Under certain circumstances (draft 2)

The edge of the world

Will Graham.
A strangely solitary faun in the forest just outside town. Most fauns stay to groups, but Will rejected the idea of staying in early adulthood. He's built a good home for himself on the other side of the river. Much closer to the humans, but it gives him another shield from socializing (the population of any magic dwindles this close to the edge of the forest) although solitude doesn't prevent curiosity. He often finds himself sneaking towards the tree line looking out down the grassy hill towards the town. It's such an interesting barrier. He could easily step out into the open bright sun, even wander down to the village and say hello, but at the same time he could never do that for any reason ever in his life.
One afternoon he was snooping around the tree line and just as he poked his head around a tree, a woman appeared. "OOh!! Jesus!" The woman jumped back and Will swung back behind the tree. "Oh my gosh you scared me hah... hello? Sir are you hiding?" She peaked around the tree and gasped again as Will hurriedly covered his ears. Then his nose. Then his antlers before realizing there was no point because she was looking at his very obviously non human legs. The woman took in the details and started backing away very slowly. "Just please don't panic! Shit! fuck- don't tell anyone you saw me and please don't run off screaming oh my god I'm gonna get us all killed holy shit" Will held his face in his hands trying to rub away the new stress he'd created for himself. "Oh my god. You talk?" The woman seemed more in shock that he talked than that he was a magic. "...yes? Did you not know we talk? Jesus you really do think we're animals." He backed up a bit but relaxed as the woman seemed very calm. "Well I'm very sorry for that. I'd never met... anything like you I just... they tell us you eat humans I thought you'd attack me by now." The woman stepped closer trying to look at Wills face. "I'm Alana." She held her hand out. What's that for? Does she want something? He paused for a minute then took an apple out of his gathering bag and placed it in her hand. "I'm Will?" He began to worry as she looked at the apple more confused  by the second. "Okay same language different customs. This is a human thing." She set the apple in her bag and reached forward grabbing Wills hand moving both of their hands up and down between them. "This is called a handshake. It's how humans greet each other." She explained before letting go. "Okay..."
For the next few weeks Will and Alana would run into each other at the tree line and talk. Alana would teach Will about humans, and never ask anything about magics. Which Will didn't mind, he figured she'd just assume they were basically speaking animals and continued as usual. He learned how humans dress for different 'events' and gatherings. He learned about table manners and etiquette. He learned about human hygiene. Alana was so full of information which she deemed "basic life skills" for any adult human. Sometimes she'd describe a furniture and Will would comment on how pointless it is to have a piece of wood lift your bed 5 inches off the ground while he just has a spot in his den for soft hides and leaves for cushioning, or how insufficient it is to have a 3 foot tall table because then you need chairs when you could just have a small table and sit on the floor. He still appreciated the information no less. It became a sort of routine where once a week they'd sit at the tree line and Alana would tell him about humans while Will brought her foraged things.
"Oh and the other day this doctor moved into the village! Doctor lecter. I actually studied his work before I became a physiatrists. He's really amazing and I'm so glad I'll be able to meet him. He's very eccentric, he's even moving into the woods!" She continued to talk about this amazing doctor, not taking notice of Will's shock. "He's moving into the woods?" Alana looked a bit disappointed. "I thought we agreed interrupting was rude." Will ignored the comment. "Yeah but he can't live in the woods. That's my home. And the others." He gestured to the woods as if Alana knew 'the others'. She just frowned and shrugged. "I'm sure there's room for him. He probably won't bother anyone, he takes manners very seriously I'm sure he wouldn't be rude to anyone, magic or not." She continued to talk and Will let her while he thought of what to do.
The first thing he needed to do was warn the others in the area. He told Mathew, the harpy who was basically his neighbor, and told him to tell everyone. He tried to tell the trolls in a nearby cave but they made some threats to eat him so he didn't bother. He told the freshwater mermaids, and asked them to spread the word around the riverbank. And he left some notes tied to trees for the fae (they didn't like talking to him face to face) along with a few treats so they'd actually take it. Then he went back to his den and worked on some protection charms and arrows in case he needed them. The next day he would forage and after that he'd work on preserving whatever he foraged in case he needed to shut in for a while.
"Can't fucking believe some pompous human is trying to live in the fucking woods."