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The sky was red and purple, an unnatural colour in the Millennial Forest grounds. A crimson light coming from the tree’s own roots covered the whole tribe, and the screaming of fear from the villagers could be heard from the heart of the forest. Churro Cookie ran and ran, as quickly as it was possible for him. Moments before he was guarding the temple and then… this.
When he got to the tribe’s ground the view was even worse, it was like that one time, again...
He stopped for a second, the red crimson light engulfing the tribe as people ran for their lives. He couldn’t believe it. Panic took over him, as he tried to protect his people the best he could, stopping all kinds of attacks with his churro shields. The attacks were never-ending, and it wasn't enough, his shields weren’t enough. But he was soon freed from his panic as something almost hit his face. Quick and powerful, it went at high speed next to his cheek. He felt his heart racing at 1000 per hour as panic was changed for a new feeling: fear. Fear at the feeling of darkness next to him, and fear at what he saw when he looked forward. He couldn’t believe it. He was there, bow ready for another hit straight to Churro. Night Raven looked at him impasible as he readied his attack, and Churro felt himself paralyzed. He couldn't do more than look at the figure in front of him. To think that the Great Wind would fall for darkness again… were they truly doomed? Did the Tree really abandon them this time? Night Raven moved, his bow full at position pointing straight to Churro’s chest, and then-
Churro woke up suddenly, feeling almost dizzy for a second. His eyes were wide awake, and sweat was running through his face. His body was trembling. A nightmare… Again. It was not new at this point. It was a recurrent thing these last two weeks. Originally they were just faint sounds or images, he could barely remember them when he woke up, but this one… This one looked too real, too clear. He could remember every detail still.
He looked to the window in his room, and could see the night light still shining through. So this time he didn’t even make it to the morning. Great. His free day was starting amazingly, with not enough rest. Whatever. He was sweaty, and was not feeling great, so he decided to go for a walk. Churro changed to his usual clothes and went outside. He figured he could go through the forest, maybe go to the Millennial Temple and see how the churro warriors were doing without him… His thoughts were cut short as a voice woke him from them.
-“Young guardian, could I know where are you going at this time of night?” The voice came from an old cookie, the chief from the Churro Tribe: Sugar Churro Cookie. Decades ago, she was the guardian of the tribe and the Millenial Temple, her head decorated with a layer of chocolate the same way his head was. Now, so many years later, that position was given to Churro Cookie, and she remained as the chief of the tribe, the old blessed chocolate layers in her head substituted by old sugar both at the top and bottom of her hair, marking her age. She was an old cookie, as wise as her years of experience, and Churro had great respect for her. But she was sometimes too all-knowing for his taste, she was always there and always knew what was going on, to his grief.
-”Ah, Chief. I’m-” He couldn’t finish before he was interrupted by her.
-”Feeling uneasy, are you? Something is troubling you. I hope you are not thinking of going to the Temple. The warriors are doing just fine, and today is a day for you to rest. Stress will take over you if you continue like this.”
Of course she read through him like an open book… Almost.
-”I am feeling uneasy, that much is true. But do not worry, it’s not because of the temple, I trust our warriors. I just need a walk.”
-”A walk.” She empathizes as she stares at him, not believing him much. He was too serious about his work as the Guardian of the Temple to feel uneasy for a different thing, so it was not too out of the realm of possibility for it to be the cause of his unrest. But after a few seconds the face of the old cookie relaxed as she smiled at him. “Whatever is the cause of it, be careful. And you should sleep.”
-”Yes, chief. Do not worry. I will just go for a walk. Calm my mind, and then I will be back to rest. And you should sleep too, Chief. I don’t know why you are awake, but please rest.”
The old cookie laughed at his words, her old rough laugh stabbing Churro Cookie’s ears. He readied himself to leave, weaving her goodbye, and she looked at him one last time before letting him go.
-”Go, Churro Cookie, and be careful. The wind is strong tonight.”
