Falling White

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

"Why?" Aeolian sobbed to the skies. Her body shuddered, wing beats faltering. The expanses of feathery white angled against the white-speckled black sky, an angle that threatened to spiral the distraught girl to the death she wished upon herself.

Tears caught in her throat as she struggled for control. She leveled out all the closer to the ground she fled so stubbornly from. Just as she felt steady, Aeolian threw herself to the right to avoid an outreaching branch. Flying was hard through the swelling water in her eyes, but miraculously she'd managed for past eleven hours.

I dont understand...The thought had once been full of fervor and life. Now against the dark of night, crystal clear tears adding to the sparkle of the night, Aeolian pushed the back of her hand across her red eyes. Strands of luxurious white heaven's hair clung to the salty stretches of pale cheek and her bottom lip bore a dark red split from biting it.

She had done this too often, a part of her said as she came to hover just over a leafy forest canopy, this crying when no one could see. Aeolian's body gasped for the air it could not attain through the stream of tears. She died because of me... ME! Stupid Aeolian that told her she could do anythi--[/color]

Aeolian was so preoccupied with thought that the misbalance of her flight wasn't corrected in time. The tip of her left wing caught the dark green ceiling. Instantly, she was torn from the sky. Her body jerked, whiplashed by the branches' ensnarement, and, when she free, tossed foreward wildly. She threw her hands over her head out of instinct and curled her knees close to her chest as she crashed into the tops of the new spring trees.

Wood snapped and shattered around her falling form spraying her face and cheeks, falling alongside her. A part of Aeolian wished she would die when she landed just as little Beth had. The other half of Aeolian struggled to pull her wings in close to protect them from the splinters bouncing off her flesh.

Despite the height from which Aeolian fell, her wings, long and white, dragged out behind her. Branches caught between the plumage to slow her fall, but it wasn't enough to to stop her weight from blasting through an exceptionally large branch near the base of a tree. The snap echoed as her body paused with the energy transfer and then resumed the final drop to the ground.

For a moment, breath was not natural, sound would have been scorned, and movement would have killed. Then Aeolian sobbed. Her arms unscathed by the debris remained wrapped about a knotted mass of dulled white hair, twigs, and leaves. White lay sprawled out behind her in a feathery pile. Her favorite sky blue shirt hung from the heftier threads, falling off her bruised shoulder, and her pants sported a missing knee and numerous length-long tears.

Curled in upon herself, she didn't notice the lack of wind in the forest underbrush. All Aeolain knew was the throb of her heart and the lack of strength in her entire being. She'd flown too long without rest or sleep. She'd hidden herself too long from everyone around her. She'd smiled too many times without meaning it. The forest slowly came forth at Aeolian's sobbing calls for life.
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[Michihito Sakutarou]

Once again, Michihito roamed the land looking for a new place to stay. The blackness, though seemed to swallow him up whole, and he couldn't imagine that he would find one tonight. If he is keeping track of the right amount of days, he would need to build a new cave within two days. It was probably getting close to midnight. It was starting to become a little cooler, but not too cold. He was stretching his legs, and stepping over piles of leaves. Without realizing it at first, Michihito was stamping out a beat with each step he took. Unlike autumn, though, his favorite time to travel, there was no crunching sound under his feet as he stepped on the leaves. Because these leaves were new, new and pre cautious to the environment surrounding them.

He reached a point where the ground was softer, and the smell of fresh mud infiltrated his nostrils. The scent made him cringe. He blew out of his nose in an attempt to rid himself of the smell. He would like to find someplace to bathe tonight. The cool water would feel nice, against his sweaty, sticky skin. Michihito looked toward the sky.

The sky was a dark blue, but not quite black. with a few starts gleaming dimmly. But it was calming. The calming sea of sky made him feel a longing once again for flying. But he knew the dangers of flying in the water territory, and would prefer not to risk it. As his glance was to the sky, he stepped on a large twig, and it snapped. The sound seemed to echo through his heart like a bell being struck as he jumped and looked all around him. Nothing, no one. He was still alone. It had been his own doing that the branch had snapped in two.

But then, as his footsteps hastened, he heard a larger snap of branches, and he knew he wasn't alone. He pulled out his wings in a flash, and flew into the nearest tree. He crouched up on a Branch that was covered. He couldn't be seen by any unstrained eye.

Be on guard. You are hidden, no one can see you, and you can fly your way out of here if you have to. Which way is wind territory, east? or west? he thought silently to himself.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

[whisper=brokentapestry]brokentapestry, just a word; I already established the time of day as night when Aeolian fell so Im going wiht that. You'll have to modify... and sorry if I sound at all controlling, but I'll get confused ^_^'' [/whisper]


It hurts, Aeolian entire being shuddered just to keep her senses together. Above the forest canopy, the winds swirled, pulling, pushing at the leafy barrier between them and Aeolian. The winds were not violent or destructive, but they clearly wanted a way down to the crying girl below. Is this how you felt, Beth? Is this what suggestion does to innocent minds?[/color]Anger swelled in the winds and they tore at the leaves in response. Green tornadoes twisted their way upward until a breathless gasp for air from Aeolian instantly dispelled them. For a moment, green snowed upon green.

Aeolian lay curled in upon herself tossing thought after thought over in her mind as one or two leaves settled noiselessly upon her quaking form. Nothing came of them, those conjured only to be discarded thoughts. They came and went more on emotion than on logic, rising from her mourning heart to fill the ever loud space of her mind. Thoughts pummeled Aeolian's existance; thoughts of why it had to happen, why she could not stop it, what Beth must have felt and thought as she plummeted to meet the earth, the frustration and sorrow her friends and family must have felt-- thoughts that continually circled in upon themselves.

Much like her mind, the fallen girl's appearance did nothing to suggest perception of anything other than her own heartbreak. Feathers stuck up at odd angles, fluffy white mixed with the glaring, jagged edges of brown branches stuck between the plumage of her wings. Torn leaves adorned her bird's nest white hair to be hurried away by the sporadic bursts of breeze filtering among the forest trunks.

It was one of those small tricklets of moving air that encouraged Aeolian to find the pieces of herself. Slowly, so slowly, the white haired girl focused her senses on the feel, smell, sound, and thought of the winds gliding over her rumpled being. The wind swirled around her, small leaves, branches, shreds of shirt and plucked feathers carried away with her thoughts. Finally her eyes could shed no more tears. The breeze gaced her cheek one final time and took its leave taking with it the broken, ripped, plucked pieces of pain from Aeolian.

Aeolian sighed in the absence of her dancing friend. The puff of life, a mirror of her inner turmoil, lingered momentarily, a small cloud inches from the earth. Only when her silver eyes fluttered open did the breath of air allow itself to disappate to the skies. It seems as though I am destined to be alone in this world. Even my winds cannot stay with me forever...

With a heavy heart, Aeolian lifted her thin frame from the forest floor. Every muscle protested the action, but she told them it had to be done. Once she was upright, legs out to the side, Aeolian tried to right her wings so they settled more comfortably behind her. Pain shot though through her back; the reason clear. A branch had pierced clear through her right wing. It would take time to find the effort needed to remove it and currently Aeolian wanted nothing more than to rest her eyes.

Thinking rest may be the best descision at the time, she managed to relocate herself to the base of a tree. Wings folded best as possible, Aeolian let herlself collapse against the trunk. What Aeolian didn't know as she sighed once again, tipped her head back and closed her cerulean flecked eyes was that she was being watched by someone in the very tree she sought sanctuary under.
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[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito was silent, and listening. He listened for any sign of movement. Just when he thought he was alone again, he heard footsteps. To his horror, a young girl, probably around his age, walked over and leaned against the trunk of the tree he was in. His body relaxed as he realized that she had wings. Her wings were beautiful. They were white, but he saw something red.

