Fire Weaver (Fall of the Fey #1)

Chapter 2

It was nightfall when Carmel's companion decided that they'd walked enough for one day. The town was not too far away now, just on the other side of the next group of trees.

Carmel slid off Gregoria, but didn't bother tying Gregoria up because she knew that the doe would come back. Carmel held the pants she had been working on all day behind her back and walked towards where her new friend knelt. She smiled at him and presented him with her gift.

'I've been told that the humans don't take kindly to people walking around naked. So, here.' Carmel motioned to what was in her hands. He took them and grunted in a way that sounded vaguely like a 'thank you' before tugging at the laces on both sides of the seams. Carmel had split the outside seams and laced leather strings up the sides so he could have pants that fit. She had ripped the bottom of the legs off and she smiled triumphantly when she saw that she had levelled them off evenly.

He growled at her when she began to giggle. The tanned leather looked odd on his muscular thighs, as it washed out his already pale skin and contrasted starkly with his jet black hair. She raised her hand in apology and stifled her mirth to say: 'As soon as we get to the town we will get you something better.'

'Unnecessary.' He stated as he pulled together sticks for a fire. She sat down across from him, giving him room. Gregoria dropped down with an audible thump behind Carmel, who leaned against her warm side.

'I'm Carmel, if you don't remember me telling you.' She reminded him, while picking at the grass. 'Why were you cast out?'

His head jerked as if she had struck him. Her guess had been right, he had been cast out. His mouth tightened and he refused to look at her. She was about to apologise when his eyes caught hers, blazing and violent. 'What is it to you, little Fey-beast? What would be gained from knowing?'

Carmel opened her mouth, closed it again. She was flabbergasted and shamed, and she could not think of a way to take back what she said. He shook his head and stood.

'I'm going to find some food.' He told her and left without another word.

He returned a short time later. Carmel made no effort to coax him out of his silence or apologise for what she said, she didn't think he'd want to hear it.

She accepted his cooking with a nod of gratitude and ate as fast as she could before turning over, hugging Gregoria, and pretending to sleep.

***

His back ached; when he bent or moved too suddenly a lightning bolt of pain raced across his shoulders. Every now and again he would forget and flex his muscles, expecting the sweep of his wings, and would get the reminder that they were gone. He couldn't believe they were gone or that his own people, who he'd lived with all his life, had cut them off.

He looked over at the girl who had saved him. He wanted to hate her for it even though he was grateful. He had no idea what he was going to do now. He couldn't go home, he didn't have a name. His hands knotted themselves in the grass and he tilted his head back to look at the stars.

His pants pulled as he shifted into a more comfortable position. Never before had he felt fabric against his skin. He knew that humans and other creatures wore clothes, had seen it in Damnati, the town below his home, but he had never thought to wear them. His wings were his usual clothing, they were large enough to wrap around him and was a common attire among his people because if they wore clothes, they would get in the way of the shift.

He pulled away from thoughts about the shift. Not ready to face the idea of turning into a wingless creature.

Lekinya had better be okay, he hoped with every fibre of his being that his brother would look after her. He stared into the night, his mind racing around in a dance of the same thoughts. There was no doubt that he wouldn't get any sleep even though exhaustion pulled at him from both his wounds and all the walking.