With a nod Churro waved her goodbye, and went back to his path, taking a hard breath of the fresh air of the night as he moved. Before he knew it he was at the feet of the Temple, of course. His body came here almost automatically. He walked around, cheeking from a distance how the warriors were doing tonight. So much for not worrying about the Temple.
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After seeing that everything was going okay he decided to leave, much to his dismay. He went around the temple, searching for a high clearing close by. He was not THAT worried anyways, but being close to the Temple calmed him. Churro soon reached a small area not far away from the temple, trees of all sizes surrounding a nice opening illuminated by the moon’s light, making a great scenery for stargazing. You could feel every little sound of nature, the wind making everything dance, while seeing the sky and the temple in the distance.
He stayed still in the middle of the clearing, and slowly changed to his usual protective stance. It worked as a position for the start of a fight, but it was also a pose for meditating. He had to focus on his balance, and in his connection to the earth itself. It helped him feel closer to the forest and the Great Tree. But today he was not focusing that much, as a strong wind went through the forest, and a figure quickly appeared next to him in a second, no sound made. He just noticed as his balance was broken due to the wind, and he quickly looked next to him to see the mysterious figure. A green cookie stood next to him, his back to Churro as big greenish wings standed big in the air, shadowing him. As soon as the figure moved, the wings quickly disappeared in a light shine, leaving the green cookie wingless as he turned around. It was not difficult to know who this cookie was, as Churro was too familiar with him. Wind Archer Cookie, the Great Wind himself. The personal guardian of The Millennial Tree and of everything alive. And a friend of Churro, too. He looked at Wind Archer with surprise, not expecting the sudden visit.
-”Churro Cookie, it’s nice to see you tonight.” Wind Archer smiled at him, with that small smile he had sometimes.
-”Great Wind. What brings you here?” Churro normally smiled at him the same way, but he wasn’t feeling well tonight. He was still uneasy, and Wind Archer’s presence… It was weird to admit, but he was not feeling that good seeing him tonight. His normal serious face stayed in place. just a small bow of respect as always.
WInd Archer’s own smile quickly went away, although probably not for the same reasons as Churro’s own.
-”Just passing by. I felt your presence here, and since the night is calm I could afford to stop for a while” He was not convincing. It was obvious that there was a different reason for it, and Churro quickly called his bluff.
-”You are always moving, even on calm days. And there are better moments for us to meet than in the middle of the night, you normally don’t come here this late.”. At his words Wind Archer could do no more than sigh, he was not a good liar.
-”Forgive me. I felt your unease through the wind. Something is not right.”
Ah, that. Of course Wind Archer would feel his anxiety. But still, why stop? Was it that notable that it needed the Great Wind himself to stop by?
-”I’m okay, Great Wind-”
-”You don’t need to call me that, Wind Archer is enough, you know.”
Of course. He used to call him Great Wind out of respect… but he stopped doing so months ago, when they started to meet more times and build a friendship of sorts. But Churro was calling him that again almost automatically, he was feeling a bit distant from the Guardian.
-”Ah, sorry. Wind Archer. Sorry.”
-”No matter, that is of no importance. Churro Cookie, what’s wrong? Your heart is full of fear tonight… That’s not usual for you.”
-”Nothing happened. I… I just had a bad night, and came here to meditate. Nothing important.” Churro was not lying, but he was not that convincing either, and this time it was Wind Archer’s turn to call out his bluff.
-”Churro, I could feel your fear on Dessert Paradise, the wind urgently brought it to me. A simple bad night does not cause that. Please…. we are friends, are we not? You can tell me what happened.”
It was weird, having the Elemental being so close to him that way. He sounded like any other cookie, almost, if it wasn’t by his sometimes monotone voice tone. But he still knew that his words carried bigger emotions with them. Churro didn’t really want to talk about it with him. This nightmare… This was hard, from the both of them. And it was a theme of conversation he didn’t want to have tonight.
-”It was just a nightmare. It startled me, and I came here to calm down, That’s it.” Churro took a deep breath and moved a bit forward, sitting in the middle of the clearing in a meditating stance. Not his usual one, but it would do. “Join me, if you want. I was meditating.” He said, as he closed his eyes.
