If it had been difficult to pinpoint why she hadn’t turned him away initially, it was even harder for Elona to figure out why she didn’t send him on his way now. The way he had eagerly followed her, mimicking her steps without appearing to notice, might have been the reason. It was possible it was simply the way his eyes followed her without judgement or suspicion. Perhaps it was the fact that, both in the town before and now in the forest, he seemed slightly out of sorts. She knew how it felt not to belong. Elona closed her eyes for a moment, gathering mental fortitude. No matter what it was that motivated her to act so far out of character, she was adjusting Sionn’s laces.
Elona opened her eyes, watching her fingers resolutely as she set about her task. They were quivering, and Elona wondered if Sionn could tell how long it’d been since she’d been this close to another person. Even if he could, he surely couldn’t know that this was the first time she’d been the one to make the approach. It hadn’t seemed like a difficult plan, adjusting Sionn’s clothes. A few quick changes, and finding a way to hide his hair, and she could resume the hunt. Yet as she found herself staring determinedly at the white of his shirt, Elona felt the warmth of his chest. It radiated out against her hands from each fleeting brush of contact. She hadn’t meant to notice— no that wasn’t it. Elona hadn’t even considered that another person would feel warm, had forgotten to even brace herself against it. She’d had no idea. For a brief moment, her eyes closed again, and she pictured herself leaning into the warmth and—
“You’ve adapted well to human society, I see.”
His voice was hushed, barely a whisper, but Elona froze in shock. Aiming a quick glance at his face, Elona was grateful that his gaze was riveted on her hands. Had he been looking at her face, he might have seen a rare slip in expression.
“Human society?” Her voice was collected, not a ripple in the tone to belie the rush of unease that flowed through her. Hearing how convincing her false confidence was granted it merit, and Elona relaxed slightly, looking back to her hands.
“Ah, yeah. You- maybe you could give me some tips?” His voice was unsure, now.
Disappointment tasted bitter, Elona realized as the familiar flavor seeped into her mouth. His comments were innocent enough, his tone had been light, but Elona hadn’t been on her own so long that she couldn’t recognize when someone was digging for information. It wasn’t fair of her to be discouraged. She’d even thought herself beyond believing in a strangers approach. Her grip tightened on the laces. She’d been tricked, entirely by herself, into seeing a little of her lost self in his overeager eyes.
“E-Elona?”
Suddenly aware that she’d stopped moving at some point, Elona raised her gaze, not surprised to find him already looking up at her. His expression took her by surprise. He looked guilty, like he barely wanted to meet her gaze, but more than that, he seemed apologetic. In one word, the name she’d given him, he was asking if he’d gone too far. Abruptly, Elona felt appeased. As she took a deep breath, the taste of the fresh forest air wiped away the lingering remnants of disappointment. Of course he’d assume she wasn’t human, how many humans had given him the time of day before? No matter how much she didn’t want someone prying into her past, in this situation it made more sense than if he hadn’t.
“What makes you think I’m not human, Sionn?”
Her tone was kind, even as she skirted his question, but Elona hesitated ever so slightly before his name. Her entire being urged against saying his name out loud. She needed to avoid emotional attachments, and names held a special kind of power. Still, the little smile that colored his expression quieted the worries. He’d spoken her name, and she his. This time, she’d worry about the emotional attachment later.
“You don’t smell like one.”
“Excuse me?”
“Like a human. They’re all just a bit… musty? Even under their individual scents, tying them together. But you don’t have that mustiness. It’s been hard to place it exactly, under the scent of inns soap, but you smell… fresh?” Elona went silent as Sionn screwed his face up into a thoughtful expression, holding her breath as he leaned closer to her and angled his nose towards her neck. “And… almost a little sweet?”
Staring blankly back at Sionn as he pulled away and smiled earnestly up at her, Elona scrambled to find her tongue. Her defense, the ready lie that she was human, was stumbling in her throat and nothing else could get past. Her face burning, Elona shifted her eyes away, seeking a distraction. Elona focused on tying off the laces still— still! — in her grasp.
“Your hair, it needs to be covered.” Alarmed that her voice wasn’t as steady as she’d expected it to be, Elona took a half step backwards to reach into the pack on her hip.
She had a large pack on her back that held the necessities to her life, but the smaller pack on her left hip was easier to access and carried the more everyday essentials. The worn leather of both had aged, soft to the touch, but Elona had faith that their sturdiness would hold out at least one more winter. Tucked into one of the inner pockets of the hip pack was a scarf she hadn’t thought she’d need just yet. Though the air was beginning to cool, summer had only just ended, with even the leaves still clinging to their green shades. The scarf itself was a similar shade of green, and Elona extended it towards Sionn. Instead of taking it, he spoke.
