A man is hidden in a peculiar forest untouched by humans, where the animals and plant-life thrive. He keeps a watchful eye to make sure the peace isn't disturbed when one day, a young woman is found venturing his world. He is unsure what to make of...
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"That is because I am not human, Y/N," answers the man while lifting his head to lock eyes with the girl. "I am a creature of this forest, same as my ancestors. Though, it is only me now." Owen's feet shuffle as he rolls his shoulders, puffing his chest a bit. He, then, looks to the horizon, but Y/N was not satisfied yet. Aside from his abnormally large eyes, there didn't seem to be anything inhuman about him.
"But, you seem human to me," she insists. "Are you sure you're anything else? If your family has lived here for centuries, then maybe, it's just that their senses adapted to the landscape. That might explain a longer life too." She tries to be logical about it, unconvinced he could be anything else. The teen is surprised to hear a delicate laugh as the man gets to his feet before peering down at her.
"You don't believe me?" He tilts his head sharply, causing her to give him an apologetic look.
"Sorry, it just doesn't make sense to me." He hums, moving his head back into place.
"Then, perhaps, I should show you?" Y/N didn't know what he meant by that and watches with intrigue as she stands as well, cradling the fruit she gathered in her arms. Owen takes some steps back before shedding his cloak to reveal his bare torso. He man rolls his shoulders and neck, the skin on his back stretching strangely as he does so, which causes the girl to scrunch her brows. The man emits an odd sort of growl that sounded mixed with a pigeon's coo as boney wings extend upwards towards the sky.
He hunches over, talons ripping at the grass as the flesh of his hands and feet turns grey and scaly with a claw beginning to grow out of the back of his heel. Y/N's first reaction was to cover her mouth, leading her to drop her food. She stumbles back as a mix of brown and creamy white feathers dotted with black spots poke out from his skin and hair aside from his hands, the lower half of his legs and a majority of his face. His legs bend, cracking as they take a different shape, which caused the girl to wince. A massive tail of long feathers fans out from his backside, and while the rest of him turned more birdlike, his face is what kept its human appearance— aside from a few small feathers that form on the sides of his face, under his jaw and a little under his large eyes. It was a gruesome transformation, but the end result was stunning; a little scary, but stunning. Y/N was in awe.
'He was telling the truth.' She lost feeling in her legs and fell back, sitting on the ground in shock. Her eyes were nearly as wide as his as Owen turns to face her while standing up, wings tucked away as he smiles kindly.
"Believe me now?" Y/N was speechless. She could only nod as she scans his body. Her expression makes him laugh as he bends down to retrieve the fallen berries and puts them back in her jacket as he speaks. "I hope you'll forgive me for hiding myself like I did. I thought I might frighten you, and I know humans do rash things when scared."
