The Night Fox (ACOTAR fan fiction)

Chapter 1

3rd POV

Aerin ran as fast as she could away from the border. She would have stayed longer looking for the crack, but the chance of being eaten by a random fae was too high.

Then to her surprise, she was suddenly in a winter forest, and shortly after that, she appeared in a different forest, this one with a beautiful night sky. She didn't know what type of magic it was, but it was helpful.

She lay down in a cave, it was dangerous, but it was better than staying out in the open. She would not risk a fire, the only heat she could rely on was her body heat and any warmth her cloaks may provide. She fell asleep, hoping that something good would come from her leaving.

~Three years later~

Aerin strolled through the collection of buildings, the lack of structures making it more like an outpost than a town. Her legs were sore, she had not been able to use magic after her first night in Prythian, to her great annoyance, and she was sore from walking everywhere.

She wandered over to the town's inn to get a room for the night. Stalking into the inn, she slammed her money on the counter, "I want a room, one night, don't mess with me, or you'll regret it." The owner took her money and placed it where she assumed he kept most of it. After doing this he looked up at Aerin.

"I am sorry," he said, "we have no more rooms." She growled.

"What do you mean you have no more rooms?!?!?" She shouted, "You just took my money!!!" The patrons of the bar looked towards the commotion, a few of them snickered at her predicament.

The owner seemed to be holding back a smirk, "I meant what I said, we have no more rooms, though I'm sure some of my other patrons would be happy to share." He could no longer hold in his smirk, and Aerin was disgusted at what he had implied.

The few men at the bar that hadn't been laughing before were now. "We'll take her!" one man shouted, soon all the men were volunteering themselves or their friends.

Aerin was backing towards the door when a man walked silently down the stairs, "I'll take her, she will have to sleep on the floor, but from the looks of it, it seems she would prefer that to any of her other options." He felt strangely trustworthy and Aerin sighed in relief, it seemed another night of sleeping in the forest could be avoidable, she was so relived she almost forgot about her money.

Almost.

She turned towards the owner, "I want my money back," she said, glaring, "and I want it back now."

The owner smirked, "No, you are still staying here after all," her glare turned deadly, "so you must pay rent." The man from upstairs interjected, "I will pay her rent, now give her her money back." Grumbling, the owner pulled out the money and handed it to her. She gave him a smirkish smile, and followed the cloaked figure up the stairs.

As they passed the second floor, she could hear moans coming from some of the rooms, she winced at past memories, before giving a short look of disgust towards those rooms. They continued walking up the stairs, to her great confusion, her confusion ceased once they reached the top of the stairs though, and they approached a small room that might have once been an attic.

The door was opened by another fae, a woman this time, and she sighed in relief at the fact that the man was obviously with this woman, and despite his kindness downstairs, had no other plans.

The room was small, barely large enough to fit the bed, and Aerin almost left. There was barely enough space without her, and she got the feeling she was intruding. She placed her stuff down on the opposite side of the room, and began making her bed. As she worked, she listened to the quiet conversation of her roommates, listening for any threats their word might reveal.

"What is she doing here Rhys?" The female said, "I thought you were getting food?" Aerin suppressed the sudden pangs of hunger, when was the last time she had had a good meal? Shaking off her hunger, she again listened to their conversation, "-on't know what you were thinking. Where is she going to sleep? What if we need to discuss certain..... threats against Prythian? We can't have her eavesdropping!" She felt slightly guilty at the fact she was doing exactly what the female was worried she might do. Her stomach growled, and they both looked at her.

"It seems that our guest is just as hungry as you Feyre, I'm going downstairs to get food, don't kill each other when I'm gone!" The male shouted before walking out of the door. Feyre fumed, and before the door closed, she stormed out to the landing and yelled an answer.

Aerin snickered at what Feyre had shouted, "Don't bring back any more 'helpless' females Rhysand!!!!" She turned back into the room, and Aerin tried to hide the fact that she had been eavesdropping.

As she finished making her bed and hoped that Feyre did not hate her as much as Rhysand had implied, she tried to calm down, but the task was made difficult by the heavy atmosphere of the room. She heard a voice behind her.

"Its ok, despite Rhysand's rambling," Feyre said with a short glare towards the door, "I don't hate you, I may be a little upset he brought you here, yes, but I don't hate you."

Aerin relaxed at the words, and was happy that she would not be spending the night in a room with someone who hated her. Rhysand came back upstairs with the food, and after eating, Aerin settled down for what would soon turn out to be a very, very, long night.

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I'm so proud of myself!!!!! 1022 words!!!! I can't I actually wrote this much!!!!!!! Sorry for the time between updates!!!!

*I know her having the ability to winnow right away is a bit extreme, but I did not want to stick her in the spring court for any extended amount of time, it was easier for me this way. Maybe one day I will go back and start her in the spring court, but that day is not today.

-Magically, Azzy