The Call of the Woodland Spirit

Chapter 3

"Where's your family?" I said after a little while, Arashi was adding more chunks of firewood in the fireplace.

"Excuse me?"

I sucked in a breath, then tried again. "Your family. Do you have one?"

That was when I instantly felt I had said something wrong. Arashi's face then grew sullen and sorrowful, darkening with every passing moment. Without looking at me, he tended to the dancing flames, throwing in another small plank of wood.

"I used to, many years ago." he said quietly. He quickly grew silent after that. Oh. I thought. But, before I could stop it, two more hammering questions came out of my mouth.

"What happened to them? Did you have any kids?" I asked, wanting immediately to slap myself, hard. I had rather thought he was slightly young to have any children, looking to me like only in his early twenties. But I might have been wrong. Arashi's face was still quite gloomy, but the smallest of smiles graced his lips. "For a few years," he began, "It was just my wife and I living in this cabin.. she was very beautiful, and she was kind. That's why I fell in love with her." he said, drawing his fingers back from the fire and rubbing his hands together to rid the dust from the wood he had been holding. I shifted on Arashi's bed, sort of wishing I hadn't mentioned his family to begin with. Were they dead? Like mine? Arashi continued.

"And, next thing we knew, we had a beautiful little girl." he was now saying this with such swelling pride it made me grin from ear-to-ear. The smile on Arashi's face grew into something wistful as he gazed, glassy eyed, into the flames in front of him. "I loved her with everything I had, she was my world."

His face then grew dark.

"Until they took her away from me."

I suddenly felt a nagging pain at the back of my throat, for some reason, I seemed to feel Arashi's agony. "Who took her? What happened?" My voice cracked as I spoke. Arashi still wasn't making eye contact with me, but it wasn't his fault. The fire crackled and burned, and a single tear fell down his cheek. "The bounty hunters," he said, his words barely escaping from his mouth. "They used to hunt on the borders of the forest for animals usually than people. But when they found out there was a child living this far away from the rest of society, they barged in like monsters... and took my daughter."

Both of us then grew into an uncomfortable silence. Although I couldn't see his face, I knew Arashi was crying, even if it was without a sound. I suddenly felt an urge to walk over, and comfort him. But I had no skill in that particular area, for no one had ever comforted me when I was upset. But I wanted to try, for I knew how he must be feeling right now, all alone. I had never even thought of him as a former father, what his daughter and wife's current fates were, it was still unknown to me.

I swung my legs off from Arashi's bed and dropped the blanket along with it, I then quietly made my way to where he was sitting, dropping myself down beside the crestfallen man and gently placing my hand on his shoulder (Arashi didn't flinch or anything, it pained me to see.... It was like all the emotion was gone from his face).

"I-I.. I'm so sorry, Arashi. I didn't mean to.. I'm so sorry.." I said quietly, feeling like I hadn't experienced joy for days. Arashi choked back a small sob, his green eyes were now as glassy and crystals. His long hair hung in curtains on the sides of his face as he stared dismally at the floor. I could see his lips moving a little bit, he was mumbling something inaudible under his breath.

I couldn't tell him how sorry I felt right now, I wanted to shout out a never ending string of apologies, but I feared it would only make his sodden state even worse. Until finally, I could hear Arashi speak to me. "I.. I'm very sorry.." he said, swallowing heavily and using the back of his thin fingers to wipe his eyes. I furrowed my eyebrows at him... he had nothing to apologize for. And I was going to tell him just that when he stood up, shaking his head. He smiled wearily at me, but through his forced little twinkle, I could still see the tears behind his eyes.