Feather

Kian’s adaptable eyes helped him pick through the innocent looking grass in the darkness. The moon cast a silvery blue sheen over all and he found it quite easy to find his way.

Not so easy to find Leylia.

The wood was silent and there was an air of expectancy as if the whole forest was holding it’s breath and the trees themselves leaned in closer looming over him menacingly.
“Lady Ley−” he began but stopped when the woman in question appeared in front of him, a finger to her lavender blue lips.

Kian pursed his lips and trailed behind her as she wafted along some path that he could not see. She seemed too delicate yet he knew that the blood on her person and the deadness in her eyes stated a pain so great he was scared even to be in the presence of one who felt it.

After an hour of quiet walking with only the sound of their footfalls and the wind stirring the vegetation, she stopped abruptly. Kian wondered how impossible it was that they had walked for so long without coming to the other end of the island. After all, it had looked very small from the outside but he had learnt since, a knot formed in his stomach, since Lavi’s passing that appearances could be very misleading.

Without turning to face him Leylia said, “We can speak freely here. It’s taken me years to get rid of the curses placed on them but I’ve finally managed it and they are now my ears in the whole forest. I have a very intricate spy network and I hope it stays a secret.”

She turned slightly towards him her face solemn and grim. “Thus I will not permit you to leave unless I know your intentions are as true as you proclaim. I cannot have him wringing the truth from an easy tongue.” She sighed. But he knew it wasn’t from a weariness of any kind because in the sigh there were strange sounds like words but he couldn’t make them out.

He almost jumped out of his skin when a human form melted right out of a tree behind Leylia. Her skin was a strange umber and her tawny eyes flashed in the moonlight. Her hair was a mass of seemingly greenish hair that looked suspiciously like feathery leaves and when she moved slowly and gracefully towards Leylia her form shifted in and out of focus blending with the background it passed over.

There was a whispered conversation between Leylia and her leafy companion and Kian knew it would be rude to edge closer than was seemly.

“One-who-grows-sideways is a dryad. She is one of my many spies and one of many others who will easily draw out your last breath from your dying body should you try leaving without my permission. My rules are for my and your own safety you must understand.”

Kian successfully kept his eye from twitching and he gave a slight awkward bow as he had seen others do with nobility from the City. He doubted the nymph had blue blood running through her veins but her presence demanded respect. When he bowed he darted furtive looks to his left and right noting with a certain interested fear that Wosq’s had surrounded their little group. He counted a total of seven of the ferocious felines whose eyes watched him balefully from the shadows, their large ears flickering every now and then as they caught the scuttle of a rodent in the long grass or the chirping of a cricket.
Wosqs’ pelts were usually dark brown and spotted in a lighter shade but these were was black as the night and Kian concluded that that was why he had not noticed them closing in but nevertheless he was disappointed in himself.

“Quickly now, we must make haste before he appears around twilight which is in two hours time.” Leylia was finally addressing him and he had to put his surround check on hold.

“You speak of the moon elves wishing to rescue me? And how will they amount to this talk of bravado? Or have they just sent a meat eating village boy whose only weapon is a hunting bow that he has never drawn on anything but prey?”

Kian kept his temper in check and replied as calmly as he could, “The Lady Leylia underestimates me or their plans at least.” In his mind he added, ‘You speak of my meat eating ways with contempt yet your kitty sentinels are carnivorous themselves’.

There was a low grumble from the assembled felines and Kian realised that they were purring.

“Something you have not said amuses them it seems,” Leylia muttered as if she too wished to be able to see his thoughts. “Try not to insult them beyond a simple joke; they are tolerant but not of those who ridicule them.”

Kian ignored that and continued, “They plan for me to persuade you, Lady, to listen. Everyone has grown very weary and there are haunted looks in their eyes because Sephir seems to stalk them even −”

There was a roar from the Wosq’s and before he knew what had happened two had pinned him down on the ground, their great claws digging into his flesh, and their lips drawn back in silent snarls.

There was a deathly stillness and even Kian held his breath, for he did not know what, to pass.

The forest sighed and Kian got to his feet painfully when the two Wosq sheathed their knives and returned to their posts at various trees.

“Do not speak his name!” Leylia hissed trembling visibly her face livid. Kian was so staggered he fell back into the grass, stunned.

It was the first time he had seen a real emotion on her face. But he knew with a disconcerting certainty that she was more terrified than he could ever be of anyone.

The nymph collapsed into the soft grass crying and the dryad at her side made no move to comfort her but just stood watching stonily as Kian levered himself up, ignoring the bleeding cuts on his chest, and sat down next to Leylia with only a hands breath separating them. He was used to crying, Lavi did it…had done it many times, but only when she broke a limb or fell out of a tree.

This crying however tore something in him. It spoke of tremendous fear and anguish and he knew now the reason behind her tired pinched features.
How could one sleep if you constantly had to look over your shoulder?
He felt he was intruding; he didn’t know her, had no right to listen to this and he moved to leave.

He looked down surprised however when a slim pale hand darted up and pulled him back down to sit beside her once more.

“Stay,” Leylia spluttered her hair forming a curtain around her face. “Know now of the torment all feel who have had him in their lives.”
“You’re so serious,” Kian said suddenly shocking even himself. He chuckled nervously. “I think I am more scared of becoming like you than being torn apart by blood seeking naiads.”

“I have had to spend years like this mortal, do not look down on me in my moment of weakness.” The curtain parted and he detected a roving eye.

“But this isn’t weakness! You’ve obviously been keeping this in for how long. I have never seen anyone so lifeless. When I first saw you I thought you were a scarecrow propped up to scare away the undead.” This was not entirely true but Kian felt the situation called for bluntness.

Leylia hissed, “A scarecrow! I assure you, I have am not so far gone boy!”

“There’s blood all over you, you look suicidal and not far from the brink of madness.” Kian was actually enjoying this.

“A naiad got testy earlier and tried to take a nibble out of me even though it’s forbidden. I did not notice it’s approach and could not shift quickly enough and it managed to drag me quite far out. My nails actually proved very useful in the situation.”

There was a tensed silence as the information sunk in and Kian felt certain that Leylia was as stunned as he was by her sudden out burst.

“Boy…” Leylia muttered. “In the little time I’ve been with you have undone years of stress building up from lack of mental exercise.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Kian’s mouth as he observed her confused and serious form sitting hunched over her folded legs.

“Maybe there is some hope after all.” The wind snatched her words from the air and Kian saw some of the tightness around her mouth melt away. Kian stood up and interlaced his fingers behind his head as he looked up into the inky sky. But there was a new tightness to his own features.

This Sephir had a lot more to answer for than anyone could imagine.