1 comments/ 21497 views/ 6 favorites Faerie Wings Ch. 01 By: cellophanesmile The air was wet, and it condensed on the little faerie's skin as fluttered through it. Flying over and below the heavy branches that covered the forest, she landed on bright green leaf, resting in the dew. Breathing heavily, her breasts rose and fell in a steady rhythm. She could smell the dawn awakening, and she happily splashed her wings in the water. After a short rest, she stood up again, taking off to fly to the faerie home. The atmosphere she felt was not one she expected. The faeries where all somber, and she felt singled out from the rest of the group. The head faerie approached her and spoke without words. She was to be next. The Big Ones, the horrible creatures who were not Fay, needed their yearly sacrifice. She knew the custom well, a chosen one would drink a potion that would make her big, and she would be left as a sacrifice for the big ones. She would be eaten. She accepted her fate. Faeries could not live forever, after all. The other faeries bathed her in rose water. They rubbed honey on her lips, and brushed her hair with a feather from a baby bird. They sang sweet melodies, and danced around her. They flew her to the sacrificial rock, and finally, Mother Faerie gave her the potion. They scattered like the seeds of a dandelion before she drank it, having no doubt that she would. She placed the small bead of liquid to her lips, letting it flow down her throat. When she drank it completely, she immediately felt the affects. Her body felt pain, something she didn't even know how to describe since it was something she had never felt before. Her legs stretched, and her toes. She felt herself getting bigger and bigger, but beside just the physical aspect, her feelings were also growing stronger and stronger. With every inch she grew, she became more scared, worried, nervous, excited. She had never felt so much before. She wondered if it would ever stop, she hoped that it would soon. Hope. That was something new. Faeries always just accepted what happened to them and the world around them. They never thought of the future, only the now. She did eventually stop growing, her body taking up the whole rock now, her feet hanging off the end. She looked up at the tree branches above her, not so big now. She wondered if the Big Ones would ever come. She hoped that they would quickly, so at least the terrible waiting would be over, but then she hoped that they didn't. One of her new big feelings was a desire not to die. She stayed there on the rock partly because she was too afraid to move, and partly because she knew it was her duty to be sacrificed to the big ones. As time passed, she felt something in the pit of her stomach, something she had never felt before. While it wasn't pain, it was an uncomfortable gnawing feeling. She saw her wings lying next to her, the only things that hadn't grown. They had broken off and had stayed in their perfectly tiny shape. She felt a wetness on her cheeks as she looked at them, but she didn't know what it was. Her body was uncomfortable, but she didn't know how to relieve it. She just waited without moving. Waited and felt. *** "My God, who are you?" Falcon asked as he approached the beautiful goddess lying naked on the slab of stone, her hair cascading about her like an ebony halo, weaving over her shoulders, one long tress curling about her navel. The tips of her breasts were just peaking out of the luscious black hair, like candle fire in a dark window. Falcon watched as the girl scrambled onto her knees when she heard him, holding out her palms to him. "What's your name?" Falcon asked the strange girl with chalk white skin and ashen hair. Her incredibly dark eyes fluttered over his figure, but she didn't respond. "Do you speak English?" he asked, though it was clear by her vacant expression she didn't. She just scooted closer to him, holding out her arms in an apparent gesture of offering. Well, Falcon thought, if she was offering herself to him. He picked her up off the rock slab and was surprised at how incredibly light she was, even for her small size, she was unnaturally light. Falcon was too distracted by her nakedness, and apparent willingness, to really ponder it, though, and he simply laid her down in the soft moss. He quickly wrestled down his pants, before spreading her thighs and lying between them. He took a moment to check if she was ready, placing his rough hand between her legs, but was disappointed to find her as dry as a desert. Glancing up at her face, he tried to gage what she was feeling, but she just looked confused. Though he was already hard from just looking at the alluring little creature, and all he wanted to do was plunge his cock into her tight little whole, he didn't want to hurt her. So he started to gently massage her clit. He glanced up at her face when he heard her gasp. She looked more surprised than anything, and was staring down at his hand on her pussy with wide eyes, as though what he was doing was the oddest thing in the world. Falcon grinned as her eyes filled her face, and continued to play with her clit. She started to uneasily move her legs, and the surprised