Chapter Text
The sun hasn’t set, but it won’t be long until it does. She’s not sure where she is. She hasn’t known since before the sun was high in the sky and she was startled into running in a direction she doesn’t remember. She is only 8. She shouldn’t have been in the woods by herself, but she didn’t intentionally come. The berry vines led her deep into the woods before she realized it. Then the noise. Then her sprint. And now she’s lost. She’s cried and wandered all day and isn’t sure that she’s any closer to home than she was an hour ago. She slumps down all cried out. Sniffling and wiping her nose on the arm of her sleeve. She hears rustling in the leaves and turns her head to the side. But the rustling is now behind her. She was sure it had originated from the other side unless... it’s not the same source of the initial noise...
Screaming, she stands and runs. Not sure of where she is going but away from whatever was making that noise. She’s dodging between trees, trying her best not to trip over fallen limbs and piles of leaves. It’s a mad dash before she skids to a halt. In her path she sees nothing but a mouth full of teeth snarling at her. She screams. It’s back arched covered in brown fur. Her eyes can’t look away from the teeth as she’s slowly backing away down the path she had come from. She hers the leaves move to her right. It’s now or never. She takes off running again knowing that the wolves are at her heels. She’s not sure why they haven’t gotten her yet. Shes moving as fast as she possibly can, but she never imagined it would have been fast enough to outrun wolves. Not for this long anyway. Not able to stand it anymore, the anticipation gnawing at her. She turns her head to see where they are when she runs into something causing her jaw to shut and her teeth to knock together. She hits the ground, but manages to look up. She thinks that she’s not sure if this is a better situation than the last. It’s a large bird with black wings spread out and human hands stretched out in front of him. She looks over to see the wolves held at bay before they run away. She scampers backwards on her hands and bottom before he lowers himself.
She closes her eyes shut hard. She’s resigned to death. She just wants this to be over. She’s tired of crying, tired of the hopelessness. Only a whimper escapes her lips as she waits for her life to end. She feels a soft finger on her chin raising her face upwards. She slowly cracks and eye open, then the other when she sees a human face peering back at her. He slowly pulls his hand from her face but remains squatted in front of her. With his head cocked to one side, he eyes her, “are you a fae?”
She only looks up at him in shock.
He asks a little louder and slower. As if she hadn’t understood. He so calm, as if he hadn’t just saved her from being torn apart by wild animals and eaten.
She slowly moves her head from side to side to indicate “no.”
“What is a girl doing deep in the woods alone? I think if you were a fae you would deny it anyway. So how do I know which is the truth?”
Slowly, but with more confidence than she feels, she replies “If either of us is a magical creature, I think it’s the boy with the wings...” she points at his spread wings behind him as if he didn’t realize they were there.
He smiles down at her. “I guess you’re right.... It’s getting late. Either way, we need to take shelter.” He stands and puts his hands on his hips, “Would you like to come with me?”
She nods and he helps her up to her feet. He lowers his wings to rest against his back and begins walking. She quickly hurries to walk besides him. Stealing glances but remaining quiet for now. Other than his large black wings, he seems to be a boy slightly older than her. He’s carrying a bag that rattles like metal on metal. She thinks maybe it’s chains, and doesn’t take comfort in that. This couldn’t get weirder but as of now, he hasn’t threatened to hurt her so it beats the alternative.
Before they lose all light, they arrive at a small structure made of sticks. The boy can barely stand it without having to lower his head. “I made this hut a while back, it’s almost too small for me now.” He explains.
He sits on the floor, lowering his back against a tree that is helping stabilize the small frame.
“We will be safe here.” In the darkness, he can barely make out her form curled in on herself on the floor. ”although the temperature is dropping...”
She’s a small ball with her knees to her chest. He holds up a blanket that she only looks at. Her shoulders are starting to shake and he can’t tell if she’s crying or shivering.
“Hey.hey... it’s ok...” he said as softy as he could. “What’s wrong? Are you cold or scared?”
She looked up “both” came her quiet voice.
“I promise I won’t hurt you.” He scooted closer to her until their sides were touching. “It will be warmer if we stay close... is this ok?”
She nodded but her big blue eyes stayed on the ground in front of them, the bottom half of her face obscured by her legs. He covers them in his blanket and softly rests his arm around her back. “What are you doing out here alone?”
“I’m lost. I’ve been looking for my way back home all day.” Her voice was mumbled with her chin still pressed against her knees.
After telling him where her home was, he assured her he would bring her there tomorrow and that everything would be okay.
She broke the silence that followed. “What are you?... I mean, why do you have wings like a bird? Are you a fairy?”
“No...” he said with a smile. He usually didn’t talk much, but it seemed to calm her down. So he continued offering information she hadn’t asked for. The more she knew of him the safer she should feel. Her curiosity made her forget her fear. “My dad has them too, and his dad before him. It’s a trait my kind have. My mom is like you. She says not to believe everything we’re told. I think it is because people like to blame us for being different. Saying we did some thing to deserve it. Treating us like we should be ashamed. But I didn’t betray anyone, I was born with them. I am like you in most every other aspect.”
“I’ve never seen anyone like you before.” She looked up into his dark eyes. “I’ve overheard stories but no one like you is allowed in our town.”
His face serious. “Yes, I’ve heard that too.”
It was quiet for a while.
“Do you live in the woods alone?”
“No, I have a family and live in a house in a town on the other side of the forest. My dad makes thing and I deliver small orders for him.” He pointed to the bag she had heard clanging earlier. “Those are nails for a carpenter a town over.”
She thought for only a second before asking, “How old are you? do you go to school? Are there other people like you there? Are there others with different animal traits? Wait, can you fly? What’s the highest you’ve ever been?...” Her questions came in quick succession. he could tell her mind was running fast jumping from one thought to the next.
He stopped her with a laugh. “I’m 13. And yes, I go to school, probably just like you. We have other people in my town that are different. But everyone gets along.”
The questions continued until they were both yawning. And then it was quiet. She was still shivering but head was lowered with her eyes closed. He lifted her off the ground and nudged her on his lap so at least the ground would stop leaching her warmth away. She snuggled into him. Her small head resting on his chest. She was so small. He felt a strong urge to protect her and see her home safe. He had never felt that way before. had never been given such a responsibility. After repositioning the blanket, he wrapped his arms around her and held her to him. He then spread his wings out and draped them around them, further enclosing them in. “good night, little one. I’ll keep you safe.”
They walked all morning. Only stopping to share his packed breakfast and pick berries. He is patient with her slower pace and constant questions. She insists on holding his hand. He doesn’t mind because it’s saved her from falling a few times she’s tripped. As the forest begins to look familiar to her, she can hear someone calling her name. Now it’s two voices alternating, but still calling her. “KORA!” She stops walking and looks up at the boy. She squeezes his hand then lets go. A bright smile on her face. “I think that’s my mom and dad!” She takes off in a sprint towards the voices. He’s right behind her. Until he remembers what she said. He slows down before he can leave the forest, but can see her through the trees. Running as fast as she can towards what must be her mom. She is swept up into the air as the woman is weeping uncontrollably. A man runs to them and encloses them in his arms.
The boy with the wings feel accomplished. She’s home with her family. Safe. He doesn’t need their thanks, although he wishes he could tell his small ward ‘goodbye.’ And although they seem nice, he’s heard enough stories of this town and the people who live in it to know he shouldn’t leave the forest.
So he turns around. goes further into the forest, bag in hand, with his original assignment in mind.
For years he would think back on his little friend and wonder how she is doing... little did he know she would think back on him just as often.