Blood? Is......is she okay? Was she the one who made that snapping noise? Is that how she got hurt?

Michihito thought she looked exhausted. Tired physically, and emotionally.

"I know what it's like to be emotionally wounded. "

He flew down out the back of the tree. In this water territory, he knew it wasn't safe to just collapse like she did. So he went around to where she leaned. Her eyes were closed, and she began to look peaceful. He watched her and then noticed her wing again. It had been pierced by what looked like a stick. It looked painful to say the least. He winced at the thought. Then he squiggled over, and sat down on the ground next to this girl. It was apparent that she needed rest, so he didn't wake her to introduce himself. Instead, he looked around him as he weaved in and out of his thoughts.

I know what it's like to be this tired. She needs to sleep. I will sit here and watch over her in case we have any unsuspected visitors. I'm not that tired. But saying those last words, he yawned, and he knew that he would not be able to stay awake all night. Soon enough, he blinked his eyes fast for a few minutes in desperation to keep them open, but hard as he tried, they wouldn't stay. His vision shifted to black like the night as his eyes closed and his body relaxed.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

It would be hours before Aeolian's mind surfaced to recognize anything of the world in which her body slept. She swam in dreams, warped, feverish memories where Beth died once more. In her dream, however, the villagers forced her to watch the child fall, holding her back as she screamed, Let go! Let me save her! Someone! Someone save her! They tore her right wing from her back in anguish, as if taking revenge, and pushed her off the same chill. Aeolian falling from the starry sky, twisted in her dream to see the leafy canopy of the forest. She crashed to the ground brutally in her dream, and her eyes snapped open in real life.

Immediately Aeolian's grey and blue flecked eyes were closed, the sunlight of late afternoon far too piercing for her after so many hours of solid darkness. Heavy breaths fell from her lips and sweat glistened on her forhead; she burned with a fever. From leaving my wounds unattended... She blinked at the small specks of clear blue between the greens and browns of the tree tops. Slowly her eyes adapted.

"Stupid." She whispered to herself, the sky, her breezes. Tears welled in her eyes. "Why are you so stupid? You cant even take care of yourself..." She raised a scraped, dirty hand to her eyes and sniffed still looking at the sky. "Grow up, Aeolian. Grow up and start doing things right."

The first thing to do was tend to the wounds she could reach without paining her wing. Her foremars stung with the small scrapes earned from protecting her face. Bruises throbbed on her back and shoulders. Worst of all, pain continually pulsed into her mind from her wing.

As she set walls in her mind to block out anything distracting from her own body, she shifted ever so slightly and caught sight of another being. Her body refused to move. Suddenly unaware of her aches and pains, her mind whirred with thought, wondering just how she'd been found, who this boy was, and what he was doing here. She blinked, grey eyes fixed on the boy.Why didn't he attack me...?[/i]It didn't make sense. Anyone she'd ever known hated the "winged-girl". Most didn't think she was worthy of even a name...Why? [/color]
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[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito's eyelids fluttered as he awoken. He stretched his arms, and then, taking in hiw arms, paniced realizing where he was. He turned and looked straight into the girl's eyes. He backed his head a few inches. Then, realizing his manners, her stuck out his hand,

"Uhh, hi. My name is Michihito Sakurou. I'm sorry if I startled you, but you were hurt and..." He let his voice trail off as he gestured to her hurt wing. "I didn't want to wake you for introductions, you looked so tired. I was up in that tree when you came over here. I'm sorry, I'm not very good at introductions. I am also pledged to the goddess of the wind though." And with that Michihito stood and brought out his wings. Then he squatted down beside her once more, and brought his wings back in.

"I'll go to that stream over there and get you some water to clean off your wing." Michihito turned around and walked over to the stream. He reached down deep inside his pocket and pulled out a small canister he used to hold water. He plunged it into the water and let the bubbles float out the top, as the container filled.

Her eyes, they are so unique and different. She's different. But she cute....and really pretty. Michihito noticed in the reflection of the stream, that his cheeks were blushing. He pulled his canister out of the water, and walked back toward her. He knew his cheeks were still blushing. He bent down on his knees next to her hurt wing and poured water on it.

"This will help to get rid of the dry blood first. Are you okay? I heard a loud noise before I met you. Did you fall?"

Michihito ripped off a bottom piece of his shirt and soaked it in the water then he gently rubbed her wing around the injury, hoping he wouldn't hurt her. He had dealt with his own injuries before, but never someone else's. There was a stick through her wing. He softened the dry blood around the area for now, and he would wait to pull out the stick. She might not want him touching her. Then he glanced over at her, and noticed the sweat on her brow. And the queasy look on her face. He recognized those symptoms.

"Do you have a fever?"

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

As if spurred into action by Aeolian's watchful eyes, the boy sleeping beside her stirred with life. Over his head stretched his arms, oblivious, it would seem, to Aeolian's wakeful self. The unsettling realization that one was not where they meant to be, the boy jolted only to meet Aeolian's grey gaze with his own pair of blue orbs.

He recoiled. And promptly pushed a hand forward as part of an introduction.It doesnt make sense. Aeolian stared at his hand. Words flooded from his mouth, but barely ten reached her consciousness. First he falls asleep near me, then he goes on to try and introduce himself? Thoughts, conversation with herself, filled nearly every recess of her own mind. Am I that much of a fool to still be sitting here or...[/i] Michihito stood and unfurled his own pair of wings. Aeolian's eyes immediately took to examining the lengths extending from his own back. The vivacious trail of thought trickled to nothing as he folded them back in. ...is he truly different from the villagers?[/color]

One more thing was said by Michihito before he left Aeolian in her silence. She watched as he went to the river to get water. I still...I dont understand... He knelt at the water's edge after digging through his pocket. There are other people like me? With... with wings? It just didn't seem feasible after so many years in the village. The only other things she'd ever seen with wings were birds, insects, and, on one extrodinary occasion, a dragon slipping through the cloud cover. All her life she'd thought she'd been alone and there she sat --completely lost, mangled, and distraught-- with undeniable truth that she wasn't as much of a oddity as the villagers made her out to be.

The boy came back; his cheeks were pink. Aeolian sat back against the tree trunk, still lost in all that was going on inside of her, as he knelt and proceeded to pour water over the branch through her wing. She let her head rest against the tree, deciding that if he was out to kill her she'd be dead already. The feel of the water running through her feathers mollified her jolted world. He spoke too. This time she heard him through the heat she slowly began to remember resonated from her forhead.

"This will help to get rid of the dry blood first. Are you okay? I heard a loud noise before I met you. Did you fall?" He sounded concerned. The least she could do was answer him, but she feared the sound of her own voice. Fearing what speech may betray she nodded, tossled white hair following the movements gracefully. How nice it would have been nice to pull the waist long lengths of white from her neck and face...

Pain removed any thoughts of being lulled into sleep. I didn't think he'd be bold enough to actually touch me... She grimaced in her thoughts, looking at Michihito sideways. Instinct stiffened the muscles in her wing even if that shot more pain through her senses. The feathery length stirred, stretching nearly the complete half of her twenty foot wing-span.

She didn't have the strength to hold the tensity. In fact, she didn't have the strenght to hold either wing off the ground. After a moment, however, white feathers were bending under their own weight. The renewed, all-encompassing throbbing swelled in her stomach with the heat of her fever, but she let him do what he felt he had to do.