look on her face was slowly mixing with fear as the strange sensations he was building in her grew. Soon she was wet, and he positioned his cock at her entrance. He pushed into her tight whole, glorying in the feeling of her around him. Then he started to arouse them both, bringing himself to the height of ecstasy and dragging her along with him. As he was pounding into her Nyx grabbed at the familiar moss around her, frightened by the new, but pleasurable, sensations she was feeling. Her astonishment increased when suddenly the burnings between her legs erupted into a sensation like nothing she had ever felt before, like nothing she had ever even imagined. She felt something spurt into her from him, and then he pulled away a moment later. The girl quickly sat up, frightened by whatever he had put inside of her. Scared that it might be some sort of poison, she quickly sat up and leaned down between her open knees. Spreading her pussy lips with her fingers, she inspected her swollen flesh, scooping up the liquid that oozed out of her. She wiped it off of her hand onto the moss around her, trying to get the rest out as well. In her panic, she dug her finger into her whole that his thing had been moments before, but it was far too deep in her. "Hey," Falcon grabbed the girl's wrists. Having watched her intently inspect her pussy with much amusement, he decided to calm her when she suddenly seemed frantic to get all their juices off of her. "Relax, it won't hurt you," he told her even though he knew she wouldn't understand him. Falcon shook his head as the girl then sat silently, expectedly staring at him. Falcon shook his head and released her wrists, and she let her arms fall back to her sides as he pulled his pants back up and buttoned them. Standing up, Falcon looked down at the girl, "I have to get back," he told her, "You should go home, find your family." He knew she wouldn't understand him, but it made him feel better to say something. He turned and started to walk away, only to find the girl following him. "Not that I wouldn't object to having you around, but some of the men might get jealous, maybe you should run home," he said slowly backing away from her, but she just hesitantly followed right after him. Falcon exasperatedly picked her up by the shoulders and turned her to face the opposite direction. He stood there waiting to see if she would get the idea and leave, but she just stood there as well. He took a moment to admire her from behind, but reluctantly remembered that he was supposed to be trying to send her off. He gave her soft round butt a few quick, hard smacks with one hand while nudging her on the back with the other. All that accomplished, however, was to knock her right onto the ground. She turned over to look at him with wide, accusing eyes, and Falcon just shook his head. Leaning down to pick her up, he threw her light frame over his shoulder and started to make his way back to the fort. He didn't know what he was going to tell his men about her, since he himself had no idea what she was. She was certainly too pale to be one of the natives. He was almost back to the fort, and thoroughly appreciating her inexplicable lightness, when he stopped for a moment at the edge of the woods, setting her on her feet. "Best not to raise undue trouble by marching through camp with a naked girl slung over my shoulder," he said as he shrugged off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. It practically swallowed her up, but she was far too pleased to notice as she ran her hands over the smooth leather in astonishment. He pushed her hands into the sleeves, with no help on her part, for she was far too eager to touch every inch of the thing. Finally he had her buttoned up in it, and she resumed her position over his shoulder. He walked back into the fort, and expectedly all the men outside stopped to stare at him. "Who the bloody hell is that?" one shouted. "Caught myself a mermaid, gentlemen," he announced. The curious men didn't really know what to make of her. Since her long hair was covering her face and his jacket everything else, except for a bit of shapely calf, they couldn't formulate an opinion based on her looks. "Where'd you find her, Captain?" another man shouted out, "She sure as hell ain't no native, with that white skin." "Just found her in the woods," he told them, finally reaching his door, and walking inside the little one room cabin, and shutting the door, making it clear he didn't want to be bothered. Falcon set her down on the dirt floor. "Okay girlie, what's your name?" he asked. She seemed too curious about the cabin to even notice him, however, running to the wall and feeling the rough wood with her palm. She looked at the ceiling, reaching up as though to touch it, but her arms were too short. "Hey, hey," Falcon said walking over to her and turning her to face him to get her to focus. When he was convinced he had her full attention, he placed his hand on his chest and said loudly and clearly, "Falcon." He repeated the action several times, and the girl simply stared at him. He pointed to her, "Now what's your name?" he asked. She blinked. He again placed his palm on his chest and