I've Got To Make You MINE - TamberWenclair

Chapter 1 - To the Ark

Wednesday Addams was always a child of the forest. They'd spend hours among the trees, climbing, foraging, hunting. Their family always taught them to respect the spirits of the forest, to bow and say nothing of their name.

But when the spirits know them?

Well, you pledge yourself to them.

Wednesday had been young, hunting their best friend down through the forest with a small smile on their face. They considered laughing, mimicking the noise of Amber as she darted through the trees, her own knife grasped in her hand. They paused in their pursuit, listening to the wind howl through the trees. The sky was already dark, but the clouds felt as if all moisture had vanished, the trees around them curling towards some invisible thing within the forest.

Then, they'd felt it. The presence of another thing with them. It wasn't a being they were familiar with, but something that resonated with their very being.

"Young one, what are you doing in my forest?"

Wednesday couldn't hear it, not entirely, it sounded instead as if buzzing overtook the words, the echoing voice that sounded ambiguous and nonhuman. Their spirit felt free, safe, at home.

"Hunting." They replied, soft spoken and looking around them, head tilting in curiosity when they finally noticed the spirit. The being was as tall as the trees and wore a suit much cleaner than their father's suits. The being had flesh that was white, a pure bleached color that covered very bit of flesh. There was no face, merely skin that stretched and covered where the outer organs would be. No ears, no mouth, no eyes or nose, no hair. It was blank.

The creature was leaned over a tree, it's long arms holding onto the bark as it peaked from it's hiding place, as if allowing itself to be seen. It seemed curious, in a way.

"Just what are you hunting, may I ask?" The buzzing voice cut through their mind, and Wednesday opened their mouth to reply almost immediately, when something launched into their side and nearly knocked them to the forest floor. They looked, immediately recognizing the scent of blood and smoke as Amber had pressed into their side and cackled, grinning down at them as she grabbed their arms and pulled them back up.

"Me!" She'd declared it with pride, as if she was a bloody trophy that Wednesday had won by digging through the graveyard's newest corpses. The very thought made their heart race in their chest. Looking up to the tall spirit, they blinked slowly and watched as the being began to laugh.

How interesting.

"You can both hear me I see. I'm surprised, I wasn't expecting to meet two spirits of the forest this eve. Come, I wish to harness your abilities young ones." The spirit held out its hands, bony and long fingers that Wednesday felt hesitation to touch.

Amber pouted, pausing as she looked up at the creature.

"Abilities to do what?"

"To kill, my child."

Amber looked delighted, as if someone had given her an entire new weapon during the yule season. Wednesday was curious, but held Amber back from taking the spirit's hand.

"You're wise not to trust me yet child. Forest spirits often trick young souls that visit their lands. Names have power, so I shall tell you mine. I am The Slenderman, or The Operator."

The tension in their shoulders vanished at the name, the title of the spirit in front of them was one they were well familiar with. The Operator had old tombs written about them in the Addams family library, thousands of words depicting it's knowledge of magicks and the way it sheltered many souls from the harm of the world. It's duty was noble, protective of those that entered it's forest. They knew it could be trusted. While yes, they were mythed to have taken children, but there was no evidence of such a thing, and if it were the case collecting children was something that had no true cause or means, so it was something they didn't have belief in.

"We'll come, but I know what you'll as in return."

The Slenderman seemed amused, if the warmth in their soul was enough to reveal it. The wind picked up, carrying the sound of its jovial laughter.

"You're a smart one. Yes, those who pursue knowledge will have to learn by experience. You'll become my children, my Proxies. You'll carry out my requests and collect whatever I ask of you, be them souls, or magical items. You'll be taught by the very best, and you'll be allowed to kill the worst creatures You've never met. Of course, you're allowed to return to your homes if you visit my realm every eve. Do you understand, children?"

Wednesday was holding Amber's hand, squeezing it until they let go to allow her to take the Slenderman's hand. The two young children nodded, accepting the deal before they took the creature's hand, allowing it to lead them deeper into the forest.