In Another Forest

The sun hung low in the sky as they walked. An hour before Calla would have thought that this was a land of perpetual day, but now she knew it was anything but that. It took only thirty minutes for the forest to darken enough that the painterly look of everything was masked. If she didn't know better and if she wasn't walking with literally a walking and talking puppet and a talking wolf, she would have thought that it was her forest.

She tripped over a root she couldn’t see in the shadows and Manny looked over at her. "I think we should rest for the night," he said.

Augustus sighed. "But we're so close to the city. I can smell its path clearly."

"I'm tired." He said.

"But you're a tree child... you don't get tired?"

"If there's no light I have no energy."

There was some silence between the two of them before the large wolf shook his head. "Fine, but we're going as soon as the sun rises again. I'm going hunting."

"Thank you. Don't come back too late." The puppet said as the wolf ran off into the night. He sat down against a tree and spoke quietly to Calla.

"If you need to stop you can just ask. Neither of us is going to judge you." He said.

"I'm okay." She said quietly. "I could have kept going."

"Sure you could have, that's why you kept stumbling over every root and getting smacked in the face by branches. I can tell that you can't see in the shadows of the forest. If we don't stop you will get hurt and I don't know much of how your body is put together. I have no idea if I would be able to heal you."

"Can you see in the dark?" She asked.

"Of course. Most people can. The forest covered in shadows is just another state of the forest. Augustus can also see to an extent, though he also uses his other stronger senses more at night."

She nodded. "I'll... ask to stop next time. Thank you."

"No problem."

She sat against a tree and sighed. "So... how did you and Augustus meet?"

"It's a long story." She watched him. His face didn't change as he started talking. It was still just the two planes of wood. "Several years ago I was finally able to leave my house to practice magic without supervision. I had always wanted to see the parts of the forest my mother would never take me to so I wandered a bit too far into unfamiliar territory.

I got lost and I wasn't very good at finding my way back then. Luckily I stumbled upon someone else who was lost. That was Augustus if you can’t tell. He helped me find my way back home that day and ever since, whenever I went out into the forest I would find him or he would find me and we would find me. I know he looks scary, but he’s kinder than anyone I know and I know quite a few people. This is far from my first time visiting the city” He tilted his head up towards her. “The city is nice. I’m sure you’ll like it. You can find all sorts of people there, though… I suppose that not all kinds of people can be found there. You will be the first…”

“Human?” she said quietly as he trailed off.

“Yes, the first human to set foot in the city. Also, I think you should know, that Augustus will probably try to leave us when we reach the city. He doesn’t like going there all that much.”

“Why not?”

“He has his reasons.” Manny turned away.

“I can understand that. I’m sure he has a good reason.” She said quietly, remembering how that morning she didn’t want to go out where other people would see her.

“I can too.” He said with a nod. “Though the reasons are his to share.”

She nodded and then the two drifted off into silence. The forest around them continued to grow darker until she couldn’t see anything but the odd bit of moonlight reflecting off leaves. The darkness was complete. She couldn’t see Manny at all anymore. Calla felt as though she was suddenly completely alone despite the fact she knew the puppet was beside her. She tried to relax, but she felt something at that moment. What she felt was the fear of the dark.

She heard a voice beside her. “Calla, are you okay?”

“Y-Yes.” She said quickly.

At that moment she suddenly saw glowing red eyes hovering a short distance away and screamed. The red eyes widened in shock. “It’s just me.” She heard Augustus say. “Please don’t be scared.”

She took a deep breath. “Sorry. I just… wasn’t expecting to see your eyes.”

The red eyes vanished for a moment. “Can you not see in the dark?”

She shook her head.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who couldn’t see in the shadows. Yet again I wouldn’t say I’ve met very many people.” The eyes appeared to tilt. “Do people like you need sleep? I would hope so if you can’t see at all.”

“Yes. Do… Do people not sleep in the forest?”

“Was it a good hunt?” she heard Manny ask.

“Yes, I found a rabbit.” The eyes got closer to Calla and then she felt a warm body wrap itself around her. “I will stay here until you wake up. Don’t worry, I will protect you.”

After that she drifted off to sleep quickly, her face nuzzled into his fur. The last thing she heard that night was Augustus. “Honestly Manny, did you not smell her fear?”