Y/n couldn't sleep that first night away from home. She missed her stone walls. She missed the way the guards' horses would neigh outside. She missed the flapping wings of birds who were going to their nests to spend the night and the occasional twitters they let out. She missed the smell of chilly night air that drifted through her window back home. Most of all, she missed the whisper of wind in the trees behind her windows.
The girl pulled herself up with a sigh, raking a hand through her hair. She considered telling Lonnie about her homesickness and asking for advice but her roommate was fast asleep so that shot the idea down.
Making her decision, she changed into sweats, a plain shirt and a sweater, tied her hair up and grabbed her bow and arrows before peeking out of her room doors. She remembered what Fairy Godmother had said about curfews so she made sure she made no sound as she snuck outside and headed for the woods she remembered seeing when the limousine drove her there.
Y/n was just about to bolt over a plain area into the woods when she heard footsteps pounding closer. She froze in place, her hands nocking an arrow with practiced precision as she waited for whoever was about to catch her outside.
A foot appeared from behind the bush and Y/n held her leg out, tripping the person before aiming the arrow at them. Three other pairs of feet skidded to a stop, staring at the boy with long brown hair on the ground and the girl behind the bush.
"You?" everyone chorused. Well, except for Jay, who was face-first on the ground.
"What are you guys doing out?" Y/n countered, her hands shaking slightly with adrenaline as she put her weapons away.
"We could ask you the same," Maleficent's daughter responded.
Y/n huffed stubbornly. "I asked first."
At that moment Jay groaned, pulling himself up. "Where'd you come from?"
The girl in all purple stepped forward. "We were just about to find that out, Jay." She inspected Y/n, narrowing her eyes. "You're not snooping around after us, are you?"
"Wh— What? No," Y/n stammered, her eyes flitting from one Isle kid to the other. "I just wanted to get some fresh air in the woods." She nodded to the trees a little way from them. Then she inspected their flashlights. "Don't suppose you're out for just a small walk?"
"What we're out for is none of your business," Maleficent's daughter snapped. Then her expression softened as she realized something. "However... We won't tell if you don't."
Y/n grimaced at the thought of her mother's expression if she heard that Y/n'd broken the rules already on the first day. Sure, Merida had also been a rule breaker but it lay on Y/n's shoulders to give everyone a good impression of the North. "Deal."
Silence filled the air before a shy voice broke it. "W— Well, if that's done... We should all probably get back inside."
Y/n's eyes flitted to Carlos, the owner of the voice. For a moment the boy reminded her of Asher, who'd often caught her sneaking out. Interestingly, she felt a little bit more at home and that brought a smile to her lips. "We should."
Carlos nodded, breaking eye contact as all five started moving again, sneaking around with practiced ease.
Y/n pondered on the situation, trailing the group through the halls of the dorms. She hadn't expected to form alliances that night but, she supposed, as they were all outcasts, maybe it was really for the best.