Chapter 0.4

 His armor disturbed the quiet sound of the woods, crunching leaves under his foot with each step. Klau moved nimbly on the other hand. Her bare feet skipped from logs to shallow rocks, and never made a sound. She turned to Gadreel, seemingly annoyed by something. 

“You sire are so unbelievably loud. I really hope you know that. I have encountered quieter storms in these woods compared to your hammering about.”

He shrugged his shoulders, showing that it’s just how he was and couldn’t really fix it. They continued into the forest, Gadreel felt kinda bad that he was so loud and obnoxious, and tried his best to go a bit slower and quieter. But it wasn’t very effective. You can’t really be quiet when everything but your head is covered in rusty old armor. The trees held so many leaves above them, it blocked out the sun. The ground was littered with spontaneous patches of sunlight. It looked almost like splattered liquid, but it was stunning. Klau ran ahead slightly and climbed up a fallen log that was leaning on a giant rock. She stood heroically along the dead shaft of the tree, the wind blew a little harder, ruffling the edges of her apparel, the hair she clamped on the side of her head came loose in the wind, and unfurled around her face. She lifted a hand to run her fingers gently through her hair. Gadreel could clearly see the protruding marks of an elf, she had pointed long ears. 

He couldn’t help but stop and stare at her on the log. The sun speckles around her, deep purple curls blowing in the cool breeze. ‘Wow’ that was the only thought in his head as she turned and smiled at him, appearing somewhat embarrassed by her majestic stance.

His foot falls lead him to stand beside her. Klau’s hips swayed beside his face as she used Gadreel’s shoulders to help herself down. Hands flew up to her and grabbed her by the waist, Gadreel carried her gently down from the height. His eyes locked into hers as she gently floated to the ground. They stood for a moment, looking at each other. Sensing some force between them. ‘Is this the friendship I have always wanted?’ She asked herself as a strong urge welled in her stomach. She wanted to pull Gadreel close hug him tight and kiss him. ‘Is that the word? A kiss? I should ask, along with the handsome.That’s what friends do though. They kiss right? I should ask that too. I have so much to ask him!’ Her arms rested on his shoulders and his hand still hugged around her waist. She felt so small and fragile in his hands, Gadreel felt that if he were to let go in this moment that the wind would carry her away, never to be seen again. 

The moment grew and they seemed to draw closer together, suddenly qa bush came to life and a rabbit shot out from beneath it. It had seen the embrace between them as a chance for escape and bounded quickly away. It was to slow however. Klau’s sharp instincts dropped her to one knee and she reached quickly along the side of her thigh. She produced a flashy object and threw it towards the fleeing hare.It stuck fast in the animal, and halted its progress instantly. Everything happened so fast, Gadreel was still standing with his arms out, groping the air that she used to be in. Klau stood triumphantly and bounded over to the small ball of unmoving fuzz.

Gadreel followed, unaware of anything else he could be doing to assist her. She daintily knelt down and pulled out as wicked sharp narrow blade. Like routine, she wiped it on the grass next to her cleaning it of any blood, and pinned it back onto her upper thigh. For this entire time, he had never thought if Klau had had any weapons on her, he figured not because there was no obvious bulk to be seen. There was a slim cloth pouch tied around her leg, the knife slid in and she pulled down the hem of her skirt, concealing it once more.

She picked up the dead rabbit by the hind legs and smiled happily, showing her good work to Gadreel. There was a seamless cut in the back of the rabbit’s head, her natural instincts molded her it be an instant hunter. Her speed was so surprising, but she seem to see it as nothing. He felt oddly jealous of her skills and felt that he would have to show off as well to impress her. 

“Well that was easy,” She said triumphantly, “I guess we should head back then. Make a fire and eat.” A string around her waist fastened to the rabbit’s hind legs and she pulled it tight, keeping the carcass in place on her hip. 

Klau lead back towards the cabin, they went back and forth about the object of hunting. If people hunted in the woods, and so forth. When they came to the clearing with the cabin, the sun was beginning to set. It unfurled an aurora of deep red and lazy lavender. Klau paused in her tracks and gazed wonderfully at the setting scene. Her eyes transfixed on the last few moments of daylight. The sky was breathtaking, but he simply shrugged at it and watched her admire the beauty of it. 

“I love sunsets.” she said to no one in particular. “I don’t really see them to often but when I do, oh I could just look at it forever. It’s so beautiful and amazing.”

‘That’s how I feel around you’ he commentated in his mind. She turned from the sun scene and went into the cabin, propping the door open to watch the sun and feel the last of the breeze. Gadreel started up a quick fire while Klau went around the other side of the cabin to process the rabbit. When she walked in the doorway, she jokingly said,

“Hey i’m home.” A sadness crept into her eyes and dulled the corners of her smile, but she still looked happy as ever. The cooking spit was standing waiting for the rabbit to be cooked over Gadreel’s full fire. He noticed her shoulders sag a little and seem to slow her movement by the slightest speed but thought nothing of it. Probably just getting tired. 

A warm aroma filled the air, the cabin became homier and peace full. The last bits of sun rays strung through the door and bounced off Gadreel’s armor. The helmet still rested on the table but he insisted to himself that the rest should stay on him. Something was floating in the back of his mind. He had always wanted to know why people seem to love sun sets so much, maybe he could just ask her? With unknown uneasiness, he cleared his throat and she turned from the pot cooking a stew of their dinner.

“Why do you love the sun sets?” he braved to ask, “Is it just because they look pretty?” He sat on the bed and watched her churn the food with a cooking spoon, she seemed to look into the distance and ponder this intriguing question. 