The pain lessened; the expression reflecting it eased slightly. A boy spoke. "Do you have a fever?" Aeolian opened her eyes to look for him. "Michihito..." Her voice cracked inthe murmured name as her lashed fluttered. A shaky breath filled her lungs as her eyes closed in a prolonged blink. She knew the answer to his question --she'd known it since she woke up-- she knew she had a fever, but as strength seemed to pour from her limbs and the sight of him grew blurry and darker than should have been, Aeolian could not find it in her to say much more. [/size]

[Michihito Sakutarou]

She mumbled his name, and he knew her answer.

"Listen to me, I promise I won't hurt you, but I need to know if you have a fever." He lightly touched the sides of her neck with his palms, and then touched her forehead with his thumb.
"You don't have to talk, but listen to me, you are not in a condition to be walking or flying, but it isn't safe here in this water territory. We need to bring you back to wind territory. There, I know the right herbs to make you well again. "

He watched her leaning against the tree. She was probably slipping in and out of consciousness, or at least that's what Michihito thought. He sighed. First, he needed to bring her temperature down slightly, before she could travel at all. He went back to the stream and ripped more of his shirt off. He dipped it into the cold water, and then ran back over to where she was. Her skin looked pale, and the fever was not yet near breaking. Her gently lifted her head off the tree and wrapped the shirt around it. The cold water should cool her off. He let her head lay back against the tree. He wasn't sure if she was conscious or not, and he wasn't sure what he wanted her to be. She was in real danger. If I hadn't been here, someone could come along and kill her, or she could die her alone. I won't let that happen to you, I promise..

Michihito felt a strange bond with the girl, and questioned where she came from. When she said his name, she seemed to pronounce it somewhat differently. She obviously wasn't at home, and he wasn't near home either.

Why is she here alone? What drove her to come out here all by herself? That fall must have really hurt. He watched the girl, looking for reactions or a sign that she was either conscious or unconscious. He looked up at the sky. Night was comming again. She couldn't just stay here, and neither could he. He looked around at all the different plants and trees. He looked for a refuge, someplace safe for them to go. And then, his eyes sought their refuge.

A hidden willow tree. It was surrounded by many tall oaks, so it would be hard to find in the dark. He wasn't sure if it was safe to leave her lying there while he went to investigate, but he finally decided it was. He approached the tree at a slow silent pace. He ducked underneath the wilow's leaves to find a mini forest beneath. There were other small plants and herbs there that he himself recognized. One of which was a pain killing herb. Perfect.

Michihito galnced upward at the climbing, knotted tree, and noticed two branches the perfect width apart to build a hammock across. He needed supplies, fast. He needed to get this thing up before the sun finished setting. Firstly, though, was giving Aeolian the pain killing herb. He picked two small grains and ran back toward Aeolian. He gently lifted her head and brought out his canister.

"Excuse me , miss, if you can hear me, please open your mouth. I have pain killing herbs that I need you to swallow. It will do you no harm, on the contrary, it will make you feel better and bring down your fever. After you take these, maybe you will feel up to talking with me." Michihito watched her intently, waiting for her response.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

Much was said after Aeolian mumbled his name. Knowing without being told, she clung to those words. She struggled to stay awake, to stay afloat. Little good would come of her submitting to the weariness plaguing her limbs, but rest sounded grand. The things he said came and went, momentary shields to the fever, never leaving their indended impression and yet providing Aeolian with the immediate care she needed without Michihito knowing.

Closing... for a moment can't hurt me...Only for....

Aeolian's eyes fluttered at the cold drips of water sliding down her neck. Breath heaved in her chest as the droplets slid down her front and back. How long...? When did he...?[/i] Aeolian blinked and watched him as he looked up, pondering something behind his blue eyes. Blinking in itslef seemed to be a task as she focused on his face. Shouded in lengthening shadows and veiled behind dark hair, he searched the wood beyond.

You've caused him trouble, Aeolian, She thought to herself, wishing quietly to feel the winds she loved so dearly glidin gover her skin. If only she could reach them, but she was trapped within a cage of green. She couldn't reach their crisp twisting lengths of life. Now he has to care for your because you can't do it. Becuase you were stupid... again...

A soft touch. Enemy! Her body shouted. Aeolian drew a quick breath, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling. Her first movement had been to protect herself, a tight grip had wound itself around Michihito's wrist, but when her grey eyes recognized the face her fingers slipped away as he spoke once more. She was safe with him; she had to trust him. Her physical state left no other alternative.

"...hear me, please open your mouth. I ha...I need you to swallow...on the con-... better.... your fever. After... up to talking with me." Aeolian cursed herself for not being more cautious. Back in the village she kept everyone at arm's length to protect her heart. Except for the children. Even that small admittance to her heart for such a breif period left her heart aching. Beth... Tears welled in her eyes; she couldn't focus. Words couldn't hold her attention like they had.

Again she nodded, ignoring the now more prevalent hurt in her heart, and looked to his hand to see what he held. Something small hid behind his curling, capable fingers and what looked like a water canister sat on the ground beside it. Her fallen hand took charge of the cannister. Bleary with the fever, she managed to swallow the medication with Michihito's help.

"Now--" Aeolian's voice cracked much to her displeasure. Can you even say one word without sounding pathetic?[/color] Pushing herself away from the tree, white, knotted locks spilling over her shoulders, Aeolian tried to stand. She wavered in the small effort and threw a hand to Michihito's shoulder to keep herself steady, but she refused to admit defeat. "Where are we going, Michihito?" Vivacity filled her voice. She would not be a burden to him any longer. She'd caused enough trouble in the village. Not here. I'm no different than him. I can take care of myself.[/i]
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[whisper=brokentapestry, ladyA]Hey, brokentapestry, It's me being nit-pickey again ^^ I Aeolian never told Michihito her name, so i dont know how he knowsss iiitt. ^_^;; Please dont hate me! *hides*[/whisper]

[Michihito Sakutarou]

The young girl managed to swallow the medicine, and with his help stabilized herself using his shoulder. She wanted to know where they were going.

"No offense, but you aren't exactly in a position to fly right now, so I found a spot where we could spend the night. There is a nice tree over there. Underneath the willow tree, like another world. You could easily sleep up in the boughs, and I could lay underneath the tree. That way, we can't as easily be seen, and you can gain strength so that you can fly. I'm really a nice guy, and if you don't want my help that's fine, I just thought you might want someone to talk to while you can't fly. "

Michihito watched the girl's pretty face, trying to read her expression. THinking about what he could find them for dinner, he remembered the stream, and its fish.

"Also, there's fish in the stream we could eat, and catching for two is no harder than catching for one."

Once again he looked at her face. The soft curves of her eyes, and her beautiful lashes. Her shining hair laying atop her shoulders. She probably has a ton of friends back home, and wants nothing to do with me. Especially if she finds out about my curse. Michihito dreaded that time, that day, those hours, when he no longer knew himself or what he was worth. He made a mental note, to make a sundial later to figure out the time. His mind went back to the young girl, her pretty face, and her beautiful hair. I wonder if she'll push me away, like all the others have.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

As Michihito started talking of how Aeolian couldn't fly, she grimaced feeling the truth behind his words. There was no way she'd be able to fly until her feathers grew back and that would take at least two days. Her eyes bore into the ground, hating the thought of being confined to her feet, and half listened to her accompaniment as she scoured her mind for alternatives. Nothing.

She sighed, catching the last words about fishing, and moved to stand. Trying not to rely too much on Michihito, Aeolian righted herself. Her hurt wing sagged with the weight of the branch, twisting feathers and grating against her bone. The world swam with the pain in moving her wing and she tipped back into it with a feather and leaf rustling thump. For a moment she stood with her back to the tree, thanking it for its help as the world reset itself.

