Mood swings really aren't fun.

The young boy walked through the forest, hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat. A fuzzy, black scarf was around his neck, since it was quite cold and almost night time. His long, cat-like tail swung lightly back and forth behind him, and his ears were drooping slightly.

Sabriel wasn't in a wonderful mood. It could be seen just in his face and the way he was walking. The thirteen-year-old's head was turned to look at the ground, and his dark golden eyes held a look that one couldn't exactly consider cheerful. Nothing was really wrong... it was just one of those days, and just one of those mood swings.

He shook his head, looked up, and shivered slightly. He knew he should head back to the academy soon, since he had been wandering around all day. However, since he had just gotten to the wilderness, he decided it couldn't hurt to stay here for just a little bit longer. As soon as it got darker out, he would go back; he didn't want to worry his brother, after all.

And so, Sabriel continued to walk aimlessly, not really wanting anyone to come along. He didn't talk to people when he was in moods like this, and it would just end up being an annoyance for both the person that came along and for himself. Although, if someone did come along, well, he couldn't exactly stop it from happening.

Sabriel hadn't heard her footsteps, or sensed anything about her. How could he, though? Her footsteps were silent and the area was silent as well. Plus, he was kind of in his own little world right now, and probably wouldn't have noticed if a wolf or some other animal was about to attack him. Not exactly safe, but, he couldn't say he cared much.

However, when he got the feeling that someone was nearby, the boy came out of his world immediately and looked around quickly. He saw Ella standing not to far away and blinked, almost falling over from shock, but maintained his balance. He looked at her for a few moments, not going to open his mouth and say anything. Sure, that was a little rude, but he wasn't going to act all happy and cheerful when he wasn't.

The boy only offered the smallest of smiles and walked passed her, still silent and having no intention to speak.

Upon hearing her greet him, his pace slowed slightly. He wasn't sure whether to keep walking and worry about himself, or to stay and talk to her. It was horribly rude to walk away from her now that she had spoken, but then again, he really just wanted to be alone. Sabriel turned to face her, and upon almost feeling her loneliness, decided he should stay. It was better to be together out here than to be alone, after all, wasn't it?

He slowly walked back toward her, part of him telling him to just turn around and forget about it and part of him saying that talking to her wouldn't hurt anything. He offered another smile, though it wasn't much larger than the last, and was probably actually a bit smaller. "Hi," he said. "I'm Sabriel."

Upon seeing her smile grow bigger, Sabriel blinked, but his smile widened ever so slightly, so slightly it was barely noticeable. Had his talking to her made her happier? Well, that was good. As she said thank you, his cheeks reddened slightly, and he looked down just after seeing the tears in her eyes. "Er... you're welcome..." he told her, still not looking up from the ground.

Either she was desperate for someone to talk to or a friend, or she really wanted to talk to him. He was going to guess the former.

He looked back up after she had spoken her name. "It's nice to meet you, Ella," he said. Her happiness surprised him somewhat, though it had no affect on his current mood. He was silent for a few moments, and looked around, not knowing what to say. Conversations had never been his strongest point. "Well, um... what are you doing out here?" he asked.

Sabriel looked at her when she mentioned being lonely or sad. Well, at least he wasn't alone in feeling that way. She had seemed quite happy before, though; at least, she had when he had spoken to her. Swallowing and deciding to risk a bad reaction to the next question, he asked, "What's wrong, Ella? Why are you sad?" He was only asking out of concern and caring, and hoped she wouldn't get too angry for asking. She had mentioned being upset or lonely, after all, not him.

He watched as she went over to the tree and sat down, but didn't follow her. The thirteen year old stayed where he was, still standing, and merely looked at her. When asked why he was out here, he shrugged his shoulders, his tail still going back and forth slightly. "Wandering. I needed to get away from the people at the school. I haven't been there all day."

He went silent again, and after looking at her for a moment or two more, asked, "How old are you?"

When she said she was thirteen, Sabriel nodded, and smiled when she said her birthday was in a few weeks. "I'm thirteen too, though my birthday isn't for a couple of months," he said. "What day is yours?" Maybe if he remembered, or if she even decided to tell him the actual day, he would get her something.

