Chapter Text
Eve
I should have known better than to count on a canary. They're such skittish little things. Always thinking they're hot stuff, just because they've got some flashy feathers. But deep down inside, they're really just cowards.
Thori is no exception. The boy may be one of my best friends, but he is unreliable at the best of times. After spending the entire week nagging me to let him come along on one of my little adventures through the woods, he is ready to flake out the moment we cross the border into uncharted territory.
"This really isn't a good idea, Eve. We could get in trouble. Maybe we should just turn back." He says, looking to me with that ruffled blonde hair and those pleading blue eyes. His yellow wings flutter, and he wrings his hands together anxiously. He at least made an attempt at today's adventure. He is wearing practical blue jeans and a gray t-shirt with the school insignia on it, rather than his usual fancy and impractical class uniform.
"Seriously, dude? After all that nagging and preparation, you want to turn around?" I scoff, spreading my own wings in irritation as I spun to look at him. "This is why I never let you come along! You whine the entire time and you want to quit as soon as we've begun!"
"I'm just being cautious!" Thori chirped back, his eyes flicking from side to side as if he's worried someone will overhear our conversation. "You know as well as I do that we're not allowed to leave town unsupervised until we're 18! The woods are just too dangerous. Didn't you hear? Someone disappeared in this area just last week!"
I sigh and turn around, abandoning the conversation entirely. God, I hate it when he's right. The woods really is a dangerous place for creatures like us.
You had to worry about the Nagas, who have always been unpredictable people at the best of times, as well as people like us. It's still hard to believe that we are most likely to be attacked by members of our own species. And I don't even mean our seafaring cousins, the Sirens. I mean Avians, just like me!
I have always heard stories about people being attacked and carried off by a variation of our own species, referred to only as The Birds of Prey. They're supposed to be just like us, but with larger wings and a hunger for blood. They live in scattered, primitive flocks across the land, and have been known to carry off members of pretty much every species.
Everyone hates them.
Everyone fears them.
"I'm sure we'll be fine." I try to reassure Thori, but even I don't think I sound convincing. "The trees are really thick in this part of the woods. We should be safe from airborne attacks. Plus, you know that I'm friends with the prince of the local Naga pit! They aren't going to bother us."
Thori rolled his eyes. "So we're planning on entrusting our lives to some trees and the Nagas. Wow, I feel truly safe." I stifle a laugh and he fluffs out his bright yellow wings in irritation. If anything, he's going to be the reason we get spotted. You can see those ridiculous wings of his from a mile away.
If I was by myself, I would probably be a lot better off. Being a Fox Sparrow, and a female one at that, gives me a distinct advantage in the camouflage department. The russet and beige tones in my wings help me to blend in with the tree trunks and forest floor, while Thori's dandelion wings stand out like a target amongst the foliage.
"If you'd prefer, we could fly instead of walking."
He quickly shakes his head in response to my suggestion. "No way! If we flew, we'd be even more likely to get caught!" He then shoots me a glare. "You just want to show off your wingspan again."
"You got me." I laugh, spreading my wings and bumping him with one teasingly. Thori has always been a little irked by the fact that, despite being a female, my wingspan is far more impressive than his. As a matter of fact, I am proud to say that I have the largest wingspan of anyone in my class at school.
My wings are the reason that I'm the best at sports. And the reason that I'm so unpopular with the guys. Guys are intimidated by the fact that I can outfly them, and go out of their way to avoid me. That's fine by me, as I don't have the time to cater to their fragile egos.
Thori and I drop the conversation at that, choosing to instead move in a comfortable silence. After a bit of walking, we finally reach the clearing that houses my first marker.
Each time I go into the forest, I have to make markers to show where I've been so that I don't get lost trying to find my way back. They're quite simple, fragile little things. Just some sticks that I shove into the mud so that they stand straight up. Thori has told me many times that I really shouldn't rely on a bunch of sticks in the dirt, but they haven't failed me yet.
We follow my trail of markers until we reach another small clearing, this one surrounded by wild mulberry trees. I had decided to stop here last time, and ended up eating the mulberries for so long that the sun began to set and I had to go home. Even I'm not foolish enough to stay out in the woods at night.
"Alright, after this point we're going to be entering new territory, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled." I instruct Thori as I grab a handful of the berries from a nearby plant and pop a few into my mouth. Even this early in the summer they're sweet, and I can feel some of my energy returning.
Thori nods and does the same, his face lighting up as he samples some of the fruit. I shove the rest of my handful into my mouth and grab another from the trees, motioning for my companion to follow me as I turn and resume walking.
My reckless pulling of the berries has stained my hands red, and their juices have made my teeth the same purplish-crimson color, but I don't really mind.
We walk for even longer, only stopping on occasion for me to place another marker in the ground. As we move, I notice that the trees are starting to thin out, and the terrain has started to steadily grow more rocky. I know that Thori has caught on to this as well, as I see him glancing up at the sky every so often and fluttering his wings anxiously. Even farther ahead the trees disappear entirely, giving way to a rocky cliffside that looks out over even more forrest below.
"I've never been here before." I exclaim, twirling around and taking in the sight of the huge, jutting rocks in front of me. "This place is incredible!"
