Another cough echoed between the cracking of the fireplace.

Ayako was glaring at the flames, sat on her chair. Her anger was as strong as her headache. Her blue eyes glanced sideways, at the table. There were a few feathers, which shined with the fire’s light.

It could be so easy… So easy to just smash and mix them with some exotic herbs she had here. The fever would go away in no time.

Ayako shook her head and huffed with exasperation. She could not do that. It did not feel right, and it would be something she would regret in the long run. He was not something. He was not a tool. Even if she knew he did not care.

So, as much as she wanted to go back and see how the angel was doing, she stayed in her cabin. She was trying to get better on her own, with regular medicinal herbs. She had Uriel’s promise in mind. Her blue eyes were full of trust, her heart always tried to see the good in all. His voice had been full of sincerity. To top it all off, Alexis was with Lykaios.

Then, why do I have the feeling that something is wrong?

She sighed and reached for the warm cup at her side. She took another sip, while she pondered and stared at the warm fire intently.

The silence helped relieve her headache. But that silence was broken. Ayako grimaced when two knocks were given on her door. She heard Godric’s voice, calm and monotone as always.

“Ayako, it’s me. Please, open the door.”

“…It is already.”

Godric pushed the door and stared with their eye as it swayed inwards. They did not show emotion at all, but their embarrassment was obvious.

Ayako gave them a blank stare, not knowing if to laugh or mock. She always left the door open if she was home, so anybody in need of help could seek her. Godric should know that already, considering the thousand times they came here to visit her along the years.

She let it be; she waited for Godric to close the door, with their usual quietness.

“How are you feeling?”

The hunter shrugged, and then coughed when she tried to answer, feeling her throat sore.

“Slightly better. I will be back to work in no time. Don’t worry.”

She would go back, to end his loneliness, soon. He would stop worrying, and she would too.

Godric fidgeted with their long braid and looked at the floor.

“Yes. About that…” It was not normal to hear nervousness in Godric’s voice. Ayako felt surprise when she saw doubt in their eye. “We need to talk about the angel, Ayako.”

She always was questioned about the angel; she was always asked when she would find it. This time she was taking too long, but she always evaded the point of their questions.

“I’m sure I will find it! Don’t worry! As soon as I get out of these blankets, I will explore every single-”

“There won’t be any need for that.”

“What?”

Ayako tensed up when Godric sat at her side on the floor, in front of the fireplace. Their eye was glinting with the fire, while the words flowed. Each word filled her mind with fear.

“Cecilia found a nest. I had no other option than to call other hunters.”

“You what?!”

Godric could not meet her eyes when she stood furiously. They focused on their long braid while she roared.

“Godric?! How could you?! This one is for me to deal with!”

Her eyes were full of shock, so Godric tried to reason.

“You were sick, we had to hurry. They must be in the woods already. With luck, they will find it in some days, they are three. We will at last-”

“You fool!” Godric’s eye finally met hers. Her anger was clear, but her tears revealed the disbelief she felt. “I- I was the one who- Only I have the right to hunt near our town! All those woods are practically mine! I have never failed! How dare you, how could you give the information out to some strangers?! To people who will only sell it all, to bastards that don’t care or know how to use it!”

Godric stood and gave her a disapproving glance. They spoke up firmly, with more patience.

“They will only take half of it all. It is better to be able to help a little, than nothing. You are sick; if we waited, it would flee from the nest and settle elsewhere. It always does, you never find it in time. Its single skull would be able to give enough to heal wounds for months. Now think-”

“Enough!” Godric took a step back, because Ayako clenched her right hand, and pointed at the door with the other. “Y-you… Those three can’t compare to me! I would find it! I would! O-out! I can’t believe-!”

Godric interrupted her, with a passive but sure tone. They said only the truth.

“Begin to believe.” She cried while Godric opened the door to leave. “They will find it. You are not the only hunter, Ayako. Don’t be arrogant. I am the one who senses the angels when they fall, and so, I am the one you should respect.”

