Her hand slowly grasped the base of the plant at her feet. She uprooted it, and then stared down at it with a blank stare. Her long ponytail flowed with the breeze; the evening was cold, yet she was taking her sweet time crouching there, near some trees, at the outskirts of the northern forest.

At last, she took a deep breath and placed the plant in her bag. She stood slowly and faced the road that headed south. Her rucksack hung at her side, more heavy than before. She had decided to go back to her village, because she had run out of herbs with which to help Alexis. What she had not told the angel, was that she had been in the forest to collect those herbs, and that she had none left back at her home. Her boss had sent her off to seek herbs, and she had only wasted what she found.

Well, she did not feel like it had been a waste, at all. She just knew that she would have trouble explaining herself if she brought none back.

Before, she was sure that she could have explained that she found a person in need. But now, she did not feel like she could tell much. Part of her still was shocked, by all that had happened, so suddenly. She had found out something, and part of her was conflicted.

“A wingless angel…”

Her steps were slow, even if she was finally getting close to her small cabin. She could not see the way back to the woods anymore, yet she could not stop thinking about it.

She could not tell how many angels she had taken down. Nor remember ever doubting to do so.

One, only one had looked human in her eyes. She knew why she did not hunt him; it still was baffling to her how he hid, from everyone, not showing any trace of his true nature. She still wondered why, why he would allow her to be near.

“Why would he save me?”

He had answered. But she still did not understand, not even if she repeated the question in her head every night. Days had gone by since she was attacked by a beastly devil, and it still was like it had been only a dream.

Her hand touched the small handle of her cabin, at last. She pushed the door open, and the emptiness of her home expected her again. It took her a few seconds to step in. It took her a minute to lay her bag down. She sat on a chair, and then just stared at the lonely room where she lived. She did not speak, not even sigh; only the breeze outside echoed in the night.

Why did an angel care? Why would an angel spare an angel hunter?

There was another thought, more clear, more obvious.

That demon, Uriel; she herself… both cared for Alexis. And she knew why. Not only Uriel was different, it wasn’t only the kindness that the demon held; Alexis was one of a kind. No matter if demon or human, he made no distinctions; he had no bloodlust. She did not know if he was broken beyond belief, if his demeanor was because of the loss of his wings; but something told her that his humanity was there all along, only reaffirmed by Uriel’s word. He was a strange angel indeed, one she had never seen.

Ayako frowned with that last thought. She touched her forehead and grimaced when she felt slight pain. She shook her head and stood, knowing she had work to do. She had no time for inner debates or meaningless interrogations, much less for the painful headaches she had been recently suffering.

She had to make it look like she had been busy in that forest, she had been away for a long time. She had to prepare these herbs, and present them to Godric. Only then would she be able to go back freely and keep on thanking them, both. She owed them her life.

She spent all night in her small workroom, never stopping examining the herbs she collected in a hurry. Sleep could wait; she knew that she had trouble resting here anyway. Her cabin felt eerie, like if something dreadful had happened here once; something that she had no knowledge of, but she felt deep down.

———————–

 

Past a small river, a tall cliff still showed the aftermath of the battle that once happened there. The waterfall now fell freely, even if not as strong as before. At the side, however, laid huge stones, thrown there in the fight, all clawed and torn. They had fallen, when a huge tree had burned and collapsed onto everything around.

The forest was not silent; one could hear the sound of wood being cut, of an axe and a hammer being let down, time and time again. It was for that reason that a small rabbit was now hopping towards the river, ears tucked back.

Abiel let out a little annoyed growl and glanced back at the center of the clearing, with narrowed eyes. He huffed and shook his head at Alexis, who was the one who most annoyed him today. The angel was hammering a nail into a plank of wood, another one of the many he had been adding to the structure of the cabin. Even if Uriel was holding an axe fiercely, he was far enough for his hits to not be as bothersome. It was the combination of both that made everything rumble. His pointy ears twitched again when Alexis slammed the plank against a wall. And it was enough.

The rabbit looked down and stared at his own reflection. His paws were almost touching the water; the river was shallow, only a small trail that fell from the waterfall. He raised a paw slowly and then hopped forward strongly. His paws and wooden stilts made the water splash; his fur got wet, but he did not show care. He only began to shake the droplets off when he reached the other side; he kicked his wooden legs back while he nodded grumpily.

Once done, he hopped forward, following the side of the cliff. He quickly noticed the lack of space, given that he now was surrounded by rubble. He carefully moved in between the rocks, all piled up, towering over him. He had been hopeful at first, even proud to move away, but as the minutes passed, he could not avoid feeling his fur shiver. He slowed his steps, and suddenly halted at the side of a bigger pile of stones. His black eyes fixed on the cracks, on the dust, noticing how this debris had to fall fiercely that day. It was heavy, it looked too big to be able to be moved; yet something was not right, something made him nervous.

He neared his little nose, slowly. He could pick a scent from within. It was not horrible, but not nice either. He was almost going to nudge the pile; he was building a little growl in his mouth… He was going to get closer, until something startled him from above.

Lykaios grinned as Abiel squeaked and bounced away sharply. The demon had been watching and had leaned down his snout when he saw the chance, like an adult catching a child stealing from a cookie pot. The smaller one of course was startled, even if Lykaios was now much smaller; a lynx would always scare smaller critters.