said "Falcon." He then took that same hand and put it on her, right above her heart. He could feel it thumping away, its rhythm felt like a song. He looked at her expectantly, giving her a little encouraging nod. "Falcon," her voice was unsure and hesitant, but sweet nonetheless. Not exactly what he was looking for, but better than nothing. He smiled. "Good. Now tell me what your name is," he emphasized the word "your" pointing at her when he said it. "Falcon," she said again. "No, no," he explained, "I'm Falcon," he moved his hands, gesturing to himself, "My name is Falcon. Now what's your name?" he asked, gesturing to her now. The girl simply tilted her head at him. Falcon shook his. "What a mystery you are," he said kindly, "But what a beautiful mystery." He ran his hand over her soft cheek, "I shall have to call you something," he told her gently. She was so small and innocent, like a little flower. "Daisy," he said softly, "Sweet, little Daisy." Faerie Wings Ch. 02 Falcon wasn't really sure what to do with his new ward. He knew what he wanted to do, throw her down on the bed and make love to her again, to not stop until he didn't have enough energy to move. He pulled her into his arms, and she willingly went into them. He stared down at her luscious mouth, and bent to steal a kiss. She tasted like honey. Falcon heard a low grumble, and it only took a moment to realize that it had come from her stomach. He instantly felt guilty for not thinking to offer her food right away. "Are you hungry, Daisy?" he asked, knowing that she wouldn't understand, but thinking maybe she could pick up a few words if he kept talking to her. He moved his hand to mimic putting food to his mouth, and he chewed the air, hoping she would figure out what he was trying to say. Daisy's eyes grew wide and fearful, and she let out a little scream before turning to run. She barely took a few steps before she smacked right into a beam, hitting her head pretty hard. She would have fallen to the floor if Falcon hadn't moved to catch her. As it was, she landed right in his arms, having knocked herself out. She seamed fine except for a slight lump on her head, and Falcon chuckled at her odd behavior. The girl was obviously hungry, her stomach had revealed that, but she was ready to make a run for it when he tried to offer her food. He lifted her slight frame up into his arms, marveling once again at how little she weighed. He could feel her ribs beneath his hand. Wherever she came from, she obviously hadn't gotten proper nutrition. He was about to go lay her down in bed when the door suddenly burst open. He knew who it was without even looking. There was only one person who would dare enter his cabin without knocking first. "Captain, I heard you found some gal in the woods!" Jason Good exclaimed as he slammed the door behind him. Falcon had known Jason since they were both boys, and Jason had loyally followed Falcon wherever he had sailed: a dependable first mate. Jason's eyes grew big as he saw Daisy hanging limply from Falcon's arms. "God, you sure did! What did you do to her?" he asked, referring to her unconscious state. "I didn't do nothing to her!" Falcon said offended, "She hit her head and knocked herself out." Jason took a few steps closer to get a better look at the girl. Despite her deceptively small frame, she was no doubt a woman, and very beautiful at that. "If you didn't do nothing to her, then why is she naked except for your jacket?" Jason asked jokingly. "I found her that way," Falcon told his friend, narrowing his eyes at the other man was staring lustily at the girl. "I would have explored the woods more if I'd have known there were naked women wandering around in them. Who is she anyway?" "I don't know. She doesn't speak English," Falcon said shrugging his shoulders. "What's her name?" "I call her Daisy," was the only answer Falcon had to give. "This whole situation is very odd," Jason said staring down at the girl, "Almost too good to be true, finding a gorgeous naked woman wandering around, when none of us men have seen any sort of female for months." "Believe me, I know." Falcon didn't need to be told the strangeness of the situation. And Jason didn't even know the half of it, didn't know the odd behavior of the girl. "You're just lucky that the ship of women and settlers should be arriving soon, or the men might mutiny with jealousy over your having a concubine all to yourself." "She isn't a concubine," Falcon's voice was angry and defensive. "Oh yeah, and you expect me to believe you just found her naked in the woods and brought her back to live with you out of the kindness of your heart?" Jason asked sarcastically. Falcon didn't need to answer, the guilt in his eyes telling his friend the whole story. Before Jason could call him on it, however, Daisy moaned and stirred a little in Falcon's arms. "Daisy?" Falcon asked gently. Daisy groggily opened her eyes, she looked up at him sleepily and trustingly, apparently forgetting the fear that had caused her to run into the beam in the first place. "Are you going to introduce me or what?" Jason asked. Daisy looked over at Jason curiously. She reached out a arm and touched his chest with