Tainted Wings

Chap. 3: Skylar

I trudge behind the unknown Haldrin as he leads me through the woods. The thick trees reach to the sky on both sides of us, some are even so old they’re covered in moss. I can tell it’s late fall by the leaves crunching under our feet on the high path. I look to my right and find there’s a large cliff that leads down to a moat of jagged rocks, I wonder if it was natural or if someone put it there. I know I have to be careful either way.

“I know you have a lot of questions for me.” He sounds more serious now then when we were with the others. “Well, ask away.” He turns around to face me showing off a dazzling smile.

“Well I do, but I don’t want to bother anyone.” I say speeding up so I passed him.

“Aw, come on. Are you sure that’s the reason, or are you just afraid to talk to me?” He comes up behind me and him so close that I can feel his breath on my neck. It freaks me out so much that lose my balance and I trip over an overgrown tree root. Before I can even stop myself, I’m leaning backwards over the edge of the cliff. The Haldrin tries to reach out and grab my hand, but his reflexes are too slow. I tumble over the edge and land on my wings, causing a loud crack to fill the air. I scream out both in terror and in pain.

I close my eyes and prepare for extreme pain, but I don’t plan on letting my life end. I want to find out who I am and why those people had me kept there. I mean I know I’m not normal with the wings and all, but still, is there more of a reason? I want to learn about my past more than anything.

I suddenly feel myself in someone’s arms instead of hitting hard jagged boulders. I open my eyes to look down on the ground. I know I didn’t do anything myself, someone had to have saved me. What I find when I look up, is that someone. At first when I look up, I expect to see the mysterious cloaked Haldrin, but instead I find a blond guy. He doesn’t have wings either. From what I observe, he just jumped, and he’s now floating through the air. He balances on the top of a pointed rock, then pushes off and floats back up to upper ground, all with me in his arms. Once we reach land he sets me down. 

He crouches down to my level, “You OK?” I look up to see his face; he has amazing green eyes with blond hair that reaches down to his shoulders. He also has a built figure, just like the other two guys. Are all Haldrin men like this? When I look up even further though, I find something that intrigues me.

I reach up and grab his soft blond wolf ears, one in each hand. I rub them for a good minute then release them. “Got your fill?” He asks with a chuckle. He falls back and sits on the ground.

“I’m sorry. I just had to feel them.” I mutter under my breath. I blush because I honestly didn’t mean to.

“Too bad they’re only out when I want them to.” Right after he says they disappear into thin air. “By the way, was that an accent I heard?” He says leaning in closer interested. He had the distant sent of pine. I have to say, he was quite alluring. I nod my head too mesmerized to speak. “Well that’s awesome. My name is Axel.” A hand appears in front of me, I reach out to shake it, but someone jumps in front of me before I can reach it, and by the blackness, I know who it is.

“She’s not going to shake your dirty mutt hand.” He smacks his hand away with his own. This made me so angry, that I shot out my wings prepared to fight. 

“What do you-” I let out a yelp of pain, because I have forgotten the fact that my wings got injured. Axel runs past the Haldrin and tends to me. He’s asking if I’m OK, if he could do anything. I can’t respond, like I’m in a trance.

Soon my wings dissolve into my body; they just disappear into a dust that finds its way inside me. I guess they went in for a repair. I sit there calmly as the two guys start freaking out, until a voice stops them.