"There's just one thing...that needs to be done first... or I wont be able to climb." She said between breaths that made it sound as though she'd fought for her life. Raising her sight hand, she cautiously wrapped her fingers around the branch as close as she could to to the sprawl of pink feathers without disturbing their akward resting places. Even that slight touch made her press her lips together in a firm line. Quietly she held up a hand to belay any hint of Michihito's eager to help hands. The determinded, self-sufficient glint in her eye said she would do this herself.

When he understood, she turned back to the branch and in one fluid motion pulled the gnarled branch out of her wing the way in which it had gone in. Aeolian gave voice to pain, a wrought sound full of raw emotion that no living thing could deny the acknowledgement of. The earth gave way as Aeolian drove the branch into the ground to hold her upright as that pain searched through her entire body.

Fresh blood streaked the branch, oozed from the forced separation between feathers. It glinted in the dying sunlight just as Aeolian's eyes glinted with the look of a helpless child. Tears had slipped down her cheeks cleaning new rivurlets through the grit from falling. Sparkling diamonds of water squeezing from the corners of her eyes trailed down her neck and dripped from her chin.

This is nothing... She reminded herself, ...nothing compared to Beth's... or her family's and friends... Aeolian pushed the back of her hand against her chin, the tears suddenly becoming less glorious as blood and dirt from the branch smeared her pale complexion.

Leaving the blood trailing down her wing --it would heal in its own, she knew from experience-- Aeolian shakily raised her grey and blue flecked gaze to Michihito. Without words, she looked to him to guide her to the willow he'd set up.

[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito watched as the girl pulled the branch from her wing. He could only imagine how much pain she was in now, but he knew, and apparently she did too, how much better her wing would heal now It had to be done eventually, but Michihito was glad he hadn't done it, that could have been worse.

Michihito's eyes locked with the girl's as she looked to him for guidance. He offered his shoulder to her, and then slowly, but surely, led her toward the willow. He held up his arm and seperated the willow's branches so that she could duck under easily. Then he led her to the trunk and helped her to lean against the tree. Then putting his words together in his mind, he offered her his ideas.

"Okay, so one way we could do this, is by tying a whole lot of willow vines between two branches so that it becomes a comfortable hammock for you to lay in. Our other option is for you to just get comfortable somewhere in the tree. Also, if you don't mind me asking, what is your name? You know mine, but I do not know yours, if you are in too much pain to answer don't worry about it, you can tell me later. "

Michihito turned his gaze to inbetween the willow branches behind her head. He could just see the small stream. He would go there as soon as the girl was situated, to catch them some fish for dinner. It would be easy to spear them once he sharpened it with the knife in his pouch. His hand touched the pocket of his pants. he could feel the pouch bulging from within. In it, he knew, were his most valued possessions, and tools to live with. His eyes refocused on this girl, well more like young ladies' shining hair. Even in the small amount of sunlight that flowed through the willow from the sunset, her hair tinted with shining reds and oranges on her hair. Her beauty once again overcame him as he blushed.

Realizing all too slowly, he turned away quikly, placing his hands on his hot red face. Then he spun around back to the young lady. He steadied himself, and then lowered his hands. "By the way, you look lovely in this lighting. " then, thinking he had been too forward, Michihito bowed his head to her.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

What do I say to that? Standing at the base of the willor tree, Aeolian tipped her head back to stare at the branches above instead of the roots beneath. Light sparkled through the leaves, bright dots of color bringing life to her other wise tired face. A fleeting mournful expression passed across her apparently pretty features. 'How could you cry for her? You're not even human!'[/i]

It hadn't taken long for the pair to reach the willow; Aeolian's wing was hurt, not her legs. Even though she couldn't fly and the limp length of white feathers dragged painfully along the gorund, she could walk and hold herself well enough to move without relying too much on Michihito's arm. The idea of staying above the ground was very appealing, the only problem, as he tried to solve, was getting her into the tree.

"My name," Her voice broke the uneasy silence as she closed her eyes to the sky, trying to feel her winds while she spoke. "is Aeolian Kilith."

Thinking it best she not comment to his flattery, Aeolian let out a long breath readying herself for a climb her limbs protested against the suggestion of. A chest-level low branch would be her starting point. Her good wing spread wide to catch a non-existant breeze as she launching herself up with a jump normally powerful to send her aloft. Her arms screamed as they pulled her up in place of the broken wing dragging behind. Feather after white feather drifted down; each one doused with more red than the last. Tears added themselves to the mix as she pulled her feet over the branch and shakily stood facing the trunk. It hurt so much, all of it hurt so much. The pain coursing through her back only amplified the shredding her heart had only recently ceased. The world just didn't seem to want her.
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[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito just stood looking at her. At first he wasn't sure how to respond to the bloodying feathers flowing down as she climbed up the tree. He felt as if he was swimming in water so deep that he could never find his footing. Finally, he found his footing and said, "Are you sure your okay Aeolian? If you're okay, I am going to go and catch us some fish to eat, but if you need anything, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask me. I understand pride, not htat I am saying yours is bad or anything, I..." He let his voice trail off realizing that he was rambling, and probably annoying this girl to death. "Just don't refrain from aking me for help." He stood waiting a few more minutes, and when she said nothing, probably out of pain, That has to hurt extremely badly., he walked out from underneath the willow, and went to find some branches that would be good to use for fishing.

As he searched, he thought to himself. She probably wants me to just let her be, but I can't help but want to help her, its my nature, it's how I was raised as a kid. I can't help but wonder why she is so different. She seems to speak in a slightly different dialect, and come to think of it, she acted somewhat startled when she saw my wings. Could it be that she...No, it's not possible. Is it? Michihito couldn't help but wonder about this new girl he has met. He figured that she was hungry like himself, so he was desperately tearing through trees in search of the perfect stick. Finally he found one. Well its not perfect, but it'll do. He pulled the blade from the line of his body and sharpened the point on the stick. Then he strode over toward the water's edge, and crouched, waiting for an unsuspecting fish to swim by.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

Aeolian rested her forehead against the willow trunk as Michihito spoke. Her shoulders rose and fell with heavy, calculated breaths to dispell the welling tears. Each word, rambling maybe, but words to her none-the-less, pulled her delicate fingers into fists, collecting scrapes of bark beneath her nails. Today, Aeolian thanked the skies for the long hair distorting the view of her face. Weakness was the last thing she needed anyone to see.

Michihito took Aeolian's lack of word as a sign to leave. Aeolian, however, could not decide if she liked the decision to be alone. She could smell the scent of wood as her face tensed revealing a twisted toothy smile of familiar agony. More tears fell. Why am I always alone? Why does everyone always want to be away from me? A sob shook her shoulders, her arms unintentionally lowering her body to the side of the tree. I dont like being alone. Why does everyone always think I want to be alone? I hate being alone! Sounding more like a distraught child than a seventeen year old, Aeolian barely noticed the additional scrapes alond her arms as her knees started to give way. For balance her good wing spread wide, off-balancing her all the more.

The sudden fear jolted her to awareness. You've got to stop this,[/i] She told herself for the third time that day. The last time she had awoken Michihito who had proven himself to be far beyong anything Aeolian could have hoped for. While she still didn't trust him, she had not expected him to even attempt to help her in any of the ways he had. Simply being there did so much more than anything else. The time before that, Aeolian had still been in the village...

Each time the words echoed in her head, she closed her eyes and sent her emotions into a box. Gruffly wiping her eyes, she sent her sorrow and fear, the pain and longing, into the deepest part of her being. With it went trust, love, and laughter. A determination to match a wild animal filled her gray and blue-flecked eyes as she turned her gaze to the skies and branches spread out above her. One arm then another, a foot and then a small jump. More than once, she knocked her limp wing into the tree and had to stop to let a wave of nausea pass. Eventually she made it higher into the willow than Michihito would have probably expected. The winds were all she ever had, she wanted to be as close to them as possible and the higher she climbed the more she could feel their invisible whisps twining through her hair and feathers.

