SOMNUS
The ‘Forest of Lovers’, some called it, although Somnus couldn’t fathom why. Supposedly it was a place of intimate encounters, of passionate love making between two, or more, souls who loved one another dearly enough to attempt to procreate. In his opinion, it was all rather foolish and asinine. Why seek out a forest to bed then one you love? Why have one forest designated for love making? What was the appeal? Bitterness, of course, had absolutely nothing to do with his opinions, thank you very much. Yet had it been up to him, he would’ve avoided the lush forest and probably remained holed up in the citadel, but since learning to fly, Alba had been excited to explore the forested areas of Novus with an innocent eagerness that Somnus didn’t have the heart to squander.
As it were, Alba fluttered on ahead, dipping and diving through the air and weaving through trees with the remarkable silence of her kind, all rich golds and soft creams. Somnus watched her cautiously, his steps light, nimble legs carrying the dunalino tactician through the woods, never too far behind his bonded. The premature grass was damp from the moisture of melting snow, but there were still sections of the forest where the earth was covered with a thin layer of white. Over time it would all melt away, when spring was in full bloom, but that was a few weeks ago. Life was beginning anew; small buds of green bloomed upon the barren trees, fresh shoots of grass poking their way through the damp soil. Moist earth could be scented upon every breath, and the birds… They sang in the dawn’s early light, welcoming yet another day.
It was Alba, however, who first spotted the trail of blood. The barn owl’s vision was immaculate, perfect in spotting every detail, every flaw. The drops of red stood out against the melting snow, and curiously the young owlette fluttered just above the ground, beady black eyes assessing what was before her with a calculating stare. Copper infiltrated her sense of smell, the familiar scent of blood, and with a shriek she jerked into the air with a mighty flapping of wings. ’Blood!’ Came her cry of warning to her bonded, immediately whirling back the way she had come to reach Somnus’ side. ’Equine blood.’
The Regent frowned, emerald eyes darkening in concern. Blood? Here? This was no battleground, but surely that would not stop anyone from making it one.
“Hurry.” They did not dawdle. Alba, Oriens bless her, sensed his urgency and took to the skies once more, darting in between trees with Somnus at her back. She would be the one to follow the trail, leading Somnus along, from where the trail had strangely appeared seemingly out of nowhere before following it to a blooming willow. There, nearly hidden beneath swaying branches and shadow, was the crumpled form. Verdant eyes narrowed in assessment, wondering just where she had come from and what had harmed her. Her scent was nothing of the likes he had ever came across before; it reeked of a place of shadows, of mystery, of darkness… She was definitely not from Novus, that was certain.
Clearing his throat, Somnus beckoned towards the crumpled female with a soothing tone to his lilted accent, hesitant to get too close for a proper examination lest she retaliate. “We mean you no harm. Are you alright?”
@Pavetta
