Despondent Beauty [Ereri/Riren Fanfic] [COMPLETED]

Chapter IV

AN: POV switch to Eren.

As I was leading Levi towards my village, I couldn't help but think about what he had told me about his mother and what he said. In someways we were what he called similar but I know for sure I am nothing like those Beasts. I had to get my mind off of it so I looked around the forest to admire it's beauty. The colour the leaves reflected the planet's glow in the sky, the sound of the ground crunching beneath our feet, the songs sang by the creatures of the sky. Why would anyone want to destroy all of this, and for what purpose? I couldn't help but feel empathetic for the forest and the creatures in it, just watching those Beasts destroy anything and everything in their path is so aggravating yet saddening at the same time. I continued to stare ahead of me as I walked when I heard the human behind me speak again.

" I'm sorry if I'm bothering you with all my questions, but are you born with those feathers or are they given to you?"

" That's a strange question to ask. I was thinking you'd ask how I know to speak your language."

" Well there's that too, sorry. I've always wanted to get out of that base and explore the planet and make new discoveries here." There was a pause and I shifted my gaze slightly to see his head staring at the ground, " Before I get sent back to our dying planet."

" Why would they send you back?"

" Well for starters, one can't just simply waltz right out of base and venture off on your own. It's against what we came here for."

He said it again, " What we came here for." What were they after that this planet could possibly have, and more importantly how they even know. It was only a speculation but they could be here for the Tree. I won't mention it to him, so for now I'll just have to play along with this. However, he was starting to change the topic slightly so I answered his first question.

" Oh. And about earlier, our tail feathers are there when a Tao is born. The rest we receive when we either become of age or if one has done a great deed for another."

I must've puzzled him a bit but he soon understood I changed the topic back.

" That's really interesting, and about your English? My language I mean, we call it English. On my planet there are so many different languages."

" Well I guess you could say that someone from your side taught me when I was younger. She was beautiful and kind."

I stopped there as when I saw the picture Levi had shown me, I knew the woman I was referring to was her. She and my mother got along well but if she were to know of her death, well, the tribe might lose the Chief's wife the current ruler of the village. I wouldn't want to lose my mother but I don't want to keep anything from her. Just thinking on what I could possibly tell her was making me feel worse by the second, so I decided to ask for Levi's opinion.

" Levi?"

" What's up?"

" Say someone you knew had died and was a real good friend toward a family member of yours, how would you tell them about their death?"

There was a pause but he answered.

" Well, I'd keep it from them for a while until they grew suspicious about where that person had gone. I'd say I'd keep my mouth shut until my family asked about that person." He paused again and asked me a question in turn, " If you don't mind me asking, why are you asking something like that?"

" Well the person who taught me your language was a close friend to my mother, and as she blames herself for my father's death I can only fear the outcome if I told her about her death. I want to tell her and at the same time I don't want to lose her but I feel conflicted if I don't tell her."

" I see... In that case just try your best to cope in not telling her for now, if and when she asks about your teacher that's when you can tell her."

I stopped walking and turned to face the human behind me, wearing a half-hearted smile.

" Thanks for that..." I turned around and started walking again only to stop yet again to show Levi the village the Taos have settled in, " We're getting close now, you can see the village from here."

" Really?!"

" Yeah, come stand here."

I motioned for the human to come to where I was and he stood in awe from the view of my village, this was only a temporary location as I had wanted to be close enough to the Sky Beasts' base as possible to keep a close eye on them. It appeared as though our night watch team had already lit the torches lighting the path to the village so we were in the clear until we reach the gate.

" When we arrive at the gate I'll cover you with a wrap and you'll need to pretend you're an injured Tao."

" But won't they notice I'm human right away with out the feathers?"

" You can use a few of mine, though this'll be unpleasant enough. I never imagined the day where I'd be helping or even allowing a human to live."

Levi chuckled and I set the lantern down to give the human my wrap. I looked behind me to pick a few feathers and grabbed a few in my hand. I turned away and yanked them off, hissing from the pain of it.

" How are they connected to you? The feathers."

" Ah! Still hurts like hell. I guess the best way for me to describe it is that they are kind of like secondary bones in, well on, our bodies."

" Sounds like to me there are nerves connected through them, but not enough that it'd be fatal if you plucked them. I don't know the best way to describe it either, but I know Hanji would be able to."

" Hanji?"

" She's our crazy scientist slash doctor. I don't entirely trust her, she gives me the creeps."

I chuckled and grabbed a plant that is like string and started weaving the feathers into it and after I finished doing that I tied it to Levi's waist. After I finished I stood back and motioned for him to practice his act, and he made quite the performance. I was almost fooled myself, but I knew he was only practicing.

" You're set. Now let's get to the village, it's getting colder by the minute now."

" Right."

AN: Idk how well I did on this but here it is, I'll be updating my stories that have drafts on them for now and then I'll go back and check the writing requests. So I hope you liked this chapter and I'll see you in the next one!!!

¥•~To Be Continued~•¥