her little hand, patting it as if to inspect if he were really there. Jason gave Falcon a strange look. "What's she doing?" "Hell if I know." Daisy seemed to have her fill of touching his chest, and her hand moved lower to feel his cock, patting it curiously. She barely touched him there when Jason jumped back in surprise, Falcon also jerking Daisy backward. "Don't do that, Daisy," he told her sternly, letting go of her knees so that she fell to her feet. "Are you sure she isn't a concubine?" Jason joked nervously under his blush. Falcon glared at him. "Look, I don't know where this girl came from, or anything about her past, but I don't think she meant anything by what she was doing," his harsh voice gentled as he looked down at her, "I think she was just curious." "Aw, I know. I was just kidding. A man would only need to take one look at those big eyes to know she was as innocent as a babe." Falcon grinned at his friend who was so understanding, and was grateful to know him. "Look, I was just going to make some supper, rabbit stew. Why don't you stay?" "Yeah, that'd be great." "Watch her for me while I go to the smoke house," he told his friend while stomping heavily to the door. Falcon hurried back as fast as he could, partly to avoid anyone who might start asking him questions about the girl he had carried through camp earlier, and partly because he felt anxious when Daisy was out of his sight. When he walked into the cabin, he laughed as he saw Jason gesturing wildly to himself while speaking his name loudly and slowly. Jason glared over at his friend before resuming his communication attempts with the the girl. Jason saw Daisy curiously watching Falcon over by the stove. When she turned back to him, he thought to explain what his friend was doing. Making the same mistake Falcon had made earlier, Jason motioned as though he were eating. Daisy let out a horrible shriek, before turning to run. She didn't really have anywhere to go in the small cabin, however, so she settled for the opposite corner from the two men. She cowered there, closing her eyes, as though if she couldn't see them, they couldn't see her. "What the hell did you do?" Falcon accused, walking over to where Daisy was crouched in the corner. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, trying to coax her to open her eyes, but she stubbornly kept them closed, covering them with her hands. "I don't know," Jason was genuinely surprised, "I just tried to explain that you were making supper when she suddenly screamed." Falcon nodded knowingly, feeling guilty for yelling at his friend, after all, he had done the same thing. "Yes, she's afraid when you make an eating motion at her," he said smartly. "She's afraid of eating?" Jason asked disbelievingly. "I don't know," Falcon admitted. He turned back to Daisy, and gently rubbed her back until she finally looked up at him. He smiled kindly down at her, before grabbing her wrists and standing her up with him. "Feeling better?" he asked, leading her to over to the bed. He pushed her down into a sitting position on the end of it before dragging the table over to her. Falcon only had two chairs, really having no need for more, so tonight Daisy would use the bed. "Come on Jase, take a seat," Falcon said, acting like they were in the most normal situation in the world. He brought the pot of stew over to the table, setting it down along with bowls and spoons. Jason, still a little shaken from Daisy's earlier freak out, cautiously sat down next to her. Falcon filled a bowl for Daisy before filling one for himself. He hesitated, however, before bringing the spoon up to his mouth. He looked at Daisy for any signs of panic, but she seemed perfectly fine now. He looked over at Jason, who was anxiously staring at him, waiting for him to make the first move. Falcon slowly lifted the spoon to his mouth and took a hesitant bite. Daisy barely even seemed to notice, and Falcon felt silly for all the worry he had put into taking a damn bite of stew. He hungrily started scooping the rest the hearty meal into his mouth. It took him a minute to notice that while Daisy was staring wonderingly at her plate, she wasn't eating. He knew she must be hungry. Maybe she didn't like rabbit stew. "Why isn't she eating?" Jason noticed the same thing. "I don't know," but even as he said it, Daisy picked up the spoon next to her plate. Once it was in her hand, she looked over to Falcon as if for approval. He nodded encouragingly, and Daisy took a spoonful into her mouth. She must have liked it, Falcon thought, for she was now eating like a lumberjack just come back from a full day hauling trees. Falcon poured her another bowl when she was done with the first, and she ate that one just as eagerly. "You'd think the girl'd been starving," Jason commented after Daisy had finally eaten her fill. "Thanks for staying Jase, and I trust you to keep the girl's odd behavior just between us?" "You know your secret's safe with me," Jason assured him as he stood up and walked for the door. Falcon followed him to it. "Good luck," Jason said as he clapped his friend on the back. Looking back at Daisy he added, "Can't say that I'm not a little jealous. Be