Wind Archer did just that, he sat next to Churro in the same posture, but instead of closing his eyes he stared at Churro’s face for a bit, before talking again.
-”What happened in your nightmare? Could I know?”
There it was, the dreaded question. Churro knew it was coming, and that he could not avoid it much more. The worry in Wind Archer’s voice was killing him. He opened his eyes back, and looked at Wind Archer’s face, now both looking at each other.
-”Wind Archer… I don’t really want to talk about it.” it was worth a try, Wind Archer was a really understanding person…
-”I understand Churro, but something is not right.” he put his hand lightly on Churro’s shoulders, and the touch felt like a stab to his fake serious stance. He was truly a bad liar too, and not being sincere with Wind Archer was killing him even more. “Your heart is in pain, I can feel it. I feel it even now. Let me help you… Please.”
Churro’s shoulder dropped in defeat. He simply couldn’t. But this was still something he didn’t want to talk about, because he knew exactly what Wind Archer would say. But was it a good idea to keep it in? At this point maybe it was better to just rip the bandaid straight and stop worrying the Elemental even more.
-”I… I have been having a recurrent nightmare these past weeks. It was faint before, but it was most clear today. It scared me, and I wasn't in a proper mood to go back to sleep. The nightmare..” He cut himself shot, feeling a knot in his throat. He didn’t know how to handle this. Wind Archer stared at him, a look that clearly said ‘continue’. “My village… It was being attacked by darkness again, but this time there was just destruction around. I fought and fought and tried to stop the attacks but it wasn’t enough, and then…”
He stopped looking at Wind Archer, not being able to meet his gaze. He truly didn’t want to talk about it.
-”Then. There was a figure. Darkness personified, responsible for the destruction of my village, and ready to attack and pierce through me… And so he did”
There was a stop, a heavy silence. It was uncomfortable, but Churro wasn’t sure how to continue.
-”...Night Raven, wasn’t it?” Wind Archer's voice stopped the silence, and Churro went back to look at him, discomfort in every line of his face.
-”Yes… He was there, standing tall, and I… I think I crumbled, an arrow straight through me. It was the first time the nightmare got so far, and the first time it was so clear… it is as if I still felt it in my chest.”
-”Churro…” Wind Archer sighed, being his turn to look far in the distance. “I’m sorr-”
-”No.” Churro cut his train of words immediately, not wanting to hear it. He knew it was coming, he knew Wind Archer would want to apologize. He knew, and he didn’t want it. “There is nothing to say sorry for, Wind Archer. It was not you. Not now, not then. Don’t say it.”
-”But-”
-”No. I don’t want you to do it. Please.” Churro’s last words came out small, weak. Talking it out loud was making it harder already.
-”Ah… I understand. I won’t do it.” He looked back at Churro, his small smile back on his face, but it felt insincere to Churro, it was sad. Was it pity? Or guiltiness?
-”It was not you. It never was. I don’t understand why my brain is playing tricks on me. It has been months already since back then.”
When Night Raven first appeared… It was horrible for everyone. The forest was engulfed in darkness, and with it its inhabitants. Churro was lucky enough to escape the curse, maybe thanks to the Tree’s great blessing, but his tribe had no such luck. And the fight that came after to save everyone… It was not easy. It was a really hard moment for him. He doubted his faith in the Tree, his purpose, his reason to be. He thought the Tree a traitor, and a liar. How could the Tree forsaken his people this way? Were they not worthy of his protection?
He also feared, he feared for the forest, for his tribe. Friends and family that could never wake up again, if they were even still alive. He didn’t mind if he crumbled there, but he had to win. He had to end the foe that was causing this. Night Raven, the dark figure that the cookiemals assured was their friend before, the supposed wind that protects it all, but the one that was now attacking them nonetheless. The pain and fear in his chest were constant as he fought for his people and for his resolution. And at the end, he persevered. He defeated the foe of darkness, and not only that, he purified him. The Tree was a victim of this, but it still helped him to bring back the Guardian himself. He would never forget how dangerous Night Raven was, how hard it was not to crumble against his attacks, but Churro was trained for this. He was too a guardian, the Guardian of the Millennial Temple and the forest his people lived in, and he had a duty he was going to follow, even if it ended with his death. But he persevered, and both his tribe and Wind Archer himself were freed.
