Axe [Discontinued]

Twigs

We walked to a branch path that looked more elegant than the others. The railings were sparkling gold and had vines dangling from them like monkeys. I continued to stare at every feature of the tribe as we followed the path.

The elves looked happier than I had ever seen humans; purer than any being for that matter. I looked around the different areas of Balbis to see younger elves of the tribe playing in what seemed to be an open area filled with vegetation, which reminded me an awful lot of a courtyard. There were elf couples walking among the paths together, some dangling their feet over the edges of the Eltree's branches. And then that's when I saw something that made my stomach ache.

Just past the courtyard of young elves, I had seen a man who looked to be slightly older than the couples standing with a child. They were talking with smiles plastered on their faces, hugging each other in a way you would have seen on an iconic family show. My father flickered in my mind, emptying the short moments of excitement and happiness I had in me.

"Thomas? Thomas! Stop gawking and come on," Fawn yanked me forward. I watched with a longing in my eyes as the father and son left my view.

Fawn pushed me along the rest of the tree path until a sumptuous form of the polished stone houses appeared before me. It also had gold designs as the railings had, and vines blossoming with peculiar flowers. We moved towards the door. Fawn gave a light knock and we waited, holding our breaths.

What answered was a horrible sound. It was a mixture between a scream and a cry. I covered my ears, but Fawn just looked at me, shook her head, and answered back with the strange tongue she had spoken to open the Eltree Pass. The door creaked open.

A squat man stood in the doorway with a stiff look on his face. His hair was slightly balding, and he didn't seem too happy to have visitors.

"What do you two want, don't you realize how late you are disturbing me?"

"Oh, quit it Twigs, you know it's me," Fawn replied, her face starting to scrunch at the man. "Let me in; I need to talk to my father,"

Twigs gave a vile smirk.

"Yes...yes, you may come in, but he一" he pointed in my direction "一cannot. The chief outlaws humans. Just what they deserve...the nasty filths..." Now Fawn's face was boiling.

Fawn hissed through clenched teeth, "Don't-you-dare-call-humans-filth! Let. Us. In."

"Ah, but as I said before, those pieces of garbage have no right to step foot in the chief's一"

"DON'T CALL THEM GARBAGE, TWIGS! SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND LET ME THROUGH!" Fawn plunged toward Twigs trying to grab his throat.

"Stop it! STOP!" I cried, but it was as if I was never there.

The racket was attracting eyes from all over, and yet I felt alone, empty. The way Twigs had called humans made me wonder if maybe...maybe there are more Elves who hated them too. They will never accept me because I'm a human. And humans are untrustworthy liars, filthy things.

"What is going on Twigs? Who is that screaming at you?" A voice called from inside the house.

Suddenly a tall man took shape from the door opening. His face appeared irritated but concerned; a look I had only seen on one person before...Fawn. His Auburn hair was matted from sleep, but that didn't hide his look of authority. At that very moment, I knew who he was.

Standing before me was no other than the Leader of Fawn's people; the man who had hated my species. This was the Chief of Balbis.

Our eyes met, locking in place.