anything and everything

scene: April and Emery

MissAvarice
I am severely bored and so you get scene.
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"We're not really supposed to leave town this late, April. There's wolves." Emery said as the two of them made their way out of town and into the forest nearby.

"There's no wolves close. They're terrified of my new friend." April said. "come on, I want to get there before sunset. She loves watching it with me."

"What is your friend that scares wolves? Did you catch a mountain lion or something?" Emery asked. April had insisted she come meet her friend but wouldn't tell Emery what she had hidden in the woods.

"Yeah... Something like that." April said cryptically, not willing to give away any information about what she had. Emery thought it was some sort of animal that she had nursed to health.

The two made their way through the trees, following a slight path that had been made by April's repetitive trips. Eventually they came out near a small pond. In the clearing was a little house that April had constructed.

"She's probably in there." April said. She paused by the pond to fill up a small pot she had left there. That way they could purify and drink some water.

Emery moved ahead towards the little shelter. She peered in but couldn't see anything in the darkness.

"Hello? Is something in here? You can come out, I won't hurt you." Emery called in a soft coo, the same tone you might use for a frightened puppy in a storm.  Nothing came out of the den.

"Is she not in there? She's usually sleeping inside at this hour." April walked over with the pot and set it down before she moved to the shelter to check inside. Emery watched her, entirely unaware of the figure silently approaching her from behind until she heard a throat clear.

"Are you looking for me?"

Emery jumped at the sudden voice. April was pulling a prank on her, wasn't she! Emery spun around with full intent to give an earful to whoever agreed to this stupid prank. The words died in her throat when she stared up at a monster.

Oriel gazed down at the strange human. The moment their eyes met, she recognized the familiar fear that was often followed by a scream. She reached out and covered the girls mouth with a spire. "Don't scream." She said.

By that point April had noticed her return. She exited the shelter and walked over to them. "Oriel, you're only going to scare her more. Let go."

Oriel shrugged and released the girl.

"That - thats a- not an animal." Emery stuttered out, pointing a finger at Oriel.

Oriel reached up and removed the skull that she usually wore before she set that and the firewood she had gathered down beside her stone ring fire pit.

"I said we were going to meet my friend." April said as if it was obvious they weren't coming for an animal.

"This is Oriel. Oriel, this is Emery. I told you she might be coming." April introduced them.

"Hello." Oriel said to Emery. She knew by now to give humans space when they were frightened of her. She just busied herself lighting a fire so she could cook dinner.

She had long since healed by decided not to leave. She told April that she still couldn't use her legs, that it would be best to stay there longer.

She didn't bothered to specify that she could never use her legs to begin with.

Oriel tuned out Aprils comforting words to Emery and focused on building the fire. She looked up again though when the others approached her.

April sat down beside the fire and Emery took a seat further back. Oriel figured she just didn't want to be within reach of her spires.

"I brought you a treat again Oriel." April said. She was going to prove Oriel was safe by interacting with her as they usually would.

"Did you?" Oriel looked at April and she nodded.

"Yeah I made some sweet rolls earlier. Do you want one?"

Oriel nodded and accepted a sweet roll from April before taking a bite. "Delicious." She mumbled in approval. April's baking was always wonderful.  "You have to teach me how to bake."

April laughed but nodded. "Sure, when you're able to come to the city, I'll teach you how to bake."

It was just the two chatting for a while before Emery finally warmed up enough to Oriel to speak.

When the sun got low and truly began to set below the horizon, Oriel and the others turned to watch it.

April sat between Oriel and Emery. Oriel wrapped her spires around April and rested her child down on April's shoulder.

Emery gave April a questioning look and April only smiled.

"I told you she's a good friend. She's cuddly. It's a win win."

Oriel glanced at April from the corner of her eyes. She was a cuddly friend? Only for you, April. Only for you.

One day, she'll work up the courage to speak her true feelings.

One day she'd make April realize this embrace was much more than a friendly hug.