Once upon a time, there was a Godly valley with mountains that could touch the sky and trees that cast long shadows. The people who live in the small mountain town are hardworking and happy, so long as they never stray into the forest where the wolves lurk in the darkness. Adults brave the trees in groups to hunt the vicious pack as they have for decades, the conflict is deep with no sign of victory for either side. But wolves are not the only threat, nor the village's only secret - and the link connecting them is a simple cloak of Red ...

Every night, from the highest peak of the uninhabited mountains, a single Wolf howls to the good folk of the valley – as a warning, as a message, and as a reminder of what they did:
"Beware, beware, the Path where the Witch once stood. Beware, beware, of the Wolf in the Wood."

"My Lady Red, how beautiful you look this fine day."

"Zack …" Aerith protested with a small blush, standing before him in Edea's clearing with one of her best dresses and her hair braided with a thin brown ribbon with a single bead. Her dress blue and white and her feet covered in her sturdiest walking shoes in preparation for the walk ahead.

The young man straightened from his bow and winked, offering her his arm "I'm glad you actually agreed to this." Aerith took his arm and quietly approved with him. Zack looked behind them and waved, "I'll have her back before suppertime, Edea, I promise."

Edea, knitting on the outdoor bench and wrapped in several warm blankets against the autumn chill, raised a hand to wave back. "I'll keep that in mind and tan your hide if she comes back in no less than the condition she is in now," she smiled at them in a motherly way "Have fun, dears."

Aerith followed Zack through the trees, marvelling at the way he seemed to know the ground and the invisible trails all around them. He never tripped or stumbled, Aerith gripped his arm tighter when her foot caught on a root, Zack covered her hand with his own and assisted her over all rough terrain from that step onwards.

He led her to another clearing and paused to breathe deeply. "So, where is it you said you were from again?"

Aerith smiled "Further north, in an especially uninhabited part of the country that doesn't really have a name, other than the wild, or the wilderness. It had a lot of hills and valleys but only little trees since they'd all been cut down for houses," she stepped over a log, Zack leading them in a circle around the clearing and soon they were back on an imaginary trail again. "I liked it there, my Mother's people had lived there for decades before the modern town life reached them."

Zack smiled "My village is pretty basic too. We have houses in the caves, and wells from the melting ice of the peaks," he pointed high up "We use fur to warm our homes and the forest provides for most of what we need, I like my home too, but we can't stay for much longer."

"Why?"

Zack hesitated for a second "Our village hasn't had children for a while, and recently there's been several and with more mouths to feed and a forest that's being overrun by the town down there, it's a worry how we're going to provide for ourselves. Then there's the fact that we've nearly been at war with the town's trigger happy hunters more times than there have been sudden frosts …" he looked pensive "It's not a healthy environment."

Aerith lowered her head "I'm sorry …"

"It's not your fault, Aerith."

The girl shook her head "I know that, but can't your leaders and the town come to a compromise? Why not just talk?" even as she asked Zack's face became patient and slightly patronising, Aerith got the impression she was grossly oversimplifying the situation.

"Cute statement. But it's not that simple, Red." Zack quickly reminded her "They've killed one of our own, we can't forgive what they did to our kin. Besides, I don't think that those men would be willing to talk to anyone outside their Catholic cult," he sneered.

The girl's eyes brightened "You're not Catholic too?"

Her date looked pleased "Nope. Neither you?"

Aerith shook her head "My Mother was Cetra, nature worshippers and guardians of the Earth."

Zack looked impressed "I thought I sensed something different about you," he looked thrilled "You don't make any noise in the energy around here, not like those Catholic stompers." He looked at the forest greenery and sighed "It was stupid, but for a long time I thought my people were the only ones to really understand and treasure what was around us."

Delighted, Aerith clasped her hands together "You're a Cetra too?"

"Who me?" Zack chuckled "No … we're not Earth worshippers, we worship animal spirits. But this is our land, and we still suffer as it does." He reached out to touch an old tree "If the life in the forest, the animal life, isn't healthy then we ache worse than most. It's like a sickness of spirit to know that your homeland is struggling," his fingertips followed the small grooves made from the tiny claws of little climbers.