"Ive missed you..." She murmurred to no one. Slowly Aeolian lowered herself to the branch, face to the sky. Perfectly balanced on the limb, Aeolian closed her eyes and breathed in the threatlets of high winds that swept over the tops of the trees and got caught beneath their canopies. Her wings looked like soft lengths of a white gown trailing into the air behind her. Wine stained the dress, a streak of red running down one of the sides, but even that stain remained elegant as soft breezes tossuled her feathers and pulled the remaining leaves and twigs from her hair. It was here that Aeolian would wait, would heal, would waste away the minutes enjoying the clear air filling her lungs, comforting her bruises.
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[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito was perched, leaning into the stream. A large fish, seeming almost too large for this stream swam by, and Michihito stabbed and speared it with his stick. Then He walked back over toward the willow tree. Once beneath the tree, he looked up for Aeolian, and jumped a step back when seeing how far up she had gotten.

"You climbed up there fast." then Michihito gave a small chuckle, and kneeled down in the grass. He gathered some twigs and sticks from the earth, and propped them around each other. Then, he picked up two small flint rocks, and started scraping them together, when that didn't work, he swiftly rolled two sticks up and down each other. Eventually, there were sparks, and Michihito had fire. He placed the fish directly in the fire to cook, and randomnly overturned it for an even cook. "So, where are you from? I grew up mostly in Montagna Del Vento, but i've lived all over the place. "

Michihito checked his fish, it was done. He sliced it in half with his dagger, and put aside the fish head. Then, he put each half of the fish on a stick, and then climbed up the tree to Aeolian. "Here is your fish, I hope you like it."

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

"You climbed up there fast." The voice startled Aeolian. Down to the side, Michihito sought to put together a fire. After the struggle to climb, she had lavished herself in the freedom of the what little wind came her way and welcomed the weariness into her bones. A nap had been a nice idea until the scent of the roasting fish, coaxed along by a mischevious eastern air stream, found her nostrils. Suddenly her stomach made itself known.

Michihito spoke again, a boy full of questions awaiting the meal to finish. Aeolian's grey eyes found the sky, the flecks of blue reflecting the never ending lengths she missed even as she listened to him voice his origins and questions. But as she toyed with answering him, Aeolian relized the horrid truth; She didn't know where she came from. The village. I dont know...[/color]

Interrupting her thought, Michihito pulled himself up to a branch not far from her and proffered half of a rather large, roasted fish. Aeolian reached out, hunger moving her hand without care, until she caught herself. Her delicate sore fingers flinched at touching the stick, her grey eyes stole a transitory look at him, weighing the possibility of him trying to harm her further, before she accepted the skewered fish between three fingers. The morsel steamed, the winds bringing the scent of char and ashes to her nose, but beneath the black smell was a succulent, moist scent. Aeolian hadn't eaten in since leaving the village, even she didn't know the number of days.

As she ate, she avoided Michihito's gaze; he had been more than kind to her, but she feared to see that in his eyes. Kindness was not something Aeolian had known from those her own age. So to keep her thoughts from the boy sitting alongside her, she recalled her venture since meeting him and fazed into monotonous behavior. Remembering what he had said about getting her into a tree, to safety, and out of the ...Water territory? Wind territory?[/i] Something was not right. She frowned, the thought of nations colliding with her perception of the world.

"Where...," Aeolian's gaze remained transfixed on the half eaten river fish hanging from the stick poised between both of her hands. "...is Montaga Del Vento?" Slowly she was realizing, she knew nothing of the world in which she lived. Thoughts began to build until caution was taken by the winds constantly blowing from behind Aeolian. "Why... is it dangerous to be here? Where exactly is here? What do you mean by territories? And why," Unsettling eyes lifted from behind lush black lashes to scour Michihito's calm honest, "are you here?"
[/size]

[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito had begun eating his fish, along with Aeolian, when she began to ask him questions. Questions, that he had assumed everyone knew the answers to. At first he thought she was joking. "That's funny. Did you hit your head too?" Michihito said lightly, then chuckled. He was about to take another bite of fish when he looked up and saw the still befuddled look upon her face. "You're serious? You really know nothing about the war, or the territories, or anything?" He gapped at her.

"I guess you don't or you wouldn't have asked. Um, well...The world, is divided. It's divided into four different nations, and territories. One for each God and Goddess. Pyran, the uh, God of Fire, and his followers, mostly dragons that breathe fire, have one-fifth of the land, Borran, the God of Earth, and his followers of mostly humans, have one-fifth, Heiseph, the Goddess of Water, and her followers, mostly elves,has one-fifth, and Airos, the best, with the best followers, feathered dragons, and others with wings, is the Goddess of Wind, our Goddess. At least, I assume she is the Goddess you are pledged to because you have wings, and can fly. Anyway, the other one-fifth of land is the uncharted regions. The regions where anyone can go no matter what corner; that is which element you are, ours being wind; and be without fighting. At least that's how its supposed to work. Montagna Del Vento is basically the main city of the Wind territory. As of now, we are in the Water territory, for people pledged to the Goddess of Water. We have wings, meaning we are pledged to the Goddess of wind. That's why it is unsafe here, because all four territories are fighting. If we were caught here, it could be deadly to us. Michihito watched Aeolian, attempting to read her expression as to whether or not she had followed him. He decide to ignore her last question until she asked again. His secret was one he didn't wish to share. Michihito didn't take rejection well, and he had been rejected every time someone found out his secret. If he stayed with her for much longer he would have to either tell her, or just tell her he would be back in twelve hours since that's all it took. He tried not to distort his expression, so she couldn't read it.

He brushed away a bug from his forehead, brushing away with it the thoughts of his secret and its painful past. He took a few more bites of his fish, and chewed while awaiting some sort of response from Aeolian. He kept his gaze on the fish, for he thought he was beginning to want to know her more. That scared him because then he knew she would most likely reject him, when she found out about his secret.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

Aeolian listened, the food forgotten, as Michihito explained the lay of the land. There were five separate regions; one pledged to each of four gods and one uncharted, Neutral land, by Aeolian's deductions. The god of fire, Pyran, reigned over fire breathing dragons. Borran, god of Earth, ruled humans. Heiseph had elfin followers of water and their goddess, as Michihito said, ruled those of the air and wind. From what he said, the four elements were at war, fighting over or about something from long ago. Currently he said she sat in water territory, no where near their Wind base of Montagna del Vento.

When he finished, Aeolian's brow had wrinkled. She looked wiser, if not more frustrated by the thoughts he had placed in her mind. After all these years, she had been more naieve to the world that she ever thought possible. She knew nothing of the goings on outside of her world and that village. There was so much more than her and the lives of the people in that village. Completely foreign races existed. Fire breathing dragons... elves... humans... He said humans were pledged to Borran, God of Earth... Aeolian lifted her gaze from the ground so many feet below to Michihito, a question and a scenario whirred behind her grey cerulean-flecked eyes. "Where do these lands lay in relation to here?" Not waiting for a response she looked toward the sky, quickly judged the direction of the wind and the placement of the sun. "Which region lays directly to the south?"

There was so much she needed and wanted to know about the world now. Fascination streaked through her eyes with the information. If what she thought was true then maybe, just maybe she had a place in this world. Michihito had wings when she never hoped to find someone else like her and he said Montagna del Vento was a place of Wind creatures. Her hopes held more like her resided behind its walls. She would find this place, she would find it and see with her own eyes. When her wing healed, when she had her strength back, she would find her place.