“Speaking of hair, yours seems… different.”
Tilting his head again, this time the other direction, Sionn twisted his lips in thought. Elona flinched, and reached up to grab at the nondescript brown strands. How had he been able to tell? Faint dread began to ball up in her stomach as she wondered how strong his night vision actually was, a light heat burning at her cheeks as she thought of what he might have been able to see. Once again Elona found herself wishing she’d taken the time to find her cloak as well as a weapon. More forcefully now, Elona extended the scarf to Sionn.
“C-Cover up your hair, we need to get moving.”
With a renewed determination, Elona turned her back and strode forward. She slid her bow off her shoulder back into her grasp, even though there weren’t any targets in sight. To give her hands a way to expend her nervous energy, Elona pulled an arrow from the quiver at her right hip, testing its weight in her fingers. After a moment, Elona realized she hadn’t heard Sionn follow, and she paused to glance over her shoulder.
Sionn stood there, hopelessly tangled in the scarf. He looked befuddled, but his lips twisted into a determined grimace as he attempted to wrap the scarf around his head. It looked like he was attempting to tuck the scarf into itself, but he only succeeded in tying another knot. Her shoulders dropped as she found herself smiling at him, relaxing. Turning fully, Elona slipped the arrow back into its quiver and adjusted the bow back into resting over her shoulder. Reaching for the scarf, she began to undo his handiwork.
“Let me.”
Sionn opened his mouth to say something, but clearly decided against speaking, and shut it silently. Elona quickly realized why he’d been having so much trouble. His ears, fluffy and twitching at the top of his head, were several inches above where hers would be. They seemed to flutter under her gaze, and Elona frowned thoughtfully. Since they were the same vivid crimson as his hair, he had to hide them as well, but in a way that wouldn’t restrict his movements or hearing.
She experimentally draped the scarf over the top of his head, loose enough his ears could still move. Wrapping the ends around to the back of his head, she crossed them, then brought them forward over his forehead, tying them into a knot near his left temple. The little that remained of the scarfs length dangled where a humans left ear might have been, out of his eyes. The way his ears tented the scarf was almost comical, making his head look pointed. She put her hand over her mouth to suppress a laugh, before meeting Sionn’s gaze.
“I look silly, don’t I?” Sionn guessed, with a bit of a grin.
“Only a little?” Elona offered, hoping it was a comfort. While she’d expected him to look like a granny, like she did when she used the scarf, the strange style almost suited him.
“Well,” Sionn began, dropping his smile to look resolute. “If that’s what it takes to travel with you.”
Elona couldn’t tell how much of his statement was meant to be humorous, so she decided not to comment on it. Instead she merely gave a slight smile, before turning to resume the hunt. She had been hunting for years now, and Elona could almost feel her senses shift as she focused in on the scents and sounds of the forest. She’d heard the woods described as deathly quiet compared to the hubbub of the towns, but to her it was anything but. All around her, just out of sight, life was buzzed and thrived.In a crashing rush of wings as birds in a nearby tree took to the sky, seeking out life through food or mate. Out of the corner of her eye, Elona noticed the flash of a rabbits fur as it hopped along, but she dismissed it. Today she sought more profitable prey— deer.
She hated the hunt, but it burned through her. It made her blood beat in a quick primal rhythm she’d never quite adjusted to. Her feet found the perfect places to step in the brush as if by instinct, her breathing became soft and nearly impossible to hear.
She had begun the hunt.
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Elona should have expected it, as it was early in the year and late in the day, but she was still disgruntled when they didn’t run into any deer by mid-afternoon. By this point in the day her favored tactic, of sneaking up on the deer, was practically worthless. Coming to a stop at the top of a hill, Elona spared a glance back to check on Sionn. Hunting with companionship was new to her, but aside from his occasional input when he heard something she hadn’t, it was as if he hadn’t been there. Even her teacher, all those years ago, hadn’t been so adept with the forest. She had to give him credit for that. In fact, her pace hadn’t even left him winded. In truth, the hardest adjustment had been the feeling of his eyes on her, a sensation so long past she’d thought it gone forever.
“Let’s find a place to stop for lunch.” Elona declared, breaking the hushed silence. It served as an audible end to the hunt, a signal that he needn’t speak softly. For just a moment, the prospect of lunch seemed to make Sionn panic, before he covered it with a slight grin.
“Sure, once we stop, I’ll head off to hunt something up, and meet y-”
“Don’t worry about it this time,” Elona quickly interjected.
“Really?”
