The Nuclear Reign of Strottimar [Part 1]

Chapter 3; The Differences Between

When I opened my eyes again, I could smell that the breaking of dawn was still far away, but the start of the moon hours was long since gone. Moonfall had gone too quick, I thought while I was still stiff in Xander's silent nest. The loft was quiet, even the wind stood still. It felt as if my momentary rest had gained a piece of my brain back, I could just barely think straight again, that I was grateful for. Yet, I couldn't even recall how I'd ended up here.

Sitting up a little, I rubbed my face a few good times before stretching my little wings out and feeling my neck crack. My head felt incredibly sore and my vision was hardly there, but at least a few of my senses had returned. Alright, Solstice, you're never drinking again. I promised myself something that I knew I wouldn't keep.

I found my balance and stood amongst the cold twigs, moss, and branches that made up his loft and tried to neaten myself up. I was still wearing my harvest attire from earlier, yet it was dirty and smelled as if I'd spilled something all over it. I could smell a hint of vomit on me too as I almost gagged at my own disgust. Removing my fern green jacket I proceeded undoing the fine brass buttons of my brown vest before throwing it all on the nest and brushing myself off with a sigh. I was left feeling bare in my dark pinstriped pants and an untucked cream button down, accompanied with my loose suspenders that I struggled to keep fixed upon my shoulders.

Shit! I thought to myself. My gold tie had gone missing, well, it wasn't that much of a bother, I suppose I could just weave another one at the expense of my own actions. I stood in front of my own mess of a person for a minute, smoothing out my platinum blond hair the best I could and ruffling out my feathers in the chilly midnight air. I thought of nothing better to do than to return down to the stream and wash up before morning came too close, so I grabbed the rest of my clothes and balanced myself off the very edge of Xander's branch and spread my wings lazily. I struggled to find my balance at first, before letting my weight finally fall and catching myself in a low gust of wind, falling from the canopy with seemingly white angel wings.

I hope Xander isn't worrying... I thought to myself as I padded silently along the forest floor once I'd awkwardly landed, my smelling overclothes draped over my arm as I used my own instincts through the defeating dark to locate the smell of the river. My landing had been somewhat smooth for such a drunk creature as myself in this darkness. It felt as if something stronger was pulling me into these woods, something more than the fact that I had to wash up, some mysterious curiosity to find myself, or maybe something more. Yet, my mind was far from easy, even the forest felt asleep at this hour, nothing but the gentle cricket song and a screech owl off in the distance. I had to remember I was no bird of prey, I was to be preyed upon. My mind still couldn't seem to comprehend the danger while I lazily dragged my tired self along, scraping my ankles on pricker bushes and sharp dead branches.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the wind as the air felt cooler. I held my breath and stood straight and still. There was someone out here other than myself in these woods. In all my fears and anxieties I tried to push away, I turned around and looked up, expecting to view nothing more than the huge harvest moon though the canopy.

But, there was a silhouette. A large one, some large ominous shadow that I didn't bother to view any longer than the second I'd turned, I'd already bolted far into the lush underbrush. Panicking, I hyperventilated, gripping onto my clothes as I felt my suspenders fall loosely from my shoulders again. The wind was on my side as I got a whiff of who it could be... that smell. At first my thought rushed too fast I couldn't even recognize it- until I knew exactly what it was which made my heart race even faster than my already swift pace. Herbs- it could've been Aster, my mind hurried in a panic as my rolled up sleeve was caught on a briar bush, I wrangled free at the expanse of tearing my clothing. Shit! No, he smells of no elder's son-