Excitement ran down her spine and she flexed her wings tentatively, experimentally. A pained smile enveloped her face as she moved the injured wing. Hiding the look best she could, Aeolian looked down at the nearly finished fish skewered on the stick she held. Aeolian always had hope, but she never expected something like this to open itself to her.

[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito pondered upon Aeolian's questions. "Well, " he started his response, "You can basically reach any of the lands from one of them by cutting corners, but otherwise the region that lies directly south is the earth territory, and about south-east is the way to travel to reach the wind territory. Directly north from here are the uncharted regions, which are not as safe as you might hope, while fire territory is basically west of here. Any other questions? " Michihito gazed at Aeolian, seeing the excitement in her eyes with the new information. He couldn't believe that she had not known any of these things about the world.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you from anyways?" He chewed more of his fish, relaxing on the branch. He couldn't help but wonder about Aeolian, she seemed so, unknowing, yet at the same time, very wise. He pondered these thoughts, until another came into his head. Maybe she is asking me these questions, because she doesn't trust me. I mean, we really don't know each other. Hmmm, how can I gain her trust?

Michihito continued eating his fish, waiting for Aeolian to start up the conversation once more. The young lady, beautiful and young, wise and naive, hurt and unknowing, was very strange, but her personality intrigued Michihito.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

Aeolian chewed slowly on another bite of fish as if she were chewing on the information Michihito continually supplied. The world was broken up into five regions. Four of which were elemental and warring. Yes, the thought of the bloodshed of war had disturbed her at first, but no more than it would have any other pacifist. Each region had an element and with Michihito's verbal mapping skills Aeolian could put together a mental map of the lay of the lands. Fire to the west, She thought swallowing the morsel and raising her hand to claim another, Neutral lands north; Wind to the south-east; we sit in Water; and Earth... to the south... Stormclouds brewed in her already cloud colored eyes. If Michihito spoke the truth --and what reason did he have to lie to her about the lay of merely the land?-- then she had spent her entire life among the wrong people. They had despised her, smothered her, threatened her very existance because they were Earth people, because they were dedicated to a warring god from the one that blessed her at birth. The skewer lowered absentmindedly and she clasped her wrist around a drawn up knee as she thought. She had lived and known nothing more than what a rival nation had thought to embed in her mind. If she had stayed there, then she...

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you from anyways?" At the sound of his voice, Aeolian nearly fell from the branch. Her wings spread, without thought, to steady her balance; Aeolian could not hide the grimace from moving her injured wing. Settling herself once again, she pulled the hurt extension of herself closer than she did the strong one. She glanced forlornly over her shoulder at her wing like a mother eyes its babe.

Avoiding her company's gaze, she kept her cerulean-flecked turned downward when she found strength of voice. "I," she said slowly, not liking the sound of it in her own mind and fearing the taste of it on her tongue, "am from the Earth region." As expected, she wanted to spit and rub the foul taste from her tongue. Throughout the years, her distaste for the people she grew up with had grown as she did and every year she repressed her dislike of them thinking all the people of the world were like them. Through a stranger --of all living things-- she found that they hated her for her wings and had never given her a chance because of them. Her heart had hoped to give them a chance... even if they gave me none. Her eyes chanced a look at Michihito, curious for his reaction more than desiring to see the distaste at a tainted being.

[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito swallowed hard at Aeolian's answer. I am from the Earth Region.. He stopped and looked at her face. His expression was a blank one. In his head, he replayed all that had happened since they met. It was apparent that Aeolian did not choose to be in earth. If she knew nothing of the lands, or anything else. She also had seemed astounded that he himself had wings. He thought in his head My instincts tell me that she is not a threat, but just in case, I will keep my guard up at least for now. I hope she didn't choose to be in the earth region. Michihito returned to his fish. "Interesting." He finished his fish, and threw the remaining stick and bone into the fire pit from the tree. He grabbed a splinter from the branch he was on, and picked his teeth. He wated for Aeolian to pursue the conversation. He wasn't sure if he should say anything else.

A girl with such beautiful wings, and she is devoted to Borran, and the other Earth followers? I can't believe it. I just can't. There is no way that a girl like herself hates the wind. And besides, wouldn't the earth people bertray and torment her for havilng wings? I never thought they were accepting people. Another thought crossed his mind. "Why are you in water territory then?" Michihito then hoped she didn't think think this was a rude question. "Sorry if that is a forward question to ask."

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

The look Aeolian spied from Michihito's face was one of cold indifference. She could not explicitly read what it was he felt of her background, but she instantly felt further away from him. Her heart clenched and she wanted nothing more than to be curled up in her sleeping furs or wrapped the laces of a cloud. At simply the thought of flight her wings flexed; pain shot down her back. Tears sprung ot her eyes. She looked away, a useless attempt at hiding her pain.

The fish forgotten in her clenched hand, she pulled her knees closer and wrapped her arms around them. Her good wing tucked around her, white feathers mingling with white hair, hiding half her face from Michihito as thoughts tumbled form her heart to her mind. Her mind put emotion to word, all those thoughts of "home" and "family", of what Michihito explained about the lands and races. Only his newest vocalization pulled Aeolian from a downward spiral her mind had yet again begun to slide into.

"Why are you in water territory then?" Aeolian's silver eyes hesitantly looked his way and she watched his lips move with an apology her ears did not hear. Her lashes fluttered as she collected herself, willing her mind, heart, and soul to stay in one piece while she sorted things out.

"I didn't know... anything," Was her reply. It drifted to Michihito on a small breeze, one of the few that had reached Aeolian while the two were perched in the tree. Only the smallest of winds could reach her by slipping between the rather thick leafy canopy. They slid ever present over Aeolian's exposed skin, visible to Michihito only when they pushed between her hair or feathers.

"How dangerous it is for someone to be in a rival territory?" Aeolian's voice, while soft and innocently passive, had a certain seriousness weaved inbetween each of her words. This was the world she was to live in. Aeolian had no choice, but to accept that, so she wanted to know everything and with her unable to fly for the time being, she was determined to find out what she could from her company. That is, if he continued to trust her enough to answer her honestly and fully.

[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito believed her. Every word she said. Even though he knew it might not be wise, he could not help but believe her innocent and beautiful face with her lovely white hair blowing in the light wind. He had made a descision, he would let down his guard, and attempt a friendship with this girl. He would willingly answer her questions. Michihito was thinking about these things when Aeolian's question penetrated through his thoughts. How dangerous is it for someone to be in a rival territory? His thoughts turned to fighting, and war. The thought of being caught by the Mistress of the Rain was enouhg to make Michihito cringe. He had no doubt that they would not be forgiving and at least keep in captivity. "Well, it depends on the situation, in a way. Certainly they would not be happy, and if the Mistress of the Rain, or the Water army were to find us, it would not be a pleasant rendevous. If you know what I'm saying. There are different possibilities. We could be kicked from the land if not considered a threat; we could be captured; or killed; or tortured, really. It's not something I enjoy to think about. Unfortunately, Miss Aeolian, our world is no longer at peace. I myself, would like one day to travel to the uncharted regions; those are the ones that belong to no one; and live in peace for a while. Certainly not forever, for the wind territory is my home. I miss it there terribly---" Michihito cut himself off, and wondered to hiimself. Why am I telling her all this, I more than answered her question. He turned away his head, and blinked back the terrible memories of his past. He sighed and looked down at the unfinished, and now cold fish he no longer wanted. He threw it down at the ground, and then let his head settle back against the tree trunk. The pain of his past mistakes was too much to bear. The anger that came from knowing of his ancestors mistakes and how he had to pay for them made him infuriated.

