Mystery of the Myth

Status
Not open for further replies.
The next few days passed in much the same manner. Astor would relax or do some light hunting during the day, and at nights he'd go to the large oak tree for Flutter to check his wound. That night, as he headed to the oak for what he was sure the last time. The wound was fully healed now, he was sure of it. He felt no pain or discomfort or even stiffness from it. The only thing he had left to check would be to transform. If the wound wasnt healed, then transforming would not only be painful, it would make the wound worse. He had decided to hold off until Flutter gave him the all clear before he changed back, just in case.

He rounded the side of the large oak and found himself to be a bit earlier that usual, so he layed down at the base and waited for Flutter to show.
 
Flutter's days were about the same. Each day, she'd go to the oak tree after having spent a good chunk of time working with herbs and seeing a patient once in a blue moon. Otherwise, her days were very quiet when she wasn't with Astor, who was her main source of communication with the outside. That day was the same to her.

As she reached the oak tree, she was surprised to see him early, as she usually went early herself. Smiling slightly, she dug through her basket and held out a bun when she neared him- but this time it wasn't a sweet bun. "One of the local merchants gave me these on accident. They're meat buns...You said you like to eat meat a lot, right?" She smiled lightly, adding, "I'm sure it's been hard with the dressing to hunt easily. It's not much, but I thought this would be a nice change from the sweet buns I've been bringing you."

She took her usual seat soon after, moving her hands towards the wound. Taking off the dressing, she let out a small sigh of relief. "It seems like it's perfectly healed. You should be able to go without the dressing now. You're A-OK." Smiling lightly, she rubbed the fur surrounding the area. "It didn't scar or anything, even."

Leaning back, she took a sweet bun once again from the basket- she'd taken just one, so that she'd have one to eat as well. "I know that you've only been coming to meet with me to keep an eye on your wound...But you should still take care of your body. I think it might be a good think if I saw you once in a while still...You don't seem the type to always notice when you're injured, from the bit I know you...And even the smallest cut can cause a bad infection."
 
Astor sniffed the meat bun. It smelled similar to the sweet buns she always had, but the delicious smell of meat wafted out of it. He gently took it out of her hand and finished it off in one fell swoop. A shiver of delight ran down his spine. That was even better than the sweet bun. What kind of meat is that? I dont recognize it, he replied, watching her remove his dressing. Once it was gone, he stood and stretched, then shook himself from head to tail. He was so glad the dressing was gone. It had begun to irritate him. Maybe thats why they scar... he thought ironically.

He changed himself back into his human form and plopped down next to her. "About time," he mumbled, rubbing his shoulder where the wound had been. "Well, I guess I cant add that one to the collection." When he transformed back into his human shape, he was able to have a pair of dark green shorts appear as well, that way he wasnt flashing anybody. His shirt, however, was gone, revealing the scar-covered body underneath. There were many long cut shaped scars in various places. On one of his shoulders was a scar where an arrow had hit him when he was just a boy.

"Come back you mean?" he repeated, glancing at her. He rubbed the back of his head, not really liking the idea very much. He had already spent far too much time in one area, staying longer might attract the attention of any hunters in the area. "I dunno... its not as easy for me to do that as it might be for you. Its dangerous..."
 
Flutter thought over his question. What had the person said it was again? "Beef, they said...So...Cow." She smiled lightly to him, glad he seemed to like it. As he relieved himself of his current form and turned to human, she was surprised to say the least, yet not too affected- she had accepted he could do that, but was still getting used to it. He hadn't changed much since their first encounter, after all.

"I can see why you call it a collection," Flutter soon noted, looking over his scarred torso carefully. He had more scars than she could care to count, and it was slightly saddening. Without thinking, much to her surprise, she hugged onto him slightly. "A tough life you've lead, no?"

Shaking it off and pulling away, embarrassed by her own sudden burst of emotions, she looked at him carefully as he spoke. "If it's too dangerous for you to leave and come back...then just stay. I have an extra bedroom- you can come and go as you need from my house, and no one will question you if you're my house guest."
 
"Cow? Hm. Never got to try one of those." That was a one way ticket to the afterlife as far as he was concerned. He'd seen how protective humans were of their cows. He stiffened when she hugged him, and didnt relax again until she let go. He cleared his throat, peering at her out of the corner of his eye. "Most of my kind are peaceful. That comes with its own price."

