The Call of the Woodland Spirit

Chapter 22

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"I'm leaving. Don't touch any of my things while I'm gone." Hazel said casually, retouching her makeup at the dresser mirror as I watched warily from the couch behind her.

I raised my eyebrows. "Leaving? Where? Isn't this your cabin?" I asked. Hazel sighed dramatically, turning around and placing both hands on her hips. She looked severely annoyed if she wasn't already before. It was now nighttime. I had stayed at Hazel's for about three hours, and it was rounding seven o'clock. After eating a small meal (diet food, of course, Hazel said she liked to stay slim and beautiful and I should try it sometime) I kept myself busy by staring out the window at a passing flock of birds, a rabbit who peered curiously at me from where it blended in on the snowy ground, and anything else my mind could focus on. After a while, my eyes began to droop, and I had realized I had nearly dozed off with my cheek pressed against the glass pane, stars sparkling overhead.

"Yeah. Obviously. But I'm spending the night elsewhere." she said as a response, licking scarlet lipstick off her teeth. She finger-combed her blonde hair, smirking to herself in the mirror atop her dresser. "Declan invited me over. He's really good boyfriend material." she acknowledged, fluttering her eyelashes dreamily at her reflection.

I fought back the urge to roll my eyes. Sure, her boyfriend who doesn't even know they're dating.

"So..I'm staying the night alone." I assumed aloud. She nodded irritably, pulling up her skirt that was way too short. "Yeah. Hey, word of advice. If you need anything or get anything dirty, maybe don't come find me." she hissed. "Like I said, don't touch my stuff, and you'll leave in the morning, right?"—without waiting for me to answer she grinned and said—"of course you will!"

Her face then dropped, her fake smile vanishing and being replaced with a scowl. "Can't believe they brought you here." she mumbled, shooting me a look of hatred before rummaging around in a dresser drawer and pulling out a small diamond-encrusted purse. It was quite pretty, and it made me admittedly a little jealous that I didn't have the luxury of these items at a sooner age. Hazel seemed to be a cranky eighteen year old, but she held herself up like she's had fine grandeur since the day she was born. Which.. she probably did now that I think about it.

She swung it around her shoulder, checked herself in the mirror one last time (this time fluffing her hand in her hair and adding another thick layer of mascara) before turning on her heel to give me a glare. "I mean it, Nari. Don't touch anything and just try to go to bed so I know you won't be a nuisance while I'm out."

"It's Nomi."

"Whatever. Do as I say if you want to stay under my roof." she shot back. I frowned at her. "Aren't you supposed to stay with me?" I asked, even though it wasn't like I wanted her to stay. I'd survive extremely well without her. "As far as I know, you're supposed to take care of me."

"I'm sure you can handle yourself. I don't want to get my hands.. ah, dirtied." she spat, pursing her lips at me in pity. My frown only deepened. Fine, then. Have it her way. I don't want to share a bed with her anyway. Why should I plead with a girl who's ditching her one-night-only roommate for a boy she's crushing on? 'Whatever' was my response as well.

After giving me repeated instructions as to not touch a single object but the bed in her cabin, she turned and sped out the door with her heeled boots tapping loudly through the night.

Other than that, the hunting party camp was dead silent, I observed as I stood in the open doorway, eyes on Hazel's back as she click-clacked around a bend of trees to Declan's cabin. A sigh left my parted lips. The nightly breeze was gentle and soothing against my skin, brushing its long fingers through my hair as though with affection.

Lamplights and torches had been blown out at the other cabins I could see from Hazel's porch. I raised my head just slightly. Arashi and Nalik's cabin wasn't far at all. I noticed the marigolds in the window box.

A sudden feeling of loneliness washed over me. I haven't felt something like it since I had met Arashi. Typically, I am the girl who gives off the impression of 'ill-bred', or, at least, that's what Hazel had said to me. I looked down at myself as the trees and bushes rustled from the wind. Although she wasn't wrong (I did look like I lived in the forest) I would've still liked to improve my image. The folks I had met so far hadn't said anything bad, Gael's sister even called me pretty, but I felt as if Hazel was giving me the brutal truth whereas everyone else was hiding it. Possibly, this could be a factor why everyone was leaving me, mentally and physically. I leaned subconsciously against the door frame. As much as the truth made me want to change, I didn't know how to start.

I looked up instead, trying to distract myself. The moon stared back at me. It was a beautiful crescent today, shining silver against the blackness of the sky. Clouds were littered here and there, and little stars twinkled down at me. It made me smile vaguely. Back at the orphanage, I was never allowed after the curfew to stargaze. I scarcely knew what a full moon looked like.

The moon was indeed very beautiful, I was glad to see, in any form.

A few minutes later a particularly cold gust of wind brushed against me, making me shiver and breaking my moment of stargazing. I wrapped my arms around myself, searching the area as I squinted in the darkness. Yeah, probably time to go to bed. I thought as I stepped back in the cabin, shutting the door behind me.

As if waiting for my entrance, wind began to beat harshly against the window panes, creating a deep hollowing sound that made my heart beat slightly faster. The cabin was softly illuminated by a flickering lamplight on the bedside table. And, of course, Hazel's bed was bestrewn with beauty products. I sighed in exhaustion as I brushed away an eyebrow plucker, a comb, and another eyeshadow palette. I looked down at myself once more. I had forgotten I had changed into Hazel's old pair of night clothes an hour before. She had given them to me reluctantly, and they were still too short for me. Although I was thin and not really too tall, the lended pajamas were tight around my calves and showed my belly button when I forget to pull my shirt down.

I took a seat on the bed, brushing my thin hair to one shoulder. It was knotted and tangled already. Arashi had brushed it once, quite well. But in the passing events I just didn't see the time to ask him again. I scratched absently at my scalp, wondering if I had lice. I really hoped I didn't.

The bed wasn't as comfortable as Arashi's. Actually, as I laid down upon the bedsheets, I realized it made my back ache at how awkward it felt. My head fell back into the pillow, my hair flying wildly around my face. It would have to do for now. I could very well see that Hazel hadn't washed her bed sheets in a while, and didn't bother getting a softer mattress. That was fine with me, it actually shocked me with how familiar it felt. The beds at the orphanage were scratchy and rustic, and occupying about twenty or so beds in one large hall were very scratchy and rustic children. I shivered at the thought. My unlucky placement had been in between a tall, slender girl named Maeve and a round, bloated boy named Leo.

Maeve always took my blanket, complaining every night how cold she was. Ripping it out of my hands before I could say no, I was forced to sleep without one for quite a while. Leo on the other hand didn't do much. He slept a lot and very soundly, but he would constantly get these nightmares that made him scream, waking up almost everyone in the hall at once.

I shuffled my feet around, digging my toes distractedly into the bed as I tried to get comfortable. Oh well. At least they're gone now. I'm somewhere much better than that prison of an orphanage. I thought to myself. The sound of my own, gentle voice began to lull me toward the grips of sleep, and I gladly succumbed.

I was awoken not half an hour later when a screeching howl vibrated through the cabin. It was very, very close.

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