Lucy's POV

I don't know when, but I had fallen asleep sometime during the night. When I did wake, it was early morning. I noticed that Denzel was not in sight. I stood up and he suddenly walked in. He was holding more apples as well as a a dead rabbit. He saw that I was awake and proceeded to try and hand me the apples and rabbit. I rather not touch the dead animal. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Denzel survives off the woods. This is normal for him. How should I tell him?

"You... uncomfortable?"

I looked up to him. I nodded my head.

"A little bit. You see, where I'm from, we don't get dead rabbits handed to us."

"I see. Rather cook it?"

"Uh, maybe. I have never eaten rabbit before."

He nods his head. He turns to leave. He left the apples near the entrance. Wait. Where does he keep getting these apples? I don't recall seeing an apple tree. Than again, I was running through the woods, trying to keep up. It was difficult to keep up and notice where we were going.

"Denzel, wait."

He stopped and turned his head toward me. He gave his head a slight tilt. He does that a lot, from what I have seen.

"Where do you get these apples?"

"Forest."

"Well, I guessed that, but where? I feel bad that you have to get everything. Maybe, while we are here, we can be of some help to you?"

He stayed silent for a moment.

"Why?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Why do you... want to... uh... help me?"

Is he being serious? He just helped four people he has no idea who there are, is letting them stay here at his home, and is getting them food.

"Well, you have been helping us and I feel like I should return the favor."

It takes him a moment before he nod his head. Maybe I should slow down when I talk. That would make things easier for him, quite possibly.

"Stick with me. Do what I say."

"Alright. I will. I promise."

"Don't make promises. Don't like when humans say them."

What did he mean by that? Isn't he human? By the way he says that sentence, he must have run into people before. My guess, he hasn't had the best experience with them.

"Uh, alright."

This was going to be a lot harder to talk to him. He is so quiet and is quite a mystery. He is standoffish, and doesn't seem to like being near others. From what I can tell, he won't hurt me. Not yet at least. As long as I don't do anything that makes me seem like a threat, I should be fine.

"Bring your vine."

"My what?"

"Vine. Blue Vine. Used against Corvus."

Corvus? When did I use a blue vine to fight. Wait did he mean...

"Do you mean my whip?"

His head tilted once more. He didn't understand. I grabbed Fleuve d'étoiles and showed him. He looked at it. As he was examining it, I activated its magic to have the whip part come out. The blue glow of the whip made his mouth drop. He was clearly amazed. I can say with confidence that he has never seen anything from the Celestial world. I let the whip go back and it was just the handle. I put it on my belt and followed him. He kept glancing at me. Maybe to make sure that I was still following him, or he is unsure what to think of me.

"Are you hurt?"

"Hmm? No, I'm fine, why do you ask?"

He just shakes his head and keeps moving. Guess we are beck to silence. I didn't mind, but I rather like hearing a voice when I am in a place that makes me nervous. Natsu would always try to make a joke to lighten the mood. I always got mad and yelled at him because I didn't like how he didn't take things so seriously. I now see why he made the jokes. He just knew that I was nervous before I did.

"Nervous?"

Okay, can he read my mind?

"No, I'm not that nervous. I am just in a new location and feel out of place."

"Sorry."

"No, it isn't your fault. We came here because we believe our friend may be here."

"Friend is human?"

"Uh, yes. He is."

"Not here. No humans live here."

"You live here."

"Not human."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Humans leave, say things they don't mean, hurt. I don't. I am not human."

I blinked and said nothing. From how he spoke, he has been left, lied to, and hurt by a person. I have a feeling it was more than once.

"If you aren't human, what are you?"

Silence.

"Alright, you don't have to say, but you should know that not all humans are like that. I'm not like that. I won't hurt you in those terms you said."

"You will leave. You won't stay. Best not get attach."

He suddenly stopped walking. He looked to his left and my eyes followed his gaze. The trees were broken and scratched up. They had deep claw marks in them.

"What..."

"Corvus. Or mother. One of them. Best stay clear of here until I set traps."

He said that name again. I wonder who Corvus is... Mother? A human couldn't have done...this.

"Uh, Denzel, who is Corvus?"

"Corvus is demon. Hurt your Gray friend."

"That thing has a name?"

Denzel nodded.

