Falling Feathers Book I - Rogue Without Fear

Chapter XXVII

>>> Soren Hawethorne <<<
I stood up and looked over the last trap, which I had just finished setting up. I'd spread them throughout the farm, but most were around the animal pens. It was late now, and the sky was starting to darken. It was different shades of orange and pink painted across the sky. I assumed that the moon would be up soon, considering how late it was. I took a deep breath, and smelled the cold air. There was a soft breeze, cold enough to nip at your skin but not cold enough to make you shiver. It was a comfortable cold, in my opinion. I liked it this way.
For a moment I considered staying at night and watching the traps from a distance. I don't know what I'll find. If it's a wolf, or ... something else... I don't want to risk getting hurt. What if Antony and I were making it all up? Maybe there was a gap in the fence and the animals were escaping through there. Maybe they weren't getting eaten. The blood could be the animal on it's way out. I shook my head to myself in frustration. I should relax. Think about something else. Whatever is going on, I'll find out by tonight. I wondered how I would pass the time, for a few moments.
"Perhaps in four hours I'll go to bed," I told myself, as I started walking back to the north side of town. "For now, I think I'll sit in the pub, talk to some folks. Try and get the moon off my mind." Satisfied with my plan, I slowed my walk to a steady amble. I was in no pressing rush.  I was passing time, after all.
The streets were quiet. There was the low chatter of merchants talking to possible customers, but nothing rowdy. It was late in the day, after all, so most people were undoubtedly returning to their houses. I started looking at my feet as I walked. I watched the dust that danced around as my feet came to the ground. I kicked a pebble, and watched it roll ahead. It rolled onto a black feather, just about a foot in front of where I was now.  Curious, I went to the feather and picked it up. It must've belonged to a smaller bird, from the looks of it. Definitely not a hawk or vulture, but big enough that it definitely wasn't a robin either.
To my right, I heard a raven call. I chuckled to myself as I walked. Maybe there's the bird who had this feather, I thought. As I passed one of the street lights, I held the feather up. The light danced on it, making it a gleaming jet black.  The raven called again.  Shortly after it's wings beat the air. I wonder where it's going.

>>> Autumn Rose <<<
The moon had started rising, and I was in the forest with the stranger. We were walking, exploring the woods. It was silent except for us.  We were laughing and talking, waiting for the moon to change us. The leaves whispered to each other as the wind blew threw them.  My hair waved around on occasion when the breeze picked up.
"You know, I still don't know your name!" I pointed out with a chuckle. "I don't even know your face."
"I prefer it that way," he replied shortly. I frowned at his sudden change of mood. Try not to mind it, I told myself.
"I've known you for years, yet I don't know you at all," I added. The stranger sighed, and didn't reply for a while.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," He whispered at last.
Suddenly, my necklace grew warm against my chest. As we walked, I lifted the chain up and over my head, and held the small pendant in my hand. It almost felt as if someone was holding it close to a fire. It didn't look any different than it would any other day, so I put it in my pocket and kept walking.
It's got to be minutes from the full moon now, I thought to myself. It feels like we've been walking for an eternity.
The stranger slowed his pace, and started walking behind me. I looked over my shoulder for a few seconds, before turning my eyes back to the forest path in front of me. A breeze blew threw my hair and the leaves. The feeling of the wind on my face made me sigh. It was moments like this when I truly felt free. Free of the eyes of suspicious townsfolk and free of the rules society had made. I felt like I could do whatever I wanted.
I heard a soft chuckle behind me.  Slightly curious, I turned around and looked at the stranger. He stopped walking, and so did I. In the darkness, I couldn't make out his face. I could tell that his hood was down, so it wasn't like I would be able to see his face anyway. I opened my mouth to ask why he had chuckled, but I closed it quickly. Too blunt. It would sound weird to ask that way.
"You didn't notice, did you?" He asked. I was more puzzled then ever. Notice what? Did something happen?
"What happened?" I asked. He chuckled again.
"You've got to learn to be more observant," he replied, dodging my question. I took a deep breath and thought of what'd been happening, but I couldn't think of anything. We had been walking in the woods. There wasn't a sound except for the wind in the trees, or our feet on the dirt. There were no birds or animals. What could he have been talking about?

