Haku: Protecting
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a child, small and soft with the youth of a girl and
the honey-pine-earth scent of selfish bravery swarming deep
she does not belong – this is mine, my god-realm –
no cloying, nauseating smell of fear or knowledge of born mortality
does she not understand? she is fragile, human,
mortal, but seeking something, no fear,
no recognition of growing currents help her pulling her carefully
down to where the intruding demon has been granted
brief sanctuary she will be hurt, why have I let it stay? and it will
hurt her as her scent of earthen bravery slowly changes
to a growing terror, a child's realization
of death and the demon draws close to her hungry
I will not allow this
a soundless scream and attempt to fight back, startling
the creature but not dismissing it, and it draws near her again
she is weakening HELP HER! And lunging
forward, fangs bared, eyes wide with green-deep threat
fleeing now with a hollow terror is she safe and she has a look of short,
youthful satisfaction at its undignified retreat; her expression is
oddly charming before it fades ominously in the coming wake
of an apathetic, senseless doom that swallows her face in an unseen clamp
alarm – swirling forward, beside, around,
driven to save her and keep the human child from the darkness
awareness is returning to her – relief, she is safe –
and dark eyes, like two midnight velvet stones set in her swarthy round face,
fixing on mine, expression of wonder and a nearly imperceptible
connection she is somewhere inside as I move to protect her, this child, small and young
she is mine
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Author's Notes: This…well, it was a bit odd, but I enjoyed writing it, so there. Just be glad it wasn't written as an actual chapter; it would've been even more confusing (if that's possible, of course).