The Anima [completed]

14.

14.

My feet dragged to the slow rhythm of my heartbeat as I prepared for another night of performing. Nausea poked at the pit of my stomach and at the base of my throat as nerves boiled my blood hot. Alvar told me he had a plan, but at the risk of a Fae lip reader, he told me only to wear the most comfortable dress in the closet of the hospital ward they were still keeping me in for observation while I slept. A large part of me knew they truly did not care about my health, and I was placed on watch only so they could keep a closer eye on the words that left my mouth.

When I began to walk outside, I saw the Fae dancing around fire rings, red dresses draped over their bodies and bright yellow paint dripping down their cheeks. Near the ponds, other Fae giants were swaying with blue and green paint tripe's down their noses and their necks. And as I closed in on the tree line, to which I was instructed to enter, I saw giant winged Fae floating in the trees and green skinned little ones with brown clay smudged across their lips running through the tree lines.

I may have looked closer, examined the intricacies of this world, but I was far to anxious about Alvar's plan to let my curiosity get the better of me. Instead I charged forwards into the forest, letting the sound of the orchestra and laughing creatures guide me towards the centre.

Movement halted my stride, a large body shifting out of the corner of my sight. My heart didn't speed up. In fact, it slowed, calmed by the large creature which I slowly focused my vision on. Atop a large boulder sat the gryphon which had attacked Lucius in the deep woods, perched in quiet elegance, feathers shining golden in the tiny peaks of late afternoon sunlight which peaked through the tree tops.

"Hello, Lyra." It spoke softly in my head, filling up the insides of my brain with a quiet melody.

"Hello." I smiled, walking closer to the wild creature.

It seemed almost to smile back, beak opening and tongue hanging slightly out of his mouth. I wanted to run my fingers through its soft feathers or the fur on its hide, and found myself doing so before I could stop myself. Approaching the rock, my fingers easily slipped into its soft feathers, running down the length of its neck. Its eyes closed and it leant into my arm. Like it had done so in the forest, something tugged at my middle, and it felt again like I was connected to this creature by a thin invisible thread, so delicate that any wrong move could sever it completely. I feared breaking the bond, not being able to speak to it again, as it was the singular innocent pleasure I had in this new world without feeling like it would be spoiled as soon as I began to enjoy it.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" I asked, continuing to run my fingers down its back.

"The Fae boy called on me."

"Alvar?"

"I believe that is what some call him." He tossed his head in a snort.

"Why would he do that?" I was curious now; after all, this large Gryphon would have killed Alvar in the woods if he were uninjured.

"I also believe you know the answer to that question." He turned his head away from the trees and focused his eyes in on me, a line of discoloured feathers lifting above his brow.

"The plan." I answered flatly, sighing and withdrawing my hand from the beast. "Which I know nothing about."

The gryphon chuckled inside my head, beak open and shoulders moving up and down. His movements mimicked that of a human, but ultimately looked terrifying from the body of a mixed animal.

"The less you know, the better. But you also know that too."

I sighed and nodded, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I opened my mouth to speak once more, but the Gryphon ruffled his feathers aggressively, as if in irritation and rose to stand upon the rock.