>>> Chase Ashfield <<<
My hand was in my cloak pocket, my fingers gliding lightly over the silver trinket.
"You've got to learn to be more observant," I answered her slowly. She sighed, as her eyes looked around. I'll give her some time to think, I thought to myself. Her eyes wandered around and finally came to rest on me. I smirked to myself in the darkness, and thought about her.
I hadn't known Autumn Rose for long, but somehow I felt like I knew her whole life. I'd been with her for nearly four years now, but it was more like three and a half. I'd taught her everything she knew about survival as a werewolf. I taught her everything she knew in general about werewolves. Before I knew her, life seemed almost like it wasn't worth living. Wake up every day a monster, hiding in the shadows. I had been condemned to spend the rest of eternity living like that. Yet, as I looked into her sparkling green eyes, I felt like my life had a purpose again. The moonlight danced in them, and she smiled. It felt like the whole world was smiling to me, in that moment. A wave of emotions tumbled over me.
I wanted to laugh and cry with joy. For the past three and a half years, I had been denying myself the fact that I cared for someone else. I thought I would be weak and I thought it would slow me down. Now, I realized that it isn't people that slow us down. People like Autumn, they're the people who give us strength, and make us better. I felt so blessed, in that moment. I had been cursed, the day that Danny turned me into a werewolf. In that moment, I didn't feel like I had been cursed or trapped. I felt like it was a gift. I had all of eternity to spend with this enchanting woman, Autumn Rose.
I blinked to myself. But what if she doesn't care about me? What if she feels cursed, too? What if... "What did I miss?  You have to tell me, I can't think of anything!" She interrupted my fears. She was still smiling, but this time she was smiling wider. Everything was silent. There was no more wind, and suddenly I noticed where we were. It was a clearing, where there weren't that many trees. Leaves were on the ground, but you could still see the green grass in some places. The moon seemed like it was casting a light down on us, specifically us, and not anywhere else. It was as if the whole world was there, right there, in that moment. And it was, for me at least, because she was there with me.
"Well, are you going to answer me or not?" She asked, followed by a short laugh.
I looked down at the ground, then back at her. I took a step closer to her, and took my hand out my pocket with the necklace.
"I took this from you, just moments ago when we were walking." I held my hand open to show her. I could see the surprise on her face, and she instantly moved her hand to her own pocket. Noticing that it wasn't there, she looked back to me, and opened her mouth.
"I took it from you planning on doing it and telling you this is why you must be more observant.  Frankly, I don't know what I was thinking." I extended my hand to her, and she took it back hesitantly. I felt my cheeks grow warm as her hand brushed mine. Her skin was soft, and smooth. I drew my hand away hastily, but the second her hand left mine, I missed it.  She looked at me, then at her necklace. Autumn brushed her red, silky hair over her right shoulder as she put the necklace on. She looked at me, and whispered,
"I'm not sure if I should be frustrated that you took that from me, especially when you know how much it means to me, or if I should be glad you're giving it back." I small smile crossed my lips, and I replied with joking formality.
"Your emotions are yours to handle as you wish." She laughed, and looked at me with a curious wonder in her eyes. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but I knew I couldn't. She turned to keep walking, and in that moment I knew that it was now, or never. If I let her walk much further, I wouldn't be able to reach out to her. But if I did it now...
All the courage I normally had left me in that moment, all for this one girl. Quickly, I chastised myself for my cowardice, and thought to myself. Now or never...
I reached out and grabbed her right arm. I pulled gently, enough to make her turn around but not enough to make her uncomfortable or fall. She turned around, a surprised look on her face. I brought myself close to her, and held my face in front of hers. I closed my eyes and moved closer. There was no wind, no noise at all. I took a deep breath, and took my chance. Her lips met mine, and in that moment, I knew what true happiness was.