"Will have to get Carys here. She will know what to do."

Another name to a monster?

"Carys?"

"She is friend. She is safe to tell about you and your friends. We can go after I fix trap."

I watched as he started to clear the broken tree limbs and put them in piles. I could help him, but I might just get in his way. I had some information on him. He knows these woods for he lived here his whole life. He has a history with people and they seem to be negative. He does understand what we say and he can have a conversation with us, though he doesn't make the conversation.

"Ready?"

I looked up. I must have zoned out or he was just quick. He had cleaned up the scattered branches and set them in a pile and the path was clear. There was a path there and it was blocked by the destruction that monster had created. I gave a small smile and nodded. He then walked to me and I felt a wave of nervousness and I didn't know why. I closed my eyes and after a moment I felt something on my head and go over my face. I opened my eyes to see Denzel in front of me. I starred at him confused. I touched my face and felt something soft.

"You look like creatures that live here now. You will be more safe now."

Oh, it was a mask. I guess that is fine. He says that I will be safe and I guess I should trust him, for now. I followed him as he walked down the now cleared path. There was little damage on the path we were walking on. The entire time we were walking, we were silent. It wasn't an awkward silence that I thought it was going to be. More like a peaceful silence. I kept looking at the green scenery. It was completely different during the day than at night. It was almost as if all the dangers were found only during the cover of night. I started to relax a bit. I don't know why, but I just feel... safe.

Denzel looked at me. His gaze fell right on me and I was fine with it. He didn't seem like a threat. If he was, he could have taken me out whenever he wanted. I felt that I could trust him.

"Poppy human is close."

"Poppy human?"

"Human with poppy hair. Name... Ezra?"

"Oh you mean Erza."

He nodded. What was Erza doing way out here?

"Are you sure?"

"I smell her."

That isn't creepy at all. I looked around. I didn't see her. Maybe he was mistaken. He had stopped walking, though. What now?

"Why did we stop?"

"Waiting."

"... For?"

"...Ezra."

"Erza."

I find it funny that he kept calling Erza, Ezra. There was no way that she was here. We left her back at the tree. Even so, why would she be here? I was about to say that it was pointless to wait for her, but as soon as I opened my mouth, Erza walked from the path Denzel and I had come from.

"Er-Erza?"

"Lucy! There you are. I was wondering where you went. Look, it isn't safe to be wandering around here. You should have told me that you were leaving...What's with the mask?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Erza. I didn't mean to arouse panic in you. As for the mask... Denzel put it on me."

"It's fine, just don't do it again. Know we already have one person injured, I don't want there to be an injured person as well as a dead one."

"I understand, but I feel safe with Denzel. He..."

I looked around. Denzel was gone.

"Where did he go?"

"Lucy, he may be helping us; however, I feel as if he doesn't trust us and I don't think we should trust him..."

I didn't like how she just didn't want to trust the person who is making sure Gray doesn't die on us and to make sure that we are safe, in terms.

"...yet."

"Huh?"

"It's true, I have some... concerns on him, but he didn't even give us his name. He is a complete mystery and until I know more, you need to keep your guard up around him. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I, I understand. I am happy that you are concerned about me. But, I can fight, Gray can not. You left him there with Happy and what happens if something went to attack him? I am helping Denzel because he helped us, and I feel like we owe him. Also, he may be able to help us find out what happen to Natsu. Denzel said he lived here his whole life as well s the fact that there are no humans living here. What if he meant that there are no people here now? He could have known Natsu."

"If Denzel and Natsu knew each other, how come he never told us that he knew a person while he was raised by Igneel?"

"I... I don't know."

I was just making excuses, I knew that, but I really was worried about Natsu and Gray. I had to stay strong. For both of them. We had come this far, we couldn't give up now...

A/N: I have looked at what I posted, this is the most I have posted for this story in such a short period of time. I am having a lot of fun writing this story. I think this chapter closes up part one of this story. The first part was really gaining the problem, flashback in Gray's dream, demon attack, and introducing Denzel. This is what chapter? 13? If y'all know me, I don't edit this story. I plan to edit it once I am done with the story completely. (or if I have time and feel like editing) Anyway, that is all for this author's note. See ya in the next chapter.

~Zolf

Posted: 3/4/2020