Waiting For Apricity

Chapter 12

Micren tea?

We walk in silence, the weight of my thoughts pressing down like the branches overhead. The forest is thick here, the trees twisting into unnatural shapes, their bark dark and peeling. The whispers have grown louder, more insistent, and every so often, I catch the faint outline of something moving just beyond my vision.

Karlaious walks ahead of me, his strides long and confident, his wings folded tightly against his back. His hand grips mine with a firm, reassuring pressure, though he hasn't spoken since we started moving. I try to focus on the rhythm of our steps, on the sound of the wind filtering through the leaves, but my mind drifts back to his words—his confession.

"I've watched you for five years..."

I've never felt more exposed, more vulnerable. It's one thing to know someone is watching, another to realise they've been studying you for half a decade. And yet, there's comfort in it too—a strange, unsettling comfort.

He saw me before I even knew he existed.

The path narrows as we venture deeper into the forest, the sunlight fading as the canopy thickens overhead. Shadows dance between the trees, twisting like serpents on the forest floor. My grip on Karlaious tightens instinctively, but he doesn't seem to notice. Or if he does, he says nothing.

"Karlaious," I finally say, breaking the silence. My voice sounds small, swallowed by the trees. "Why did you watch me for so long? Why me?"

He slows his pace but doesn't stop walking. "You're not like the others," he says quietly. "You didn't run. You didn't hide from the darkness. I admired that about you."

I frown, unsure how to respond. "I didn't know there was anything to hide from. I wasn't brave. I was just... ignorant."

He stops abruptly, turning to face me, his silver eyes piercing through the gloom. "Ignorant?" He steps closer, his voice dropping to a low growl. "You faced a world that despised you, that would rather see you dead than give you a chance to breathe. You walked through forests that would devour lesser soul's whole. You survived. That's not ignorance, Apricity. That's strength."

The intensity of his words stuns me into silence. I look away, unable to meet his gaze. "I didn't feel strong," I whisper. "I still don't."

He exhales sharply, his wings twitching as if he's trying to hold something back. "Strength isn't about feeling it. It's about living through it."

I don't know how to respond, so I just nod and keep walking. The forest seems to close in around us, the air thick and heavy with something unspoken. Every step feels like it takes us deeper into a place we shouldn't be—a place that doesn't want us here.

The ground beneath us becomes softer, damp with moss and scattered with debris. The whispers in the trees grow louder, more distinct, though I can't understand their words. It's as if the forest itself is speaking, warning us, taunting us. I glance up at the canopy, catching glimpses of movement—dark figures slipping between the branches.

I stop walking. "Karlaious...?"

He stops too, his eyes narrowing as he scans the trees. "I know."

I swallow hard, trying to push down the panic rising in my chest. "What are they?"

"Micrens," he says, his voice calm but tight with tension. "They've been following us since we entered the forest."

"Following us?" My heart races. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because they haven't attacked. Not yet."

I look around frantically, but I can't see anything clearly—just shadows and movement. The whispers grow louder, more insistent, like a chorus of voices just out of reach.

"What do they want?"

"They're curious," Karlaious says, his wings shifting restlessly. "They're always curious about outsiders, especially ones like you."

"Me?" I take a step back, my pulse pounding in my ears. "Why would they care about me?"

He doesn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the trees. When he finally speaks, his voice is low and grave. "Because you're human. And humans haven't been seen in these parts for centuries."

I freeze, my stomach twisting into knots. Of course. I'd forgotten that in this world, I'm the anomaly. The outlier. A species long gone, reduced to stories and myths—and maybe a few bitter memories.

The forest suddenly feels much more dangerous.

"What do we do?" I ask, my voice trembling despite myself.

Karlaious steps in front of me, his wings unfurling slightly as if to shield me from whatever might come. "We keep moving. Slowly. Don't make any sudden movements. If we're lucky, they'll lose interest."

I nod, though my body is tense, my muscles coiled like springs ready to snap. Every rustle of leaves, every shift in the shadows, feels like the prelude to something terrible.

We walk for what feels like an eternity, each step a careful negotiation with the forest around us. The whispers continue, weaving through the air like threads of some ancient language I'll never understand. But gradually, they begin to fade, and the shadows that once loomed so large recede into the distance.

I exhale, my body relaxing just a fraction. "I think they're gone..."

Karlaious grunts in agreement but keeps his pace steady. His wings fold back against his spine, though the tension in his body remains. "For now," he says. "But they'll be watching."

"Why didn't they attack?"

"They're not warriors," he explains. "More like... scavengers. They pick at the edges, take what's easy. They would have tested us first. But they won't risk a fight with an Orphian, not without good reason."

I shudder at the thought of being "tested" by these creatures. "And the village... is it safe?"

Karlaious smirks, though there's little warmth in the expression. "Safe? No. But it's our best option."

I nod, my resolve hardening. Whatever lies ahead, I'll face it with Karlaious. He's stood by me this long, through dangers I never imagined, and I can't afford to fall apart now.

We walk on, deeper into the forest, where the trees grow thicker and the air colder. And though the whispers have faded, I can't shake the feeling that something—or someone—is still watching us, just waiting for the right moment to strike.

But for now, at least, we're still moving. And that's enough.