careful with her," and with that he left the cabin. Falcon turned back to Daisy, who had stood up and was staring at him. Falcon once again wondered where she had come from as she stared up at him with wide, trusting eyes. "Oh Daisy, Daisy," he exclaimed, walking over to her. He stroked her long, black hair. It was as soft as down. Her lips were irresistible, and he gently pressed his mouth to them. Daisy eagerly responded, kissing him back unabashedly. "How is it that you are so trusting?" he asked, not expecting an answer. And he didn't get one, instead Daisy pulled his head back down for another kiss. Falcon gently lifted her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down on it, and Daisy immediately started snuggling the soft blankets, rolling around like a puppy trying to get comfortable. Falcon laughed, bodily turning her so that she lay still. He slowly unbuttoned his jacket, revealing her naked body underneath it. It was just as lush and flawless as he remembered it, and Falcon felt his cock spring to attention. Throwing the garment out of the way, he eagerly cupped her creamy breasts. Falcon didn't understand why this girl he just met was giving him free reign of her body, but he was sure glad that she was. Daisy closed her eyes, as she luxuriated in the feel of his hands on her flesh, her smile resembling that of a cat who just got its cream. She spread her thighs, apparently waiting for him to take her again. Falcon felt his heart thump in his chest at the sight, but didn't let it trip him up for long. He hurriedly removed his own clothing, going to lie beside her on the bed. "My God you're beautiful," he told her as he settled himself between her heated thighs. He hungrily kissed her mouth, gently biting her lip as he slipped himself inside her. Daisy moaned at the sensation, grabbing his hips to pull even more of him into her body. She eagerly started moving her hips back and forth, not even waiting for him to set the rhythm. She had experienced her first orgasm on his cock, and now would take the matter of getting another into her own hands. Falcon didn't mind her great zeal, he matched it with his own. He felt his pleasure quickly rising, and no sooner had she orgasmed around him, than he was spilling his seed in her. This time when he pulled away, she didn't seem to mind his sex juices spilling from between her legs, instead she just lay on her back, content. Falcon breathed heavily for a while, simply watching Daisy watching him. Eventually he broke the spell by pulling her into his arms, kissing her forehead. "Get some sleep," he told her, tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder, wrapping his arm around her waist. He listened to her soft, steady breathing, and it lulled him to sleep. Faerie Wings Ch. 03 Dawn was shining into the room, pooling on the soft white linens of the bed. Daisy sat on her knees, her long hair gracefully falling around her shoulders as she stared at the sleeping man. Daisy, that is what he kept calling her, and he was Falcon. It seemed strange to her to be assigned a specific name, but then again, there was very little about this big, new world that did not seem strange. But what confused her most were her own feelings, completely new and a little scary. When Falcon had first found her, she was determined to sacrifice herself to him, for the good of her people. But she soon found out that the more she lived as a human, the more she wanted to live. That's why she was so frightened when she thought that he and his friend were going to eat her, but all he wanted to do was feed her. And food, she discovered, was delicious. But nothing compared to the wonderful pleasure she experienced when he touched her, and put his thing inside of her. She knew happiness when a flower bloomed, or a baby animal took its first step, but nothing compared to this. Daisy grew wary of simply sitting in bed, and got up to curiously walk about the room. Daisy had never used her legs so much before, and was a bit unsteady. The room was small, and Daisy quickly navigated it, her hand on the wall supporting her. Daisy recognized the bowls and spoons that they had used to eat out of last night, as well as the stove, table, and chairs. The rest of the objects were completely foreign to her, except some herbs in jars, that Daisy simply recognized as plants that had died long ago, and which she found to be a bit morbid. Going to the entering and exiting portal, Daisy stared at for a moment, wondering how to work it, trying to remember what Falcon's friend had done last night. Putting her hands on protrusion, she fiddled with it for a while before the door suddenly came open. Dawn had arrived, but it was not yet bright out, and the air still held a light grayness. Stepping out of the door, she felt the dirt on her bare feet, and wiggled her toes. She bent down to feel the beloved dirt, while gazing at the open sky, which she had missed while inside the box. Standing up, she made her way further away from the cabin. She hadn't had a chance, while hanging over Falcon's shoulder, to view the inside of the fort. She saw countless other boxes like the ones she just left. There was another man