A Surprising Spring

Chapter Four

Nicholas sat with his legs dangling into the water of the gently-moving brook, his wrists crossed in his lap. The sun was warm, gently heating his face as he tipped his head backward, curls swinging down his neck. Above him, the trees whispered gently to each other across the stream, and there was the occasional call of a bird.

It was lunchtime, and he was bored.

Zekiel hadn't been around for a while, and he couldn't help but wonder whether that meant that his... mate... was on their way, or if the Messenger simply had better things to do.

Then, from behind him, back in the clearing where he slept, he heard a noise. It was quiet; an unexpected movement of air, branches rubbing together...

Quickly, Nicholas turned his head, peering away from the sun. "Hello?"

He waited a moment, and looked closer. There was nothing there.

"Must have been a bird," he muttered to himself, turning back to the water and deciding that he definitely wasn't upset that Zekiel hadn't been standing there with that irritating, superior, gloating look on his face.

A little more time passed, the shadows starting to lengthen on the woodland floor. Nicholas closed his eyes again, trying to think about nothing, letting the sounds of the forest surround him. Strange, cynical Sprite that he was, he did still love the lands he lived in. The smell of wood, perhaps, or the way rain sank into the ground and stayed deep beneath your feet even after the sun had been pounding down for days.

Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind him. "That looks quite cold."

His eyes snapped open, and he jumped up, feet bare, turning sharply to look at the intruder. It was a woman, young - barely past being a teenager, he mused - with light brown hair hanging around her face. Her eyes were bright, deep brown and widened at his display of power.

"Uh..." she started, unconsciously moving back slightly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Shaking himself, Nicholas smiled down at her. "You didn't, I was just..."

"Away with the fairies," she laughed.

His smile froze on his face. "Exactly."

"Anyway," the woman stepped forward, obviously deciding that the bare-footed, slightly dishevelled man in front of her wasn't a serial killer. "I'm Katy." She stuck out a hand, looking expectantly at Nicholas.

His lip wrinkled up, not in disgust, but looking as if he'd just met a strange new creature and wasn't quite sure how to approach. Delicately, he stretched out his hand. "Nick."

Katy shook his hand firmly, her grip warm, and beamed. "Nice to meet you. So, what were you doing with your feet in the stream?"

The Sprite pulled away from her, glancing back at the water with a slightly longing look in his eyes. "You know, just... getting close to nature?" He crinkled up his nose at the words. What a sap, he thought to himself, watching her carefully.

Her ponytail bobbed as she nodded enthusiastically in response. "Oh yes, I love nature. That's why I come here, of course. It's just so..." She stretched her arms out and span around, her large anorak swaying around her thighs as she did so.

"Is she seriously doing that?" Nicholas muttered to himself, nostrils flared.

Katy drew to a stop abruptly. "Sorry, did you say something?"

He shook his head, and started to walk towards his clearing.

He was aware of Katy following him, and sped up every time she tried to walk next to him. He asked himself if he was perhaps being a little mean, before remembering that he didn't give a rat's ass either way, and lengthening his stride.