Chapter 7 A Tale Of Forests

• Fyn.
• It was dark out when Kavan returned.
• Havu had nestled himself comfortably around Fyn's shoulders. They were leaning against the entrance of the cave, waiting for Kavan's return. Kavan landed safely by the cliff side, kneeling as he drew back his wings back inside his skin. The whole scenario felt bizarre, but Kavan did it magnificently. Once his wings were perfectly back inside his skin, he turned around and stopped in place.
• Kavan's eyes fell on Havu, and it narrowed slightly at the sight. With a growl, Kavan grits his teeth, "Havu, why are you on the mortal's shoulders?"
• The snake slithered off Fyn's shoulders and went towards Kavan. Crouching down, Kavan extended his arm towards the snake. Fyn watched as the snake round around the demon's arm, nestling just above his head, hanging off his antlers. Kavan stared at the snake's eyes, and Fyn knew they were sharing a silent conversation. With a stiff nod, Kavan's gaze flittered towards Fyn's direction, making the latter stiffen where he stood.
• "Your snake said I could leave," Fyn said, puffing his chest as he did. "I would want to leave now."
• Kavan waved his hand over the forest, "Do as you please."
• Fyn couldn't stop his lips from smiling. Taking a hesitant step forward, he smiled broadly, gazing up at the demon. Now that he knew that he was no murderer, it made him a little less cautious. He still caused a lot of things that made people die.
• "Really?"
• Kavan curled his lips in disgust as his eyes dropped on Fyn's smile, "I am not stopping you, mortal."
• Fearing that Kavan might change his mind, Fyn nodded stiffly. Without looking back, Fyn started running towards the forest. He didn't know where the village was, but he didn't care. One way or another, he would surely reach the village. He shouldn't be that far, he was sure of it.
• Before dawn breaks, he was sure he would be back safely inside his tent.
• Fyn knew he passed by that old broad tree for at least five times now.
• Sweat dripped from his forehead. There was even enough sweat to form a circle of water behind his back. It made his clothes uncomfortable since the sweat made them clung tight against his body. Wiping his skin with the sleeves of his shirt, he sighed and leaned against that very same familiar tree.
• "This doesn't make any sense," Fyn groaned loudly to no one in particular. He had been running for hours, or probably longer than that. "I should be in the village right now."
• When he was up high in the mountain, the forest was just a few trees away from the village. It was just a straight path, one could not get lost if they only ran straight. And that was what Fyn did. What he didn't expect was that it seemed that he had miscalculated. That was the only explanation. He was running in a straight line. It was impossible that he would miss the village.
• Sighing once more, he let his head fall back and pinched the bridge of his nose.
• It had already gone dark, and the constant running tired him. He was at least a bit thankful that he ate that much fruit back in Kavan's cave or everything would have been worse than it already was. Surprisingly, nothing had gone and ran after him. Honestly, Fyn was expecting wolves to be on his track, ready to devour him whole.
• None of that happened. He was still alive, albeit exhausted. He was still living and breathing. And that was already something in itself. The moon shined brightly up above him and a cool breeze kissed his cheek. Feeling drowsy all of a sudden, Fyn couldn't help but yawn and stretch his arms above his head to get the blood pumping.
• It was already nighttime, he could at least rest for now and wake up later when it's already morning.
• Yes, Fyn thought drowsily, That's what I'm going to do.
• And as Fyn was about to close his eyes, he thought maybe he was more exhausted than he actually expected. Because immediately, he felt like he was dreaming with his eyes wide open. That could be the only explanation for what was happening in front of him.
• Vines moved around him, wrapping him with flowers and huge leaves to keep him safe from the cold. The scent of the breeze turned different, and it smelled of salt and water. Like how it smelled back in his hut when it was morning. Fyn smiled drowsily, feeling his eyelids flutter close. He felt comfortable, and he knew this was one of the best dreams he ever had.
• A voice that oddly sounded like Havu echoed inside of Fyn's head.
• "Fyn," The voice whispered. He felt something shake his shoulders. Furrowing his brows, he slapped it away. Turning around in his place, he tugged the blanket over him and continued to sleep. Only... he was in the middle of the Gashea forest. His blanket was back in his hut. Opening his eyes as quickly as he could, Fyn bolted upright, surveying his surroundings. "Fyn."
• Much like other people who were awoken while they were in deep slumber, Fyn looked at everything with a confused, drowsy expression. Furrowing his brows, Fyn looked beside him, narrowing his eyes once he saw Havu hanging off a branch. Yawning, Fyn scratched his side, "Good morning."
• Havu bowed his head again, "It is."
• "Hm," Fyn stretched his hands and felt something fall from his shoulders. Confused, he looked down. Surprise crosses his features once he noticed that there was a huge leaf covering him. A bed of different colored flowers surrounded him. Unlike how he looked at flowers back in the village of Gashea, Fyn felt something flutter inside of him. Grabbing the huge leaf, he lifted it up towards Havu, "Did someone cover me in this?"