Wind Archer needed time to recover, and he had to spend time in Churro’s village for a while. That’s when they started to meet, and became friends, and even after his departure from the village he still visited them from time to time, sometimes with the cookiemals and sometimes alone. He always said that it was to check up on the village, but always stayed most of the time with Churro Cookie himself. It was weird, being friends with such a powerful and legendary being, but they had a lot in common and it ended up happening naturally. What happened was stressful and horrible for everyone, but time healed their wounds and his newfound friendship with Wind Archer made things go smoothly, and besides, Churro was the guardian of the tribe, he had more serious things to think about, and everyone was okay, so it was pointless. That’s why he doesn't understand why now, months and months after the event. his brain decided to bring the fear back to him with brand new ideas of destruction. It was too much, even for someone as stoic as him.
-”I understand. The brain is sometimes a cruel thing.” Wind Archer stared at Churro’s face for a few seconds, and then unprompted laid on the clearing’s ground, closing his eyes for a few seconds. Churro looked at him confused at the sudden action, “Why don’t you lay here with me? Let’s enjoy the night sky’s light.”
Churro looked at him confused, Wind Archer’s actions were so sudden he really didn't know what the intention was here. But it was a good way to stop the conversation so he accepted, and laid next to Wind Archer on the ground. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, feeling his tiredness coming back to him as soon as he let his body relax. He usually follows a very strict schedule almost every day, but the nightmares were breaking it and it was taking a toll on his body. It was the reason why the villagers forced him to take some ‘days off’ to rest, as his tiredness was apparent during the day, as much as he tried to hide it.
-”This is nice.”
-”It is, isn’t it? The forest is a marvel, I always feel at peace when I’m here.”
-”Me too. That’s why I came here… being here helps me calm. I’ve grown here after all, it’s always a reassuring place.”
Wind Archer looked at Churro, a kind smile on his face, this time more real. For the Elemental, in a way, it was like seeing a reflection of himself. The more time they’ve hung out together the more he has been able to notice it, and he could see it even more now.
-”You and I, we are too similar sometimes.”
-”Huh?” Churro looked at Wind Archer, confused about the sudden topic. To hear someone like Wind Archer say that was strange. Not in a bad way, just… “What do you mean?”
-”Since the first time we met- The time we properly met, I mean. I’ve noticed how much we align. I thought of you as a very commendable cookie, someone who loved the forest and the life in it as much as I do, and I’ve been shown time and time again how correct I was. You are truly admirable, Churro.”
Churro looked at him in silence, not expecting the sudden praise from Wind Archer. He felt his face a bit hot. He was used to hearing praise from the villagers back at the Churro Tribe, as the main defender and guardian of the temple it wasn’t unusual for people to thank him. But Wind Archer? That was new. Not something that naturally comes out in casual conversation.
-”Ah. Thanks.” He wasn’t sure how to respond. Should he be sincere too? Tell him what he thought of him? Yeah maybe that. “I- I think the same. About you. But that’s not new. You are THE guardian after all. I’ve always looked up to you. The idea of you at least, since I never knew you in the dough until recently…” He was not good with words, and was stumbling a bit with them.
Wind Archer laughed, a small light laugh that felt like the summer wind caressing his ears. Was that possible?
-”I’m glad my existence and duty has brought forth strong people like you to defend the forest. You deserve the blessing you carry with you, Millennial Tree couldn’t have chosen a better cookie than you.”
-”You speak too high of me, I’m just doing what has to be done. It’s my duty.”
The Elemental went back to looking at the night sky, the small smile on his face still there. They were in a comfortable silence, just the sounds of the sugar crickets and other bugs being the main sound of the night, alongside the small wind that caressed the forest. It was nice… to enjoy a night like this. But soon Wind Archer broke the silence again, this time with a notable enthusiasm, notable for his usual tone of voice that's it. It wasn't much.
