Young Writers Society

Amaris dropped silently from her tree, congratulating herself. She had shot something against all odds. She approached her kill with care in case it was still alive. Her smile quickly turned the other way as she saw what she had shot. A cat. The goddess of her village was a cat and it was considered treasonous to kill one. She couldn’t leave it here. Many people came into the woods, and when they saw how it was shot they would know it was her. She was the only person who shot animals in the eye. Taking it to the house was a risk. Her father would jump to get rid of her. The only thing to do was to burn the panther. So Amaris collected firewood and began to burn the body. When she was done, she scattered the ashes and continued hunting. Everything would be fine. No one had seen her do it.



Aurora rocked slightly back and forth on her perch. She tried to process what she had just seen. Amaris had just killed a sacred cat and erased all evidence. This meant treason. Aurora liked Amaris and had always admired her for her interesting insights on everything. But if word got out of this treason, and she was linked to remaining silent, Aurora would suffer too. She got up and started a slow jog towards home. She would think on the way there.

Aurora and Amaris could have been sisters. Same skinny complexion, same pale skin. They both were against the limitations on women. Sometimes Amaris and Aurora would sit together under the window of the schoolhouse and listen to lessons. Later they would discuss what they had heard. They could almost be called friends. But Amaris always closed up, always looked hunted. Wherever she went, she always glanced over her shoulder. She trusted no one, never gave anyone information without them first asking. She was always guarded, even with Aurora. She would not let them be friends.

Aurora sighed to herself. Why did she have to be in the woods then? Should she tell? Ah! What to do?

Aurora entered her house, gave a short greeting to her mother, and then went upstairs and plopped down on her bed. She put her head in her hands. What to do? The question raced around her mind. Why was this her burden to bear? Suddenly Aurora sat upright. She had it! She did not have to bear this burden alone. She would tell her mother. She would know what to do, she always did! Aurora got up and hurried downstairs.



Aurora’s mother did not like Amaris. She thought she was a bad influence and Aurora should not be a friend with her. She had told Aurora this, but it was just waved away. Aurora’s mother had worried Aurora would start doing things she shouldn’t do.

Aurora slunk into the kitchen. She looked around a bit, then settled into a chair at the table.

“Mom,” she said, “I have something to tell you.”

Amaris dropped silently from her tree, congratulating herself. She had shot something against all odds. She approached her kill with care(comma or semi colon) in case it was still alive. Her smile quickly turned the other way as she saw what she had shot. A cat. The goddess of her village was a cat and it was considered treasonous to kill one. She couldn’t leave it here. Many people came into the woods, and when they saw how it was shot they would know it was her. She was the only person who shot animals in the eye. Taking it to the house was a risk. Her father would jump to get rid of her. The only thing to do was to burn the panther. So Amaris collected firewood and began to burn the body. When she was done, she scattered the ashes and continued hunting. Everything would be fine. No one had seen her do it.

* * *

Aurora rocked slightly back and forth on her perch. She tried to process what she had just seen. Amaris had just killed a sacred cat and erased all evidence. This meant treason. Aurora liked Amaris and had always admired her for her interesting insights on everything. But if word got out of this treason, and she was linked to remaining silent, Aurora would suffer too. She got up and started a slow jog towards home. She would think on the way there.

Aurora and Amaris could have been sisters. Same skinny complexion, same pale skin. They both were against the limitations on women. Sometimes Amaris and Aurora would sit together under the window of the schoolhouse and listen to lessons. Later they would discuss what they had heard. They could almost be called friends. But Amaris always closed up, always looked hunted. Wherever she went, she always glanced over her shoulder. She trusted no one, never gave anyone information without them first asking. She was always guarded, even with Aurora. She would not let them be friends.

Aurora sighed to herself. Why did she have to be in the woods then? Should she tell? Ah! What to do?

Aurora entered her house, gave a short greeting to her mother, and then went upstairs and plopped down on her bed. She put her head in her hands. What to do? The question raced around her mind. Why was this her burden to bear? Suddenly Aurora sat upright. She had it! She did not have to bear this burden alone. She would tell her mother. She would know what to do, she always did! Aurora got up and hurried downstairs.

* * *

Aurora’s mother did not like Amaris. She thought she was a bad influence and Aurora should not be a friend with her. She had told Aurora this, but it was just waved away. Aurora’s mother had worried Aurora would start doing things she shouldn’t do.

Aurora slunk into the kitchen. She looked around a bit, then settled into a chair at the table.

“Mom,” she said, “I have something to tell you.”




I can only find really one mistake, but I love your story!!! It's really amazing and I can't tell you how sad I was it ended. Oh and I LOVE your picture!!!