Fantasy Forest 3: Ressurection

18. Offspring

His silver blue hair seemed to shine in the late afternoon night as I approached him cautiously.

"Demetri?" I called out to him and he quickly turned towards me in surprise. When he saw me his expression softened slightly but I could tell he was still slightly rattled.

"You scared me." He whispered. I didn't know why, there was no one around.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. Was he even supposed to be out of the woods? Seally came into the city often but Seally looked mostly normal. Demetri had blue streaked hair and sharp fangs. His ears were covered with a hat, his tail was tucked into his pant legs, and his long claw like nails were covered by thick leather gloves.

"I can't really tell you why I'm here." He muttered absently as he looked around nervously. He seemed on edge.

"why is that?" I asked.

"Well because Im not really supposed to be here." He whispered.

"Why?" I asked and he paused as he seemed to contemplate for a long while before drawing close to me.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" He asked.

"Ok."

"Even Seally?"

"I won't tell Seally. So why are you here?"

Demetri paused again as if he wasn't really sure he could trust me. "Im here to see my daughter..." He said quietly.

"You have a daughter!?"

"Keep your voice down!" He bellowed and I shrunk back and smacked a hand over my mouth. Demetri then looked around once more before he took me by the arm and led me over to a nearby building. We went down the side alley where there was a tall dumpster pushed up against the wall below the second story window. Some sturdy boxes were pushed against the dumpster creating something similar to steps. He led me over to the steps and pushed me up onto the dumpster where he then followed me up before directing me to look into the upper window. I had to stand on my tip toes to see. Inside was the living room of a small apartment that was moderately decorated with very little furniture but a lot of kids toys. With her back to us was a tall blonde woman in a chair and on the floor in front of us was a small toddler girl. She looked to be about three years old with pudgy arms, a round face, and silvery white hair set in small pigtails. She didn't see us and Demetri made sure of this as he pushed down on my head to duck down every time she moved.

"Thats your daughter?" I asked him in a whisper as we climbed down from the dumpster.

"Her mother was a bit like you." He stated.

"How so?"

"She was adventurous. She wandered into the forest with no fear and that was how we met. For awhile we met in secret but when she found out she was pregnant she made it clear she wasn't coming back."

"Why?"

"You remember the night we met, right? I live a pretty dangerous life. I have a lot of enemies and I get into a lot of fights. That kind of life...I'm not safe to be around a child."

"So instead you come and peak on them in secret?"

Demetri slowly nodded as he sat down on the cold asphalt floor. Outside the sun had finally set and only a small amount of light remained. For a second I stayed silent and then slowly I sat on the ground with him.

"No one knows I do this." He stated. "When the others found out about our relationship and its outcome they did not approve, Seally especially."

"Why Seally?" I asked.

"He's lived a lot longer than me so he's more well versed. He doesnt really approve of human monster relationships. He says they often end with unsavory outcomes."

"But Seally is friends with me."

"I guess that makes him a hypocrite." Demetri said with a small laugh as he stood back up. "You're not going to say anything to him, are you? I don't come that often and I make sure I'm not seen."

"I won't tell." I said and he smiled softly and then put a hand up to ruffle my hair.

"You're a good kid." He said as he removed his hand and sauntered away but he stopped short a few feet away and turned back to me. "I almost forgot. There was this guy."

"Guy?"

"Im not sure if you would know him but a guy around your age came into the woods a few days ago and I never saw him leave."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You had the same smell. People who hang out together often have a similar smell so I thought you might know him."

"Did you see what he looked like?" I asked, my interest piqued.

"Tall..." Demetri muttered. "Brown hair...with thick build. That all I can say."

"Thanks for letting me know." I said as he bid me farewell and walked away. I watched his figure disappear into the bushes as he headed back towards the forest. I thought his description sounded a lot like Vince but why would he go back into the woods by himself. He tried to hide it but he was probably terrified last time. I figured it must have been someone else and that I would hear from Vince in a few days but as the time passed and there was no answer to my texts I grew worried.

"Maybe...maybe I should go look for him."