The Sanctuary

[Willow Cullen]

Willow was excited. she had received a letter from herp arents a while ago asking if there was anything that she wanted to do over the holidays and one of the first things she had thought of was to suggest to go to the sanctuary. a small rescue centre come zoo for magical animals. she had heard from it from her friend alec whos family owned the land and she had wanted to go and see it especially after he had said that they had rescued some baby unicorns over the last holiday. like seriously baby unicorns. who wouldn't want to see them. he was up early and was already showered dressed and starting to make some toast for breakfast when her parents appeared. "today is the day" she said putting some more bread in the toaster. she hoped that her cousin and aunt and uncle would make it too.
about half an hour later they had all eaten up and had their bags packed with water and some snacks as it had forecast a beautiful warm summer day they were off. her and her parents each going into the fire taking the floo network to their fun day out. she was already thinking about all the animals she wanted to see, unicorns, hippogriffs, a sphynx, nifflers, and dragons and flying horses. or anything else cool. as soon as she got to the end destination she looked around hoping to see animals but all she saw was a granite wall with a turnstile at the bottom. there were some big pictures of animals on it and she looked at them before looking around to see where her parents had gone and if chante had gotten there yet,

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

the Sanctuary. the name of the place made it sound safe, secure and welcoming. However for briar ir was none of those things, at least not any more. When she had first heard about a new place opening up a wildlife sanctuary where animals that had been rescued would be protected she had wanted to bring the family. that was until she had learned where it was. you see, she had been to the place before, she knew the previous occupants. her younger brother had lived here. sure like the rest of her family he hadn't been related by blood, but for all intents and purposes, she had adopted him as a brother until that night when she had learned that they had all been killed. the house had been burned right here in the sanctuary.
of course, today wasn't about minors. it was about Willow and Drederick and the rest of her family. it had come about when dee had wanted to do something special for willow because he thought she may be going through a tough time. and here had been willows suggestion as not really surprisingly one of her friends' families owned it. Briar was the first to step out of the fireplace and she could see the large forboding granite walls protecting the inside of the sanctuary in front of her. before she had time to take in anything else willow appeared behind her and she could hear the girl lisingthe nimals she wanted to see and looking at the large signs that now plastered on the wall in front of them marvelling at the creatures depicted. she put her arm around her daughter's shoulder and gave the girl a slight squeeze. "do you think they really have a sphinx in here wills" she asked. she wasn't sure herself. but she was pretty sure they would have an answer once they passed through the turnstile and took a map. she then looked back around towards the fireplace waiting for dee to some stepping out so that they could start the days adventures as willow was practically jumping with anticipation.