/\ Arawyn's Gate /\
~Chapter 1- The Morning
tap...tap...tap.....
tap..tap..tap....
tap.tap.tap...
taptaptap..
I opened my eyes sleepily. How much time had passed since I'd closed them I didn't know, but through my small air hole, daylight was poking through. I had made it through the night, at least, and the pain in my leg had somewhat subsided.
The tapping against the trunk of the tree stopped, and a gruff, yet somehow familiar, voice, spoke on the other side.
This always riles me...and they wonder why the forest has been dying out lately. Why, just this morning, I explained to him that if those blasted mages don't stop hollowing out the trees for their blasted components, I'm going to get the Grove to come deal with them. And what happens? It's not even noon yet, and this is the third one I've found today!
Another voice replied to this one, a softer, calmer voice, and this one I almost recognized as well. But from where?
Are you sure it's the guild that's doing all of these? This one doesn't quite look the same as the other ones...
What do you mean?! Of course it's them! And what do you mean, doesn't quite look the same'?
Well, it's just that hole...it looks more like it was made from the inside than the outside...
I could sense the gruff one hesitating. Then, a flash of yellow fur blocked the hole for a few seconds, and there it was. Staring in at me, was a golden-pupiled eye. The softer voice spoke.
See, doesn't it look different?
There's someone inside!
There's someone inside the tree!!!
He'd certainly meant me. There was no one else in here.
Really? Maybe we should get them out...
I certainly am going to. Nobody abuses the trees while I'm in this forest!
But how are you going to...?
Like this.
These words were followed by two distinct, yet simultaneous sounds, sounding like two swords sliding out of sheaths, except that it wasn't as metallic this time. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to see this or not.
And that won't harm the tree?
It's already dead. Which will be the same for whoever is inside it once I'm through with them....
A hum filled the air outside the tree, as if a cluster of bees had gathered around it. A green light flared up, coming through the small hole. I grasped my charm, ready to release it back into a sword, but I never got the chance. The wall of the tree exploded inward, and the last thing I saw before blacking out was a sardonically grinning feline face.
§ § §
When I came back into consciousness, only a short time could've passed, for I still felt pieces of bark on my face, and those two people were still nearby.
I think that was rather uncalled for.
It worked though.
I heard footsteps coming towards me, and the softer voice came with them.
I'm not so sure about that....
The footsteps stopped right in front of me. I was about to rise against my attackers, but then a new wave of pain blasted through my leg. I resigned to simply lie there. Maybe if they thought I was dead, they would leave my corpse' alone. I felt a small, gentle hand grasp my wrist, and a flood of relief washed over me for some unknown reason. The pain in my leg subsided, and calm infused me.
I don't know if this is good news or not, but he's alive.
Oh, he is, is he? I'll just have to finish the job then.
I heard the two unsheathing sounds again, and heard another pair of footsteps walking towards me menacingly. I thought now would be a good time to get up, but this feeling of calm that the other's touch had given me simply bade me to stay down and rest.
Stay there. We should at least know who this is if you're going to go so far as to kill him.
And why is that?
I....don't know...it's just that he seems familiar....
How can you say that? You haven't even seen his face!
That's exactly my point.
Her hand released my wrist, and reached up to my face; I felt one of her fingers brush against the side of my face as she gently lifted the piece of the tree off of it.
There, now let's see who-
The girl gasped in shock.
She almost-jumped back in fear.
We have to bring him in, the gruff one answered, somewhat nervous now as well.
B-b-but what if he wakes...
He won't, the other replied confidently. Through my closed eyelids, I saw the green light flare up again. I hastily opened my eyes, hoping to at least see these two before I was knocked out again.
The image that followed me into the darkness was that girl's face. Thick, wavy brown hair that curved around her chin. Bangs curved down to her thin eye-brows. Gentle brown eyes, and a slightly sad smile, now tinged with fright. Her outfit may have been completely different from anything I'd seen her wearing before, but her face I recognized clearly.
It was Rika. Rika Sasaki.