-”You know… I have a friend who always tells me how I need to learn to relax and have fun. He says I'm too focused on my work and my duty and that stress will eat me alive if I don't learn to lay back and stop a bit. I’ve always dismissed him about it but… with time I’ve learnt that he is right, in a way.”
He sat up, stretching himself before looking to the side where Churro was still laying. The cookie looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to continue talking about this friend of his.
-”He is not the best at work, so that's why I never really listened to his advice. But the more I'm with him the more his attitude rubs onto me, I guess. He would be the most annoying cookie on Earthbread if he saw us like this today.”
-”Doesn't sound like someone I would listen to either.” Churro had the most serious expression on his face, as if actually imagining himself in that situation.
-”I know you wouldn't. As I said before, you and I are kind of similar. But I think it's because of that that I can understand what you are feeling. My friend's advice… it's not that bad of an advice.”
This time his expression was more serious, his small smile gone for an expression that was between being serious and being worried. Churro cookie sat up too, feeling like it was not appropriate to stay laying in the ground.
-”Churro, you are a strong warrior. But you are just a cookie too, and it's taking a big toll on yourself.”
-”I know. That's why the villagers forced me to take some ‘free days’ and-”
-”No, Churro. I'm serious about this. You need to relax and let your brain process everything, for yourself. Tell me this: if the villagers hadn't insisted on you resting for a while, would you have done it by yourself? Would you have admitted that stress is eating you alive or would you still be working, doing your patrols right now at the temple?”
Ouch. That was too good of a reading on him. Churro was a very respectful person, and would never disrespect the Chief and his tribe’s concerns. But he would be lying if he said he didn't think the ‘free days’ were unnecessary. He was a strong warrior, he was okay. Some bad dreams were not about to defeat him. In theory.
Churro didn't respond right away, not sure what to say. Wind Archer words were true, after all, but being the protector of the temple and its people was his ultimate duty.
-”The Temple is under my protection. I am the one that protects my people and everything around. It is my duty. You understand this, right? You yourself are always moving, even when nothing is happening. Nothing escapes your gaze and you are everywhere at every second. Your duty is your life as mine is my life.”
-”That's precisely why I tell you this, Churro. Because I know what you think, and how you work. And I learned the hard way that maybe my friend was right. I'm still learning that. And… it's been not even a year since you and your village were liberated. Did you give yourself time to process that?”
-”What do you mean by that?”
-”Churro… I have never seen you stop to rest for even a moment in all these months. Back then when… When Night Raven was defeated, you went to help me instantly, then your village, then celebrations. You spent days taking care of me and your people, and after that you keep going like nothing happened. In fact, I think you started working even harder than before.”
Silence lingered for a while, Wind Archer letting the point settle and Churro not sure of where to take this conversation too. He should have gone back to bed, really, he was not in a state to talk about this. But he wasn’t going to admit that. And being sincere… Maybe this was the only moment he was going to accept having this conversation.
Wind Archer got up, standing, offering a hand to Churro for him to stand too. Churro was not sure why this sudden action, but he followed through nonetheless and got up too, accepting his hand.
-”Wind Archer…?”
-”Sorry, I thought we could continue the conversation somewhere else. Would you follow me? There is a place I want to show you, although it’s a bit far away.”
-”Mm… Sure. Although I like being close to the Temple, just in case.”
-”Do not worry about it. If anything were to happen I will bring us here in an instant.”
-”Okay, okay…Where are we going then…?
- “I will take you there. You trust me, right?”
-”Of course. There is no one I trust more than you.”
-”Good, then…” He turned around and moved, positioning himself in Churro’s back. Suddenly, he got a hold of Churro’s body under his arm, a firm and strong hold keeping them in place. Churro didn’t like where this was going.
