A few days after the incident with the Elven ships, I woke to clouds hiding the moon, resulting in complete darkness outside my cave. Ivan had gone, but his fire was still burning a little. Slowly rising I brushed the dirt off myself looking for water. I drank, thinking that it would be nice if I could go into town sometimes. To leave the small island and see some other people for a change. Every time I brought up the subject Ivan would slap it down. Saying that it was risky, even if the people did hate the Elves, people had a price. Also, if the Elves knew I was here. It wouldn't just be me who suffered, but the whole island would suffer. Noises came into the cave from outside, Lops searching for a partner or birds that came for the fruit. The noises of the night were always a comfort, knowing that Seraphina was still alive and healthy. Healthy enough to sustain new life and new growth. Ivan and Avery also like to hunt at night. They didn't like hunting all the time, so they would stockpile. Their hobby was sit in their caves and get fat. I dank from my water bag, a gift from the Feas. Before this I would always have to seek water, I could never carry it. I didn't like how it was made from animal skin, though it was useful, and I had already disgraced my kind enough. The liquid was refreshing, I splashed a little on my face. I would have to refill it today.
"Hello?" a small voice came into the cave, I jumped and hid. I had the ability to make myself in invisible, as did all Mairan's, but instead I hid behind a large rock. "We already saw you" I stayed behind my rock. No one ever came to this island, there was no reason to come here. I panicked, I have not spoken to anyone other than Avery's and Ivan for nearly three years. What if they were Elves, I was not ready for a fight or any kind of conflict. I didn't want to reply, I wanted them to leave, I wanted Ivan to come back. I heard rustling, it was moving but then murmuring, how many of them were there?
"Who are you?" I replied, there was silence for a moment.
"We are looking for a Fea that hides in a cave?" one of them said. The Fea that hides in a cave were the last words that Nevio had said to me. That was Four years ago, just before the final battle. I told him if I lost, I would die. His reply was ‘well I will have to look for the Fea that hides in a cave.’ I wondered if it was just luck but I decided to risk it. I stepped out from behind my rock.
"Why would you be looking for such a creature" I replied
"We were sent, by..." there was a pause now and I heard murmuring "Nevio"
My previous thought was obviously true, he had told them about me. Did he talk? Is he dead? Why would he send them here? Why would he tell anyone that I was here? Suddenly a thought, what if these are the four Slytherin boys that the Elves were looking for. Why has Nevio sent them here? Do they need protection? I wondered if Nevio was safe.
"Show yourself, come into the light" I said, trying to be and sound more confident than I was. If they turned out to be Elves. I was just going to have to deal with it and stop being pathetic. If they were Elves; it would mean that Nevio was dead. Slowly four cloaked figures walked into the cave. They looked at each other before removing their hoods. Their green heads were not a surprise, but their colour was.
"Are you Zoe the Fea?" one asked. Zoe was a name I started to use when my brother was first taken. People always like to talk about when they met a Mairan or if there was one town. Fea's were wonderful, however they were gossips. I nodded, "why do you live in a cave?"
"Safest place I could find" I replied and guested for them to sit, which they didn't not. The four of them shifted, they didn't smell of fear but anxiety, apprehensiveness and, of course, hunger "How did you know I was here?"
"Our leader?" the boy said, only one of them was talking. Concern raced through me. Nevio told four young Slythin the whereabout of a wanted being. How could he not know that they wouldn't talk? what if they did talk?
"Who did you tell you were coming here?" I asked
"No one" surprisingly all four boys spoke at once. I wanted to believe them, but someone must have known they were coming this way. The Elves even said they were searching for the boys as they heard they were heading this way. I was about the asked them when one of them said "our boat was seen as we left Mathor" Mathor was a fish village on the coast, south from the capital Tars'tunya. The Slythin cities were built for tactical stand points, so they were just connected by road on the land but also tunnels underneath. The tunnels were never lit and only Slythins knew how to pass them.
"Why would Nevio send you here?" I asked. I’ve had no connection with the Slythin leader in nearly four years. For him to random tell four boys about me and send them this way was disconcerting. The boys shifted their weight, murmured to each other, and avoiding my gaze. The one boy who spoke for all paused from his murmuring and weight shifting, removed his cloak and sat down on the ground. He was in a dark, very dirty traditional Slythin tunic and pants that stopped at the knees. Slowly the other boy followed his action, revealing the same cloth, all very dirty. Some had holes while others were missing clasps.