only a few yards away, one that she didn't recognize. He was staring at her, so intently that it was making Daisy a little uncomfortable. She didn't know what it was, but it was something in the way he was watching her. "Daisy," she heard Falcon shout, and turned to see him running toward her. He without so much as a word to the other man, picked her up and carried her back inside, kicking the door closed behind him. "Daisy, you can't, absolutely can not, go outside naked anymore, you hear me?" Falcon was a little jittery, having woken up with her missing, he had been extremely worried that something had happened to her, and then that she had simply just decided to leave. Daisy stared at him blankly, blinking. "What am I saying? I know you can't understand me," he said as he drew her into his arms, hugging her shoulders. He smiled into her hair as she nuzzled her face against his neck. Pulling away, he gently kissed her forehead, then looked down at her standing without a stitch of clothing, and completely unashamed. "God help me, but I need you again," he said as he felt his dick rising to attention. He picked her up under the arms and threw her slight frame onto the bed. She spread her legs eagerly, apparently knowing what he had planned. He gazed hungrily at his innocent temptress before he climbed gently on top of her, kissing her neck and the flat plain of her chest. When he reached her breasts, she grabbed his hair in surprise, but didn't try to stop him, simply held on. He took her erect, pink nipple into his mouth, massaging it with his tongue before gently biting it. This time she jerked on his hair, hard. Before Falcon had time to wonder if she didn't like that, she was pushing his head back into place. Deciding to tease her for a moment, he laid his head inertly on her chest, unmoving. Daisy tugged at his hair, but he still wouldn't budge. "Falcon," she whispered desperately, and this got his attention. He looked up at her sweet, little voice saying his name. So she did understand, she knew that was his name. "Oh Daisy, I wish I knew what you were thinking," he said as he gently ran his thumb over he plump lips. She was looking a little desperate now, begging him silently to finish what he had started. Falcon chuckled a little, thinking that he was going to turn her into a sex fiend, but then she started to look as though she were about to cry. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Falcon said immediately, putting his hand between her legs. She moaned in pleasure now, sticking her chest out to him. He obligingly took her nipple back into his mouth, suckling and biting gently. Daisy hugged his shoulders as he slid into her wet cunt, stretching the walls of her sex. She stretched her neck, reaching up with her mouth to kiss him. Falcon bent down to her searching mouth, sliding his tongue into it. He slid his arm behind her delicate shoulders, capturing her completely in his embrace. Her soft breasts were pressed against his chest, and he stroked the back neck with his thumb. With her orgasm, she made a sound halfway between a whimper and a scream. And then her muscles relaxed. Daisy was surprised when Falcon didn't stop, but instead kept his cock moving in and out of her. She watched his face when she felt the liquid spurt inside of her, and realized that it was bringing him pleasure too. It wasn't just her who felt this incredible need. Afterward, Falcon cradled Daisy in his arms, stroking her spine gently. "Time to get up little one, I'm going to have to find you something to wear." Daisy watched as Falcon got out of bed, and she followed him the short distance to the other side of the room. Falcon looked down at her expectant face. "You'll just have to do with something of mine for now," he said ruefully, taking out a clean shirt and a pair of breaches. Bending down at her feet, he lifted a leg and guided it into his pants, then doing the same to the other. They were of course too big for her, and wouldn't even stay up around her hips without her holding them there, which she obviously didn't care to do. Laughing as she stood with his pants around her ankles, he made a notch in his old belt where he thought her waist might fit. Pulling her pants up, he awkwardly held them while he got the belt around her. "Not so bad now is it?" he asked her, although she was already tugging at the unfamiliar material. "This should be easier," he said picking up his shirt and pulling it over her head. It fell down to her knees, but he simply took the two ends and tied them together. Even in men's clothes, she still looked all too tempting, her breasts clearly outlined through the thin, white shirt. "What am I going to do with you, Daisy?" he asked as he picked up the jacket he had given to her yesterday, helping her arms back through the holes. "Ta da," he said stepping back when he was done. "Well, as lovely as your hair is, we might want to tie it back, out of the way." Grabbing her and turning her around, he combed his fingers through her hair, which was remarkably untangled, as smooth as if she had just painstakingly brushed it. Separating it into three chunks, his deft fingers quickly braided it into one long