The girl in the Trees~

"Welcome!" a loud shrill voice echoed off the walls of the ravine. "I have been waiting for some time now!" The voice called again. All around me brush rustled and blew as if a thousand creatures were waiting to pounce.

"Y-yoo hae?" I answered uneasily. "Years, and years, an-"The voice broke off. I heard the fluttering of wings and the call of a bird. I jumped in alarm as a young girl swung down from the nearest tree and gracefully landed not two feet away from me, a soft smile forming on her lips. She couldn't have been more than thirteen, dark brown waves of hair flowed about her face, coming to her shoulders. A long streak of silver running down her hair curling gracefully, shining in the mid-noon sun. A silvery cloak waved behind her, intricately stitched patterns and symbols of crimson covering it. Several red feathers were decoratively wedged about her chocolate colored hair. Her face was fair, and attractive, with rosy cheeks and cream-colored skin. She grinned, showing neat rows of perfectly white teeth and two sharp fangs.

"What in Ahimir's name...?" I gasped mouth agape. She laughed a pure sweet sound that seemed to fill the whole ravine. "I'm very glad I caught you in time! Otherwise you would have walked right past me! For heaven's sake close your mouth." Her accent was clear and bright like those of the northern woods, yet she spoke perfect Elken. She dusted herself off and briskly stepped towards me. She smiled, gazing at me as if remembering something. Her eyes growing large with delight. She reached out and tenderly stroked my cheek. "Gaiwen Kyro Eventail." She whispered, a gentle smile spread across her face. She wasn't much taller than me, but when she looked into my eyes, she seemed a thousand feet high. "H-haw dae ye ken mah nam?" I asked confuse. She only shook her head and smiled wider, drawing me into a hug. "How long I waited..." Her voice trailed off sadly. Confused I stood there awkwardly, as she tightened her grip on me. "Gaiwen...Gaiwen..." Her voice wavered with each word she spoke. "My lady..." I said when she had finally let go. "Haw dae ye know who I am?" She stood back a few paces, seemingly looking me over. "Accent...Even more than I imagined..." She whispered, looking my up and down with glee. "My lady?" That seemed to snap her back to reality.

"Err... yes, yes, that's right you don't...Know me..." She turned silent, sadly gazing at the ground. Why was she sad? How could I know her? Should I? She didn't look familiar. All the same, I felt bad, like I should at least know her name. "I'm sorry...I think your confusing me with someone else..." I was so confused, everything had happened so suddenly, she had appeared almost out of nowhere. She coughed and sighed deeply. "No, no it's alright." She smiled again, her sharp pointed teeth sparkling white. "You shouldn't know me any ways." She straitened her cloak and looked behind me. "Where is he?" She asked, as if expecting someone else to have been there. "Who?" I asked stupidly. She shifted her gaze back to me and frowned. "I see." She took my hand and pulled me into the foliage. "Whaur Ur we gonnae?" I inquired, dragging behind her and getting slapped in the face by many a tree branch.

"To find him." She answered simply, as if I was supposed to know what that meant. "WHO?" I asked a little annoyed now. She stopped and frowned at me. "Just my luck to catch you in this timeline!" She huffed. "T-timeline?" I asked. "Whit in Th' bludy warld is a timeline?" I fumed. Who in the world was this girl? And why is she taking such an interest in me! I need to keep going if I was ever going to make it to the Crimson Canyons before nightfall. "Future, past present on and on, a timeline is what point in time you are in, and this timeline is not the one I meant to go to. Oh well, if I'm here you need me. Come now! We must find him!" I pulled back, trying to stop. "Who in Ahimir's nam Ur we lookin' fur?!" I shouted. "Don't get huffy with me! I need to help you!" I gritted my teeth; she was starting to get on my nerves. "Help wi' whit? Ah don't need yer help at Th' moment sae please jist lae me aloyn!" I tried to stop, but she had the strength of an Ox. "Sister Anchiel help us!" She cried. "Must I do this every time? Oh good gracious what on earth am I to do with you, this is the last time you forget!" She turned and placed her hands upon my head, she whispered some strange words, withdrew her hands from me head and slapped me hard across the face. "Kayunhild!" I cursed. "What Th' heel was 'at fir?!" I yelled rubbing my smarting cheek. "You- but that's as far as I got.