Disclaimer: This story was a favorite of mine, but for some reason it disappeared from FF a several years back, and I haven't been able to find any archives of it. Until recently. It was a shame to see a great story from my childhood vanish like that. The formatting from the web archives doesn't play well with FFnet's formatting, so I'll be slowly re-converting the chapters into their appropriate format.
I do not own any part of the source material, as well as the story it self. "The Girl in Green" is the property of the user Saturnine Pariah.
Please don't Favorite or Follow my account, It's the story that deserves it, not me.
Chapter Two: My Name is Cupa
The sounds of birds chirping and the piercing rays of what must have been the morning sun awoke me from my sleep. My eyes slowly took in the confined view of the dull wooden walls of the hunting blind. I yawned and scratched my chin. My back surprisingly did not ache from sleeping in sitting position against a wooden wall. I felt well rested despite not having slept naturally on my belly. Oddly enough, I also felt far more relaxed than I had this morning than on any other previous mornings. I then felt a warm weight stirring against me, I looked down.
The fierce scowl of a Creeper was staring right back at me, I jumped with a small yelp. My heart was pounding but the initial surprise and fear faded as I looked closer and saw the fierce scowl of the Creeper was but bits of black cloth sewn onto the hood of a faded green jacket, beneath that was the placid and enchanting face of the same red-orange haired stranger.
My memory came rushing back as the girl stirred and further nestled against me and sighed out of what could have been contentment. With as much finesse I could muster I tried to pry myself from her grasp...But with each movement I made, she contoured her frame closer to mine and her limbs wrapped around me, much like child would a stuffed animal. Her face was peaceful and a small smile spread across her lips.
"Oh...Right" I whispered aloud to myself as the gravity of the situation fell upon me like a ton of bricks.
It wasn't that I didn't enjoy her embrace, it was awkward for sure, yet it felt very warm and comforting. It had been years since someone hugged me so tenderly. It was as if my mother or father were holding me again, a familiar sensation of security and warmth that I long though had left me since they departed from this world years ago. I sighed again; I would simply have to wait until she woke up, but a painful realization struck down like lighting.
"Oh dear Notch, how is she going to react when she does wake up though!" I yelled in my head.
I now saw this girl resting on me to be a time bomb as dangerous as an actual Creeper. I began to look back into my memory to reflect on the events that had led up to this potential volatile scenario. My mind began to race and conjure up potential outcomes for how she would react once she awoke. Many of which involved me getting slapped at best or having my face clawed out at worst.
I felt a creeping sense of regret wash over my mind as I looked at this slumbering figure. The young, and still nameless girl still nestled on my chest, had further contorted her body into a curl around me; she draped her slender arms around my torso and rubbed her head upon my chest. All this drove me further into a silent nervous panic as i began whimper to myself in silent regret.
She let out a small silent yawn, and my heart fluttered at the sound and sight of it, my curiosity displaced some of my anxious anticipation of her awakening. Questions began to arise looking at her, which mediated my fixation on her possible reactions to finding herself in the arms of a complete stranger.
"Where are you from? How old are you? What are you doing out here? "How long have you been out here in the wilderness?" "Do you live alone?" "Where's your family?" but the final question I asked aloud, causing her to awake from her slumber.
"What is your name?"
She was obviously not a morning person; she was sluggish in her awakening. With Eyelids still drooping and mumbling incoherently she lifted her head upwards and meet my eye level. Her eyes were a dark shade of amber, they looked like orbs made from the very sap of a tree. Her brilliant eyes, coupled with unique hair and her faint clusters of freckles made her more beautiful up close than from a distance, my heart raced harder and faster with our faces merely hair lengths apart.
The spark of consciousness lit in her dull gaze, as she slowly began to register the scenario; she went from drowsy to active in mere seconds. Her eyes widened and she shoved herself away from me and settled against a corner of the blind staring at me. She huddled inward upon herself in a defensive posture. Her face was a flushed admixture of embarrassment, surprise and anger.
"W-Why are you here?! W-Why were you holding me like that?!" She yelled with an extended finger pointed at me.
I recoiled at the verbal attacks and sunk backwards out of shock and surprise. She then noticed the blanket that I wrapped around her; it drew her attention for moment and a bit of her spite away from me. She then scanned the interior briefly but fixated her gaze on me, I could feel her eyes crawl on my body as she looked me over. Her face grew slightly more relaxed but showed that she was still peeved. She then examined the blanket wrapped around her, then made quick glances between me and the article of blue-grey cloth that i had adorned her with. She blushed and her stern face melted away.