Ayako fell silent. She watched how Godric raised one hand. Her mentor pushed aside their long hair, and showed their face more clearly. She could say nothing, not when they were showing her the deep scar where their right eye should be.

“I gave up many things to be able to help others…” They had been a good mentor once. Not anymore. “Don’t tell me what must be done.”

With those last words, she was left alone.

Ayako leaned onto the fireplace and covered her mouth with a hand. She held back her worry, while she heard the steps outside. She waited; she tried to not give in below her anguish and painful dread. She did not feel fear often, not like this. She wanted to scream, run. But she was unable to, not yet, because Godric was still near her cabin. She could be seen, and questioned as to why she was leaving her home.

It was a while until she was sure that Godric had gone away far enough, that she was alone.

Ayako dashed to her desk and reached quickly for her armor and crossbow. She did not care for her headache, not for the cold outside. She ran out the door, without bothering to mix those feathers into medicine. She cared too much to care for herself. No time could be spared.

She ran north.

—————————————

The lynx could not hold back his whines while those hands brushed his fur. The angel was trying to sound calm.

“Don’t bite me, alright?”

Lykaios did not know if to laugh or lament. He curled his long tails, because Alexis slowly reached for the arrow, which was still piercing his flesh. Both knew it would hurt.

Alexis gave a nervous nod and grasped it gently.

“One… Two. Thre-”

“Graah-h!”

His strong pull managed to pull out the arrow, but Alexis could not avoid grimacing while he held it away. He was not pleased by the sight of blood or the strong roar Lykaios gave; he was not able to pull it out without hurting him.

Lykaios huffed and tried to regain his breath. He could move more now, but he did not. He held still, because he saw how Alexis was holding some cloth. The blond had thrown the arrow to the ground, and then he had gripped his own shirt. He broke it, to have something to make a bandage with.

“Give me a sec.”

Lykaios’ ears lowered; he was feeling better already, not only because Alexis pressured the fabric against his wound to stop the bleeding.

“Alexis, I can’t die because of this. I am fine, no need.”

Alexis frowned and prevented him from standing.

“I said, wait! I can help somewhat, alright?”

He gave him a tired look, but still let him go ahead. Alexis tied the cloth around his wound with a focused smile. He wrapped it around his leg and back, covering the bleeding without needing to pressure anymore.

Alexis finally left him be and gave him enough space to stand.

“Better?”

The demon sighed and shook his long black mane to a side.

“It was not necessary.”

Alexis just shrugged with a frown. He had been worried about that arrow.

Lykaios raised his head and glanced at the distance, with a thoughtful look.

“So, he saved you after all.”

Alexis became nervous. He began to fidget and look all around him. His tired wings brushed the ground, puffed.

“I guess so? I don’t know…”

As soon as Alexis had returned to the lake, Lykaios had questioned where the hunters were, and how could he be alive, knowing he was not a fighter. He had been confused when a name had been spoken.

Uriel saved him.

“Did he kill them?”

Alexis’ eyes widened when he heard Lykaios assume that. He raised his hands up and waved them in denial, nervously.

“No! He didn’t do that! …Though, to be honest, he did give them quite the beating. He left them thrown over there.” He raised his eyebrows in confusion, still not knowing what Uriel did exactly. “He… He said something about memories?”

Lykaios’ eyes narrowed, because he understood enough of Alexis’ confused words. He was going to explain Uriel’s actions to the nervous angel… but another thing took his attention. His ears moved up when he heard something.

Alexis yelped when Lykaios leapt in front of him, when he raised his tails to shield him with a growl. The demon looked at the distance, to something which was nearing. Both could hear now the hurried steps, which were heading towards the lake, towards them.

“Another hunter?”

Alexis hid behind him and his tails with a grimace, because he did not like the idea of more murderous humans coming their way. There could be more who knew he was here. Those three could have been only a scouting group. There could be more members in their squad.

Lykaios’ growl increased in volume, because he discerned a figure between the trees and bushes. He leaned forward, ready to pounce as soon as that human showed itself. This time he was not distracted by stupid desires, so he would not be taken by surprise.