-”You can’t be thinking about-”
-“It will be quick, I promise.” And with that, a strong wind suddenly emerged around them, the sound of wings strong as Wind Archer basically… Jumped. He jumped, holding Churro as how someone may carry a really big bag of potatoes. The warrior felt his heart skyrocket to his throat, almost as if he could spit it in this very moment. He automatically got a hold of Wind Archer’s forearms, holding them like his life depended on it. It kinda did. “Stay still! I won’t release you.”
Churro was closing his eyes really hard. Before he could notice, they were really high in the sky, higher than he ever has been. He could fly a bit with his powers, but this high? Never. He trusted Wind Archer, he did… but that didn’t stop his heart from wanting to implode right there. He could feel the wind in his face, hitting him with all its might, and the sound of moving at high speed piercing his ears, alongside the sound of strong wings moving. And of course, Wind Archer’s arms around his body, a surprisingly strong but gentle hold for the really bad transportation posture they were in right now. Sooner than expected, they landed somewhere, and the Elemental freed Churro of his hold. He opened his eyes, feeling relieved of feeling the floor against his feet.
-”Thanks to the Tree, a hard surface…” Churro said as he got on his knees and touched the ground, thankful for being back on earth again.
-”I said it was going to be quick, right?”
-”Wind… don't do that again, please. I would rather walk all of Earthbread by foot.” There was no malice in his words, in fact a bit of humour, but he still felt his heart in his throat anyways. He just couldn’t get mad at Wind Archer, he did trust him.
-”Sorry, it’s my best method of transportation.” Wind Archer laughed, his smooth laugh alleviating Churro’s accelerated heart.
-”Ah, whatever. Where are we?” Churro got up from the floor, now looking around. This place was high, higher than the highest stairs of the Millennial Temple. He could see the top of most of the forest trees, and even the temple far in the distance. It was a beautiful view, to see the forest from so high, every detail small in comparison to his usual view. If he looked up, he could see only the night sky and the beauty of the stars, no tree top added to the view. It was not only a clear view, but it also felt closer. It was breathtaking.
He looked down, trying to make sense of where they were. It was a hard surface, but was it really earth? He looked around too, trying to locate this place, as he recognized almost every area of the forest. There were plants around them, enormous leaves at their back, not tall enough to cover the view of the sky but positioned almost like… a wall? This had to be a tree. The deeper you went into the forest the weirder some trees and plants were, but he was sure there weren't any mountains around or any type of edification this tall, so It could only be a tree. One of those trees you could see from the top of the temple even that far away, since they were so tall. And the platform they were in… he wasn’t sure if it was natural, the colour looked like wood, but not naturally formed wood. Churro got a last look around, and moved to look at Wind Archer, waiting for him to clear his doubts.
-”I like to come here sometimes, when I’m around. It’s a good place to have the forest on my radar.”
-”So this is a place you frequent? I never imagined a platform like this could be found in one of these trees. Did you make it?”
-”Yes. I wanted to have a place to be, and it’s an easier place to land in than in the branches of some trees. Especially this deep into the forest. It’s not the only platform I have around, but the better one.”
-”I can imagine, although I didn’t expect you to have a place like this… It’s pretty nice.”
-”It is. It’s perfect for enjoying the forest. Now…” He sat on the new surface, and like what he did in the clearing, he laid back again on the floor, his arms under his head as he looked at the sky. “Would you sit here with me?”
Churro just nodded and did the same as Wind Archer, laying back and looking at the sky. It was relaxing, being like this. They spend a few minutes just enjoying the night. It was beautiful. Calmness was taking its way, over the deep anxiety still within his chest. Wind Archer broke the silence again, this time with a lower voice, almost small.
-”Churro, how are you feeling?” There was genuine worry in the Guardian’s voice, and Churro felt a pain in his heart for the fact that he ended up making someone like Wind Archer worry so much.
-”I’m better, I promise. This… feels nice.”
-”I’m glad to hear that. Churro, you… You need to rest more, okay? And calm down, you have been working more than you should these past months. I don’t want you to crumble.” His last words were said as he looked at Churro’s eyes, a sad look on his face. Churro was looking back at him too, and it felt like the pain from before was twisting into a bigger thing.
