Chapter 4
Price to Protect
I stroll from branch to branch, staring upwards at the bright blue sky above my head, peeking through the lace-like forest roof. I know that one wrong step can send me in a fatal drop to the earth below, but I've never failed to stroll in the treetops without slipping before. It's all really easy after doing if for awhile. Birds sing their morning song all around me. Their feathers come in soft browns with flecks of black or white. I watch them take to the skies, beating their wings at blinding speeds. I wonder what it would be like to fly? Is it really hard work or is it exhilarating? I bet it feels amazing and free.
I continue to walk in the direction towards the abbey, climbing to a higher position as I go. I take a huge leap out of the treetops and land on a branch jutting out above the leafy cover. My hair is lifted into the air, curling and flowing like a river in the wind. I stand straight up and stare at the one large spot that is barren of any trees in the huge forest. A stone tower scrapes the sky in the clearing, always signifying exactly where Kells is. People crawl around Kells like ants, continuing on with their busy day. Brendan was right. Kells is getting really crowded. The entire ground of Kells has a hut or a pen for animals. I can't see a single spot of green in the whole abbey. The walls surrounding Kells are crumbled from either the viking's attacks years ago or from the elements of nature wearing it down until only a few remains are left standing.
"Aisling?" My ears perk up to his call. It's Brendan's voice but, it couldn't be him. For the past few years that he's been home, he's only come to the forest once every few weeks. Sometimes months go by without a word from him. Now, all of a sudden, he's coming two days in a row? I drop down to a lower branch, peering down at the earth. Sure enough, I see the familiar red hair that I know belongs to Brendan. Well, it's not expected, but it's a good way to reclaim my title as champion of our surprise game.
"Aisling, I don't have time! I have to talk to you, now!" His voice is angry. I've heard him get angry when he's talking about his troubles in the abbey before, but he usually at least comes to the forest with a smile on his face. I swing my legs over the branch and I drop to the ground, landing only feet away from Brendan. He recoils a bit which, I think, counts as a victory for me. "Hi, Brendan! You're back!"
"Yes, I'm back because we need to talk." He mutters towards me, almost scolding me.
"What's wrong?"
"A migrating family came into the abbey last night. They came in looking like they've seen a ghost. The family said that they were attacked by wolves at their campsite last night. They abandoned their things and ran. One of the wolves even got close enough to bite off part of a child's sleeve on his shirt. Now, while no one was physically hurt, that family is probably horrified now and will be very wary for the next few weeks. As far as I know, there is only one wolf pack in these forests and you're their leader." Brendan steps closer to me with a certain malice in his eyes. "Aisling, did you tell them to do that?" I glare at him.
"I don't control them all the time, Brendan. When I'm not a wolf, for all I know, they could be on the other side of the woods, doing these things."
"Aisling, one of the boys reported glancing in the woods and spotting a wolf with white fur, unlike the rest of the pack." My eyes grow wider. I was perfectly concealed! How could he have seen me? "I'm not asking you what they do when you're not leading them. I'm asking if you told them to terrorize those people last night." His eyes bore down on my with accusation. I sigh and drop my head.
"Yes. I did."
"Why?" I lift my head back up with an anger that reflects his like a mirror.
"They were in my forest. They had a huge fire going. You know that a big fire can catch very easily in the forest. The smoke was suffocating the animals around them. I never had any intention of hurting them. I just wanted them to leave!"
"But, what about the boy's sleeve!? A few inches closer and it would have been a few fingers, Aisling!" I shake my head. I told the wolves to chase them, but make sure they're not hurt. If they were hurt, it would not have been my fault. A silence wedges itself in the fiery conversation. Brendan sighs. "Look. I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I'm trying to protect my people. I'm sorry that they caused problems in your forest. The fire clearly upset you and they didn't know that they were hurting the forest. However, I beg of you, please do not go to such extreme measures."
"Then, if it happens again, what am I supposed to do?"
"People are scared of wolves, but they won't be scared of you if you approach them the way you are, now." He gestures to my human form. "I know you don't want to, but it's the most civilized and safest way of telling them to heed the sake of the forest." My eyes turn downcast. I can't do that. There are only two outsiders that know my human form and one of them is a cat and the other is standing in front of me. It's special and sacred to me. It's a secret that only the three of us share in common. It reminds me that he will always be my friend.
"Is that the only thing you came in the forest for?" He shakes his head.
"I'd also like to retrieve the family's belongings. Can you lead me there?" Silently, I nod and work my faery magic to create a gate between here and the clearing. All the while, I can feel his eyes pounding on my back, making me almost too scared to turn around and gesture for him to follow.