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Quiet.
Used to music listening with my brother at night, and the clambering of our master attendant's restaurant during the day; the silence of the forest was prominent.
But, that is now my past. My brother ran off at the news of what I had done, and my master attendant now lay dead in a coroners office. I doubt he would ever forgive me, even if he could know of the truth.
Perhaps it's better if he doesn't know. He could live his entire life beliveing the man who was as close to a father as we ever had, was a good guardian and a great man. He wouldn't have to endure the wretched truth as I have.
THUMPH!
"G'AAH!!"
I let out a shocked scream as my thoughts were interrupted with a stumble over a tree root and a brutal reminder of gravity as I fell to the ground.
I struggled my way off the ground, and went to try to stand when pain thumped in my leg. My knee was tight with blood that I knew would soon form a nasty bruise, and every second the feeling seemed to slowly branch outward like the cursed root I tripped on.
I leaned against the tree desperate not to fall again as I took in a deep breath to ease the pain.
As I exhaled the forest seemed much louder than it had before. The movements of fallen angels became more present in my mind. The low slithering and crawling, low and menacing from every direction.
Never more did I feel so alone...
So cold...
So isolated...
So.. warm..?
I opened my eyes to find myself in a living room, lightly decorated and humble, with a heavy blanket resting on top of me as I myself rested on a couch and a sleeping human's head rested on a side table as their eyes rested with sleep.
I slowly brought myself to a sitting position, careful not to disturb the peace. As I did, I felt an odd wrapping around my leg and instead of a bruised and bare leg appearing from out of the blankets, was a carefully bandaged one.
I turned back to the human and saw the table that acted as a pillow to their head also held a bottle of ointment and a roll of medical bandages. A roll, that started to roll as the human began to roll in their sleep and off the tabl-!!
Before I knew it I had reached my entire body forward to catch their head before it fell, and just barely making it in time. The contact lasted but a moment as they awoke and pulled their head up to look at me.
My breath froze in its inhale as our eyes met, until they relaxed and smiled.
"I'm glad you're okay, when Rice and I found you in The Secret Forest we were so worried."
The secret forest, I hadn't realized I had traveled so far south; we must be in the city of Helina then. This person must not know of the rumors about me then.
"Are.. You feeling okay? You're not going to pass out again right!?"
Oh crap I was just staring blankly at them this whole time!
"Haha, no no I'm feeling much better thanks to you. I guess I'm just a little out of it."
Their smile, it's so full of sweetness it could turn any sour mood palatable. Are they really smiling at me? The thought was enough to cause the smile to infect me as well. It seemed all the pain of the previous day washed away and a shore of curiosity, smitteness, and beautiful smiles were all that I could see.
"Well, just to be sure you should rest up! Rice must have been covering for me in the resturaunt while I was napping, I'd better help her."
"Will you be back?"
"Of course"
Then they exited the room, leaving only me and the sound of my fast beating heart.