Thori isn't near as enthusiastic about our discovery. "We really should get back under the trees. We're sitting ducks in the open like this." He looks up to the sky, concern evident in his face.
"Oh, come on! Lighten up for once." I grin. "I'll race you to the top of the cliff!"
"Eve, no! I am not going up there!" He snaps at me, and I'm surprised by the anger in his tone.
"It's a stupid, dangerous idea! It's bad enough being out in the open like this, but flying would be even worse! I'm going back under the trees where it's safe. If you want to come with, please, feel free." He turns away from me with a huff and stamps angrily towards the woods, leaving me shellshocked.
"Fine! Go and hide then, you wuss!" I yell back at him, gritting my teeth as I flap my wings and take off. He really is just so paranoid. What could possibly happen? The Birds of Prey don't hunt us often, and when they do, they only hunt at night! Theoretically, we're completely safe in the daylight.
My anger slowly starts to fade, however, as my wings lift me off of the ground and into the air. Flying really is the best feeling in the world. You feel weightless. Free. Like you could go anywhere in the world, and nothing could ever stop you. My brunette hair whips around through the air, some of it flying into my face. I brush it out of the way irritably, cursing myself for not having the foresight to braid it back before I left today.
When I finally land on the small, elevated plateau that marks the top of the cliffside, the first thing I do is comb my fingers through my hair. It always becomes a tangled mess when I fly without tying it back. I'm so preoccupied with the task, that I almost don't notice the person that is sharing the platform with me. When I do eventually spot him, he scares me out of my feathers. Tall, muscular, long dark hair, practically the exact opposite of Thori.
In other words, intimidating. He is staring at me with an odd expression on his face, and for a moment I stare right back.
I knew he must be Avian like me, as I could see bits of his dark gray and navy wings that stuck out from behind his back, despite being folded tightly in. "Umm... hi." I eventually break the awkward silence, flashing him a nervous smile. "I'm, uhh, Eve. And you are?"
"Accaq." He replies, his voice lighter than I expected it to be. Accaq? What the hell kind of name is that?
"Well, it's uh, nice to meet you." I reply, holding out my hand in an attempt to be polite. He eyes the red stain on my fingers and raises an eyebrow, and I laugh a little out of embarrassment. "Sorry. I just ate." I murmur, wiping my hands on my jeans in a futile attempt to remove the stain from my fingers.
"It's quite alright. I understand." Accaq replies, offering me a small, close lipped smile. I smile back, and shuffle my feet awkwardly.
"So, what brings you here this late in the day?" I ask, desperately trying to salvage this poor excuse for a conversation.
"I just came here to watch the sunset." He replied softly, turning his head to look out at the horizon to our left. "Why are you here?" He questions me in return.
"I was just exploring a bit." I reply simply, eyeing the boy up and down. He doesn't seem to be dangerous. He isn't armed with any visible weapons, and with that outfit he is wearing, it's likely that he wouldn't be able to hide anything even if he wanted to.
His black shirt that is skintight, almost as if he has outgrown it but never gotten rid of it. His dark pants leave a bit more to the imagination fortunately, hugging his legs comfortably, but not in a way that would be showing off too much. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to be wearing any shoes whatsoever. The clothing he does have honestly looks homemade to me. There are a few places where the stitching is a bit crooked, and both the shirt and pants have obviously been patched a few times.
When my gaze finally makes its way back up to his face I realize that he is still staring at me, and I blush awkwardly. "Do you... mind if I join you? To watch the sunset, I mean."
He seems taken off guard by my request. "No, not at all.” He motions to the ground next to him, and I obediently move to sit down on the edge of the cliff.
Even with the shear drop below me, I am not afraid of falling. Avians like myself aren't afraid of heights, because if we fall we can just catch ourselves with our wings.
He turns and sits beside me, moving with an eerie silence as he slowly lowers himself onto the overhang. "It's a beautiful evening." He murmurs, glancing at me and smiling. I nod in return, pleased with the small talk. It makes the whole ordeal seem a little less uncomfortable.
“It is. Though it's been a little drier than I like lately. I think the plants around here could use a good thunderstorm." I reply, and he nods a bit, his smile widening.
"So, Eve."
"Yes?" I reply, cautious of his curious tone.
"Who are you? I mean, I already know your name, but tell me a bit about yourself. I've never seen you around before."
I cough a bit, startled by his bold inquiry. "Well, um, my full name is Eve Evergreen, I am 17 years old, and uhh.... my favorite color is orange." Accaq nods a bit, that smile of his still plastered to his face.
"Why orange?"
"What?"
"You said your favorite color is orange. Why?"
I have to consider that for a moment. "Because it makes me think about warm things. Like a small fire in a fireplace during the winter. Or the leaves on the oak trees during the fall. Or a pleasant sunset during the summer." I laugh a bit. "Red is too intense, and yellow isn't intense enough. I think orange is just the perfect middle ground. The perfect color."
I look back at him, and he's staring at me again. Those light blue eyes of his are cold, and I suppress the urge to shiver under his icy gaze. "So, what about you?"