They stayed in silence for a bit, repeating again the pattern they were following tonight. Churro was thinking about everything Wind Archer was saying, and maybe it was the tiredness or the intimacy of the moment between the two, but it was starting to make an effect on him, the silence letting him ponder even more. He felt his body heavy, uptight, but this time it wasn’t because of the lack of sleep.
-”I…You are right, everyone is right. Maybe I am doing too much. I- sigh” He cut himself short, the words not coming to him. He was not used to opening up to anyone like this, he was talking about his feelings more than what he has ever done in years. “Maybe it was too much.”
As they laid there, Churro tried to find his words, looking at the night sky. He could feel Wind Archer’s gaze on him, but didn’t move to meet his back. The Guardian didn’t mind, not saying anything and just letting Churro decide his next words. Both their hands were pretty close, as they were laying next to each other, and feeling how tense Churro was, Wind Archer lightly caressed his hand, in a small warm gesture to remind him that he could talk openly with him. Churro was… conflicted. He felt weak, and he felt like talking about what he was thinking would make him seem even weaker, something he could not allow himself to happen. What if another foe like Night Raven were to attack the forest? He could not be weak, in any sense. That is what he had been thinking all these months, anyways. But Wind Archer’s small caress snapped him out of it, coming back to reality.
-”I was scared. I- sigh. I’ve been scared… since that day.”
-”Churro…”
-”I’ve always defended my village from any kind of monsters, any kind of intruder, anything. But that… that was a first. And I felt for the curse, I did feel for it. I shouldn’t have felt, I should have been stronger and stopped it but I fell and I-” He was getting agitated, a feeling between helplessness and rage coursing through his dough.
-”Churro, breathe.” Wind Archer sat up, looking at him and grabbing his hand, this time maintaining a hold of it as he lightly massaged the side of Churro’s hand with his thumb, moving it up and down slowly. “You couldn’t control when or how the curse came, no one did. You couldn’t have predicted it.”
-”But Wind Archer, I should have been there, I should have done something, I-I should have, but I wasn’t even there. I woke up and didn’t even know what was happening in my tribe.” His voice was starting to sound strained, a knot forming on his throat, feeling his mouth dry. “Do you know how much time I spent walking around the temple with the cookiemals while my tribe was under the curse? While everyone was engulfed by the Tree’s roots? I had no idea, I couldn’t even feel it.” He tensed again, looking to the side avoiding Wind Archer’s gaze. “I know… I know that in the end we fell asleep as protection, directly under the Great Tree powers, to protect us from the direct effects of the curse. And I will forever be grateful for that, but the fear and pain I felt before knowing that… I felt myself and my life duty get destroyed in seconds.”
The more he talked the weaker his voice was, it was hard being sincere about this. He felt as if he shouldn’t be doing this, as if it was ridiculous for someone with his duty to be talking like this. He was always sure and strong and he loved the forest and his duty. He loved the Tree, and was thankful for his help and his blessing, and he prayed everyday for the Tree’s new mission to go well. Him and his tribe felt the connection to the Tree stronger than ever even if he was now traveling the world, away from this part of the forest, helping other villages under his protection that were also affected by the curse. He prayed everyday for it to go well, as he kept his own duty on the top of his priorities. The Tree may have left the area, but that didn’t mean he left them, for this forest was still his domain and Churro would keep it protected at all times while he was busy traveling. But this noble cause made him do more than needed, work harder than needed. He wanted to be everywhere at all times, doing everything at all times, but he was not the Guardian of the Wind, he was not Wind Archer, he could not do that. But that didn’t stop him from overworking himself.
-”I-I… ” he could not talk anymore, the talks of the night weighing on him. Maybe it was the delirium from the lack of sleep, but he felt like crying. For the first time in years, he felt his eyes wet and he simply closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling trying to calm down, focusing on Wind Archer’s tender massage on his hand. “I need to do more, if I want to keep the forest protected, my people protected. I have to.”
This time it was Wind Archer’s turn to intervene, getting closer to Churro. He was still sitting on the floor, but this time he looked over his laying figure on the floor, his face over Churro’s own.
