Aiden was a special human. He wasn't a Templar. Nor related to one. He wasn't the son of someone wealthy or noble Either. In fact, Aiden was blind. His eyes were a pale green but were glassy. He was born blind. But even though he was blind, he was still special. As eleven year old boy he could speak and hear plants speaking. And both understood one another. So with that said, he was a apothecary's apprentice. The boy was of average height and had wavy black hair that reached just below his shoulders. He wore a plain green tunic with dark gray pants.
Aiden was sitting on his bunk in the room he shared with two other apprentices. There was three master apothecaries who each now had three apprentices. Aiden was only one because he was a 'leaf whistler' as they called it. His master sent him to locate a plant and Aiden would do so. Sometimes digging it up and putting it in a pot so it could be planted in the greenhouse. But with the plant's permission first. Today's mission was to find a specific herb that grew into a shrub. Then he would be tending the greenhouses.
Aiden tied a white bandage around his eyes. It was an indicator that he was blind, but it also helped protect his eyes from the sun. He got up and wondered towards the closest wall. Remembering his way to the guild houses entrance he stayed close to the wall. " Remember to grab the basket by the main entrance door Aiden!" A girl's voice called out. Aiden nodded and let her pass before continuing his way. He heard a giggle before she had disappeared around the corner. He wondered what that was about.
At the entrance he bent down and felt for the basket. It was close to door frame and just out of the way. There was a spade inside and... Some fresh baked bread with a jar of honey. Aiden smiled. He recalled the girl's name was Adeline. She must have been trying to be nice to him. With baskets in one arm and a walking stick that was laying just outside the door, Aiden set off for the forest. He felt the ground under his bare feet to try and gauge how busy the streets were. It was early morning so few were up.
That was good. Using the stick the make sure he didn't bump into anything or trip, the boy made his way to the fields. From the fields he stopped and listened. Another thing that made him special and was partly from being a leaf whistler and equally in part for being a blind one, was his ability to hear plants loud enough that he could see them. Or maybe he was just able to see THEM? Either way he carefully traded through the fields towards the forest, glad that most grasses didn't care if you walked on them so long as they weren't constantly trampling them. It was like walking on someones air... Only their hair was stiff and long and spade out. That was grass. In the best sense of how he would explain it.
He bid them good morning and asked them if he was heading in the right direction towards the forest. He knew he was, but grass liked to talk. In truth, the grass fell like one being that expanded out for several yards before he would meet another individual. That was grass. Resilient, territorial, and friendly. For the most part. They weren't fond of trees. Or much else really. Plant wise anyways.
Aiden was careful to avoid the more fragile flowers and other plants as he approached the forest's fringe. He could now hear the trees. " Are there anything dangerous under the bows and leaves elders?" Aiden asked as he walked up to the fringe. There was a sudden rustle of leaves in response as if a gale had suddenly blown across the forest. But there was no winds. " I'm looking for a night thistle shrub this time around. Preferably a young one." Aiden answered, having been asked why he was there.
There was no response other than a leave that fell down on his forehead and got tangled in his hair. " I'll be careful. Thank you for your blessings." He said happily as he entered the forest. In the woods, the darkness became something like daytime, but inverted. The trees were bright green and enormous. The larger and more healthy, the brighter they were. The smaller plants were different colors however, and the spores and pollen in the air were a yellow and orange haze. Few people knew but a forest with some help could defend itself. But it needed a leaf whistler. Otherwise the forest went to sleep.
It was hours that Aiden finally stopped to have lunch. In addition to the bread and honey, Aiden asked about any spring time fruit that he could have. The forest itself was scarce of such things during the particular season but there were some wild strawberries none the less and they were happy to give up their fruit if he would spread their seeds. But this would mean them contending with the grass... So perhaps it was better to start a garden and cultivate strawberries? He would ask his master later as he carefully picked some strawberries, trying not to harm the actual plant.
After lunch, Aiden received directions to the bush he was sent for. Or a cluster of them. Now was negotiation time. He had to ask which of them were willing to be uprooted and transferred to the basket he was using for a pot. A mix of feelings about the idea was apparent. Aiden had time. He wasn't really needed for anything else all day. So he sat on a rock and let the bushes deliberate among themselves about Aiden's offer. He was near a river and away from the trees. They wouldn't decide. Aiden sighed. He was about to tell them that greenhouses let them grow year round in warmth when he felt the sudden gust. The trees were shouting at him.
His town was on fire.
Aiden ran. Guided by the trees, guided by the grass he ran. He ran until he was at the fringe of the forest where a branch swung out to stop him. " Let me... Through..." He said but The trees were warning him. Nothing but death awaited him in his old home. He needed to escape before they came. He needed to leave and quickly because they were coming to make sure no one escaped them. The trees guided him to safety. They also covered his tracks by shifting their roots and increasing the production of pollen to hide his sent. Some trees even hindered their advance. The raiders... Whoever or whatever they were were becoming anxious. They were starting to realize the forest itself was blocking their passage. Or hindering them as much as possible.
Aiden would never know that these raiders were wolf Keidran. He also would never realize until later how much his presence had influence the forest. Nor how the forest would fall asleep after a period of his absence.
It was hours more that he finally was told he was safe. He took refuse in the bows of a willow tree and cried. He didn't really have a real family. His parents had sold him to his master at a young age and he barely remembered them. His fellow apprentices were kind enough that he thought many of them as his friends and the towns folk had treated him well. But now all he had was the forest. An unfamiliar part of it that was only now acknowledging his presence. That night he slept with up in the willow tree.