"What about me?" Accaq replies softly, not seeming entirely focused on my question.
“Tell me about yourself. It doesn't seem fair that I should be the only one that opens up here."
He laughs a bit, light and pleasant. "Alright, let's see.... My full name is Accaq, I am 17 as well, and my favorite color is brown."
I tilt my head a bit, startled. "Brown is you favorite color? Why?" When I think of brown, I think of mud, which isn't really the most attractive thing in my opinion.
"Because it's the color of your eyes."
Woah. My heart stops at his reply, and I cough awkwardly. That was a bit... forward. I turn away, trying to hide the blush that laced my cheeks. "Um, thank you." I manage to murmur, looking back over to him. He smiles at me, acting as if what he said was the most normal statement in the world. Suddenly, I feel the urge to escape the conversation. "I, um, should really get going. It's getting late." His eyes widen a bit in understanding and he nods sincerely, standing and holding out a hand to me. I take it, and he helps me to my feet.
"Well, goodbye I guess." I turn to take off, but he grabs my arm to stop me.
"Wait!" His expression is a bit desperate when I turn back to look at him. "Can I see you again sometime?" He blurts out the words and shocks me once more. Man, this guy is just full of surprises.
"Alright, I suppose. How about I meet you here at sunset tomorrow?" Accaq's entire face lights up and he nods, releasing my arm and waving to me.
“I'll see you then." He says, a massive grin still plastered to his face.
"See you then." I reply taking a running start and jumping off of the side of the cliff, leaving him still waving behind me
Accaq
I watch as Eve flies off, her elegant, russet wings spreading behind her. She looks so graceful that I can't bear to tear my eyes away until she has plummeted right out of my limited line of sight. I turn towards the sunset and sit back down with a sigh, burying my face in my hands and grinning. I have only just met her, but I want to know everything about her. What her favorite food is, what she does in her spare time, what her family is like. I sit there for the next hour, watching as the sun sank below the horizon and thinking only of the beautiful creature I met earlier. I barely knew her.
And yet I had to have her.
Eve
I land on the ground beside the cliff with a soft thud, startling Thori where he stood near the trees. As I turn to look back at the cliffs where I had been moments before, he runs up to me with a frantic expression.
"What were you doing up there?" He gasps, gripping my arm to get my attention. As I turn to look at him, he seemed to relax a little. "You've been up on the cliff for nearly 20 minutes! I was about to go up there and get you! What on earth where you doing?!"
"I was talking." I reply casually, beginning to walk towards the woods as I did so.
"Talking? To who?" Now he just sounded confused.
"When I flew up to the top of the cliff, there was someone else there. Watching the sunset."
"Who?" Thori asked once more, tilting his head. "Was it someone we know from school?"
"No. I'd never seen him before in my life. He seemed nice enough though." I say shrugging, and Thori looks like he's ready to burst with frustration.
"You were up there talking to some guy that you've never met before? Didn't your parents ever teach you about stranger danger?"
I roll my eyes and continue to walk, pulling him along. "Come on Buttercup, it's not that big of a deal."
"Don't you 'Buttercup' me missy!" He huffs. "You're too reckless! What if he had been dangerous? These kinds of situations can't be taken lightly, alright?"
"Just lay off me, will you?" I snap. "It's not a big deal. You're not my parent, so stop trying to control me! I do what I want."
Thori crosses his arms and looks at me angrily, increasing his pace to walk beside me. "I'm just worried about you, dumbass! I care too much about you to watch run headfirst into risky situations without thinking! I don't want you to get hurt, alright?"
As he says this, my anger slowly starts to subside. I stop walking for a moment and turn to him, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I'm sorry for making you worry, alright? I'll try to be more careful in the future."
"You promise?" He asks, looking up at me with those wide blue eyes of his. I laugh a bit.
"I promise." I respond, pulling him into a small hug, which he returns. We're both careful to avoid each other's wings. Touching someone's wings whilst hugging is a very intimate gesture, and Thori and I certainly aren’t close enough to be doing anything along those lines.
"Now come on." I say after finally breaking off our hug. "Let's get home before it gets too dark."
It is quite late by the time we reach the settlement. Thori and I walk together until we reach our street. With one final hug goodbye, we go our separate ways. Me, into my house where we stopped, and him a little further up the block to his own home. As I approach the door I see that the lights in the house are still off. With a sigh I pull out my keys and make quick work of the locks on the door.
My parents must be working late.
Again.
I lock the door behind me as I move into my home, silently heading for the pantry. I grab myself an apple and a small bowl of dried crickets. Thori says I'm weird, but I personally like crickets. They can be a tasty snack, and have the perfect ammount of crunch.
I eat my poor excuse for a dinner in silence and stumble into my room, flicking on the light of my lamp on my bedside table and changing into pajamas for bed. I flop onto the mattress, careful to keep my wings turned to one side as to avoid crushing them or knocking my lamp over. I reach out and turn off my light, sinking into the mattress with a sigh.
Even though I am exhausted, sleep does not come easily. I'm kept awake by thoughts of that strange boy on the cliff. The one who seemed genuinely interested in my likes and dislikes. The one who complimented me so easily.
The one who wanted to see me again.