braid that fell straight down her back, and tied it with a string. "All done, Daisy," he said as he turned her around, patting her on the head. Daisy grabbed her braid into her hands, running her fingers over it to examine his handiwork. "You like it?" he asked, but of course she didn't respond. "We need to work on your English. Then maybe you can tell me where you're from." "Come on now," he told her, pushing her gently to the door and going back outside. Daisy followed obediently. As soon as he stepped outside, Falcon sensed there was something wrong. No one was around camp, and the few men he did see seemed to be in an incredible hurry. "Jase!" he shouted when he saw his friend hurrying off somewhere with great intent. "What the hell's going on?" he asked as Jason approached him. "The boat is here!" Jason shouted excitedly, "The one with the supplies and women!" He barely had the words out of his mouth before he was rushing again to his previous destination. Falcon walked briskly along side him, and Daisy followed, taking two steps to Falcon's every one. "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me?" Falcon demanded angrily. He was captain, and therefore should have been the first one informed of any news, especially something this big. "Well," Jason hummed out nervously, "We all thought you were busy with your woman," he eyed Daisy who was watching them curiously. "I'm still captain here!" Falcon shouted, slamming his fist in his palm to emphasize his point. "Okay, okay, don't have a heart attack." Jason said, slapping his friend on the back, "We all know who's captain." They had reached the little hill which presented a clear view out to the ocean, and sure enough, a couple miles out were two ships with white sails blown out in the wind. All the men were gathered around, staring and waiting for the ship to come in. As Jason walked off to talk to another man, Falcon looked around at the settlers. Thank God the boat had arrived, because these men looked like they desperately needed it. The winter had been hard, and the crew had been greatly diminished in size. The survivors were scraggly and worn, and some fresh blood would do everyone good. He looked over at Daisy, who was trying to see over men's heads at what everyone was looking at. Falcon pulled her in front of him, and pointed to the ships that were ever so slowly approaching. Daisy, unlike the men, didn't seem too impressed by the sight. After watching for a minute, she got up and started to wonder away. Like she knew exactly where she was going, she walked directly into the woods. Falcon followed her. He wanted to be there to meet the ships when they came in, but he was unwilling to let this girl of by herself. Even though he knew that she must have lived in the woods before he found her, he was still adverse to the idea of her fending for herself alone out there. She ran her hands over the rough tree bark as she passed the giant oaks. Her bare feet treaded comfortably over the dirt and sticks and she navigated well through the brush, almost like the branches were spreading for her to pass through. She glanced back at Falcon every once in a while to see if he was still following her, and indeed he was. He wasn't sure how much farther he would let her go before stopping her and dragging her back to camp, when he suddenly recognized where they were. She had stopped and was starring down at the rock he had first found her on. He wondered why she had come back here, and if she wanted him to do anything, bus she just seemed content to sit down and run her hands over the moss covered ground. Falcon knelt down in front of her. He reverently cupped her soft, white cheek in the palm of his hand. Suddenly, she pulled back and picked something up off the ground, staring at it in amazement. "What is it?" Falcon asked as he gently grabbed her wrist and held her palm up to his view. Resting easily inside her hands was something Falcon had never seen before. It almost looked like a wing, but it was too small to be from a butterfly, and too ornate to be from anything else. Falcon curiously picked it up out of her palm and held it in his hands. It was soft and thin, yet it had a certain toughness to it too, he didn't feel as though it would break very easily at all. Daisy plucked the mysterious wing out of his and held it tightly in her fist, pressed to her heart. Falcon was more confused than ever, but he simply let his questions go. "Let's go," he said as he helped her up and gently corralled her back in the direction which they came. By the time they had gotten back, there were already rowboats coming into shore. Falcon quickly picked out the man who must have been the captain of the ship, mixed in with the women on the little rowboat and the sailors. "Welcome sir, I'm Captain Falcon St. James," he held out his hand for the other man to shake. "Ah, what a pleasure, a fellow captain," the man said regally as he stepped out of the wooden vessel and onto the wet sand. The women were busy being helped out of the boats by the eager men, where they then formed an exclusive little huddle a few feet away. "I'm Gary Colbert," the captain introduced himself. "I'm sure you