Daughter of a Demon

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE - Demon among the Trees

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

Demon among the Trees

Time seemed to stand still. Or was it running by too fast?

Birds chirped and whistled in the distance and trees rustled in the breeze. A shiny beetle flew past, blissfully unaware of the tension in the air.

I took a step forward, not willing to allow anyone to die for me. Cuan growled a warning. I knew he wanted me to let him die. To run away and never look back.

The wolf is right. One does not tempt death.

Noctis hung heavily in the tree's shadows. I could feel his eyes everywhere.
"Even if it means that he will die in my place?"

I will not let you sacrifice yourself. Even if it is the will of Praecantatio.

I flashed him a defiant look.
"I did not know that you cared so much for my life. Father."

Know this. If you take one more step forward I will be forced to intervene. And child, demon wars are not like human wars, especially if one is dancing the dark dance with death itself.

I looked away from him and to the slow god before me. His eyes watched me curiously, but he remained silent.

I am suddenly reminded of a past memory when Caneo still taught me of the history of the Demons.

"Praecantatio only ever takes life if it is the will of the earth. He is the keeper of the balance between life and death."

Even now, when I am so separated from her, her teachings still influence me and lend me wisdom.

And, as much as I hated it, I would need Noctis' help.

I looked at Cuan quickly, catching a flash of his brown eyes. "I'm sorry." I whispered.

"Father." Noctis knew my mind before I could finish speaking. After all, all shadows are dark just as they are alike.

"Blind them."

Cuan and Shoba both flashed me looks that I couldn't discern whilst they were still in their wolf bodies. But, before they could react, Noctis had wrapped them in a sticky blackness that clung to their thick pelts like oil. I felt a wave of guilt, which I suppressed, cool my flesh. It was for their own good.

Both wolves whined - rolling on the earth - and pawed at their eyes, desperate for release. I stepped past them, trying not to feel their pain, and stood before the Demon God. At this proximity, he towered above me and his antlers seemed to disappear in the blinding sunlight.

I paused, suddenly afraid to draw his attention.

"Make your decision." My mouth felt dry and my skin itchy.

I became aware of a strange crackling sound below me. When I looked down, I saw the grass and shrubs under and around the Demon's hooves drying up and dying. I took a step back, but we both soon stood on dead and yellowed grass.

The sun was suddenly hidden as I felt a shadow come over me. My eyes shot up to meet Praecantatio's fearsome gaze. He was leaning over me and his strangely-shaped face was merely centimetres from my own. I could feel his warm breath on my cheeks.

I couldn't help not gazing into his large luminescent eyes that seemed to variate between blue, green and brown. I wondered on all the things those magnificent orbs must have witnessed.

"It is not my decision to make."

I swayed slightly in shock as he spoke. His voice was ordinary and indescribable. Something that could be easily forgotten once heard. Nothing like the sound of rushing water or howling winds or tearing earth. His voice held the quiteness that came after death. It was the modesty of life.

I barely noticed as he slowly straightened and carefully and quietly walked past me and into the denser forest.

He stopped and exchanged glances with Noctis, who still rested tangled in the old Oak. They held a silence of equals between them.

He then walked on without a backward glance.

- - - - - -

I sat staring into flickering flames. Cuan and Shoba - now in their human forms - were beside me, surrounding the fire in our small cave. Although Shoba still kept his distance - warily keeping an eye on me - after the meeting with Praecantatio in the forest.

Once The God of the Forest had left, Noctis removed the shadows from the wolves' eyes and had shortly departed. His parting words to me were brief.

Do not close your eyes in the hope of rest. The moon is nearly full. And the wolves are howling.

The fire that danced before me now set me on edge and seemed to tell of what lay ahead.

Looking up, I watched Cuan finish eating the last of the cooked meat. He tore it carefully, savouring it as the juice dripped down his chin.

Shoba rubbed his arms absent-mindedly whilst staring into the flames. He twitched in agitation and, after what seemed like a moment's indecision, he stood up with a sigh and strolled outside.

After a while, I could hear the telltale crackle of small, falling rocks and a sudden silence that meant Shoba had settled down on the roof of the cave.

I smiled and leaned back on my elbows. The fire spat and hissed and a lone cricket played its upbeat tune near the entrance of the cave.

I was barely aware of the heaviness of my eyelids until the flames blurred into orange and red and yellow and then into nothing as the world went dark and silent.

- - - - - -

My mind slowly woke up as I felt someone lie down beside me.

I opened my sleepy eyes to see that the fire had burnt down to a few glowing coals and that Shoba had returned. His back was to me as he lay sleeping in wolf form on the other side of the fireplace.

I woke up more as I felt the same person, who had laid down beside me, shift slightly and throw a heaving arm over my back. No goosebumps appeared on my skin and I could tell it was Cuan just by the familiarity of his presence.

I closed my eyes again, beginning to drift off.

- - - - - -

My eyes shot open and I looked around the dark cave. The fire was now completely out and Shoba lay sprawled with his head facing me.

It was dawn and the sky was a dark grey near the horizon, signalling the rising of the sun. The cool morning air chilled any of my exposed skin and I snuggled deeper into the warmth behind me.

Cuan mumbled something but it was muffled as his face was pressed into my back.

"Cuan?" I whispered.

"Cuan, are you awake?" He remained silent.

I sighed but felt a small smile of contentment pull at my lips. This was not a bad way to die: nestled among sleeping wolves while watching the sun rise and the forest wake up so far below.

Closing my eyes, I held onto that thought and prayed that Nex, the demon of death, would hear me.