Upon seeing that grin on her face, the boy gulped, and laughed uneasily. "Must I?" he asked. He doubted she was crazy, but that grin almost made him think otherwise. He shook his head and walked over to where she was, sitting down about a foot to her right. His tail curled up to the side of him and he looked at her, hoping his moving next to her would make her at least a tiny bit more happy.

As she explained why she was sad, Sabriel listened, just in case it was anything he could help with. If no one would talk to her, then he would. It wasn't fun being lonely and friendless, he knew what it was like. Everyone deserved a friend, and if he could fill that spot, then he would do so gladly. "People are idiots, then, not to talk to you," he told her.

Ella had now pointed out that he didn't look too happy either, and he merely shrugged his shoulders. "True," he said, but didn't give his reason. He was just having a mood swing, like he did all the time. He didn't take his medication, either, no matter what. Nothing too bad had happened yet, so he was sure he didn't need to worry.

As her hand went to her cheek, Sabriel had a feeling he hadn't asked the best of things, and looked away. "Sorry," he said quietly. She hadn't looked too happy by that question. He wanted to ask her what she wanted for her birthday, and the fact he wanted to add something was slightly obvious, but he decided not to say anything more — not right now, at least. He could ask her later.

Seeing her happier when he sat next to her, though, made him feel a bit better. "You're welcome," he told her. "You know, you needn't thank me so much. I'll have done is talk to you and sit next to you, really." He shrugged his shoulders, not really thinking that what he had done was too big of a deal. Well, in his opinion it wasn't; may be to her it was, since she had claimed that no one talked to her.

".... Maybe we can share this moment of depression together."

He smiled as well, a smile that was larger than the ones before, but not losing its kindness in any way. "Alright," the boy said. "Being depressed with someone else is better than being depressed alone, I guess." He almost laughed, but didn't do so.

When told that he didn't have to apologize, Sabriel nodded. "Ok..." he said. He didn't say anything more about it, not wanting to bring up any more bad memories or the like.

"... You have been the highlight of my year so far."

She obviously didn't get out much. The boy nodded though, and offered a smile. "Glad to hear that," he said. "And to have been of service." He tipped an imaginary hat, and almost laughed at his own action, but again refrained from doing so. He was glad that he was making her happy; it was something he wasn't used to do doing. He usually felt like a burden to people, since Nicolas always had to remind him to take his medicine, and since his moods were always changing.

"... I don't think I would make that choice, and I can't say anything about you, but I know that it truely is the wrong choice."

Sabriel nodded in agreement. He was glad to hear that she said she wouldn't kill herself, because if she had said she would, he would have to talk her out of it. "Don't worry, Ella, I don't plan on suicide," he said, just clearing that up since she had said she couldn't really say anything for him. "Glad you don't either."

He decided to change the subject to one that might not be as depressing. "How long have you been here at the school?" he asked.

He was glad to hear her laugh. Maybe he was, in fact, cheering her up. As she said she was glad he didn't plan on suicide, he smiled somewhat, but didn't comment.

"Well...I've been here for about a year now. It's been very lonely...I used to have plenty of friends. But they all left the academy or died. Kind of depressing, but it isn't that bad."

"Depressing indeed," he said. "But, if it makes you feel any better, I don't have any friends here yet." Mery, Anya, and Nicolas counted as family, not friends. He didn't like to count people he was related to as friends. "Either way, you're a nice person. I'm sure you'll make some new friends. And, who knows, maybe the friends that left will come back one day."

When asked how long he had been here, Sabriel had to think for a moment. "Since the beginning of the month, I believe," he said. "Feels like longer, though." He shrugged his shoulders, knowing it probably felt like longer because he never did anything and had no one to talk to.

He offered a smile when told that he had no idea, then her saying maybe he did. "Trust me. I know what it's like to be friendless. Not a nice feeling," he said. Having mood swings and having psychiatrist appointments didn't exactly help people think he was sane (nor did the fact that he had powers), and, well, apparently, insanity was contagious. He rolled his eyes at the thought, then shook his head. "Well, whatever."

"Yeah...well...we can be friends if you want. If you don't want to I understand...but...I like you. You're a pretty cool guy."

Sabriel's face reddened slightly when she said that she liked him and that he was pretty cool. "Thanks..." he said. "And sure, we can be friends." Oh, yay, a friend! This was the first time he was going to have an actual friend in ages. Now all he had to do was try not to screw this up.

"You're pretty cool too, Ella," he told her.