"Can you use magic?" Aerith asked softly, worriedly feeling like she was setting herself up for failure. "I know that Elmyra speaks charms of luck and to ward away evils, Edea makes charms with her God's blessings on them, and I've seen the Vicar use smoke to purify the air while speaking to his God, what of you? Do you use magic like that?"

Zack looked thoughtful "Well … kind of, we can't use most of our magic consciously, it just happens regardless. It is a part of us now and a part of our lives, our magic." Their walk resumed and Zack paused to think "There's one thing we can control very well, but most of it controls us. And you?"

Aerith stopped their slow walk to whisper a secret "I've never told anyone this, not even Father …" she admitted, unable to deny the fact that she could trust this strange man completely and utterly and that he would understand. His eyes were kind and his face open and Aerith felt confident enough to tell him her secret abilities, "I sometimes hear the Earth speaking to me. Just like my Mother did, and all my kin who're so far away." Tilting her head, she felt the health of the forest, the plants growing abundant and even too well in some places near her indicating that prey was scarce in this part of the forest. "The forest is very healthy here, but there's overcrowding too in the plants, the animals haven't been here for a long time."

She even felt- Aerith gasped and looked at the base of a tree where she felt the pitiful squeaks of life, she made her way there carefully and knelt to cradle the poor little-lost soul. "There there," she murmured, looking up into the tree for the nest of the little bird "Where's your Mama?" she wondered, using the very tip of her finger to try and sooth the baby feathers and loud squeaks.

"Amazing!" Zack said to her "I thought only my people could feel the magic around here." He put a hand on her shoulder and pointed upwards "I think I see its home." Tucked away in the lower branches of a spindly twig was a nest, and no other signs of birds making a home.

Aerith smiled up at him "I'm so happy that someone else knows what I feel."

Bashfully, his cheeks turning red Zack corrected "Well … not exactly how you do, you're amazing," he repeated. "My people absorbed spirits, a mutual contract, and they're now in our bloodline, we feel what they could feel." He looked around "I could tell you about the animals here, where the prey is and where the best place to Hunt is too, and guess how healthy the forest is through their numbers and strength. But I felt that baby Blackbird too, though I would have struggled over deciding to help it as it might just fall out again, I'd be helping something weak and useless, but if it survives the forest will have gained another healthy bird and that in turn will assist the wood … it's conflicting."

Aerith stood with the little bird in her hands, her eyes wide as she tried to understand the world through Zack's eyes. The difficulties he was describing was just human nature, it made him a good person in her eyes and she told such, "You want to help because you have enough kindness to spare. You have spirits, and I have what some would call Pagan magic, but we're both still human," she held the little bird up for Zack to see "and humans care."

He watched it twitter with beady eyes and eventually a grin turned up the corners of his mouth, "I can see that now …" he looked up at the tree again then proposed an idea. "Come here," he knelt and cupped his hands by the ground, "I'll help you send that little guy home."

"Thank you." Aerith stood on the hand hold he offered and balanced one hand on his shoulder "How did you know it was a Blackbird?" she asked as she struggled for balance, eventually sitting on Zack's shoulder to keep at least one hand on the chick.

"I've got a good nose, Red. Blackbirds all smell the same."

He hoisted her up and held steady while Aerith placed the bird back into its home, Aerith felt the strength of his arms and how effortlessly he carried her and as she tucked the bird away in his nest she felt very safe. When back on the ground Zack's hands lingered at her waist for a few seconds longer than merely checking she had her balance.

He sighed and looked up at their little-rescued bird. "Well, we've given it a good chance, but it's so strange that there's a chick in the autumn. Nature must be trying to bring itself back into balance around here …" he looked about for more clues but he seemed just as perplexed after his search.

Aerith nodded and didn't make a single move to escape his arms and firm hands on her sides, she didn't feel threatened and his palms were warm and sturdy even through the thick cloak of red. She thought about the unusual birth time for the bird, "I've heard of it before, but it's so rare. Is it good for the forest or bad?" she wondered aloud.