The next few days Aiden traveled. He followed close to the river and listened closely to the oldest trees' advice when they offered it to him. Pretty soon he was able to catch fish and light a small campfire that wouldn't risk a wildfire nor draw attention. He was able to cook with it, but that meant he had to pay close attention. At least the plants were more than happy to feed upon whatever he wouldn't.
He was next to the river trying to catch fish when he felt something sharp poke him in the pack. It was a gentle prod, but it still left a shallow cut. Aiden stumbled forward and looked around him. That's when he felt several gently prod him, this time not cutting him. But they were no less sharp. He realized he was at spear point. He also realized he was to far away from any plants to have been warned THEIR presence. His wasn't sure who had him at spear point but they walked on two feet. So that increased his chances of survival. It could have been a dragon... Or something.
" Move boy. Start walking." A male voice growled. The getting hit with the butt end of a spear was a good indicator of whether he was going the right way or not. It really hurt though. The rest of the day and part of the evening was spent walking, getting shoved around and eventually carried. Aiden realized the forest they were walking in was mostly asleep and was almost unaware of him. It didn't help that he wasn't allowed to talk. He silently let whoever was caring him do so. He noticed they were wearing a fur jacket though. It felt soft.
" Hey, quit that!" The man who was carrying him spat. Aiden couldn't help it if his hands were on the persons back or if the person was wearing a nice oft furry jacket. Put he refrained from rubbing the furry hide. The boy heard someone snicker. " Awww, Bolka! You no like being petted?" A male voice tased. The person carrying him said something in another language. He heard him make a long growling sound that reminded Aiden of a cat, but larger. " I'm sorry?" Aiden said not sure what he did wrong. It was just a jacket right? The man scoffed. " Just stay quiet human." The man who was apparently named Bolka said.
"My name is not Human. It is Aiden." Aiden corrected lying limp like a sack of potatoes. The person growled again. " I don't care what your name is human. Shut up!" Bolka yelled with a snarl. Aiden sighed. " How would you like it if I called you Human. Or person? Your name is Bolka isn't it? Mine is Aiden." Aiden continued and was thrown into the river where he swam up to the surface and looked around. He shook his head rapidly to get the water out of his ears so he could figure out which way was the shore.
It wasn't necessary because he was immediately grabbed up by a pair of fur glove clad hands and lifted out of the water. He felt his blindfold get pulled off his eyes. "Do I look human to you?" Bolka yelled before he gasped and dropped Aiden back into the water. The boy swam to short wiping water from his still sensitive eyes. He shivered. The water was cold. " What are those eyes? Why they like that?" Bolka asked cautiously. Aiden simply blinked.
There sat a human boy soak and wet. A boy with just below the shoulders length black hair, a green tunic, dark gray pants and pale green eyes that were blind. A boy that was shivering and looking in Bolka's general direction. Someone walked over to him and grabbed Aiden by the chin. He felt claws poking his face. "The boy is blind." A female voice said with a laugh. She let go and walked away after tying blindfold back over his eyes. And not to gently either. Bolka humphed and picked Aiden up. The boy simply sulked as he laid across his shoulders.
These were not nice people. Aiden simply shivered and sulked as he was carried until the finally made camp. He was sat somewhere. And that was where he remained. Just shivering as he listened to the trees sleep. It wasn't long before someone grabbed him and dragged him over to a fire. A male and female were arguing in a language Aiden couldn't understand. It all was growling and snarling with syllables to him and more joined in. If this was a problem then he would move. And he did just that. He sat next to a tree and hugged his legs. Still damp and still cold. People were still arguing intelligibly. Aiden just sat in the shadows quietly until he finally fell asleep.
He woke up the next morning with something soft and furry pressed against him. He had felt someone lay next to him but he sis his best not to respond to it. He was some kind of prisoner to fur coat wearing people with clawed gloves. He simply laid there quietly listening to the trees specifically, with the loud snores of others sleeping. He wondered who was sleeping almost on top of him. But then again, he felt like he shouldn't be so keen to feed his curiosity. These people had spears and things. It was hours before the person next to him woke up. She yawned and shook him to make sure he was awake. " Get up. Food." A woman said gruffly. Aiden did, allowing someone to grab him by the arm and guide him to the fire. " Won't this only cause more fighting?" The boy asked the woman. He felt like she was staring at him. " You no worry." She replied calmly and gave him some fried grilled fish. " Thank you." Aiden said softly and ate quietly. He felt someone pat his head before sitting down next to him and also eating.
The next few day was like that. And the day after Aiden was allowed to talk. And to the displeasure of the group he was in, he was a chatter box. But he didn't talk to them so much as the woman with him and the forest around them. It wasn't long before he found himself lifted up by his throat. He gasped but couldn't breath. " No spells! Stop talking! You make trees sway without wind! Stop it!" Aiden heard Bolka's voice. At first Aiden kicked in flailed to no avail. But then he heard something strike his assignment. He could hear how angry the forest was. "Bolka? Bolka!" Someone yelled. Aiden felt himself get snatched up by a tree's branches and heard it's groans. Through the tree, somehow, he could feel the presence of a dozen people scared. One such person laid on the ground a few yards away. Aiden spoke to the tree softly, thanking it, trying to calm it down. Trying to sooth the other trees. Eventually the anger turned to a placid swaying to the wind. Aiden sighed. He wasn't keen on trying to climb down though. Not until the tree set him down itself.
"Templar." A male spat with a growl. Aiden simply looked confused. "No. Leaf Whistler." The female who had been taking care of him said. "Forest child."