He blinked, his mind trying to process her offer. Stay. Live there... with a human... His first instinct was to say no. He had to stop himself from saying it out loud by habit. Thinking about it, he realized its not that bad of an arrangement. Being so far away from most others, he could come and go in relative peace. He would have a safe place to sleep, and he'd probably be able to eat better in the coming winter months too. "... I suppose... it wouldnt hurt to stay here..." he replied, hoping he was making the right decision.
 
Flutter had partial regret in making her peculiar idea vocal. She didn't get regular visitors, so she feared it was possible she was mostly asking because she lacked contact with another- something that their current arrangement had provided. However, there was something else fueling her, and she couldn't quite place it. He didn't remind her much of her late brother (besides the numerous scars, which was in fact a similarity). He wasn't a father to her either. So why would she want someone she barely knew in her home? All she knew was that the idea had come and left her head and into the air faster than she could expect. And his response was far from what she expected.

Did he just...Say yes? She watched him cautiously, as if trying to replay what he'd said. He'd trailed off a bit it seemed, but she'd been sure she heard him right after a few moments of contemplating. A small smile reached her lips. "I'm glad. For some reason...I really am..." She looked at her lap, a bit intimidated by her sudden lack of logic. Where had this sudden wave of emotion come from? "As I said...You can come and go as you please. I'd just feel better knowing I can make sure you're taking care of your wounds." Somehow, I don't know if that's the only reason I'm glad, though...
 
"I've never been inside a human den before," he said to her. "This is the most time I've spent around one." He was still surprised that he had agreed to stay there. It may have its perks, yes, but it was still a human place with a human settlement not too far away and where humans lived, so did hunters. He felt nervousness clawing at his belly like a starved cat. If his parents saw him now... oh the scolding he'd get. "Are you sure it'll be safe? I dont want to cause you any problems after all."
 
"I live alone anyway," Flutter mused. "I live on the far outskirts of town, and the only time people come to see me is for urgent medicinal needs or to deliver some extra goods they had that they thought I'd like, such as these buns the baker gives me semi-regularly. Normally I'm left alone otherwise...So it won't be troubling to me. If anything, it might be a relief. These past few days are the most time I've spent with someone else than I have in quite a long time...It's strangely refreshing, despite the illogical nature of it and the fact." She smiled to him quietly, curled up a bit as she leaned against the tree.

"The room I have that's extra is yours to use as you want, so don't feel a need to hesitate on my behalf. I'm sure big brother would be happy to see it used..." She then went deep into thought. Her brother, the myth maniac. He had died trying to meet one of the mythical shapeshifters to make friends with it- thus, to Flutter, she was sure he would be happy that one was taking residence in their home, thus proving not all were horrible creatures like humans tended to think. However, she had decided never to mention that to him, at least for a long while- not how her brother died. Her brother would remain a mystery at least a bit longer.

"Whenever you feel like, just come ahead and use the back door. I'll leave it unlocked for you. Oh, but let me know when you come if you can...I might get startled otherwise."
 
"Thats not too bad I suppose." Too many humans coming and going would probably drive him away. It was already a strange thought to be living there. "I cant guarantee it'll be forever though." He stood and stretched. "I dont think I'll stay tonight. Its a perfect night to hunt, and I've been itching to hunt for a while now." He changed into the shape of an owl and flew up into the large oak. I'll try to remember to let you know, but I wont guarantee anything. He told her before flying off into the forest in search of some mice.

He managed to find a couple within the span of an hour. When he finished them off, he settled in a tree, his gaze being drawn back in the direction of Flutter's home. He still wasnt quite sure how he felt about living there. He fluffed his feathers up, nestling his head among them. Thoughts of the last time he'd seen his parents floated through his memory. They had always been peaceful shifters. They neither cared about nor bothered with humans. They had just wanted to live in peace like any other creature. He wished they were here with him now. Maybe they'd be able to settle the debate going on in his mind.
 
Flutter watched when he flew off, smiling a bit. "I'll be waiting for you as long as I can," She mused easily as he began his proper ascent to hunt. When he was out of sight, she let out a gentle sigh and returned to the small house, entering with a return greeting, knowing well no one was there at the time. Locking the front door and checking the back to fix it so that he could get in, she retreated to the room that was now for him to use. The room was simple, with a few old clothes in the dresser and otherwise just a couple of photographs, one of which was sitting near an urn.