"T-thanks" she mumbled as she wrapped the blanket further to hide herself.
An awkward silence took roost, I grasped for my thoughts and fumbled mentally at what I should say to this girl.
"Y-you fell a-asleep before me." I began to mutter out, she took note and leaned out from her corner. With her curious gaze it was difficult for me to pick my words as I tried to explain what I had done last night. "You... you were shivering and, I thought that maybe if I covered you up that you might be warmer." Her face showed some surprise. and blushing she scooted away from the corner and closer towards the center.
"But you started to whimper and cry..you looked like you were having a nightmare..I just couldn't in good conscience leave you in that kind of state." She swaddled the blanket tighter around herself and scooted even closer.
"The only thing I thought of was to comfort you… which meant.. well.. holding you. It worked though because you relaxed and slept the whole night without shivering or crying anymore …I…uh.." I nervously laughed and looked away, I heard her shuffle slightly as I stroked the back of neck, with my face flushed and i waited for her response.
I turned to meet her gaze only to see her wrapping the blanket around herself ever more tightly with a small sheepish smile on her face; her cheeks were as red as red stone.
"T-Thank you.." she paused and looked at me, before she could speak both are stomachs gurgled out of hunger.
She actually stared to laugh, and I joined in it was all we could do to fill the void of an awkward morning. By the end of it, it led into another awkward silence. My stomach still growling I retrieved my pack and began to dig for the food and water I had packed. Beef Jerky, nuts, and dried apple slices, were a staple of my diet when on outdoor excursions. The still nameless girl looked at my small food sacks with a heightened interest.
"Want some?" I asked as I gave her one of my ration packs, she cautiously approached closer, and plucked the small leather pouch from me and scooted away from me immediately. She pulled out a good handful of the dried foods and ate the nuts and dried apples, but left the jerky. She examined the Jerky as if she had never seen anything like it before.
As she sniffed and licked the meat sticks I began to chew away on my rations, watching her try and figure out what the jerky was.
"It's food don't worry" I said in-between my bites, "But you might want to drink some water afterwards" I then handed her a small flask of water. She tentatively took a small bite of the jerky, her eyes lit up and she began to devour the jerky. She began to cough.
"This stuff is dry, but it's really tasty!" she cheerfully commented. She then gulped down her flask of water. I had eaten around my jerky as well, she eyeballed my dried meat like a hungry dog, I chuckled and gave her half of my portion. She fingered with the food and looked me in the eyes.
"Thanks, I'm sorry but what's your name?"
I was slow to register until she asked again."Oh...its Dyllan...my name is Dyllan"
"Thank you Dyllan" she replied. She nibbled on her food with a content smile.
"May I ask you what your name is?" she was taken aback by the question.
"You.. want to know my name?" her response was unsettling, she had said it as if no one had ever asked her that question before.
"Well...yes, it's only proper that I learn the name of the person that I helped and whom I'm sharing a meal with." she paused and her face saddened.
"No one, in a long time has asked me that" she curled into herself and her face showed some discomfort. I felt some guilt seeing her like this, maybe she didn't feel comfortable with disclosing her name?
"I'm sorry, if you don't-" she interrupted me.
"No, I'm not upset, it's just it's been so long.." her demeanor went up to some degree, but there was still a flicker of angst in her amber eyes. " My name is Cupa.." "Cupa?" she nodded in affirmation with a small smile.
I extended my right hand towards her, "Well it's very nice to meet you Cupa," she looked at my hand then to me, and gingerly wrapped her hand around my own. Her hand felt weightless, warm and light as a feather when we shook.
"Same here, it's nice to meet you too Dyllan".
Feeling somewhat more stable and not as precariously anxious as before, I started to think of questions to ask her as I ate my food, but she beat me to the point. "So what were you doing out here yesterday again?"
"Well..I was hunting." I grabbed my bow and arrow to illustrate, "As I said yesterday, it's when you kill an animal for food, that jerky you ate is from a deer."
She continued to nibble away at her meat sticks, she just cocked her head with a confused face. She had no idea what I was talking about. "So where did you come from? I know this forest like the back of my hand..I've never seen you meddling around these parts".