-”Churro… you can’t do everything alone. You are just one cookie, you can’t have the weight of all the forest on your shoulders.”
Churro was still not meeting his gaze, his eyes still closed and the forearm of his free arm over his face as he tried to get his breath to a more stable rhythm. Wind Archer’s hand moved from Churro’s own to his shoulder, a reassuring caress on it as he looked at him.
-”You are not alone protecting the forest, you have your whole tribe to help you out. Your people are amazing warriors, you don’t have to fight alone…. And you have me too, right?”
Voice small as a whisper, a comforting sound to Churro’s ears. Their faces were not that close, but enough to feel Wind Archer’s breath in his face. It felt like a spring breeze caressing him, a minty smell that opened your lungs and calmed you down. It was-
Churro took a big breath, suddenly sitting up as he massaged the bridge of his nose, taking some hard inhales and exhales. Wind Archer was taken by surprise, but he quickly recovered and lowered his hands, smiling at Churro. He was able to not cry much, but his eyes were a bit red from the small tears that were inevitably shed. He was still shaken, but he refused to stay lying on the floor being miserable. At least sitting up he could be miserable at Wind Archer’s eye level, since he was getting flustered having the Guardian so close while he was laying down. His brain was conflicted right now, this was time to be sad and vulnerable, not time to get nervous by feeling Wind Archer’s breath on his face. Oh man, the delirium from the lack of sleep was getting to him for real this time.
-”I- Sorry- I don’t know what took over me.”
-”There is nothing to be sorry about, Churro. How are you feeling?”
-”I’m fine, I-” Another big intake of air, not meeting Wind Archer gaze still, just looking at the myriad of trees he could see from the platform they were in. The wind was stronger up here, but it was a comforting feeling. He took in the smell of the forest, the smell of the night. He still felt… sad, powerless even. It was uncomfortable, opening up so much about himself in such a short period of time. He dropped a bomb into Wind Archer, and he felt bad for it, as if he should act like nothing happened after it. But at the same time… he felt better, a bit better. It was different, and his brain was conflicted.
As Churro let his thoughts run wild, Wind Archer gave another reassuring squeeze to his shoulder, accompanied with a face too kind-looking for someone so serious. Churro turned his face to look at the archer, an unsure look on his own face meeting the emerald eyes of his companion.
-”Churro… could you promise something to me?”
-”Promise…? What?”
-”If you ever feel the forest in grave danger, if you ever feel your people's life in danger… if you feel your life in danger…call me. Think about me, scream my name. The wind will bring me by your side. You don't have to always fight alone, you understand me?”
-”But-”
-”No buts. Do not let your pride crumble you. No one is invincible… not even me. Let us share this duty together, for our objective is the same. Not every fight should be fought alone. You don't have to fight alone.
Churro stared at him for a few seconds, the archer’s last words striking something in him, as if something finally clicked, as if everything came together at once with this last asked promise. And finally with a sigh he accepted defeat. His face, who had been in a constant frown all night, finally changed to something more warm, something more open. A small smile took over his face, a smile of gratitude directed at Wind Archer. It was a stark contrast to the sadness that had been covering since he awoke. Something shifted inside of him, something good.
-”I promise… I promise I won’t fight alone.”
-”That’s what I wanted to hear. We are both protecting the same thing, let’s do it together.”
Wind Archer extended his hand to Churro, as a way of sealing their words together. It wasn’t really a necessary gesture, but it was a way of making sure of it, of making it become true in more ways than with promises. Churro took his hand, and at that moment he was sure of it, sure that he didn’t need to fight alone, that the weight of the forest didn’t fall solely on his shoulders. He felt lighter, he felt warmer. The constant shadow over his head was gone, changed for the shine of something akin to the sun.
-”Yeah. Let’s do it together.”
Although the weight of his duty still hovered over him, this time it was different. He didn't need to carry that weight on his own. He had someone to accompany him, to share the weight with. Someone to fight alongside with, to protect the forest with.
He wasn't alone.