Hey there! I'd like to thank Cookie, the kinder side of WeLiedAboutTheCookies, for allowing me to adopt and repost Forest of Angels! I'm so happy I get to give this fic a home, I've loved it for ages. Anyhow, good luck Lies on your ruling the account by yourself, and congratulations Cookies on your fan fiction retirement!

And to my readers:

I'm gonna editing this a tad, like grammar and spelling errors, so if you spot one I missed let me know in the reviews or DMs. I'll be reposting chapters every Tuesday and Thursday, I'm so excited to see who will review! See you after the prologue! I'll be posting the prologue and first chapter today, so you won't feel abandoned. Thanks!

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Matthew awoke with a breathy sigh. His eyes slid open quite slowly, exposed to a grey light bleeding into his room through the curtains. He sat up, and stretched, a yawn escaping his lips. The starch white head of his dog, Kumijaro, popped up as he moved, her tail beginning to wag with excitement.

He felt himself smile as she let out a small yip.

"'Mornin', Kumi." He muttered sleepily, reaching forward to scratch the canine's head.

She leapt off the bed and scampered out of the room, down the hall, and into the living room.

Matthew stood after a moment, reaching over to snatch his glasses from the bedside table. He followed her drearily, and once or twice Kumijaro rushed back as if saying 'come on, come on, hurry up!'. On his way past, he knocked on his brother Alfred's door

"Wake up, Al." He called into the room. "I'm makin' pancakes, eh?"

He heard Alfred groan. Matthew paused a moment, before moving on into the living room. He glanced out from the front window seeing the snow and slush covered gravel drive leading out as a winding trail through the woods and to the main road. He blinked slowly, yet another yawn slipping out.

With that, he went to the fridge and pulled out the leftover pancake mix. He set it on the the counter, pulling out a pan, and placing it on the stove. He lit it sleepily, going to the familiar process of making pancakes for him and his brother.

Alfred stumbled into the room, seating himself at the table. His glasses were slightly foggy, and his short blonde hair was wild and undone, the cowlick on his forehead sticking straight up and unkempt. He too yawned, and slowly ate as Matthew passed the plate to him. He seemed to fully awake as he ate the fluffy pancakes and homemade syrup.

After he finished, he made his way to the bathroom wordlessly. Matthew was left cleaning up the kitchen, watching as Kumijaro ate the leftovers. As he finished, he went to dress himself, pulling on a baggy sweatshirt and old jeans, old boots sliding onto his feet easily from wear. Then he made his way back to the living room.

Alfred quickly reemerged from the hallway, fully dressed and ready for a day in the town.

Matthew paused for a moment. "Al, where are you going?"

Alfred, halfway out the door, turned around with a smile. "I needed to meet Arthur and Ivan at the job. Remember them?"

Matthew shrugged. "But we needed to go cut wood today."

"Sorry Mattie." Alfred stated apologetically. "I promised 'em."

"But you promised me! You said you'd help, eh?"

Alfred smirked. "I really gotta go. I'm gonna be late."

Matthew sighed. "Fine. I'll start on my own then."

With that, Alfred stepped out the door, and went to the truck outside.

Matthew let out a sigh, realizing he had done quite a lot of the latter that morning.

He made his way to the empty garage, watching as Alfred's car pulled down the gravel road. Kumijaro wandered into the garage as well. She sniffed around absentmindedly as he pulled an old sled out from one of the shelves on the far wall. She sat patiently as Matthew strapped the harness onto her.

Kumijaro's tongue lolled out of her mouth, but she sat patiently, her tail wagging.

But Matthew worked slower than usual. He let out a sigh. Alfred was always out, and never helped. For all he knew, he spent his time messing around in town rather than working. But as soon as he finished hooking the sled to her harness, she trotted towards the path into the woods. Matthew snatched up the axe from the same shelf, following her.

She looked up at him as they walked to their clearing.

His dog's gaze was questioning and worried, large brown eyes expressing a sad sympathy to her owner.

He simply sighed. "Don't worry about me."

About a half a mile down the path, Kumijaro stopped, her nose raised. Her tail went still, a low growl went rattling through her throat.

"What is it Kumi?" He asked in concern.

Her head swiveled upwards, and to the left. He followed her gaze. He found himself almost choking as he stared up.

In one of the large dead trees a few hundred feet away was a humanoid shape. He would not have been able to see it if he Kumijaro hadn't stopped. It was hidden between several large pine trees. The person -or creature- was sitting in a crouch, holding onto the branch above its head.

It wore what appeared to be a thin, light grey shirt, and pants of a darker color. He could see a collection of furs wrapped around it's shins, and most likely its feet as well. They were grey and white, blending into both the wintery clouded sky and the snow on the ground. Whatever it was had an unearthly pale skin tone. Almost albino. He could make out toned arms, and a face to match it. Short, unruly white hair sat atop its head, and a pair of red eyes seemed to be staring right at him.

But the detail that set any possibilities that it could be human aside, was the pair of snow white wings fluttering absentmindedly behind it, large enough to shield its entire crouched form from sight.

Matthew stared for a moment. The creature seemed to either not care that it was seen, or was oblivious to that fact.

Matthew bent down and patted Kumijaro's head. He wasn't sure whether or not he should feel threatened. But he continued on either way. The creature's unwavering stare didn't unnerve him as he felt it should. In fact, it felt comforting to know there was a set of eyes out here, watching him. He marched along the path, now more wary than he had been before. He could hear the forest moving around him, snow falling from lower branches. Soon they found themselves in the clearing, and he loped down a few small, dead trees.

And then he made his way back home. Throughout the whole trip, he could not shake the feeling that he was being watched.

When he got home, Alfred was there. He walked in slowly, seeing him eating out of a box of Chinese food.

"Hey Al?" He said after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"You know those nature spirit things mom told us about?" He asked uncertainly.

Alfred shrugged. "Yea."

"Well, I think I saw one."

Alfred laughed. "Pfft. I don't believe in that superstitious crap."

Matthew sighed, sitting by the window as snow cascaded down outside.

"Okay then."