Charmed

He could smell the wet air around him. Eyes closed, he breathed deeply. Opening his eyes he saw the insides of a cave. The entrance was a bright white blur and the thawing ice glistened in the blinding sun. He shifted, and pain surged through his whole body. He winced and swallowed back a scream. Then he realized he was lying on a soft mossy patch that was spread out evenly on each side. Beside his patch was another, but this one was empty.
He sat up and had to stifle the pain that jolted his leg again. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. Beyond the cave, the bare tree branches were lined with tin icicles. He rapped his head and tried to think.
He remembered begging Jay to take him on his first hunt. He had been in training for half an year before last night and had grasped all the concepts of wylla hunting. He was so determined to prove himself to Jay, but now… Everything has gone wrong. He was hurt. He also had no idea where he is and how in the world he would get back. He wondered if the organization had noticed his absence.
Sounds of footsteps brought him back to the real world. A figure appeared around the bend in the path. It stopped, clearly noticing him being awake. Then slowly, it walked cautiously towards him.
As the figure drew closer, he could see its long hair flowing beautifully behind it. The woman, no, girl, approached him. She had beautiful dark brown eyes and shining silver hair. Her skin was pale white and she wasn’t wearing shoes.
Realizing who she was, he jumped up, forgetting about him leg, and collapsed, panting heavily. The creature reached out towards him, looking worried, but anxious.
“Don’t touch me!” he yelled, glaring at the wylla with hatred in his eyes.
Her eyes saddened with what looked like pity. Then, she spoke to him.
“I can help you,” she whispered. Her bell like voice rang through his head like an echo. I can help you... help you… help you… He tried to drag himself back away from her but she reached out and gripped his arm.
As he gazed at his arm, he saw the cuts and scratches close up and heal instantly. He attempted to jerk his hand away from her. She held her grip.
“Please,” she said, she sounded concerned. “You’ll hurt yourself even more.”
“What do you want?” he snarled, trying hard not to show the pain that his leg had caused him. He was, however, unsuccessful.
“Your leg hurts?” the wylla looked at him and continued, “I have bandages for you, stay still and I’ll bind that for you.”
He watched her as she wrapped white cloth around his leg. Her touch was surprisingly gentle and for a second she looked like she really wanted to help. She finished tying a knot and looked up at him.
“How does it feel?”She asked him.
“Who…Are you?” he asked her, this time, with curiosity.
She smiled, and brushed back her hair.
“My name is Oka,” she told him casually. She had proceeded to applying a yellowish ointment to the deep gashes on his right leg. He blinked, not knowing what to say.
“I’m Eryke,” he told her.
Memories flashed in his head. Two running figures in the snow. He himself grabbing onto one of the creatures wrist, attempting to pull it back. And then followed the terrible fall that got him to this state. He looked down at his body that was covered in cuts and gashes. He then looked back at the girl.
“You’re a wylla.” He told her slowly, saying it out loud made him interpret it better.
“If you’re a wylla,” he mumbled, “And I am the hunter…” he said hesitating slightly. “Then, I’ve got... to kill you.”
He looked up at the girl, expecting her to be shocked or angry. Instead, she smiled, and looked down at him with her big brown eyes.
“So?” she said with a final flick of her hair.