"Nevio said that you would help us" the lead boy said. I cocked an eyebrow. I could tell by the other boy's actions that they were all very hungry, thirsty and need of sleep. I wanted to ask them what I was supposed to help them with. Did they have a note from Nevio? Did they have message for me? However, I saw a look on their faces that reminded me of my first days in this cave. Not only were they scared but they had no idea what they were doing. I felt for them.
"Are you hungry?" I asked, knowing the answer but asked anyway. They all nodded. "I will be back in a moment." I said. I walked to the clearing. I knew the Slythins would not be satisfied with just a basket of fruits or vegetables like myself. I would have to gather meat for them. I was no hunter. Years back Ivan asked me to get him fish, as he was having no luck with a net that he had stolen from the Feas. I ended up falling into the water, scaring away the fish and cutting on my head. I removed a small dagger from my cloak and closed my eyes, holding the dagger to my chest, I prayed for a moment.
To my Seraphina, I require food for Slythins. I am sorry that I will take a life from your planet. I am sorry that I disrespect you, the need of your creatures is disrespectful, and I hope that you forgive me I felt Seraphina lift up inside me as I mediated and prayed to her.
Let me guide you I heard her whisper. I felt my arm move, this was being done for me and not by me. The dagger flew from my hand, I heard a small squeal as I opened my eyes. I saw a ghost like figure appear in front of me "Thank you" I said to the ghost as she smiled and hugged me. I didn't feel much of it. When she pulled away, she just smiled at me and slowly vanished. She must have known that the four boys were coming to find me. This must be why she had started to talk to me again. To my left there was a Muntjac. A muntjac was a large four-legged creature with one antler on the top of its head, which branched out. I dragged the animal back to the cave as I was too weak to lift it. The four boys looked at me as I entered with the creature.
"A muntjac?" one said "I thought they were all gone. I thought the Elves had hunted them too much" I placed the creature next to the fire and looked at the one that spoke. I looked at the creature next to the fire, it single wound weeping with fresh blood. The boy looked at it like it was the best prize. They all turned to me in unison
"I am not going to eat it" I said, and they pounced on it. I sat down on the opposite side of the fire hoping the smell would blow out of the cave. I disliked the smell and taste of flesh. Like a flash of lightning I realised what one of the boys had said. "Why would the elves hunt muntjac? They don't eat meat"
"They do now" another one said.
"What?" Was all I replied with, but they either did not hear me or just too busy with the muntjac. The Elves eat meat now, this couldn't be. For creatures like myself and Elves meat gives us no nutrients. Eating it was like starving ourselves. We just don't have to the organs or function to digest the meat. I heard a slap and a large leg from the muntjac went on the fire. It only took them a few more minutes to prepare the other pieces for cooking.
"Thank you so much for this" One said looking up from turning the leg on the fire. He was smiling, his white teeth shining out through his pale green skin, "We have not eaten since we left Tars'tunya"
"You are welcome" I replied. They had formed a line of work, each boy taking a different part in the preparation. None of them ate until the last of the Muntjac was prepared, cooked and they are cleaned. I was surprised that they had the control to not eat the food until the air of blood and innards were all out of the cave. One of the boys left the cave for a while and came back with four water bags, each of them washed their hands before they started eating. They must have been friends for a very long time to be able to work together like this. I wondered what they had done for the Elves to chase them, as they seemed pleasant enough. I let them eat for a moment before I asked, "What are your names?"
One finish his mouthful before he said "Ryalin" I turned to the next, he had finished swallowing "Taloc" the next was ripping meat from the bone and said with a mouthful of food "Neit" and the last one took a good minute to chew and swallow before he said "Laren"
"So, why would Nevio send you to a dragon island" I asked. They all paused mid-way through their chewing. Their faces all covered in meat and juice. I tried not to laugh at their expression. Slowly chewing and swallowing again Ryalin said
"What... what do you mean dragon island?"
"This island is protected by the dragons" I told them
"All the dragons are gone, killed by the Elves. Weren't they?" Laren said, I shook my head.
"No, there are still about 15 or so of them left. They do not fly anymore. They live in the forms of Feas" I said to them. I reached over for some fruit, as the smell of the cooked meat was making my stomach turn. I hope the fruit would help it settle. The boys had all paused from eating, they looked at each other like they were conversing, but no sound came. I let them be silence for as long as they needed. I had to stop myself from pushing them. I felt these were the kinds of Slythins that would become defensive and quiet, if pushed.
"We were banished from Tars'tunya" Neit said, his brothers all shot him an upset glare. He glared back at them, ripping more meat off the bone.
