Blackfeather Woods Back then, when I stupidly took pride

The exclamatory words made him grin, eagerness ablaze in his young body. He couldn’t wait until he was older, when he was big enough to do what he wanted and take on whoever—or whatever—came his way. Fearless as he was, he was bound to find himself getting into more and more trouble as he grew, but that was something for another time. For now, as he lived within the dark woods, he wouldn’t be given too many opportunities to cause trouble. That is, unless he wandered to the neighboring territories, but slipping away cold prove to be difficult. No matter, he would try. Xan was determined to be the best, to surpass all who stood ahead of him, and so nothing could stop him from achieving his goals. Not even the words that soon reached his ears. “I will so,” he argued, continuing to grin madly. Someday, somehow, he would beat her.
 
Alexander raised his head up, a look of suspicion crossing his features. “What way?” the child questioned, staring at her. Was she messing with him, or being serious? “Tell me.” The words came out more as a demand than anything else.