That did not mean that Abiel was afraid. Lykaios kept smiling, he even chuckled, because Abiel recovered from the scare and puffed his small chest out. The black lynx kept lying there casually, while the rabbit growled up at him and kicked the ground, in a wordless challenge and complaint.

Lykaios yawned, and then inquired calmly.

“I thought I heard an angel warn this morning, that someone should not wander that far.”

Another growl and kick, which were his only answer. Lykaios sighed and jumped down the pile of stones swiftly, to then stand tall over Abiel.

“Come now, little one. Alexis would not want you here, between broken stone and dust.” He took a breath and looked sideways, frowning with disgust at the broken cliff. “This place still stinks with that bittersweet scent. It seems that not even time can brush it away.”

Abiel tried to hop away in annoyance when Lykaios stepped closer. Before he could run, the cat grabbed him like if he was a cub of his own. No matter how much he began to kick and wiggle, Lykaios carried him easily with his mouth, not reacting at all to his resistance. His paws stepped carefully on the water, lifting him back to the clearing. In the calm look those red eyes had, one could see that he was being mindful of the small handicapped rabbit, almost caring.

While Lykaios took the role of caretaker, someone decided to stop being a lumberjack. Uriel sighed, having sliced off the last thick branch of a tall tree. He took a step back and looked up, proud of his work. At his sides laid multiple big logs; behind him laid the trail of his path, the remains of all which he had cut. The right side of the clearing was now surrounded by stumps, all the trees he had taken down.

He lowered the small axe in his hand and decided to spare the tree he was facing. He had enough wood now; he had taken down a lot. He slowly laid a claw onto the thick trunk of the tree and admired how tall it was. He had climbed it and taken out all its branches, almost as big as the trunks of other trees.

He moved away and laid the axe on the ground for the day. He crouched and picked up a log, to carry it back towards the cabin. As he turned around with it on his shoulder, he quickly spotted Alexis there, near the walls of the soon to be cabin. He frowned, because he noticed he had stopped working. In fact, he soon noticed that he was still waving the hammer in his hand, but not at the planks he should be nailing. The closer he got, the more he realized that Alexis was yelling, to be precise, at Lykaios, who was just now walking closer from the river.

“What are you doing?!” Uriel finally stepped away from the stumps, and was close enough to watch as Alexis dashed towards the demon. “Drop him right now!”

Lykaios stepped closer, calmly, unfazed by how Alexis was still holding the hammer. He just sat in front of the angel, who halted his anxious steps when he did. He then dropped gently what was making the blond so nervous. Abiel hopped sharply towards Alexis’ leg, as soon as his paws touched the ground.

“He was wandering too far again, according to you this morning. You’re welcome.” Alexis shut his mouth and subtly moved the hammer behind him. Lykaios gave him a sharp stare, noting the indecision in those amber eyes. “I thought we were over those silly accusations of how I would eat anyone…”

Alexis opened his mouth, but then closed it again as he looked away from those inquiring red eyes. In the end, he just crouched and picked Abiel, muttering under his breath with a frown.

“You did not need to carry him back with your mouth. Rabbits are easily scared. You could have called me.”

Lykaios stood on his four and shook his mane. Uriel almost snorted when the sly demon said the next words.

“I would have gladly taken him back to you more efficiently, but as you may see…” He raised a cat-like paw up, which made Alexis look deadpanned. “I don’t have such skill right now, with these small limbs. Wouldn’t want to show bigger claws to your pet, now would we?”

Uriel thought that the silence that fell was just because of Lykaios’ sardonic tone. Alexis was dead silent… until he whispered and added with a sad scowl.

“Your tails weren’t an option either.”

The sly smile on Lykaios’ mouth faded. Alexis just nodded gratefully and turned with Abiel in between his arms.

“Thanks, Lykaios.” He spoke down to Abiel with a monotone tone, while he carried him towards the cave. “Abiel, you won’t wander again where I tell you not to.”

With Alexis gone, only the two demons stood near the cabin. Uriel gave Lykaios an apologetic glance, but the demon only looked away dismissively. The cabin seemed a good subject to talk about in that moment.

“So, did you grow tired of hacking off this forest, or you finally have enough lumber?”

Uriel blinked, but soon understood that he was being talked to. He lowered the log he was carrying and casually stepped closer to the structure.

“I think I have cut enough.” He scratched one of his horns, while he patted what would soon become the porch. “Should be enough for three small rooms. All we need, for now.”

“Three, hm?”

Uriel blushed, because Lykaios was smiling at the implications of another extra room. Not only had Uriel agreed to stay in a sheltered space near his angel, but had taken her visits into consideration.

The young demon coughed and muttered while he tried to hide his blush.

“It’s not like that; I don’t want her to stay here-! I mean…! Of course I want her to stay, but only if she liked to! I’m just assuming that if she comes back, she will prefer to have a room, to not have to sleep in the open! It was not only my idea; we both thought she’d be better-!”

“No need to explain anything to me, Uriel.” Uriel stood there awkwardly, listening while Lykaios walked away with one last remark. “I know exactly what your thoughts are towards her.”

As soon as the lynx walked out of sight, Uriel tried to get back to work. Inside the cave, an angel heard how a heavy log was clumsily lifted, only to hear it fall noisily because of shaky hands, causing a loud yelp to echo.

Alexis decided to ignore how Uriel kept trying to focus on building non-efficiently, in favor of petting Abiel. The rabbit was looking up at him worriedly, for he was not looking down at him. His amber eyes were fixed on a wall, were a sword rested sideways.