I relaxed and leaned forward from the wall. "Well, I live a good distance from here, and I rarely come out to the forests, so... I guess we're lucky to have met." She fell silent again and stared right into my soul while munching away with a little bit of jerky sticking out from her lips. "Speaking of which, how long have you been out here in the forest? Do you have house or shelter out here…Beside this hunting blind?"
She rubbed her wrist and looked away, discomfort washed over her body as her shoulders drooped and she lowered her gaze away me. "No…I don't have a home…and I'm…" she trailed off as she replied in a weak and whisper like voice. Unease was written all over her face, I had touched another nerve, and I felt like I was treading on a field riddled with booby traps talking with Cupa.
"I see." was all I could mutter in weak response. Part of me wanted to ask more questions but seeing that it caused her this much discomfort..I held my tongue. It tore up my consciences to see her upset, and again I felt awkward obligation to help her. "You can have the sleeping bag, pillow and blanket if you want..I know it's not much..But at least you wouldn't be sleeping on bare wood or the ground…"
I looked over at the objects wary of making further eye contact with Cupa. It was a solid offer, they would offer some convenience for her, but it still felt like I was skimping out on a real solution. She looked at me, somewhat surprised at my offer; she discarded the blanket and placed it aside as she scooted closer to me.
"A-are you sure? You don't have to give me those...Don't you need them?" I waved off her protests as I folded the sleeping bag in question and placed it in her lap.
"No, it's no problem, besides I can always make more of them. This stuff would be better off helping you". Her hands began to rub and caress the fabric and leather of the sleeping bag and pillow. A small smile began to curl up on her lips.
"I don't know...What to say…" she looked back to me, her posture and disposition more upbeat. She scooted even closer to me, her face showed the utmost gratefulness. "You barely know me...And yet you've treated me so kindly...I don't know how to thank you." She said this with a sweet sincerity, it caused me to blush. She giggled looking at me, which caused me to blush even more and nervous sweat began to accumulate on my brow.
"What about you? Do you live alone? Do you have a family?" she asked innocently I hesitated with the questions,
"I... " I choked up mid-sentence, as the memories of my departed parents flew through my mind. My body tensed up and my mind began to wander as i tired to answer, she actually scooted next to my side, I glanced at her quickly only to see worry on her face. My heart sent a small spasm of sorrow flooding through my chest. "I live alone..." I closed my eyes and turned away from her, i felt physically incapable of telling her that my parents had died.
"Are you okay?" she asked. I didn't' respond, i was too wrapped up in dispelling my emotions. She broke me away from this when she actually put her hand on my shoulder, and as i reopened my eyes i saw genuine concern in her gaze.
"I live alone.." is all i said again in low whisper. I didn't want to concern her, so i stopped myself from reveling too much before the floodgates of my heart would be opened. Yet despite my attempts to push the issue aside from her, she leaned in and grabbed my hand. "What are you doing?" I then felt her wrap herself and the blanket around me.
"What you did for me." she responded in soft and soothing voice. I didn't protest to her advancement and let her embrace me.
It felt, reassuring to have her comfort me like this, in spite of our mutual ignorance of the other. She was returning a favor in helping another person who was suffering, and i was glad for it. Even with an air of mystery wrapped around her, I felt a connection with this girl. It was as if, for some unexplained reason, the warm sensation that washed over me from her presence seemed all too familiar yet so alien at the same time.
We sat silently for a time she didn't break away and neither did I; the only sounds that broke the tranquil silence were that of the forest in the morning. I wanted to return the embrace, but I withheld this and simply sat and enjoyed the feeling of her company. Even so, I knew I would have to return home and attend to my chores, the livestock and dogs couldn't feed themselves. At the same time however I didn't want to leave Cupa.
I gingerly broke away from her embrace and began packing, I knew it wouldn't be right to just pack and leave her, not after she had displayed compassion for me, a stranger she had just met. I had my responsibilities and reasons to leave, i also felt a personal obligation to help her in anyway i could, that's just how my father and mother were too, compassionate and generous. I had most certainly inherited their big hearts.
She looked on silently as I packed away my gear and adorned my armor. "A-are you leaving?" she asked in a disappointed voice. The tone and look in her eyes reminded me of that of an abandoned puppy.
"Yes…but I'll be back."
Hope emerged at my promise and she smiled. "Is that a promise? You'll come back to see me?"
I smirked and patted her hooded head. "I promise."
.
End of Chapter Two.