Heart Wood | Forest Creature X Reader (COMPLETED)

Chapter 8: The Friend, The Fae

"What did he mean when he said that he sent you to take care of me?" You ask the fae, drying your hair with a plush towel. She had shifted back into her fae form after you both came inside. You told her she would track less water in that way.

You look over at the fae as she unfolds a hand towel. It's the same height as her. She gives you a quick glance, rubbing the towel on her skirt, before sighing anxiously. "It was not fate that lead me to you," She nervously reveals, wringing her hair out and drying it with the blue towel. "It was Custos."

You crinkle your brows, wondering about the odd word. "Custos?" You ask, sounding unsure about the word's origin. 'It must be Latin for something.' You quickly assume.

Missy nods, humming as she thinks. "The Guardian. Lofty." She finally answers after thinking of how to say it, running her hands through her damp hair.

You hum, wrapping the warm towel around your cold form and sitting on the floor. "You call him The Guardian?" You question with a slight smile, watching as she rubs the towel on her head. "Yes. That is what he is, after all." She states with certainty, jumping when thunder suddenly rumbles overhead.

The rain picks up speed once again, making you sigh while you glance outside. Dark, ominous clouds roll over the rooftop. Lightning strikes a distance away, another boom of thunder following behind.

Missy cringes at the sound, before regaining her nonchalant demeanor. "And he is why I am here, to guard you from Caligo." She comments, almost sadly, growling the name of the shadowy fae before blowing a long strand of hair out of her face. You tilt your head, thinking to yourself.

With a soft nod, you grin widely at the fae. "That's why you never left my side, and why the vet didn't know your breed, and why you just randomly showed up at my house." You list off everything that didn't make since before, it all now finally adding up.

She nods rapidly, finally smiling as wide as you. "You do not understand how I longed to tell you these secrets of mine." She breathes out in relief, wrapping herself up in the comfortable towel as she spins around. "Or how I so badly wanted to talk with you." She sighs, thinking back on all the times you could have chatted together.

You grin, happy that she seems so happy. But, your face drops suddenly, a question crossing your mind. With a deep inhale, you stare intensely at the ground. "Did you ever talk to Ida?" You ask, giving the cheery fae a quick glance.

Her demeanor quickly shifts at your question. She stares in the distance, as if remembering some distant memories. A soft smile graces her bright face. "Sometimes." Is all she says, seeming to not really want to talk about it.

You look over at her, perplexed by her short answer, but choose not to pry. You hum in response, pursing your lips as you think to yourself. 'Odd.' You think, 'Lofty and Missy don't really like talking about her. Maybe it's because they could never find her body.'

"Where could her body have gone?" You whisper to yourself, crinkling your brows as you wonder aloud, staring intensely at the wooden floors. Missy's head snaps towards you, her bright eyes wide. "He had never informed you." She breathes, eyes softening at you as you turn to her.

Sorrow laces her voice as she slumps to the floor. "Alas, he leaves the saddest part for me to tell." She sighs, looking heartbroken as she gazes at the ground.

You mess with the hem of your sleeve, slowly sliding over to her. "You don't have to tell me. It's okay." You pat her damp hair, looking at her with concerned eyes. You don't want her to feel like she has to tell you, especially if it's this hard for her. "No," her squeaky voice chimes, sounding duller than normal. "You are to know the full truth."

That's when it clicks. You're about to find out what happened to Ida's body, a question no one could logically answer, and you're more than ready.

And with that statement, Missy gently inhales a shaky breath.