Chapter 3: A Witness
Her pale green eyes searched the rainy surroundings. She held a lantern forward, though it lit little compared to the swallowing darkness of the woods. But still, none the less Lavender jogged down the muddy path. She had snuck out just before, waiting until her distraught father had drunk himself to sleep; despite the scarcity of the alcohol cabinet. She looked for her brother, desperate to try and free him from the grim fate that laid just ahead of him. She had never been this deep in the woods. But alas she witnessed the man drag Ferrin along the same path. So just like him, she planned to follow it.
Lavender was not a strong woman physically. She could barely even work. It was hard for her to stay on her feet for too long and she often found herself out of breath. But the girl was desperate. She loved her father. But she could not bear the thought of living without her dear twin brother. She held a shabby grey cloak close to her body. But already it was entirely soaked through by the storm. Her leather sandals had already had their soles filled with mud, and the bottom of her pale pink skirt was completely ruined with the same. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky. She glanced up, seeing the clearing just ahead. Lavender began to quicken her pace, starting towards it, her heart pounding heavily in her ears. Just then a loud sound erupted through the air. The beast. She jumped, startled. In her surprise her grip on the dim lantern faltered, and it slipped through her fingertips. The flame snuffed out quickly. Lavender's eyes widened as she was left in almost total darkness. But still... More than ever now she had to proceed.
She started to again walk, stepping over the broken lantern that was now sinking into the mud. Her calves and feet ached already. Then the sound came again. Just over her, she heard the crashing of trees. With a sudden "whoosh" A large shadow passed over her head. Lavender glanced up, her eyes wide as she again stopped in her tracks in fear. She was almost too late... Was there still hope to save her brother? The creature leapt away, and Lavender simply followed after it, running now down the trail. Already it was hard to breathe. But she had to save him. Oh god, she had to save him. No matter what the circumstance, the girl was desperate.
She clambers down the dark trail, barely able to see what was ahead of her. Wet branches and leaves whipped at her pale face as she ran. But before she could get closer her foot caught underneath an exposed root. The girl tumbled forward, barely able to catch herself. Just as she lifted her head the thunder boomed above. with another flash of lightning, she saw him. Her brother chained up like an animal... And not far away from him was the beast, approachin the boy. She heard the rattle of the chains, knowing Ferrin was struggling to escape.
Lavender's mouth hung agape as she lay on her belly in the mud, suddenly paralyzed as she realized... She was too late. She would be too weak to do anything for him. All the girl could do was watch in horror at the scene as thunder rolled. It was dark and almost quiet. She could barely hear Ferrin's raspy cries for help, and the footsteps of the creature that treaded around him. There, another flash. The beast shook and pulled the chains, and then darkness. Lavender brought her hand over her mouth, trying not to cry aloud. She didn't care that her fingertips were covered with mud, nor the palm of her hands. Tears again began to fill her eyes, darkness again consuming them. She sat up, trying to listen.and guess what could be happening. With the sound of snapping metal and the drop of the chains, she wondered if the winged creature had freed him. from his binding. Was it to now eat him?
Thunder rolled above. And then again lightning was there. She made out the figures ahead of her in that instance, seeing the boy crawl, and the creature wrapping its talons around him. Tears began to fall. This was it. The Beast was going to scoop him up and swallow him whole. But there again was more light from the lightning that seemed to be getting closer and closer. And she saw it. The beast held him close, screached loudly, and hopped away. Lavender brings herself to her feet, standing quicker than she ever had. She began to run after it with no real direction in mind. It was much too dark to see after all. Her grey shawl fluttered behind her in the wind and rain, her blonde wavy hair doing the same. She had no idea where she was going, and already she knew that the Beast was much faster than she. Lavender, however, knew Ferrin was alive. There was no doubt. But too soon the sound of the creature clawing tree to tree disappeared into the distant woods, and nothing could be heard but the rain and Lavender's quiet sobs, and her heavy, heaving breaths that she took as she ran.
Morning came. And the girl could not sleep. She, the night before had made her way back home and removed her clothes. All she could do was wait. She tried to wake her father but he didn't budge. Instead, the old man snored away in his drunken state. She layed awake in the folds of the linen, the bed feeling empty without the presence of her twin. Then came the sounds of a freaking bed and the thumping feet of her father in the hut. She turned, seeing as say up from his position in bed. He had clearly just woken up. He glanced towards her, down at himself, the empty bottles on the floor, and then up at her again. It looked as if Alfred was about to speak but clearly something had caught his attention. He grey, busy brows furrowed as he noticed the chair that draped her muddy dress and cloak. He turned to her with a concerned frown.
"What is this? Did you leave last night?" He asked. Lavender sat up and nodded honestly.
"I went after him." She stated. The man glares and stands slowly. He Then slowly trudges towards her.
He clearly could not walk too quickly in his hung over state. No doubt the old man's head throbbed with each step. His expression flashed concern. He now stood at the foot of her bed, frowning down at her
"Why? Why would you do that? There's no hope! You are too weak to leave the village!" He declared. She grimaced, disgusted by his lack of hope.
"Clearly I am not! No one else was going to do anything! You obviously don't care!" She shouted as she pulled the blankets away from her, swinging her legs to the edge of the bed. She stood, turning towards him with a defiant huff of breath. He narrowed his eyes, shaking his head.
"There is nothing that could be done! He's dead Lavender!"
"You're wrong! It didn't kill him! I saw it! I saw it take him!" She shouted, raising her voice louder.
"Then he's long dead by now!" the man shouted even louder than her. Louder than she had heard him shout before. Lavender gazed up at him in shock, her eyes again watering a bit in her grief. His expression softened and he sighed before again begging towards her closer. He stood before her, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder.
"You best let this go... He's... He's gone. It'd be better we forget about him." The man said, choking up a bit. Lavender shook her head.
"The way you did with mom right? Easier to forget than to put the effort in to look for her. Now him too..." She argued sadly. The man swallowed and shook his head again, his grey hair wobbling as it stood messily on end.
"Your mother was lost to the river... And your brother to the beast. There is nothing I nor anyone can do. Understand this Lavender!" He expressed, desperate for her to move on. She again defiantly shook her head, tugging away from his gentle grip.
"You're wrong... He's alive and I can feel it. If you won't help I'll find someone who will!" She huffed, turning and stomping past him, instead towards the door.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone