A Child Among the Leaves (Family SBI)

Chapter 12

"And you're sure it's Ivy?"

"Uhhhh-yes?"

"You're.. absolutely terrible at lying"

Tommy grumbled, repressing the tempting urge to spring up and bash his head into Wilbur's chin.

"Am not" he argued.

"Are too-"

Techno huffed beside them, insistently signing to Wilbur once again, who sighed.

"According to Techno you didn't even touch it"

"Well, I didn't think I did, but it has to be that! What else could make my back all sore and itchy?" said Tommy crossing his arms firmly.

Wilbur shrugged. "I dunno, I'm not a doctor"

Tommy was growing more frustrated by the second, it seems he wasn't getting some miracle 'fix-it-all' cure like he'd hoped. "But ain't you like an expert on all this?!"

Techno snickered, earning a glare from Wilbur. Who looked down at Tommy "Well-" he hesitated "I'm not an expert, exactly"

"But you said that you know all about everything?" Tommy pressed, determined to walk away with at least a diagnosis.

"Oh...,did I say that?" muttered Wilbur. 

Techno gave a smirk and a nod of conformation.

"Um, well- you know what, let me have another look"

Tommy obliged, turning away from Wilbur so his back could be examined.

There was a couple of prods around his shoulders here and there, but nothing much happened.
Then suddenly there was a soft press on his back, sending a sharp spike of pain up his spine.
He gasped so hard it felt like he'd been winded.

Wilbur pulled his hands back instantly. "Woah, you good? Did that hurt?"

Tommy shivered, mumbling a 'mhm' and trying to ignore the ripples of nagging pain still pulsing though him.

A gently hand was cautiously placed on his shoulder, looking up he was met with a rather concerned Techno.

He whined slightly, and the hand moved down to meet his own, a comforting hold.

"Soooo," drawled Wilbur, "Extremely sore back, got it"

There was about a minute more of cautious inspection before Wilbur stopped, not saying anything.

Tommy sat it the silence for a moment before, seeking and answer and turning around.

Wilbur looked conflicted, nose and eyes scrunched  up, eyes deep in thought.

"Whats with weird the face? Tommy asked, poking him firmly.

Wilbur snapped out of his daze blinking for a couple of seconds. "Oh- it's nothing" he said waving his hand dismissively. He paused for a moment, before continuing, slower this time.
"Tommy... do you know about magic folk?"

He stiffened. Of course he did.

'Magic folk' were people. Or rather they were merely shadows of what used to be a person.

Twisted, distorted, wrong. They were unnatural, sporting a various of weird features. Some had part of animals fused to them, teeth, horns, claws, wings, you name it. Other had wild, powerful and dangerous magic, but they all had something in common. 

They hunted humans.

Stalking into villages and towns at night, waiting in the shadows for they're chance to snatch some unsuspecting passerby. Or laying traps with promises of power, killing whoever dared to enquire.