Her companion looked lost "We could always use more prey animals for the smaller predators, squirrels get boring after a while," he wriggled his fingering, mimicking a squirrel scurrying about in the branches, and Aerith giggled at the face he pulled but a part of her was sad that he let her go.

"At least, I have a clean conscience now," she took his arm again.

The male looked proud "Yeah … I guess there's that," he led them forwards and they stepped back into the trees to forge their own trail.

"What can you do with your magic?" Aerith asked.

Zack smiled to himself "It's made us lesser guardians, or extremely territorial of the forest. With our magic my people can travel unseen and unheard in this environment, it's how we keep an eye on the enemy, and how we hunt," he patted his side where a flint dagger was clasped in a sheath made of animal hide. "Our senses are heightened as well, I can track with my nose, and spot from far away."

"That sounds remarkable," Aerith admitted, wondering just how much she was missing with her eyes and nose.

Zack nodded "The spirits we have made us very protective of our family, and we can't help but bear each other's pain as well as their joys." Aerith saw his face fall, his arm tensed under her hands and apparent guilt from empathy crossed his face. "That was something we learned the hard way …"

"What happened?" Aerith wondered, wanting to help despite knowing that there was little she could do.

"It's … it's not really my story to tell …" he looked at Aerith for a long time, and his eyes often rested on the cloak she wore rather than she who wore it. Feeling apprehensive, Aerith opened her mouth to tell Zack that he didn't have to say anything when he finally found his voice, "I said before, that one of our kin was killed, well … he had a mate."

Aerith gasped "Oh no!" her heart went out to him and ached for the unimaginable pain that he must be in to this day.

Zack looked weighed down by his simple sentence, his eyes became more conflicted "We had no idea how close our bond with each other was back then, when he lost his mate …" he shuddered, visibly affected by the incident. "It was like a bruise, a sickness, and like part of us was gone. He barely survived the grief, or I should say he's barely surviving it now." His face twisted into a pained wince, "The Echo was awful, I'd hate to think what he felt first-hand …"

Aerith touched his shoulder and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Red," Zack took her hand "We'll get through it."

Aerith sighed heavily "I wish …"

"I know."

Their sombre walk began to brighten again when their Smalltalk turned away from their traditions of magic, both unusual in the times they lived in and also frowned upon by the majority of Catholic magic users. Aerith spoke of her journey and the lovely house she was living in, though she missed her garden, and Zack told her about his discoveries through the trees, the many hidden ponds and caves where he'd hidden and played with his friends.

When the sun began to touch the tips of the mountains Zack lead them back. Aerith looked around "How do you know we're going the right way? It all looks the same."

"It's all experience, Red, plus the nose knows," he tapped it and winked "I can see where we are, and trust me, you'll be back before you know it."

The girl leaned against his shoulder "I trust you."

Zack's smile was tender "Thanks, Aerith."

Her words were not lies. Aerith felt the deep warmth of trust and it only got stronger the longer she stayed with him, whatever it was about this strange, wild man it was assuring and she felt both safe and free with him.

She had enjoyed commenting on the state of the woods by using her magic, something she had never told Elmyra when she saw the horror she held for her Mother's gifts, she couldn't bear the thought of her beloved friend giving her that look. Even her dear Father couldn't know, his research was upon his Mother's gifts and should he knew about Aerith's own talents he would not be able to keep it a secret, and poor Elmyra would hate her.

But with Zack, her worries were for nought. He used magic and the way his eyes sparkled when he saw her sensing when he thought only he could sense was warming to her heart.

Zack was not a liar either, Aerith spotted Edea's hut through the trees when she imagined she had been miles away. "Oh! That was fast," she murmured.

"I told you," Zack stopped at the edge of the clearing and took Aerith's hand in his, his palm warm and his roughened fingers gentle like she was a porcelain figure. His sky blue eyes were tender when he kissed her hand "Thank you for accepting my company for today," he murmured.

Aerith blushed "I had fun," she returned, squeezing the hand he held. Unwilling to leave so soon she asked "Can we do it again?" and the radiant smile she was fast becoming fond of lit up his face.