"Why would children be banished?" I asked
"We aren't children" they all said at once. I half smiled but swallowed it. I should have expected the response and I should have known they were not children. Taloc continued "we have already lived passed out first life"
"Why did they banish you but send you here?" I asked without a change in tone. All the boys shrugged and murmured something, then went back to eating without answering. I let the topic drop for now, letting them eat as I started on some fruit. I forgot what it was like to be in a room with Slythins while they were eating. It was loud, messy, and rough. None of the boys spoke again, only focusing on eating. They had shared all the meat out evenly and only took from their own piles. I also forgot how strong the smell of cooking large animal was. I always believe because I couldn't eat meat, was the reason why I found the smell so vial. However, this wasn't the first time I had been around cooked meat. Ivan would cook Lop all the time in my cave but Lop was a white meat it didn't give off the bloody smell that Muntjac did. They all seem to stop eating at the same time, each Slythin still had meat in their pile. They all brought out cloth to wrap the meat in before moving it to the side. I forgot that other being, unlike Dragons actually rationed their food. Each had a content and happy look on their face once they had finished eating. I watch Ryalin as he cleaned himself up, Laren had eaten so neatly I could hardly tell he had eaten at all. Neit and Taloc were a mess, they had stains on their tunic, juice running down their hands. They weren't clean like Ryalin who washed it off with the water, Neit and Taloc just wiped it on their pants. I smiled and felt like laughing.
"Sleep if you are tired" I said to them. They were all leaning against the cave wall. Taloc had his eyes closed like he had already fallen asleep. Neit was the only one sitting up like it was his turn to be watch.
"Is it safe to do so here?" Laren asked
"What about the dragons?" Ryalin said.
"You have nothing to fear from dragon's as long as you are respectful to them, they will not visit us tonight anyhow" I said. They relaxed a little, Neit pulled out rolled blankets and handing one to each boy. They worked quietly to organise sleeping areas. Once they had laid down, they seemed to fall asleep almost instantly. I wondered if they had no slept well since they had left Tars'tunya. I decided not to sleep that night but to watch over them. I knew the island was safe, however Ivan and Avery didn't know they were here. The temper of Dragons. The sounds of the night entered the cave. I tried to think long and hard of why Nevio would send them to us, after he had banished them. Was the banishment a cover for something else, who were these boys and why were they so important? As the sun started to raise the boys didn't stir. I thought if there was a way that I could contact Nevio, but every way would get the same answer from the dragons. 'Do you want to die' they were very unhelpful sometimes. I smiled as I looked at the Slythins, it was different to share my cave, different to have other being presents in my space. However, odd it was, I would enjoy new conversation.
It wasn't until late afternoon when the one of the boys started to stir. I spent the day napping on and off. I looked for more water and fruit, removed waste and bathed. When I got back to the cave one of the boys were already sitting up, he turned to me as I walked in. I ignored him and he got up to leave the cave. I shook out my blankets that I sat on and laid them down again, once I sat down to start on my fruit, Laren came back.
"Morning" Laren said, sitting down, he was holding the water skins.
"Afternoon" I replied. He gave me a half smile and sat down.
"Have you been in this cave long?" He asked.
"Yes, more than 40 red moons" I said.
"Wow. You didn’t want to build anything?" He asked, I half laughed, shaking my head
"I have thought of it, but I am not a good builder" I said, he nodded. It wasn't a lie; it was the solid truth. I was no building of anything. Ivan was also right that I didn't want to cut down the forest to build a house on top. "How did you get to the island?" I asked him
"We were smuggled on a trade ship from Mathor" Laren said, "It was a terrible trip, Neit got sea sick"
"I vomited every where, I couldn't stop. I think I vomited every day, it was disgusting" Neits voice came from the bundle of blankets, he sat up and rubbed his face.
"Yeah, especially the part where you vomited on me" Ryalin voice came next. Laren started to laugh and the bundle of blankets that Taloc voice came from. Started to shake as he was laughing. Ryalin, Taloc and Neit slowly woke and left the cave with their water skins. While gone Laren rolled up their beds, leaving out only a blanket to sit on. They each took out their small cloth of meat and started on breaking their fast.
"Do you want some?" Taloc asked me, I shook my head. It was very kind of him to offer, "We should have offered you some last night, since you caught it"
"No, it is fine, I don't eat flesh" I said, they all shrugged and continued. They started up the fire again to heat up the Muntjac. The smell filled the cave again, I was just wondering if Ivan would be able to smell it when his voice came though.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
