It was a particularly hot day that summer when I first met Lillie. As a young boy, I never thought much about the weather. My only concerns about the matter were when it was unpleasant to fly in, whether that was freezing temperatures from blizzards, fierce rainstorms with lightning, or the dreadful rays of a strong summer sun. When I felt the scorching heat hit the back of my wings, I looked for a place to escape from the unpleasant flying conditions. As I made my daily routine flying path, I passed over a cliffside meadow I had seen many times before. The clearing enticed my overheating body to rest a moment, escaping the heat of the day before embarking back up the mountain. I had my sufficient nourishment for the day, hydration from fresh river water, and was ready to return home when the heat hit particularly harsh. Typically, my routine consisted of flying down from my mountain residence in the early hours of the day, and then head back up before the rays of the sun were at their strongest. Most days, I would completely avoid flying midday. Why did I that day? I have not the faintest idea, only the satisfaction of knowing that my world would become greater after stopping on that cliffside meadow.

I landed in the clearing, and the long shadows cast from the cedar trees cooled me instantly. The trees covered most of the mountain terrain, except towards the summits, where the steep ridges of rocky turf made it impossible for nature to grow. The small meadow, clear and surrounded by the giant trees, felt restorative from the scorching sun. I sat next to a large boulder, folded my dark wings behind me, and stretched my legs along the cooling ground. The grass swayed as the wind rolled through, causing small pink and yellow blossoms of summer flowers to dance. Bees and little white butterflies bounced from each flower in harmony with the summer blooms and breeze. I rested while sitting in the grass, but only for a short while.

After feeling rejuvenated, I stood up to gaze over the cliffside. The mountain range extended far into the region with various peak heights, some higher elevations still covered in snow, and other lower ridges barren from the heat of the summer season. My eyes followed the highlands that descended into the valleys below, the glistening water of different rivers running through groups of trees. My position at that moment was a rare sight for myself. My observation of the lay of the land was always from above while I ventured over the province every day, flying in the sky. From my standing position on the edge of the cliff, I examined the area with a new perspective. The forest, the mountains, and the valley below—it all seemed so different and interesting from this new vantage point. I looked behind me, facing the cedar forest, and observed the mountain behind it. Its steep, sloping sides extended high with sharp ridges, and the summit was completely hidden by clouds.

The heat is no longer unbearable. I really shouldn’t fly midday during the summer.

I observed the sun beginning to make its way between my home mountain and its neighboring ridge, and I prepared myself to take flight and return home above the clouds. A rustling sound alerted me as a strange young girl appeared from the forest.

“Hey there!” her friendly voice called out. I hesitated as she continued to walk towards me.

“I’ve never seen you before!” she exclaimed. Her smile beamed as she tilted her head, and her rosy cheeks rounded. Confused and stricken by shock, I only stared, for I was unaccustomed to meeting strangers.

“You found my meadow!” she said, her voice soft yet invigorating.

“Your meadow?” I questioned curiously. I lowered my wings, folding them behind me.

“Okay, well, it’s not my meadow, but it’s my favorite spot. And no one else knows about it. Except you, I guess! I’m Lillie! What’s your name?”

“Sable,” I replied while standing stiff as a tree. I felt shocked, unable to fully understand the situation, yet tantalized by the sudden appearance of a friendly stranger. She approached me with a warm aura, like a soft summer breeze gracefully flowing through the tall grass. She gazed upon me attentively, then began circling me. Feeling alarmed, I followed her movements, circling in place and keeping her from going behind me. She stopped, upon realizing I wouldn’t let her fully examine my stature. Although my entire body was alert by the strange girl, I couldn’t bring myself to fly away from such a new, exciting event.

“Nice to meet you, Sable,” she said while standing very close and with eyes wide. “Are you a gremlin or a demon?”

“Neither,” I replied. I had never heard of such creatures before, yet neither had I expected to meet a different kind of people wandering out from the forest.

“Oh good! I wouldn’t want you to pull out my hair or eat my soul!” she shouted, and I furrowed my brows with further confusion. “You must be a Teragane since you have big black wings.” I nodded in response while shifting my wings behind me.

“Cool! Must be fun to fly wherever you want. I’ve never met someone like you before.”

“Nor I a—” I did not know how to respectfully respond. Her features were different from those of my own kind. She had no wings, and her skin was a stormy gray color with cool undertones, unlike my light brown complexion. I did not mingle with others outside of my mountain colony, although I did know vaguely of other people who resided in the valleys and forests. I knew of their existence throughout the province as I was educated by my early guides, specifically to avoid interaction and respect their ways of life. I was taught that the Teragane do not engage with others outside of our own colony. However, Lillie’s unthreatening presence stirred curiosities within my mind, enticing me to ignore those original teachings. Although she was different than me, something stirred in my heart as I anticipated further interactions with the strange young girl.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“I’m from the forest,” she said, and her pointed ears perked up. She did not elaborate on her species, but it did not pique my interest or concern. I accepted this answer as satisfactory and anticipated her next movement, completely enamored by her presence and a strange feeling within my own heart—a feeling I desired exploring.

“You live on the mountain?” she asked, then turned to point at a mountain peak from a further distance. “Like, way over there?”

“Actually, that one,” I said, and pointed my finger to the mountain directly behind the cedar forest. As Lillie’s green eyes followed the direction in which I pointed, the voices of my teachers rang in my head.

