Primal

Chapter Twenty-Two

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Chapter Twenty-Two

 

I’ve learned that people will forger what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ~Maya Angelou

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Noor steadied her body; her feet perched on the edge of the branch. Her toes curled over, latching onto the thin wood. From this high up into the air she could see over the rest of the trees, a sea of green stretching off into the horizon. Eventually the hues of green faded into the swirling shades of blue above, creating a hazy line in the distance. Serenity washed over her mind, her heart lifting joyously at the peaceful sight. She was finally fully free, her body loose from all binding ties.  Some things in life were better left to die, and leaving her past behind her was definitely the better choice. At times she still felt a pang of grief as she missed Yuna or Zander, and on even more frequent occasions she would long to hear Aeron’s voice just one more time. She would feel his lips against her skin, or maybe even smell his scents waver through the air in small gusts. They never truly had an ending, but sometimes an ending wasn’t needed to feel closure. The scars may have faded, but the dreams never die with them.

Her feathers had been falling off one at a time, but she wasn’t as worried about it as she would have been in the past. When she was back at the city, her wings were part of her identity. However, out in the forest like this, she was finally on her own. No one was here to judge her, and she hadn’t come in contact with another person since Aeron had run away from her. The animals that surrounded her were her friends, their furry presence keeping her company whenever she doubted herself.

She leaned forward on the branch while stretching out the wings she had built herself. They took days without a single break to make, but had turned out excellently crafted with intricate vine weavings and leave works. She couldn’t fly with them like she used to be able to do, but she could both float and glide along with the wind. Her bare feet wrapped around the sturdy branch, her ankles twisting together to keep her body in place. Her wings caught wind, her body beginning to hover with the gentle breezes. When she closed her eyes she could imagine herself soaring through the sky, air blowing through her hair and against her face.

As the wind subsided, so did her hovering body. She slid down the branch, her fingers meeting the curved bark once more. She leaned her forehead against the scratchy surface, breathing heavily. Sometimes she couldn’t realize the difference between truly flying and her fake simulator. Whenever she touched down once more, she always felt like a part of her had been whisked away by the breeze while she was stuck tied down. If little pieces of her kept flying away, she would eventually be left with nothing at all.

She slid down, sitting on the branch with her back against the thick trunk. Her heart was pounding, and her tiny hands were placed upon her chest as if she was trying to stop her pounding heart. Nothing could stop it, and she could feel her body grow heavier. Her happiness left her body with a sudden sigh, the next intake of breath allowing for sadness to wash over her. Her head began to pound, a desperate sob growing in her throat. Though she tried to hold it in, it broke and escaped out of her parted mouth. One after another the cries came out, her face dripping with tears. She felt weak, her body crumbling down. The loud cries faded over time, her eyes drying, her red eyes turning back to their pure white shade.

She calmed herself down, her body regaining its feeling over time. She always felt refreshed after her small outbursts, and afterwards her soul would feel refreshed. When she was completely back to normal she allowed her body to slowly cascade down the branches. She swung, falling down the sticks one by one gracefully. Her feet gently brushed against the twigs, helping her balance as she moved. Eventually she hit the ground, her toes pressing into the dirt below her. She felt at one with the earth, becoming an extended part of Mother Nature herself. She pulled a string of cooked meat out of her side sash, sliding the bites into her mouth. She hadn’t been hungry in days, and the comforting feeling of being able to snack made her feel safer within her surroundings.

A gentle ray of sunshine slid through the thick trees, engulfing her frame. She smiled gently, knowing that it was Yuna gazing down upon her. The spirit of her sister had forgiven her after she had parted from Aeron, and she appeared now whenever Noor began to feel down. Her rays made her spirits stay high, her light eyes looking up at the parted rays.

“I love you too, Yuna.” She whispered before beginning to walk again. The bright lights followed her until she moved farther into the forests, the trees thickening around her. Small animals skittered across the ground, their small squeaks alerting Noor of their presence. It was nice to know that she wasn’t alone in the world, even if her only proof of that were the small rodents that scurried out of large piles of leaves.