Flutter lifted the urn and the photograph closest to it, hugging them close to her chest. The picture depicted a young boy likely near her age, with dark and unruly hair, along with bright blue eyes. "Big brother," She murmured softly, before taking the urn to the mudroom in the back. Placing it down softly, she sighed. "It'd be awkward to sleep there I'm sure if I let you there. But you like plants, big brother...So it's okay, right?" Smiling to the picture weakly, she returned to the room to do a bit more cleaning, not noticing one remaining photograph in one of the drawers with a note her brother had written, excitedly writing about his studies to meet and befriend a shapeshifter. Besides that, however, the room bore no memory of her brother. And thus, with the memories in her arms, she went to her room to take a nap, dozing quickly while hugging her pillow.
 
Astor woke as the sun broke through the treetops. He groaned, blinking at the bright light. He had slept in his owl form that night and it didnt take kindly to the bright morning sunshine. He fluffed his feathers out and stretched his wings. He switched to the form of a kestrel before taking off again. He flew around aimlessly for a while, trying to wake himself up and stretch his wings in the process. As he was flying, he spotted a small mouse scampering about in the underbrush. He circled above it until it came out into the open, then he dived for it. The mouse was small, not having very much meat on it so it didnt last long. He could hear a stream nearby, so he flew off in that direction. The stream was small, but so was he at the moment. He landed on a rock that was close to the surface and spent the next few minutes washing himself off.

Once that was over, he changed into his fox form. He slipped through the forest until he was hiding under a bush close to Flutter's home. He debated coming back later, but he as also terribly curious what a human den looked like. In the end, curiosity won out and he darted over to the house and to the open door he could see. He had to stop just inside to let his eyes adjust to the strange light inside. He creeped forward, sticking to the walls and shadows. He wandered through one room that smelled strongly of human food. The smell was so strong it made his eyes water. He quickly slipped out of that room and into another room. This one looked more like a place where the humans relaxed. He padded over to one of the large objects that was covered in something squishy. He stood on his hind paws, his front paws resting on the strange thing. Interesting... he said to himself, prodding the thing.
 
Flutter didn't do well with sunlight, causing her to wake begrudgingly after a few hours of it had forced her eyes to adjust while remaining closed. As she sat up slowly, she stretched her back a bit to get rid of a kink in her spine. "Man it hurts...I wonder if the bed's getting too firm? It's not overly soft, but..." Shaking it off, she let her legs swing over the bedside. "No matter...Time to get ready to eat. I wonder if he came?"

She left her room without really grooming quickly. She had brushed her teeth and the like in the bathroom next door, but she hadn't fully finished brushing her hair. Her clothes remained her nightgown, which laid a bit loose against her body, but still covered enough in case she had unexpected visitors. She was good at hiding embarrassment anyway, if it did find her- though that was because she often didn't notice it.

Headed to the kitchen, she stopped when she heard a light noise in the living room, causing her to walk in gently. "Ah- Astor. You made it." She smiled gently, a bit fatigued still, but otherwise seeming happy. She was glad to see him, but grogginess often got the best of her in the morning. "I'm sorry I didn't get to welcome you properly...Ah, are you hungry? Though I guess you may have eaten before coming..."
 
Astor looked over at her, his ears perked upright. He jumped up onto the squishy thing, his head cocked to the side curiously. What is this thing? Its strange. He made his way to the corner of it and curled up, wrapping his tail over his nose. And comfortable. Oh, yes I've eaten, thank you. He looked her over with one eye. She looked a little bedraggled. It reminded him of how he felt every time he woke up. Human dens are so big... there's alot of strange things in here.
 
Flutter giggled a bit as he curled up at the corner, walking over to lean on the back of the couch. "It's called a couch. I'm glad you feel it's comfortable...It's meant to be that way." Smiling lightly, she watched him a bit- watching him was strangely enjoyable, and his expression was endearing to a point that she wanted desperately to pet him. Despite her normally logical nature, Flutter would admit she had a weakness at times to cute things- perhaps it was part of what she felt at ease with him. Shaking off the urge when she saw her hand almost starting to leave the back of the couch, she smiled and spoke again instead.

"If there's anything here you find confusing, just tell me. But I suppose it is considered relatively big, compared to what you might be used to."
 
