Forever Forest

Chapter 9

Some time during the night Terra had fallen asleep. Though some time not much later she found herself wide, wide awake.

Scratching, the noise Faunus often made to make her aware that Reuel was at their meeting spot, waiting for her. She tried to ignore it, though it intensified, stronger than before. Terra was afraid it might wake her father so she wrapped herself in a thick robe and tiptoed downstairs to the door. With slight hesitation, she opened the door and looked down to see Faunus sitting and panting at her feet. He whined and looked towards the deep dark woods.

The moon was out, it was the middle of night, and she was not inclined to step farther than the door. She looked back to Faunus and for the first time noticed something red against his shoulder fur. "What on earth..." she mumbled and crouched down to inspect the harsh red spot. Blood.

"Faunus? What happened to you? How did you get hurt like this?"

Faunus yelped and lept away from her to run back down the path.

"No Faunus come, do not return to that manic!" She yelled realizing whom the dog would go home to. When Faunus did not stop running she swiftly pulled on her rainboots and grabbed her bow and quiver from the cupboard. 

"Come back here you idiot!" she cried and ran out after him.

The woods were dark, but the shadows were darker. She could barely see a foot in front of her. She finally found Faunus, sitting on the path and staring... staring to the canopy above them. She timidly looked up, moonlight vaguely peeking out from between the leaves. Some of the leaves moved every so often yet she couldn't feel any wind from where she stood. Faunus was still staring with great intent, and when she looked again, she found herself doing the same. Shadows moved between the leaves and she squinted and followed their movement wondering if she was in fact delusional.

But Terra decided that because nocturnal animals exist, the shadows must be just that and nothing more.

"Come Faunus, come inside." She mumbled quietly, rubbing an eye. "Reuel isn't here."

Just as she began to turn something hard, small, and solid slammed against the top of her head.

"OW!" She shrieked and rubbed her skull. She roved in a circle until she found the object of impact lying on the path. Round and brown, an acorn.

She sighed in annoyance, "come on Faunus."

Another acorn, this time hitting her shoulder.

"What on Earth." She growled looking to the canopy. The leaves were still, no wind, no movement that she could see in the darkness.

Faunus stepped beside her, panting happily.

And just as she took another couple of steps, yet another acorn fell in front of her.

One fell into a bush, and another knocked against a nearby tree.

Now that was a coincidence.

Her eyes shot to the canopy above her. Besides Faunus's panting, the forest was still silent, too silent. 

"Who's up there?" 

Another acorn flew beside Faunus. 

"Reuel?" 

Another hit her back quite painfully. She growled in fury and fear while Faunus continued to pant and watch the canopy. More and more acorns began to fall.

It rained acorns.

She began to run. "FAUNUS COME." She screamed, raising her hands above her head to deflect the sudden plummet of acorns from the sky. When Faunus sat and disobeyed she swiftly ran back, picked up Faunus, and made a run for it back to the cabin.

Through the thumping noise of acorns raining down against the forest floor, the softest sound of snickers could be heard throughout the leaves above. Giggling.

She was breathless, frazzled, by the time she made it inside. Though Faunus seemed entirely normal, happy even. He panted beside her as she caught her breath and sorted through the logicality of what had just occurred.

"Strange." She muttered. "I don't think It's ever been this windy here."

Faunus licked his lips, tilting his head at her. She stroked the top of his furry head. "Why don't you stay with me for a while. It's a dangerous place out there."

She inspected Faunus's wound and peaked out the window, the forest was quiet and calm. Not a single acorn was seen falling from the sky, though thousands were scattered across the floor. She supposed the wind had finally calmed.