Elona glanced away, as surprised as he. She’d had no intentions of feeding him, and yet, his voice had wavered. She’d already suspected that his boasting had been just that, that he wasn’t as proficient at hunting as he’d suggested. Her bleeding heart remembered being ravenous, remembered only getting to eat when she’d been successful, no matter how much food her teacher had slain. If there was any weakness Elona truly had, it was seeing a pair of hungry eyes.
“Yes. You were rather accommodating with the scarf.” Elona flicked a glance up at it, and felt a small smile bubble up despite where her thoughts had just been. “It’s the least I can do.”
Forgetting that it’d been a misguided impulse to allow him to accompany her at all, Elona began to lead him through the familiar branch of the woods. Nearby she could hear the sounds of the river, meaning they were near one of her favorite places to stop for lunch. As they advanced, the soft rustling of the river got louder, and Elona sped up. Driven towards the river, she ceased to step carefully, embracing the sounds of her existence. As they broke through the brush into a small clearing, Elona glanced back, hoping to catch Sionn’s reaction to her favorite part of the forest.
The river that cut through the clearing had a beautiful rush of water that sparkled in the sun like a thousand jewels cast into the air. It curved when it met the jutting edge of broad flat stones that formed a semi-circle, wrapping around it where most rivers would have shore. The flat boulders were warmed from the sun, and large enough to sit on. Some time ago she’d stumbled upon this splendor by accident. She’d never shared it with someone before. Concerned that Sionn might not appreciate the wealth of the view, Elona watched his expression carefully.
He watched her as they entered the clearing, meeting her gaze, only looking away when she’d stared at him for several moments. Almost immediately, his jaw opened and his eyes widened. At first, the only sound was that of the breeze softly ruffling the leaves.
“Woah!” Sionn burst forward, stepping ahead of Elona and spinning, as if to get the full force of the view of the clearing. “This is incredible! I can’t believe I’ve never seen this part of the forest!”
“I’m glad you like it. It’s my favorite place in the forest,” Blooming with pride at Sionn’s reaction, Elona led the way to the boulders. “I stumbled on it by accident once, but find myself returning often.”
“I can see why!”
Removing her cloak, Elona draped it over the surface of one of the middle boulders. She set her bow and large pack on the ground next to the boulder, and pulled herself up onto it, sitting on the edge of her cloak. Elona looked back to Sionn, who stood in the middle of the field, grinning. She gestured for him to sit next to her, watching as he leapt upwards and plopped down with enough force to make her cringe. Sionn pulled off the scarf, before ruffling his hair and wriggling his ears. She stared for a moment, wondering if it had been more uncomfortable than he’d let on. His hair had been a vivid enough red in the early dawn and the shade of the forest, but with the full force of the sun hitting it, it seemed a blaze of red. The strands, burning in the light, had been haphazardly cut, likely a long time ago by the way they were hanging in his eyes. His hair hung halfway down his neck, not that much shorter than her own, which brushed at the tops of her shoulders. It was much fluffier though, seeming to have a life of its own in volume.
Shaking it off, Elona leaned over, reaching into her bag and pulling out the supplies she’d planned for her lunch. All there was was a small bag of apples, some dried rabbit jerky, a hunk of inexpensive cheese, and a small loaf of bread. Nothing extravagant, but more than enough to share. She set them down in the center of the cloak, before reaching into the pack on her hip, looking for a knife to cut the bread and apples.
“Hey no worries, I got this.” Elona glanced up as Sionn spoke, watching as he slid a slim dagger out of a hidden sheath in his boot. He picked up the loaf and started slicing, grinning broadly. “See? I’m helpful.”
He sounded so sincerely pleased with himself that Elona allowed her knife, now gripped in her palm, to slide back into the bag unnoticed. Smiling, Elona felt a bittersweet twang in her heart. She could almost delude herself into believing this shared lunch was a normal affair, that such picnics were a regular possibility for her. Reality edged in, though, reminding her that he too would leave. She could let herself hope that he might not go for the same reasons as the rest, but go he would. If her secret didn’t slip and scare him off, how long before she simply drove him away by being herself? Friendship was a risk she couldn’t take, a promise she’d never be able to fulfill.
“Hey-oh, why the somber expression?”
Startled, Elona raised her eyes from her food. Sionn had leaned over and down, breaking into her line of vision, and looked up at her with an expression of concern. His features were almost boyish, but for the first time Elona noticed the faintest of scars on the end of his left eyebrow, forming a little crescent. Reminded of her own scars, big and small, Elona reached out and touched her hand to it. Sionn’s eyes widened. He flinched from her touch and laughed cheerlessly.
“I’m sorry,” Elona offered, unsure if she was apologizing for her train of thoughts or the contact.