• "It seems like they like you," Havu's voice said inside of Fyn's head. Tilting his head, Fyn looked down on his makeshift bed again. He figured the flowers and leaves must be the reason why he felt like his sleep last night was one of the best sleep he had all his life. Despite sleeping on the forest ground. With the confusion on Fyn's face, Havu looked around as if telling Fyn to look around as well, "They have covered you in fine leaves and flowers. Let you inhale rare pollen that would ensure deep and wonderful sleep. And it seems like they did not let you leave, for you are still here."
• Fyn bit the inside of his cheek, "Who are you talking about?"
• "The forest," Havu answered, his tongue darting out of his mouth. "Do you not hear them? They speak."
• With everything that was happening, the demons, the talking snake, a very hospitable forest was nothing to be surprised of. Looking down at the leaf that was around him once more, Fyn looked up at the tree that was shading him from the sun. Softly, he whispered, "Thank you."
• "Is that why I felt as if I was running around in circles?" Fyn asked, "And here I thought I was going the wrong direction."
• Havu slithered off the branch he was hanging on. Like it was second nature, Fyn extended his arm toward Havu and the snake instantly rolled on to him, until it was nestled closely around his shoulders. Like a small scaly scarf. Fyn couldn't resist the urge to pet the cool snake, snuggling closer to it as well. Havu's voice rang inside his head, "You did not."
• "Why didn't they make me leave?"
• Havu hissed like a true snake, "I am not the right one to ask."
• "It's not like they could answer me," Fyn chuckled. "I would rather ask you."
• "Snakes do not speak," Havu pointed out. "And yet here I am."
• Rolling his eyes, Fyn cleared his throat. He wasn't exactly expecting an answer when he asked loudly, "Why didn't you make me leave?"
• What he didn't expect was that a cluster of voices seemed to fly through the wind like a soft whisper.
• 'Do not leave....'
• '... He is alone...'
• '... You are kind'
• 'Stay... please.'
• Gasping, goosebumps ran up through his arms as Fyn covered his wide-open mouth with his hand. With widened eyes he looked around for the source of the voice, knowing full well its source wasn't something that the naked eye could see. Havu moved his head. Now, he was directly in front of Fyn's face. A somewhat triumphant gleam in the snake's eyes.
• "They..." Fyn drawled, wetting his lips. "They actually spoke to me."
• Havu bobbed his head, "As I said, they seem to like you."
• "Still," Fyn said, speaking loud enough so that even the forest could hear him. "I want to go home! This isn't right. And it's not like he even wants me here!"
• A cacophony of voices answered back once more.
• 'Do not leave....'
• '... He is alone...'
• 'Stay... Stay... He is lonely.'
• Fyn groaned, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation, "He doesn't seem like that to me!"
• After Fyn pointed that minor fact out, the forest decided it was time to not reply anymore. Groaning in frustration, he pushed himself up and rubbed his temples. All the while, Havu was still tightly coiled around his neck. Fyn wanted to laugh at his situation. If the villagers only saw him now. They would consider him brave and heroic. The men wouldn't dare laugh at him now.
• The sour face of Hana flashed inside his brain for a sliver of a second, and Fyn's face curled in distaste.
• Havu noticed almost immediately, "Is something the matter?"
• "Nothing," Fyn replied. "Just thought of something ridiculous. Could you point the way out?"
• "It would not work," Havu rolled off his shoulders and coiled himself around his waist like a belt. Fyn wanted to tease him since the snake had a sense of fashion in some sort of way. "The forest will not let you leave."
• "Ugh," Fyn knew it was a ridiculous question to begin with, "Could you point at least point to somewhere I could find food?"
• Havu tightened around his waist. The action made Fyn thought of Kavan's arm around him. Flush crept up towards his ears and he pinched himself absentmindedly. He should be thinking of survival, and here he was thinking of muscular warm arms. Fyn pinched himself once more. Just to be sure.
• "That I could do," Havu replied. "Let us go."
• Smiling at his newfound friend, Fyn followed every direction that Havu pointed out.
• The snake told him about a clearing that was full of fruit-bearing trees. There was even a pond that had sweet-tasting water that he was free to drink as much as he wanted. Havu was kind enough to say that since the forest seemed to like him, they would also bear other fruits and vegetables. Everything that Fyn wanted, he would get. As long as he stayed.
• Fyn wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.
• At the village, he wanted nothing more but to be welcomed and accepted by the villagers. He wanted them to look at him as a man and not tease him about why he lived far away from the forest due to fear. None of that happened, not even when they made him the demon's bride and threw him towards the forest.
• And here he was, being accepted by a living forest. Giving him gifts and wishes, giving him the best sleep he ever had. Wanting him to stay.
• Shaking his head, Fyn felt Havu tighten around his waist.
• "What's wrong?" He asked, confused.
• Havu didn't speak, instead, he looked up. Tilting his head, Fyn followed his gaze.
• His mouth dropped open.
• Despite following Havu's direction to a tee, the forest still made him come back to where he came from. He was back, staring at the cliff that leads to Kavan's cave.
• "You have got to be kidding me."