Drowning in the Siren's Song

Chapter 6

Percy was getting ready for a dreaded outing. He absolutely loathed going out of the forest, but it was necessary for him since there were some things which even a whole ecosystem couldn't provide. Clothes and food were a few examples which forced him to keep going out in the human world. 

But this time, the main reason for his visit was Keria. 

Percy had gained a little companion, a young raven he had saved from an attacked nest. Maybe it had been a hungry predator, or maybe even poachers who'd slipped from under his watch, but unfortunately, her mother had fled and she was the only survivor from her siblings, so Percy took her under his wing, pun intended. 

She was a smart bird, with glossy black feathers which matched his hair and unique blue eyes which seemed to glow. He'd started calling her 'Keria', which meant candles in Greek. Percy had only seen a candle once, but when he saw Keria gaze at him, he was reminded of the blue fames dancing in a dark room.

She didn't object to the name, so it was unconsciously decided, even though it was a bit unusual. She was still a hatchling, barely the size of his palm, and had an injured foot, most probably broken from  when she fell from her nest. But he didn't have enough supplies to treat her properly. He needed smaller bandages and more sensitive medicine for her, and thus, the trip to humanity was decided.

He had been meaning to go out for the past few days, and even the dryads had scolded him for procrastinating, but now that he had an urgent matter, he couldn't push it back further.

He'd started going out of the forest a few months back, when he was left with rags as clothes after continues tearing and ripping them on branches and tress. Not to mention, his growing body. The naiads had told him that there were shops outside the reserve since it was a tourist spot, and suggested going there to steal whatever he was lacking.

At first, he'd refused firmly, but after countless persuasions and logical reasoning, he'd agreed reluctantly, knowing that how much ever he'd depended on the forest, he wasn't an animal and needed things which humans used. 

He'd jumped over the high fence with ease, his experience climbing trees and vines making the man-made fence laughable. He'd decided to leave just before dawn, knowing that it was the time the outside was calmest. His remembered quite a bit when he first arrived, so it was pretty easy to find a store and sneak in, but instead of stealing like the spirits 'suggested', he took what he needed and left some of the herbal concoctions he'd made on the counter, knowing full well how effective they were. 

It was a start of a routine, one which he dreaded more than anything in the world. He just couldn't face humans, especially men. Whenever he coincidently came across an adult man, he got unbearably scared, his memories of his days with Gabe forcing him to freeze and tremble in place, even though he knew that the person in front of him was not him, but someone else. He'd thought he was over it, or at least could control his emotions, but every time he went outside the comfort of the reserve, even seeing a man was traumatizing. 

But he had to overcome it. Even though he was young, he knew full well that he wouldn't be able to live in the reserve forever. Sooner or later, he was going  to have to face humans and return to civilization. So he endured it, staying out for only the minimal time possible and taking only what was necessary.

But it was different this time. He had Keria with him. Though she was just a raven, a chick at that, the comfort of having someone with him was making his heart beat a little less faster. And the smart bird, whose instincts told her that something was wrong, cuddled in his hands, letting him from time to time that she was there and present.

He laughed, tucking her smallness in his pocket, mindful of her injuries, freeing his hands so that he could climb over the fence. She chirped in apprehension, poking her head out and nipping his side.