Michihito sighed again, letting go of all the emotions pent up inside him, within that escaped breath. He turned his head back to look at Aeolian. Looking at her made his heart ache. He knew deep inside him that she would probably leave as soon as her wing was healed, and he would never see her again. No one stuck around when they knew the truth. Why would this woman be any different? I pray to you Goddess of Wind, that I will not die alone. Michihito kept his face emotionless and his mouth drawn shut, but inside, he was screaming with his brow furrowed.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

Michihito gave Aeolian an answer in greater --and much more terrible-- detail than she expected. He outlined what pains may or may not fall upon them for simply sitting in a tree, for nursing a wound, for talking. As he spoke, Aeolian could not --did not want to believe that conscious beings of any shape or size, race or cultrue, divinely blessed or not, could do such a thing to one another.

Barbaric. Who could...? How and why? Because they're all at war? Because someone told them to? Because they've been hurt? Their loved ones harmed or worse? What kind of world is this that breeds violence? It doesnt get anyone anywhere. Why?!

For herself, Aeolian had never cared a lot, but to think... Beth... Yes, Aeolian still cared for the children. She would never deny such young minds and hearts a friendship, not when she had lacked all those years. Had the war ravaged their lives? Was it going to? Would it? The thought that people, innocents, would be harmed... It skewered her to the tree branch. The fish fell from trembling fingers.

Aeolian barely noticed Michihito had cut his own speech short, but slowly the silence of the forest grew so profound it pressed against all sides of her. She snapped suddenly from a presence that wrapped her flesh and in thick air, a touch that made her leathery skin crawl with goosepimples. Shaking off the feeling of such omnipotence, Aeolian realized her breathing was ragged and shallow, as if she'd been running. What... just happened? And she looked up to Michihito, wondering if he may know the cause of her anxieties.

What she noticed, however, was that Michihito had fallen into himself. Her eyes, silver with blue rings surrounding her irises, watched him for a moment. Even thought he kept his face stoic, thought riled behind his eyes and creased his brow.

"You have been hurt," She said finally. He had her full attention. COmpletley an utterly, Aeolian was looking straight into his eyes. Remorse, sympathy, regret shined in her eyes along side a quiet strength of heart even Aeolian didn't know she possesed.

Before he could answer, she shook her head. A soft veil of white half cascaded left and right with each movement. "You dont have to say anything and I am sorry for intruding upon your thoughts," she said softly, leaning back, away from him, giving him space. Gaze lowered in reminiscence of her own... adventures, she spoke again, "That kind of hurt... will hurt, long and painfully. Your thoughts are your own."

[Michihito Sakutarou]

Her words peirced his thoughts. He had been hurt, but that was not something that he could accept, for he himself had hurt people, that first time, and he was determined to never let that happen again. He heard Aeolian's response to herself, and he knew he could not lie to her about himself, and that he should probably tell her a little bit about himself. He would only reveal a little, in fear of making her try to leave, and hurting her self more, for he had three days until he needed to hide from his demon self. He sighed, and relaxed his face, and then pulling forth every ounce of courage he had, he began to reply to Aeolian.

"I am an angel, for the most part. But there is a part of me that is unlike other angels. I have another being. A being which I am not friends with. There are designated times when this being comes to surface, and at those times, my physical being is out of sight. A long time ago, this other being of me hurt the ones I loved, and since then I have not returned to my homelands. I miss my homeland, but fear the hatred pumping through the veins of those who do not listen, or understand me, and my thoughts, and of the ones I hurt, for although I could not control the other being, I am held responsible. I am always looking for a way to apologize, but I know that nothing I say can ever take back those actions that occured. I am sorry if this is not fully understandable, but fear of being hurt again keeps me from disclosing the rest of my secrets to you at this time. Please understand my feelings Miss Aeolian, for I am only here to help you heal your wing in peace, and then I will leave you alone." Michihito said this with utmost kindness, respect, and the deep sadness he felt with these words, although he had tried to hold back the sadness.

The sky had been black for some time now, without Michihito realizing it. There was no moon and only a few stars shined back at him as he looked up into the sky. His eyes were not tired, but he needed time to reflect a little, so he turned his attention back to Aeolian. "If you don't mind I think I will turn in for an hour seeing as it is so late. Sleep well, I will watch over our fortress from down below. Good Night Miss Aeolian." Michihito gave a soft, fake smile to her, and then jumped down out of the tree. He sighed and sat on the ground with his back against the tree trunk. He closed his eyes and tried to think of the rushing winds of freedom, but instead came a picture of the many terrified people who knew him. No one believed that things were out of his control, and worse, no one cared that Michihito tormented himself to protect others, making sure that he kept himself properly locked up, and no longer getting close to anyone, for he knew that if anything happened to any innocent person, or one he loved, that he would never forgive himself. He sometimes thought that life would be easier if he wasn't in it, but even with his tortured heart, soul, and mind, he knew that he still disired to lie in happiness, however impossible that seemed.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

Aeolian nodded quietly to Michihito's final request. The hour was late, she had known, but curiosity had pushed her to ask more and more of her company until... Until a truth revealed itself that drove the boy to seek refuge at the base of the tree she still rested in.

You shouldn't have pushed it. You had no right... Aeolian clawed at herself mentally, self punishment for not learning her lessons time and time again. Her conscious, however, refused to relinquish the feeling that she'd done right, or had tried to do right by the only person to ever show her kindness. Pain was something Aeolian believed no one deserved. Stranger or friend, ally or enemy, she didn't think she could ever sit as she was, pure face skyward looking for hope and broken back to the ground ignoring the problem, without feeling pricks of sorrow and greif flying through her chest.

Raising herself up, Aeolian turned herself for a better view of Michihito. Her white hair spilled over the branches, leaves and her arm as she leaned out. Her good wing cautiously spread wide on her left for balance. She watched him sitting down below; he seemed lost... in a time and place he had long since left behind, but didn't want to leave him. It was strange to see someone swamped in the very emotions she always felt. Looking in from the outside, She didn't want to leave him in such misery, misery she always found herself drowning it.

Sitting up further, Aeolian swung her legs over the edge of the branch and, gripping the length of live wood with both hands, stretched first her good wing to the heavens. It felt good to beat the air, to stretch the muscles, to feel the air sliding between her feathers. Aeolian unknowingly smiled to herself as puffs of self-generated wind played with her hair and shirt remains. The soft sound of her beating wing momemtarily cured all her troubles and with a satisfied heart, she sighed and slowly attempted to right her right wing. She stretched its length to half of its ten-foot span before bone grated and she bit down hard on her lip. Instead of trying to push it to its full length, she pumped both wings in unison. Her broken wing throbbed methodically, but it was nothing she could not stand for a small jump to the ground and before she could change her mind or Michihito could argue, she jumped from the branch.

In the seconds it took to meet the ground, sights and sounds of crashing to the earth jumbled her senses. No. You're not falling. Pull it together. You jumped. Pushing the memory from her eyes, Aeolian's feet hit the ground five feet away from Michihito and instantly her knees buckled. On her hands and knees, she let her feathers fall about her. The lofty lengths of floating white settled in the dirt around the girl on her hands and knees. It hurt, her wing, more than expected. By that would heal with time.

Before much else could be done, Aeolian settled herself back to kneel on the bed of leaves and forest debris. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, blinked at the sky, and sighed. She turned her cerulean flecked grey eyes upon Michihito and without a word, she stood and took a seat against the trunk of the willow to his side.

"I hope you dont mind," She whispered to the darkness, looking between the curtain of willow branches. The river glittered in the moonlight. The fire smoldered. Fireflies danced. "Nights are not to be spent alone, but I will return to my perch if you wish it."

