice but with Papa, "Though there's a different between watching yourself and actually being nice."

"Or at least I think there is."

Shrugging slightly, Afonka glanced down at his legs, remembering Feliks using the Leg-Locker jinx on him. Shuddering slightly, he glanced back up at the girl.

"But then there are some people you can try to be nice to and they still make your life miserable."

It was people like Feliks that really made him wonder what the point of being nice was.

Ashleen leaned back and shrugged "Well then those are the people you don't bother being nice to know isn't it?"

"Who knows..." she gazed off into the woods thoughtfully, "Maybe you'll suprise them... or yourself. Maybe... they are just waiting for you to..."

She shrugged.

"Or maybe they're just asses. Thats always a possiblity too."