“It’s kinda weird,” Klau admitted to him, almost with a hint of embarrassment in her voice, “But i love the sunsets because not only are they the prettiest thing I have really ever seen, but it’s because i’m a strong believer in the One Day concept. You know, when you live One Day at a time, unknown of what may happen tomorrow so you live all you can in the day you have in front of you. And when I see the sun setting I like to sit and think of the fun I had that day, and that I wouldn’t really be missing out anything if I don’t wake up. I know it’s kinda weird, but I like it. Even the sky is giving me something to go out on if things didn’t work out their best. Same with the sun rising. It’s a beautiful way to start and end what may be your last day.” She explained in a hypnotized stance, staring into the swirling pot, seeming to be talking to just herself. But she broke gaze from the stew and looked over at Gadreel. “Don’t you like sunsets?” Klau inquired.

“I don’t like the night. It’s the time that I can’t be doing anything. It’s cool and pretty and all but I need sunshine to be able to live and do whatever I want, so when the sun sets I have to wait through the whole night before it comes back.” Gadreel stood and walked over to the split, wondering if the food was done yet, his stomach rumbled loudly after looking into the brothy goodness. 

“I don’t know how you can live each day like that. I’m always going to be judged by doing whatever the hell I want. It’s just how people are. We don’t want to be judged or looked down on by others.” Gadreel confessed, watching her eyes follow the spoon in circles, just watching Klau talk and admiring the way she could so fluently explain her mind to him.

 “Guess that’s the benefit of growing up without anyone but yourself. You begin to let go of the care that people would judge you. If you can’t have fun with yourself by being yourself then what’s the point of pretending to be happy being who you aren’t.” Klau had stopped stirring and her face became a blank emotion as her thoughts overtook her. The blue and green eyes that had been sparkling with delight were a dull color in the fire light. Dark shadows enveloped her face as the sunlight was lost behind the last hill. Darkness danced around her face, making her look much older and troubled. 

Without thought, he arm moved in a phantom motion, reaching up and holding her chin with one hand, he turned her blank stare into his eyes. The other hand caressed through her long strangely purple hair, and tucked it behind her elongated elfen ears. A sadness filled her face, as if the simple comforting touch was all she had ever wanted from another person. Gadreel’s eyes moved back and forth from hers, worried wanting to help her fight some unknown demon. Klau’s gaze came back into reality and she realized what was happening. Her lip quivered sadly as she moved her hands up and swept off his. She shook her head as if clearing pestering thoughts, and turned silently back to the stew that was a rolling bubbling mess. 

His arms lowered slowly, his fingers still felt the soft touch of her skin, phantom feelings. Silence fell onto them, not uncomfortable, but an understanding silence that a bond was made then broken. The armor clanked as Gadreel walked to one of the boxes and produced two carved wooden bowls and spoon straw things. ‘These should be good enough’ he rationalized to himself. 

There was no communication between them as he passed off the bowls and she filled them with the boiling stew. He placed Klau’s by the bed and sat next to the door. The bowls gave off steam that danced wispily in the air. The fire was fading down but produced a low soft light around the room. It was warm relaxing and quiet, but there was a distance between them as she sat down on the bed, cupping her bowl on her lap, her eyes lost in the fire’s dancing tongues. An unknown emotion had overtaken her, she was quiet, and still. But that didn’t suit her, Gadreel was remembering about the day they had just had. He realized something, it was just about the funnest day he had had in a very long time.

They both ate up the hunt, and put the empty bowls off to the side, to be later washed in the steam the next day. The fire was warm, and they were becoming sleepy with full tummies. Klau laid her head down on the bed and chatted idly with Gadreel who was still sitting by the door, his helmet by his side. 

“What exactly is a kiss?” Klau’s question left her mouth before she could think twice about it. They conversation had quickly turned from the colstellation stories to her curiosity. 

“What do you mean?” Gadreel was now intrigued with the direction of topic, she was very interested in anything she had lost thought of while living in the woods alone. It was cute. 

“Well I know what it is. But I mean why? Why do people do it?”

“There is a lot of reasons why, people in Europe do it to introduce each other and say hi. Other times it’s just to show someone you love them. It’s a sign of compassion and affection for another person.”

“Have you ever kissed anyone?” Klau turned from looking at him, and stared into the fire, watching the flames dance with each other. She curled up under the blankets and cuddled the pillow to her chest, beds were so comfy but she preferred to sleep at her own home.

“Well, no. i have never really had anyone close to me, not even friends. So I had no use for the sign of compassion if i had never had anyone to share it with.” Gadreel zoned out of reality and stared at Klau on the bed, his eyes were getting heavy and he was leaning heavily on the back wall. 

“I think I want to kiss someone, It seems nice. i wish somebody loved me like that.” She admitted, Klau’s eyes drooped shut and her body relaxed entirely. Silence followed as her breaths became deeper and she fell asleep. 

Gadreel sat in the silence, listening to the popping of the fire as the flames became lower and lower. The shadows deepened and became still as the fire died to a smolder. He watched her shoulders move as Klau rolled onto her stomach in sleep, sprawling ungracefully under the covers. The sight made him smile, her graceful actions through the day were lost with her thrashing sleep, and cute smushed cheek on her arm. He tipped back his head and closed his eyes, willing sleep to take him for the night. In barely a whisper, he unconsciously said to himself, 

“We shouldn’t wait for love to find us. But follow any direction and fight for an unfound love, even the concept is worth fighting for.” Gadreel took a deep breath and fell asleep, soaking in the warm from the the warm fire embers. 

Author's Note

Sorry, it is a bit shorter than the other chapters.