He stood and jumped off the couch, then changed back into his human form. Looking around with the new perspective. The place seemed smaller in his human form than in his fox form. He felt the itching nervousness return, urging him to return outside, telling him that it was too dangerous in there. He ignored it all. He'd already checked to make sure others werent there before he had come inside, and the only fresh scent he had picked up had been Flutter's. "I think there's a bit too much here for you to explain all at once." The whole place seemed like it was from a whole other world, although thinking about it, he supposed it was. He had only ever seen human dwellings from the outside. The inside was even more confusing than humans themselves.
 
Flutter smiled a bit anyway as he changed back, already not phased by his easy alterations of form. If he noted the size, she would likely agree it to be a bit big- especially for her taste. However, all the same, she seemed to be at ease there- but that house was where she'd generally grown up, so to her it was a natural place to feel comfortable. "I'm sure there is...But we can take our time on that you know. No one said we had to rush. When you think something needs to be asked, you ask. Sound simple enough?"

As she pushed herself off the back of the couch, taking a few steps to keep steady, she turned towards the kitchen. "I just, woke, so I haven't eaten yet...So I'm going to go have some breakfast." She looked over her shoulder at him when she was at the living room's edge, nearing the kitchen. "This room is the living room...The kitchen room is the one that smells most of food." Giggling, she added, "If you go down this hall, the room for you to use is the second door on the right. I cleared out what I could find, so it's basically bare now...Not that there was much left anyway. There might be some of my brother's old clothes though, if you feel an interest in checking. Might be a bit small though- you're taller than my brother was. At least, I think you are..."
 
"Living room?" he mumbled to himself, turning in a circle to take in the whole room. He poked his head out into the hallway, his eyes roaming over the other room he'd been through earlier. "Kitchen... Hm." He then headed down the hall until he got to the door she had specified. He tapped the door with his foot, then carefully opened it. He ducked away from the door as it swung open. When nothing happened, he poked his head around the doorframe, peering inside. He could see a few wooden things in the room as well as something that resembled a larger version of... what had she called it? Right, a couch. He walked over to the large flat couch-like thing and poked it. It was squishier than the couch. He cocked his head to the side like a curious puppy as he inspected the thing. Fascinating... he thought to himself. His attention was then drawn to one of the large wooden things against one of the walls. He padded over to it, poking it in a few different places. There were a bunch of shiny things sticking out of the front. He grabbed one and tried to take it off, but instead, it pulled out a hidden compartment in the wood. He pushed on the shiny thing and the compartment dissappeared back into the structure again. He tried all the shiny things and for each one, the same thing happened. All the compartments were empty save for one. There was an image of a young man and a note. He picked the note up and turned it over a few times before reading what was on it.

He slipped back down the hallway, the note and image in hand, until he reached the kitchen. "Whos this?" he asked, leaning against the wall just beside the doorway.
 
Flutter was at the counter when he spoke, turning to look at him while her hands were kneading some dough. She squished and molded the dough on auto-pilot before leaving it momentarily on a flour-covered cutting board. Running some water over her hands to wash them, she dried them quickly before heading to him to look at the photograph. She wiped her hands on her gown to remove any remaining moisture before taking the image to inspect.

"Ah...I thought I got them all." She mused gently. She smiled sadly as she pulled the picture close, not having taken the note as she hadn't noticed it yet. "It's my brother. It was his room...And we had a lot of pictures. I thought I got all of them, but I guess I missed some. Sorry about that." She looked at him with a mild expression showing a mix of relief, regret and remorse. She put the photograph into her breast pocket before returning to the counter, turning to look at him when she noticed the note again, but working while she spoke. "What's that? Was it with the picture?"
 
"Yea. It talks about us - shapeshifters I mean. It says he saw one, then it talks about how he wanted to be friends with one." He held the note out to her. "It was written by your brother, wasnt it? What happened to him?" He could tell by the expression she'd had when she had seen the picture that her brother had been gone for a while. He could only assume the worst, especially with the note he had just read. He hoped she would tell him something that was different than what he feared, but he had a feeling she wouldnt.
 
Flutter frowned, taking a moment before looking at him. "He was shot," She mused gently. "A few years ago, my brother used to go out a lot, saying he would make friends with a shapeshifter. Apparently, he got hit by hunter's bullet that had missed its target." She finished what she was working on, opening the oven door carefully on the side to put the dough, now shaped, in to cook. When it was closed, she went to the fridge to take out a small bottle of milk and some left-over cookies from the previous day, putting them on the nearby table and sitting down. "I found out later on...It was hard, since he was my only family at that point."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back