Do not speak to others nor give them any information about the Teragane people. We live our lives separately; do not partake in the imbalances of life.

“Wow! Cool! You live close to The Great Cedar Forest,” she said as she slightly bounced on her feet. “Can you see my house from up there?”

“I—uh, I didn’t know there were houses in the forest,” I replied. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see through the woods, but the density of the trees thickened further in, and the immense trunks made it impossible to see through.

“Is it super cold up there, like with snow?”

“Mostly.” I began to feel nervous about how many questions Lillie was asking. My enticing curiosities turned into anxiety as I realized how much I was revealing to her as an outsider. The thrill of rebellion suddenly lost its allure.

“Cool! I like snow. Hey! I wanted to eat my honey and bread. Would you like some?”

Lillie did not wait for my answer but instead turned around, walked to where a boulder sat, and settled herself on the grassy ground. Feeling relieved, I sighed as my instincts prompted me to leave the area. However, once again, my curiosity about Lillie stopped me as I watched her move around. She ripped off her leather shoes and stretched her feet onto the grass. She removed a satchel she was carrying, unraveled a napkin holding some bread, and began spreading honey from a glass jar. A scent of something delicious enticed me to follow her, and I continued ignoring the teachings of my own kind.

Allowing myself to indulge in childish inquiries, I sat on my knees with my wings folded behind me and observed Lillie spreading honey on bread. I had never eaten bread before. I remembered eating honey when I was a younger child, when my mother would bring me something to eat. Since she no longer fed me, I had never bothered to gather any for myself. Bread was something completely foreign to my taste buds. It seemed odd at first, but, after taking my first bite, the complimentary flavors of the sweet honey and neutral, yeasty essence compelled me to try more.

“My mother made this fresh today, which is best,” Lillie said. “Second-day bread, if it lasts, is usually best for sandwiches.”

“What is a sandwich?” I asked while looking at Lillie. Without hesitation, she began explaining to me all the kinds of sandwiches. She also continued to explain the difference between the kinds of breads her village made, some methods of grinding, and different types of flour. Her life sounded advanced and artistic in its meal-making—something absolutely foreign to my own experiences as a Teragane who simply gathered food for survival. I did not understand such concepts, but, as she talked, I felt relaxed and comfortable. I watched as she moved her hands around and continuously shifted her sitting position while speaking.

“Sometimes we use the old bread that is too gross to eat as bait for the rats,” Lillie explained while twisting her loose, brown hair with her fingers. “I don’t think it’s fair to trap the rats. But father says the rats will poison our food; that is why we kill the rats. I don’t want poisoned flour. Then we can’t eat our bread!”

“Rats are not poisonous,” I said while furrowing my eyebrows.

“Yeah? Well, that’s what my father said. Maybe rats in the cedar forest are different from where you are from.”

“Perhaps.”

“Maybe they become poisonous if they eat flour.”

“Sure.”

“Maybe! I once heard about this man from the north bringing an animal that hunts rats. Maybe we should get one of those to keep the rats out of the flour.”

Even though I could not fully comprehend what Lillie talked about, her voice and stories were interesting, and her explanations captivated my attention. I had never thought about animals being different depending on their area or what they ate. I thought about my early teachings of hunting wild animals, which ones to avoid, like the boars or wolves that could cause me harm, and how quickly the smaller creatures were supposed to be consumed due to being inedible after a certain time. I was taught to use salt to preserve fish over winter, and that was the only adequate source of sustenance to be consumed through the isolation months. I remembered asking my teachers why, receiving adequate answers, but never did I think beyond what other methods of eating and cooking could be explored. For, that was not the way of the Teragane.

My mind enjoyed the new concepts, and I rested against the boulder, leisurely adjusting my wings while I listened to Lillie talk. My nervousness subsided as I convinced myself there was no harm in listening to Lillie speak and explain her culture. Between the great shadows of the cedar trees and the cool summer breeze, it was the perfect relaxing summer afternoon for my younger self. I was surprised at how comfortable I felt with Lillie’s amiable personality and how friendly she conducted herself. Perhaps she was as captivated by me as I was by her. Even though I already had my daily nourishment, the bread and honey filled my stomach with a new sensation of satisfaction and warmth. I casually rested, listening to Lillie’s soft voice, until I noticed the setting of the sun as the shadows of the trees completely covered the meadow.

“The sun is nearly set,” I said while sitting up from my position. “It is time for me to—”

“Oh!” Lillie shouted, startling me. “I need to go home! My parents will kill me!” She hurriedly grabbed her items, stuffing the napkin into her satchel, and put her footwear back on her feet.

“They will kill you?” I asked as I widened my eyes, suddenly feeling unnerved at what kind of people would kill their own child.

“No, not really,” she quickly replied. “But they’ll be mad. I gotta go!” She shot up and started running towards the cedar forest.

“It was nice meeting you!” she yelled as she ran back to the woods. I watched her small figure race into the forest, disappearing into the darkness. I stood up, feeling enamored by my summer afternoon with Lillie. I was curious about her and whether I would ever see her again. My stomach was satisfied, and my heart was warm. As my mind felt captivated by new sensations, a desire to see Lillie again grew strong.

Maybe if I come back tomorrow, I can see her again.