"Of course! How about next week?"

"So long?" Aerith said aloud before she realised, covering her mouth and blushing when Zack gave her a pleased but surprised look. She turned away "Um … yes, next week is fine," she felt Zack's fingers tighten on her own and yet she couldn't look back at him when she had said something so embarrassing. What was it about him that made her so honest?

He chuckled behind her and with two fingers turned her head back to face him "A week is a long time for me too." Aerith smiled, grateful that he was honest with her too, and let Zack guide her through the foliage that lined the clearing edges. "Farewell, Lady Red, until next week," he kissed her cheek and Aerith waved him goodbye with a dazed expression, her heart pounding and butterflies making her tremble and a smile on her lips.

Zack disappeared into the woods so quickly and Aerith sighed to herself. "I should be heading home too …"

"Where have you been young lady!"

Aerith jumped from her enamoured reverie and nearly dropped her small basket when her maid's loud and angry voice snapped at her. Not one foot in the door, Elmyra stood tall and with a dark expression on her face by the head of the table had shouted at her.

"I've been worried sick about you! You didn't say where you were going or when you'd come home."

Aerith blinked, honestly surprised "I … Mother and Father let me wander where I wished so long as I took my guiding charm and came home …" she objected uncertainly, her hand resting on the ribbon in her hair, the bead made by her Mother to ensure a safe return from wherever she wandered. Elmyra had never displayed this kind of behaviour before and had certainly never needed to know about her activities to this extent.

In their previous dwelling, Elmyra had waved Aerith off on her days without question and welcomed her back without fuss too. Since Ifalna had died, Elymra had been getting more and more involved in Aerith's life – from offering to convert her, to correcting her dress code, to suggesting marriage matches, to this!

Elmyra did not look impressed with Aerith's objection "Your Father kept me to keep the house and family running and how can I take care of you if you're not where I can reach you?"

Aerith was uncomfortable "You don't keep the family together, Elmyra. Father and I are content with each other's ways, and you're our dear friend. I appreciate the work that you do for him and for me, but there's no need for you to act like a shepherd over my life."

The maid went slightly ashen, she sat down slowly and put her head in her hands "Good Lord … forgive me, Aerith, I'm aware I may be overstepping the boundaries of my role, but as the only woman of the house, I can't help but worry about you." She pulled herself upright and folded her arms.

Aerith shut the door behind her and stepped into the house "I was in the forest today," she said "I went to see Lady Edea, the healer, she said I could work in her garden. I went to see her Sunday too," she held up her basket and glowed "She told me that I worked so well she would let me take a few leaves to cook with. They're so fresh, Elmyra, she's wonderful with plants."

Elmyra took the item to inspect the contents and her eyebrows rose "What big leaves!"

While placing her boots by the door, Aerith chatted about her new friend, "She had so many growing in a lovely little clearing where her house is, it's like a fairy-tale setting." Her hands linked together "She knows so much about plants and what their medical properties are, and she's very kind to me," her hand rested on the crimson fabric on her shoulders "Maybe it's because she has a lot of children herself, but she sometimes reminds me of my Mother …"

When she turned to Elmyra her maid's face was tight "Is that so? An unmarried woman with many children sounds like bad company to keep."

Aerith shook her head, feeling subtly stung on more than one level when she realised that Elmyra's thoughtless comment also applied to her own Mother. Regardless, she kept her voice calm, "Edea's husband died in a war, she told me. And the children she has were all orphans and not her own, she's got such a big heart," her hands rested on her own chest in a loose hug. "I think I'll visit her often."

Elmyra turned to put the herbs into pots, her hands stiff and her face blank "Indeed. Well, I will check with your Father if that is fine with him, a young girl shouldn't be hanging about in a cursed forest with an old woman who uses plants unique properties to make her way in life."

"Father won't have a problem with Edea," Aerith said confidently.

Her maid gave her a long, patient look over her shoulder "Aerith, you should be with people your own age. You should be looking for a good husband and thinking of your future, especially your position in the town."

Confused, the girl asked what she meant.

"Your absence in Church did not go unnoticed, Aerith. People are asking questions and some highly rude men suggested that you were a heretic," she dusted her hands and gave Aerith a stern look "I said that you were just slow to understand the teachings of the Lord."

Slightly offended, Aerith said, "I'm not stupid!"

"I know that Miss Aerith," Elmyra rubbed at her cross on her necklace "But I had to say that, now if you don't want to make a liar out of me you'll start considering taking the right path all the sooner. I've asked the Vicar Grimoire and he was happy to explain things to you-"

"Elmyra! I'm not Catholic," Aerith interrupted "How many times do I need to tell you?" she felt winded though she had barely raised her voice.

Her maid put her hands on Aerith's shoulders "Aerith, child, those who are not Catholic are hated by this town. I've protected you as best I can by lying," she shuddered and put a hand to her heart "My dear God, forgive me for my lying sins," she refocused "I've done much for you, it is only best that you return the effort."

Aerith tried to refuse again.

"If you cannot go to see the Vicar, if you cannot learn the true path then … then I'll have to leave this town forever."

Aerith gasped "Elmyra?"

The maid looked deeply regretful "Lying is such a crime to us Catholics, see what I do for you, girl? If you make me a liar then the shame will drive me from town, the people will never trust me again, I will be scorned and shunned!" she put a hand to her mouth "Please, Aerith."

Aerith couldn't use her voice. Her love of her own religion, her family traditions warred with her love and loyalty to Elmyra. I'm not Catholic … but Elmyra said she'd leave … oh please don't leave me, dear friend, not after Mama! Mama … what do I do? What should I say? I'm a Cetra, not a Catholic … what do I do? Oh, forgive me.

She nodded with her eyes on the floor.

The maid gave her a hearty hug "Bless you, child! Now go rest your feet, and wash your hands ready for dinner."

Aerith stood ridged and small in her friend's arms, feeling uncomfortable at the hand petting her hair and the kiss placed on her cheek. She stepped away and waited for her maid's back to be turned as she hesitantly edged towards the staircase. "I'm not hungry … I'm going to read!" she gasped out before dashing upstairs to her room, already hearing Elmyra's disapproving comments chasing her there.

Latching the door shut, she breathed a sigh of relief but did not relax as she sat at her desk, then in her bed, and then she quietly stood by her windowsill. The town's roofs were all she could see, and not a spec of green could be seen. She paced a few times, not sure what to think or feel but knowing undeniably that she was trapped, the door was right beside her but she was trapped in her own head and by her own feelings.

Helpless and lost, she sat heavily on the floor and pulled her arms to herself. "Mama …"

The only warmth she got was from the cloak of red, it's heavy folds making her imagine a pair of arms around her, holding her steady and holding her together. She shook and bit her lip, wondering if she should ask her Father for help. But if she raised a fuss against Elmyra then she would leave, either because Aerith didn't go to her arranged lessons or because her Father would clear her out of the house.

She had to keep her silence then …

I want … I want to go home … I want my Mama.

Her sixth sense tingled and she looked up at her bedside table to see the rose that Zack had given her a few days ago. It was wilting as cut roses do, but it was green and alive, and it was somehow talking to her like the Earth sometimes did. She reached out for it and held it between her hands, recalling the open smiles and honest eyes the colour of the sky as she stared at the pink petals.

The more she thought of Zack, the more she smiled. She planted a small kiss on the wilting rose petals and smiled when the rose revitalised itself in a new burst of life, a little use of magic that came from the gratitude for his warmth. A small gesture, Zack's gift and her Mother's gift in the same flower. Small but precious.

I can't possibly go through with this … can I?

Her flower, thrumming with magic and life, couldn't answer her. But the comfort she held onto was more than any unsaid word.

Thanks for your comments, please leave another. No double update this week - week been busy. BUT comment for the next week, it's a good one! I promise, and you'll want to know what Cloud meant last chapter and what Elmyra's got Aerith into next. Be lovely people and you'll know BOTH answers on the same Strifehart Sunday ... if not ... you'll have to wait Seven Whole Days till the next answer.