He had been ready. But instead of lunging, he gasped and stood up in surprise, with no trace of rage. Ayako bolted from the shadows and stepped into the lake’s clearing. Alexis sighed and relaxed as she gasped for air, exhausted. Her blue eyes widened, when she spotted them there, near the water.

Lykaios let out a small yelp when Ayako leaped, but not onto him. Next thing Alexis knew was that he was on the ground, and that Ayako was holding him tight, screaming and shaking him.

“Alex! Thank god, I was worried sick! Listen, we have to leave, and now! My boss knows where you have your hideout! If we don’t leave, you will have a group of bastards here, eager to cut you to pieces!”

“A-aya -!”

“And be sure they WILL kill you! God, I think we have some time left!” Alexis huffed when she pulled them both to their feet with a strong pull. “We must take only the things you most need, and then go away before-”

“Aya! Stop, would you?!”

She blinked, because his hands and wings shook her shoulders. He was frowning at her. She felt confused to no end, because Alexis spoke slowly, seeing she would listen.

“It won’t be necessary…”

“What? But if we don’t leave-”

“They found me already. They are-”

“What?!”

Alexis wanted to face palm, because she took her crossbow at light speed. She pointed it at every shadow around them, while she growled angrily.

“Where?! Where are they?! Were you fleeing?!” She looked at them again, and her eyes filled with rage. She finally noticed the wound on Lykaios, the arrow on the ground and the ripped shirt. But it was worse when she saw that Alexis had a small cut on his neck, which still bled slightly. “What did they do?! I swear, if I have to renounce the guild for fighting other members, I will! I am not letting them-”

“They won’t do anything! Please Aya, let me explain!”

Alexis was losing his patience, because the feverish girl still looked warily all around, like if someone was going to attack them at any moment. He could see that she was not quite well; she still had a fever, it was obvious in her face.

Ayako lowered her crossbow slowly, when she realized that both of them were looking at her sadly. Lykaios was calm, he was not growling. Something she knew meant that there was no danger. He would be showing his fangs and claws if someone were creeping around.

So she finally met his amber eyes, which were full of perplexity as well. But he was calmer.

“You managed to stop them?”

Alexis and Lykaios exchanged glances. The angel sighed, and then looked away with a frown.

“Uriel did.”

She repeated the name, like if she had not heard him well or understood him.

“Uriel?”

Alexis nodded slowly and smiled sadly. His voice did not have the same fear, and now tangled with tiredness and sarcasm.

“Yeah, I don’t get it either.” He shook his head, and then focused on what was most important. “Look, I can see you still have a fever. Let’s go to my nest, and I will explain when you stop freaking out. What do you say?”

Ayako nodded and touched her forehead. She breathed out tiredly, unable to think with everything rumbling in her head.

“…Alright.”

Alexis laid a wing gently over her shoulders, helping her walk towards the waterfall, carefully. He only halted after a minute, when he realized something. He raised an eyebrow and looked back, because Lykaios was walking away from them, in the opposite direction.

“Lykaios?”

The demon leaned his head back and spoke firmly, waving his long tails at them.

“I will be back. I must deal with those three…”

Alexis remembered Uriel’s words. So he nodded and let him go. The lynx went deeper into the woods, while they headed for shelter.

Lykaios knew perfectly what Uriel did. And what he intended. He had enough tails to pick them up and drag them where they couldn’t do harm again, where they wouldn’t have any chance of remembering who they were. He would take them far away.

——————————————–

Alexis had let her sit on his chair, while he sat on his bed. He was clasping his hands together, staring at her with curiosity. Both were pondering carefully, trying to understand each other’s words.

“So… One of your coworkers saw my nest?”

“They found it, even if we always forbid anyone of going into these woods. They are far from the village, and now there is a dangerous angel roaming around them. I thought I would keep on being the only one wandering here. I guess Cecilia did not like that I took a break, and took the chance to impress our mentor.”

“And with you being sick…”

“Godric called those three bastards. I should have not gone home.”

Alexis shook his head and smiled kindly.

