Clouds as thick as thunderheads forever clung to the upper level of the Region, blocking out the light of the moon and the sun, but seldom dropping rain or filling the air with a humidity that brought forth the earthy fragrances of rotting vegetation. The forest beneath was overgrown with sickly flora, striving to grow ever taller and larger in order to grasp and hold the one sliver of light that might escape the stranglehold in the heavens. Though large and forbidding, the trees were slowly suffocating, casting their branches and leaves onto an already well-padded forest floor while all around the Region, as if to keep the inhabitants in and the travellers out, grew an impenetrable wall of long thorny brush.
In the outer ring of the Noble's land, near the edge, a young girl lay prostrate on her stomach while the wind blew softly through her long ashen hair and tickled her paper white cheek with a few loose strands. With her head resting on the backs of her palms, she looked out over the cliff at the dark world below and the occasional lamp that winked up at her through the trees. All the residents had returned home for the night and were either cleaning up the last of the supper dishes or were relaxing for the evening and indulging in restful hobbies.
A lantern hung limply from a stick pushed into the grassy earth, sending odd shafts of light dancing on Cassandra’s clothing. It was a restful night, where one could be found reading a book by the soft glow of a lamp, just as Cassie was doing.
Cassie raised her head, tearing her eyes hungry eyes away from the compelling words; something from inside her tattered grey bag was scuffling around. The bag was still closed, but a coarse hole was ripped in the side. Cassie carefully knelt next to the bag, unzipped it and toppled over backward. Regaining balance, she carefully stood over the bag, terrified of the creature that lay whimpering in the shadow of her book.
Hope you liked it, this was the start of my NaNoWriMo attempt
![:rolleyes:](./images/smilies/rolleyes.gif)