The duo walked through the dense forest for the next few hours in silence. Alice was still wary around Ezra, he didn't look like the type you should mess with or you'll get a limb ripped off.
The tension between them was getting too intense for Alice to bear, she decided to break the silence.
"S-so, Ezra....where are we going exactly?" Alice asked, not daring to look at his yellow eyes again.
Ezra breathed out heavily through his nose and walked a little faster, "To the village," he replied flatly.
Alice tilted her head to the side, "Village? You mean there's more of you out there?"
Ezra shoved his hands in his pockets and answered, "Nobody's like me, 'cept me! But there are many different types of creatures there, so be careful what you say. They might not like you at first."
Alice shivered, she has never liked meeting new and strange people, but things were changing dramatically. Hopefully for the better.
A rustling in the underbrush startled Alice, nearly jumping ten feet in the air. The brush was suddenly parted by two thin arms, then a small freckle covered face popped out. A short faun stepped out of the foliage, he looked to be about twelve years of age. He wore a earthy green vest and had a small flute belted to his hip.
"Hey! It's Ezra!" the faun boy cried jubilantly and he bounced up to the older boy and hugged him.
"Hello Elfrigg," Ezra said and ruffled the faun's mop of curly brown hair.
More commotion in the bushes in front of them revealed a tall, handsome looking saytr with long darker brown hair and pine green eyes. He was bare chested all the way down to his waist, the rest of his body was goat-like and he carried a crimson longsword with him.
"Elfrigg, I'm getting sick and tired of you running off like this and-" the saytr cut himself off and stared at the new arrivals, "Hey Ez! Long time no see, whatcha got there?" he looked over at Alice who was currently hiding behind Ezra's wings.
Ezra sighed, "This is Alice," he gestured his thumb at her.
The girl looked at Ezra for a moment, then turned her gaze to the satyr and faun boy. Alice waved shyly.
Elfrigg bounded up to her on tiny cloven hooves, "Hi Alice! I'm Elfrigg! And the nanny goat over there is Marvel," he joked, pointing at the satyr, "You kinda look like Ezra, except you're prettier," he laughed playfully.
Ezra rolled his eyes, "Wow Elfrigg..."
Alice's cheeks turned slightly pink, "Uh, thanks?" this little faun was a cutie, Ezra was wrong about people not liking her.
"You're taking her to the village right Ez?" Elfrigg asked.
Ezra began to walk again, "Yeah, we need to see Dafne so she can fix Alice's wound."
Elfrigg gasped and noticed the bloody bandage wrapped over the cut on Alice's back, right between her wings and shoulder blades.
"How'd that happen?!" Elfrigg asked in bewilderment, taking Alice by the arm to balance her if she felt faint.
"A no-wing wounded her with a whip, but I took care of him," Ezra grinned a shark-like smile at the last part of his sentence.
Marvel trotted up beside the male firebreather, clearing his throat to get his attention, "You sure that no humans followed you?"