“No, no, it’s okay.” Sionn glanced away for a moment, before smiling back at her, a soft sad sort of smile. “We’ve all got scars. I just don’t like to think of how I’ve earned mine.”
It was odd to see a crack in his jaunty attitude, and Elona regretted what she’d done. He hadn’t even mentioned the large scar crossing over her eye, and yet she’d drawn notice to such a small one of his. Chewing on her lip, Elona tried to think of a way to bring his light-hearted mood back.
“Thank you.” It was insufficient, wholly lackluster, but the only thing she’d thought of.
“For what?” Sionn looked genuinely confused, and Elona couldn’t blame him. She’d spent so much of their acquaintanceship so far shoving him away, sincere gratitude must seem strange.
“For… accompanying me.” Elona felt it, the dangerous noose of affection, but still the honesty burst forth. His quiet presence, his laughing attitude, they both had made the morning seem more full.
“Oh.” He smiled, and Elona felt the pressure inside her ease. “Well, now who’s being overly formal?”
“Hm?” Elona remembered his introduction earlier that day, and laughed, “Ah, I suppose that’s true. It’s just—”
Breaking off, Elona shoved a slice of bread with apple and cheese into her mouth. She’d almost spoken more than she’d meant to. Sionn took a bit of rabbit jerky, tilting his head and waiting patiently for her to speak. Grateful for the chance to rethink her thoughts, Elona finished the bite before speaking again.
“It’s just, our first meeting was so strange, I suppose we’re overcompensating with formal language.”
“Ah, that’s true.” Sionn smiled, before glancing away and looking at the water. “Ah- last night, right? We sort of skipped introductions. After all, you greeted me with an iron poker.”
“Well— you did break into my room.” Elona wondered why she felt the need to defend herself. Her reaction had seemed perfectly reasonable last night.
“True, true. I was trying to avoid suspicion, but... What’s that saying? Out of the pan and into the fire-” Sionn paused with a grin, before adding, “poker?”
Caught off guard by the pun, Elona let out a sputtering laugh, coughing as she inhaled chunks of apple. Once she could breath, Elona shook her head at him, even as she smiled.
“No shame, I see, for bursting in on a woman in the bath?”
“E-heh, that’s not quite it.” Sionn chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “I’m surprised you didn’t say anything when I turned the light out.”
Elona was relieved to hear that. It meant she hadn’t let her guard down so long that the lantern had burned down. The warmth of the water had led her to believe that already, but confirmation was never something to be scoffed at.
“I… was asleep.” The admission was soft, even as Elona wondered why she’d admitted it at all.
“In the bath?” Sionn frowned, tilting his head. “You should be careful, that can be dangerous.”
Elona just raised her eyebrows at him, finishing off her food. “You don’t say.”
Sionn blinked, then laughed again and shook his head. “I meant the water, not the chances of having someone climb in your window. Don’t tell me I’m not the first?” Sionn touched a hand to his heart, looking playfully aghast.
“Well,” Elona stretched out the word, leaving him in suspense, before chuckling. “You are.” Elona couldn’t remember a time she’d felt so at ease. Sighing contentedly, Elona pushed off from the rock. Sionn was still eating, and Elona turned back to face him. “I’m going to go… take care of my business. I’ll be right back.”
Though it was a risk, Elona left her things behind as she headed into the forest to address her pressing needs. She could lie to herself, tell herself it was because they’d get in the way, but in truth she was leaving a reassurance for Sionn that she truly would return. She wasn’t about to sneak off and leave him behind. It was a little too late for that. When they parted, at the end of the day or the end of the hunt, it’d hurt, but she’d let him be the one to walk away. Like all the others.
Elona was alone, but not because she’d ever left someone behind. She just waited for them to leave.
Shaking off that sentiment as she walked into the clearing, Elona didn’t immediately see Sionn. Instantly there was an astonishingly distressing pang squeezing her heart. Had he left so soon? Though relief should have followed when she finally spotted him, instead there was panic. He had moved to the edge of the boulder, kneeling on it and looking into the water with his hand braced on the edge. A cold heat swept over her, and Elona sprinted forward, calling out his name. The glittering river was deceptively fast, and could swallow him up in an instant. Sionn turned to look at her, lifting his hand in a wave, and Elona watched as his other hand slipped, sending him wordlessly into the water.
Leaping onto the nearest boulder, Elona sprinted towards the edge. No good, Sionn was already out of sight. She’d have to dive into the river. Elona lost precious seconds, shaking in fear. To save Sionn, to even have a chance, she’d have to show him exactly what she hoped he’d leave without seeing. Elona let out a huff of air. So be it.
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