[Michihito Sakutarou]

Michihito’s thoughts blocked out all the sound around him, so he missed the sounds of Aeolian dropping out of the tree. He was unconscious to reality until he felt a warm aura pulsing near him. He opened his eyes to reality and saw Aeolian sitting next to him against the tree trunk, on the forest floor. His mind’s focus was completely taken off his past as Aeolian spoke to him. “Nights are not meant to be spent alone.” He gazed into her silver, grey, flecked eyes. He let out a deep breath and tried to let go of the stress he held pent up inside. “I do not wish for you to leave.” Michihito said in a hushed voice. He kept his eyes focused on hers. They seemed to reflect the dim light of the stars onto his face. In her eyes he saw true care and understanding, something he had never gotten before from anyone. “Miss Aeolian…” and his voice trailed off. Embarrassed at having nothing to say, he turned his face to the stars. He felt an odd sense of feeling at ease, and peaceful. For this one moment, he felt as if everything could be all right. But then his thoughts turned to think of the way she would react when she knew everything. And his heart sank a few more inches in his chest. He turned toward Aeolian. “Why are you being kind to me? I appreciate it, in fact I love it, but no one has ever been kind to me after learning anything about me.” His eyes made a connection with hers. He reached out and was about to lightly touch her hand, showing his appreciation for her kindness.

Moving his hand had been what felt natural to do, yet when his mind realized what his hand was doing, he jerkily pulled it back before making any contact with Aeolian’s skin. He quickly turned away, embarrassed and blushing, yelling at himself inside.

Why did you have to do that? Aeolian doesn’t want to touch your hand, and she certainly doesn’t want your hand to touch hers. God Michihito, think before you act! What’s with you lately? And stop blushing! Men shouldn’t blush!
He hugged his knees tight to his chest, and rested his chin upon them. He sighed. It was a deep sigh, releasing his thoughts and turning his brain blank. He tried desperately to think of nothing, but Aeolian’s eyes kept popping up. He turned to look at her once more. The very dim light shone on her hair, reflecting beautifully off her white locks. He took in the sight of her, and then squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds, engraving the picture of her in his mind forever.

[Lady Aeolian Kilith]

Something's... distracting Michihito. His courage seemed to be failing him, the strength he had shown when she first woke, and his thoughts sounded scattered. His attempts at speech were hushed and fragmented, leaving Aeolian wondering what bothered his heart. Other than his quiet confusion, he looked content, at least she hoped the expression of wonder and awe meant he was happy to have company.

Believing everything to be as good as she could make it with Michihito, she leaned back, tucked her wings close, and looked to the sky. As she did every night, Aeolian counted the stationary snowflakes her eyes could spy. Eventually she would loose count as thoughts of banking on wingtip between them stole her focus. To fly among the stars! With streams of cloud washing over her, pushing over her feathers and pullng at her hair and clothes! Aeolian closed her eyes. A silent smile crept onto her face.

It was Michihito that pulled her from those dream-like thougts. She turned to look at him when he spoke, starlight and dreams making them shine silver instead of grey. “Why are you being kind to me? I appreciate it, in fact I love it, but no one has ever been kind to me after learning anything about me.” She smiled softly at his fear, fear she saw in herself, present, past and future. So this is what bothered you... It was ironic how much they were so much alike.

He moved, to touch her maybe, but Aeolian was grateful he withdrew. The only people to have touched her hit her. She never felt a kind gesture from someone her age or older; she'd seen them, and the children had played with her, but their innocent minds thought her merely a special visit, a treat of sorts, so they hid their meetings from their parents. Children were different than adults. Naiieve and innocent, one moment they could love you and the next they stood in ranks with their parents, completely opposed to the freak with wings.

"Michihito," He didn't have to look her way, but she waited until she knew he had his attention. Sighing, gathering her thoughts, Aeolian found she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to say to him. A touch seemed appropriate, but she couldn't do it. She could pretend he was another one of the children, keep him company and talk with him, but that was as far as her kindness could go as of right then. "Neither of us can hide what we are and no one has ever been kind to me for it," She started softly, eyes flicking down then back to him. "It is... not right of me to penalize you for something you cannot change. You have helped me --watched over me, fed me, tended to me while I was sick, and dressed what wounds you could. If anything, I am in your debt. This is a pathetic attempt at repayment..."

[black]

The night closed around him like a muffling rag. It's silence deafening to a point that even the crickets seemed weary by the summer heat. Even in the dark night, the humidity rose and made Sairo irritated by existance.

Lifting his head, he peered upwards through the boughs of the trees that chained him to the ground so effectively as his memories chained the pain to his life. A few strars twickled up out of reach and revealed the night sky that did exist high above. He longed despiretly to break free of the overhead foliage and fly within the freedom of the dark starlit night, however, the dense brush provided no easy escape, and Sairo felt closed and confined, a suffocating feeling rather, and it left him riled upset and irritable. His striking violet eyes reflecting anguish from many angles as the twigs and large branches snagged within his tightly clenched wings. The feather ruffled and pulled in the wrong directions, screamed their dislike of this treatment, but Sairo could do little more than hug them closer to his back--this on it's own created a growing discomfort within his strained muscles and shoulders, but he had little choice. Wings were a gift in the sky, but a hinderance on land--Sairo was not fond of being land-locked--the scar still hurt terribly from the sword of Borran's name.

He paused, stopping within a small bubble of space that was not so clouded by confining limbs. His fingers gently removing the tied tunic so that it hung loosely aprt, revealing his chest and abdomin. The velvet black sash he wrapped around his body was removed from around his neck and he gently draped it down across his forarms, using it's comfort as his fingers painfully traced the ropy scar that lined his chest and ribcage. Its diagonal pattern was fixed firmly in his mind--caused by the chain they had so tightly wrapped around him to hold him back. Its chaffing mark would forever haunt him and the chain-link pattern would remain open for the world to see. Pale skin contrasted against the black, and so he put away the cold remembrances and moved on, not bothering to reclose his open tunic or resituated the cloth around his shoulders. His black and silver outfit, appeared rugged in the dark, and he was a difficult sight to see, even with the large wings he possessed.

They were a color of shining obsidian black and large beyond necessary need. It was an aspect of his breeding, his genetic make-up. They were meant for smooth, easy flight--and provided power and strength for airial combat. They were unseen within the black, and the only portions of Sairo that did stand out within the black abyss of this nightly canvas was his hair, and skin, along with the few silver fabrics that made up his attire.

He began to walk again. His feet shifting through the underbrush--making much noise. He cursed beneath his breath, and shifted his eyes about wearily looking towards the sky hopefully, but still seeing no easy path to reach its heavens.

Grumbling in discomfort and loathing dislike for all those who dwelled within this god-forsaken woodland, he did not notice the change in scenery before he was upon them. They sat within the dark, a dull light eminating from a small fire the pair had managed to concoct.

Sairo found his mind astounded, his vision blank, and his expression surprised. Their wings gave them away as his did, but his shock did not wear away and the glare within his eyes remained as it had been just a few moments prior. He hadn't thought to change it yet--the shock of meeting another was still fading--slowly.

The image he must of portrayed, probably did not help his cause.

Here he stood a stranger to them, as they were to him. The fire between the two parties and the ghostly light reflecting off of large black wings, clenched taughtly behind the back of a tall intruder, stern expression, natural anger lurking within the soul of his eyes, and his tall appearance easily towering over their sitting forms. His height reached an easy six feet and towered maybe five inches higher, give or take.

Only after realizing that he truly was in the pressence of others, did his visage soften into more of an aprehensive, but apologetic look of surprise; yet by then it could have been too late.