“Hey, I am alright. Besides, it’s not like you owe me protection or anything. You don’t have to. Technically, you are supposed to kill me.”

“No, I should not kill you. It’s actually better in the long run that you are alive, because I can have more feathers; infinite supply.”

He pouted as she laughed, noticing well the coughs.

“Again, thinking about profiting off me?”

“I don’t make any profit out of it! I have to hunt animals to have enough food at home. I told you already.”

Both fell silent. Alexis did not want to argue if she felt sick; Ayako felt bad about what happened in her absence.

She sighed tiredly and smiled sadly, while she stared at her own hands.

“I can’t tell them to drop the hunt, I can’t tell them that you are not… that you are different. I know they would not hurt you, but I cannot trust in what others would do.”

Alexis frowned, because her expression filled with seriousness. Her eyes were narrowed at him, and she was firm and sure of what she was saying.

“Alex, you are an angel.” She met his eyes, sincere. “Most of us fear your kind and demons. You can be powerful creatures, ferocious and mighty. And that power is tempting. People would end up ignoring their fear or respect, listen to their greed instead. You can’t die of old age, no matter how much you live; you are strong, and some of you can summon astonishing spells. Even if those things can’t be taken from you, some would still try to attain it. They can’t, but time and time again they try.”

Alexis brushed his wings, uncomfortable and worried. He shrunk a little, knowing her words were only true.

“I can’t expose that you are harmless. The fear that only I can take you down is what keeps these bastards away. Hell, some have already tried to kill you. But…” Ayako grinned, with some mischievousness. “I should thank Uriel for fixing that!”

“He did indeed save me, but I don’t know why he did. I’m not sure he would it again. Maybe I should leave this place, find another-”

“Nah.”

Alexis stopped looking at his lap and raised an eyebrow at her, because she was smiling like if nothing mattered.

“Huh? What do you mean with nah? I should get the crap out of here! More hunters could try to find me, now that-”

“No. As I said, Uriel fixed that problem for us.”

Ayako chuckled, amused by the fact that Alexis was sitting poker faced, completely lost.

He had explained to her first what had happened, how he had been chased. How Uriel pounced on them, to stop them before they cut his wings.

Those violet sparks…

Ayako explained herself before he could scream at her; something about her being careless, probably.

“You see, Lykaios must be dealing with them right now. He knows well what to do… He will drop them in a town where no one ever goes, where they won’t be known, where they will have no change of remembering who they were. They won’t be able to remember where they lived, or what they did for a living. They are literally disappearing! No trace!”

Alexis did not seem impressed, he was still paranoid.

“And? That does not prevent others from being called to hunt me! If Godric-”

“No one will dare hunt you!” She laughed like a villain, amused by her own plotting. “You see, fear is powerful! And if everyone were to believe you have managed to wipe off the map the second best…”

Godric would only call ones who they deemed strong enough, top notch. Those three were almost as good as her.

Alexis’ voice trembled, when he caught where she was trying to head with her words.

“F-fear? Me?”

She smiled like a cat as he pointed at himself with disbelief.

“Exactly! I will make sure I’m the only one who tries to hunt you! I will let rumors fly, of how you are too powerful! How you are to be feared! I tell you, many hunters are killed by mighty angels all the time, without managing to take a single feather! Sometimes, it is too dangerous to bother! Well, you are worse than all those angels combined! You are a horrible and terrible enemy! But fearless Ayako is still determined to catch you, even if three have died! No one will have to risk their lives if I’m chasing you! I will be the hero who will face the horrible monster that lurks near their homes!”

Alexis was giving the most sarcastic expression he could give to the human. He was looking her all over, while she posed up from the chair pridefully, like if someone was going to paint her on a canvas.

He pointed at her with a finger and mocked her sharply.

“…Aya, go home, you are losing it.”

“I’m not! I’m saving your sorry ass!”

Alexis chuckled as she pouted.

He would make her go home, eventually. After all… now he knew for sure nothing would attack him. He was safe. She did not need to keep watch.

Both knew. A demon had shown his true colors.