The silence of a deathly forest had quickly faded into whispers. Nivera rested in the light ring while the portal's guardian jumped from tree to tree telling aged stories. He revealed king's and queen's secrets for the sole purpose of entertaining her.
He spoke of stories ancient trees had told him, of romantic encounters near exhaustingly running water that crashed into rocks and dragged away cadavers. She listened in awe, dreaming of visiting those places, wishing he would be next to her and experience them with her for the first time.
Time was a difficult subject to address. When it comes to the longevity of things, The wait in between things such as how long did it take an open wound to heal, or how far can the weeds grow before having to tear them away. Short or long periods of time were disregarded completely. The time it lasted would be difficult to explain to someone whose life span shortens with every heartbeat, but to those without fears, more than a life long transformed into a dusk until dawn.
Nivera smuggled into the many pillows made of white silk. Over her were hanging by threads different crystals that swung with the minty resinous breeze.
Nivera closed her eyes and listened to the howls of the beasts. Some mourned while others cried for war. although their appearance was unknown to her, she could imagine musty fur, sharp fangs, dull claws. Hungry is what the guardian called them, so hungry they had become feral, but she could not imagine what hunger felt like. If it was similar to desperation, she could attribute it to fear of death, but that was not the case. The Howlers were cursed and vanished into a savage state of mind. Their souls were forever prisoners of their decaying bodies, destined to suffer ravenous hunger for eternity.
She wondered if it was a punishment to watch a loved one turn into a killing beast. if the goddesses intended for it to be his punishment, and if so, what was his sin.
She watched a starless sky and patiently waited for the guardian to return from his duties when lightning stormed in with a child, standing on the other side of an opened portal, holding with both hands a wooden naked doll. On his side, the sun shined so bright, Nivera could barely stand looking at him. He was startled as much as she was, but strangely compelled to enter that dark alley that had just appeared before him. Nivera meant to rush him out, but her attempt to call his attention translated into a welcoming gesture.
The boy stepped into the dark, and almost immediately, the smell of his soul screamed what the beasts to hustle.
She feared he would suffer the pain she is usually a victim of. However, for a magicless being as himself, the cursed land could not dare interfere with his soul. Instead, the howlers would devour him.
As a beast crushed the boy against peeking roots of fig tree, Nivera wrapped the boy with weeds. She stood in too foot and, without a thought, abandoned the light ring. The sudden withering of her nerves once again ran her body, but this time, she had a reason to stand. The beasts one by one jumped aggressively on the boy but would later roll on their backs. Nivera used the little light that could reach her to break their bones as an attempt of distraction, while step by step, she got closer to the dying boy. When she reached him, and her legs could finally bend in weakness, she embraced the boy.
The Guardian arrived as it was his duty. He chased away the howlers, worried this time he could not save her, knowing if it was her end, she could never forgive himself. He healed the boy's wounds and asked of him to take Nivera and protect her, for she was a blessing he could barely afford to let go of.
With the sun warming her body at the top of a hill covered in green grass and purple flowers, she opened her eyes. Next to her was the boy. Tanned skin with blonde peach fur on his skin and pinkish glow on his cheeks. He caressed her forehead with delicate touches as if he had encountered a rained abandoned cat.
Nivera realized she had saved him from a howler. She was proud of herself, with a smirk, she patted her own shoulder.
She was also exited, he was a beast different from what she imagined. The Guardian had mentioned those like him. They were born from the insides of females of their kind. She wondered if he was closer to a newborn than to an adult. If he had reached peak growth or if he'd grow taller. He was even smaller than The Guardian.
She chuckled in her thoughts as she pulled his limbs up and sideways, examining his anatomy, if he had any injuries, if he was well fed. He remained silent.
His left hand held on tightly on the naked wooden doll. She noticed a faint smell coming from its neck. It had a golden string tied around it. It had magic. Enough to be conscious, enough to love. She was surprised. The Guardian had told her magic did not exist on eating beasts word's. However, nothing without magic could open a portal.