A Pair of Wings - Sanders Sides

13. A Walk Through Forest Winding

Thomas panted as he ran up the hill into the forest, the moonlight shining down on him. In the distance, the sound of fighting and both the screams of angels and people flooded into his ears. There, he hid behind a tree and sat, resting for a moment. At least with the commotion, no one should be able to find him, and if they did, they'd certainly wrangle him up in a situation he didn't like. He took in a deep breath, his lungs filling with cool air. A wind blew by making the leaves rustle and the trees sing. Soon, he took his backpack, stuffing his hand in it.

"No... no, not that..." he mumbled to himself.

Thomas kept rummaging through as he heard a heated battle coming closer and closer to him. The heart in his chest pounded, and a nervous sweat rolled down his face. He may be the king of Angelmont, but it didn't mean he was invincible.

"Ah, finally!"

There, he pulled out a map, opening up the rolled piece of paper out. On the right of the map was Angelmont in all its glory. Markets and towns were drawn onto the beautifully colored map, and there to the left was angel territory, the forests and mountains. Thomas pointed over to where he was, right in the middle of the small strip of forest before the mountains started.

"I just need to head up more north near the river, and I should be there..."

Soon, Thomas rolled the map back up, stuffing it into his backpack, and swinging it back on. He stood up against the wind, and the fight he heard earlier was creeping closer and closer. After a quick look around, his head beating, he ran once more across the hilly forest. The dirt rumbled every time he took a step and the bushes he passed by would hum as he ran. Every passing moment, the night became cooler as he fled from the heat of the battles south of the forest. His heart rang in his ears and he ran for all he was worth. Goodness, how much longer until he'd get there?

All of a sudden, in the distance, the trees disappeared one by one until Thomas ended up in a clearing. Not the sound of a human nor angel echoed here. The grass was tall and thick, the long strands hitting his arms and legs as he walked through. A deep breath filled his lungs, and, in an instant, some deep and wild spark came to him. Some wild magic had shook his bones and his very soul that lay deep in his core. There was an almost tart taste to this mysterious energy and it made his fingers twitch. But just why does such an ordinary looking place have something so energetic?

Thomas looked up at the mountains to his left. The glowing embers from the angels' hollows lit the dark mountains with a soft glow. They were giant stars painted onto the mountains and were a lovely sight to see. His mind raced with all sorts of curious thoughts. What was it like living as an angel? What was it like living up in those mountains? The tall grass rustled in the wind as he stood there in thought. Though, as much as he'd love to stay and look, there was another place he needed to go to, somewhere he's been dying to see.

Thomas started walking through the grass again, going back into the forest. His mind felt heavy with fog, but he brushed off the feeling. He had just walked up all the way to the forest after all. The trees' shadows covered the forest floor as a cool wind blew by, just enough to calm his still running heartbeat. He looked around, trying to find any clues that a human could be living in these woods. There seemed to only be a vast darkness, only hints of moonlight giving off any light. That was until, in the distance, there glowed a soft warm light, farther out from where he stood.

The soft grass crumpled underneath Thomas' feet as he traversed the dark forest toward the soft glow in the distance. All he could hear now was his own breathing. It was as if the whole forest had gone still for him. As he walked closer, the mysterious light grew bigger and bigger into his vision. He could see it light up a small portion of the forest. A rushing river nearby rang in his ears and he could almost feel the heat of the light touch him.

Finally, at last, Thomas arrived to what he thought was a myth. But was this truly the place he was looking for? The cabin did look very well kept and if there was light coming from it, someone must live here. His heart raced as he hid behind a tree. He could not be seen at all cost. If any angel or angel hunter found him, he'd be in for some deep trouble. Some sweat started to run down his face, despite the chilly wind. He looked up to the moon just for a second and stared at the stars, making a wish. If Janus was right, he'd finally have a solution to all this... As he kept looking up at those twinkling stars in the sky, he took in a deep breath. He peeked over the tree, looking into the window. Not too long after, a thump rang in his ear as someone appeared at the window. A small gasp entered his lungs and his eyes widened. It was them.

After all these years, they were alive and well, living in the forest alone. Thomas looked in closer, trying to find a hint of invention somewhere. Soon, after a few more moments, they stepped back from the window, disappearing into the cabin once again. Cool air filled his lungs as he looked around for another hiding spot, somewhere just a bit closer. He looked down at the ground before him, just below the window. A small patch of ground was covered in darkness, the burning light from the window not able to reach it. He could hide there but if they stepped outside, they'd either run back inside, or freeze and coward in fear before him. His mind, just for a moment, ran with all types of worries. A heat spread across his face again, debating what he should do. Should he stay here and hope he saw something incredible? Or did he go up there and risk getting caught? He bit his lip as he clung to the tree.

"Well, it's now or never..."

Soon, Thomas ran over to the small, shaded area near the window, trying to hide in the small space as best as possible. He took in quiet breaths so they wouldn't hear him. Something about the soft grass at least calmed him for a bit. The strands fitted snuggly through his fingers as he placed a hand on the ground to stabilize himself. Gently, he pressed an ear to the wall, listening. Soon, the sound of walking started until it got quieter and quieter. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath for a moment. As his eyes opened, he stood up a bit and peeked through the window and there he saw it.

"A pair of wings..." Thomas thought, "An actual pair of artificial wings..."

He looked over at the beauty that was so meticulously crafted. Even though it looked unfinished, it was clear that these wings would certainly take flight someday. The light from the fireplace bounced off the metal rods that stuck out from the thin but tough leather. It sat there on a small rack, almost as if it was displayed for all the world to see. His heart raced at the thought of using it, or just holding it in his hands. Oh, to have a beauty like that invention right before his eyes would be a miracle.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps andflapping wings captured his attention, pulling Thomas out of his daze. And asquick as a fox, he ran off back into the forest as fast as he could. His mindyearned to see those wings again, but he assured himself it was all he neededto see. But a thought circled through his mind as he ran through the hillyforest. Would this be the solution to all this? All this madness? A wind soonblew against his back as if nature itself was pushing him away and back to hiscastle. Maybe nature was saying he was a madman, but even so, he knewbetter.