heard we were coming." "Of course, of course," Falcon assured him, "We are all too glad that you've arrived." "Happy to be here," Gary said jovially. "And who's this?" Gary asked, noticing Daisy for the first time, "I didn't think there were any woman settlers with the first ship." "There weren't," Falcon assured him, "She's a native." "A native! If the rest of them are half as pretty as her, I just might be persuaded to abandon ship and set down fort here as well." "As far as we've seen, she's the only one." "Very fortunate for you then," Gary noticed the way Daisy was clinging to Falcon's. Both Falcon and Gary seemed to remember their duties at the same time, and they both walked briskly over to where the women were huddling and the sailors were unloading supplies. "Huston, Gortly, Flakerty, White," Falcon addressed the four men who were standing nearest him, "You help these men unload the supplies and show them where to take it." "Yes, sir," they all agreed. Even though Falcon had technically stopped being the leader as soon as they had reached land and were off his ship, he was still treated as such, and therefore naturally fell into the role. "Ladies," he addressed the women, "I'm Captain Falcon St. James, and let me speak on behalf of the men in saying that we are all incredibly glad that you are here. You must be tired, so let me take you to the church where you can stay for now." The woman all nodded there agreement, most looking around wondrously at the sights around them. They were a bedraggled bunch, their clothes dirty and stained from weeks at sea, their hair messy. They still had their sea legs, and they stumbled pressed together as a single unit behind Falcon. "Here we are," Falcon opened the door for them. The church was the biggest building in the little fort. Even then, however, the women were still a little cramped. They all fit, though, and the tight space didn't bother them for they knew they wouldn't be there long. They had come over to be wives for the settlers already there. They knew this was their duty, and some of them already had some potential prospects from the men they had already seen. They were not weak women, nor romantic; they were strong and adventurous, with a yearning to be good wives and mothers. They would not have signed up for the journey if they were not. Daisy didn't seem fazed in the slightest by all the hustle and bustle, Falcon noted. She simply seemed curious, and vaguely pleased at the arrival of fellow women, and when he turned to leave the church, Daisy didn't follow him. She was busy watching the women. Falcon looked after her for a moment, then decided that she would be fine by herself for a while and left to do his work. Daisy couldn't get over the new creatures that had just arrived. They all looked like her, and Daisy wondered if they were faeries too. She walked over to one, and reached out a hand to touch the other's hair. The girl made sounds at her, but Daisy didn't understand what she was saying. The rest of them were looking at her now. Daisy didn't know what she was expected to do. She quickly glanced around for Falcon, but he was no longer in sight. She pushed past the women and ran out of the big box, looking desperately around for Falcon. He wouldn't just leave, would he? Daisy saw him standing in the distance. Filled with a great relief, she ran toward him, launching herself into his arms as soon as she met up with him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her feet up off the ground. He made some noises she didn't understand. What a strange thing it was to be human she thought. She didn't feel happy or safe unless she was near Falcon. When he put his arms around her, she never wanted to leave them. Did all humans feel like this? Faerie Wings Ch. 04 Adina stared after the woman who had just touched her hair, confused by the girl who was living with the men, wearing men's clothes. "Anybody got any idea who that was?" Margaret, a busty, middle-aged woman asked, her naturally loud voice carrying through the room full of woman. "She must be a native," Another voice spoke up. "I wonder what she's doing here and where the rest of her people are then?" "She was very pretty." More voices could be heard commenting on the strangeness of the girl. "Enough about the girl, what about the men?" Margaret said good-naturedly. The woman all started talking about the men they had seen, what they were looking for. The only one who wasn't talking about the men was Adina, who just found a quiet seat in the corner on a trunk. "What about you, Addy?" Margaret asked the shy girl. Adina's cheeks flushed, making Margaret laugh. "The way you're always blushing, girl," Margaret scolded, shaking her head. Despite the fact that Margaret teased her, Addy really liked the woman. Everyone did. People could appreciate her honest and straightforward manner. With Margaret, what you see is what you get. "I don't know," Addy shrugged, gripping her knees with her small hands. "I got to tell you, I'm worried about you. Your such a mystery to me." Margaret said honestly. Addy didn't need her to explain further. She was different than the rest of the women on the ship. *** Falcon pointed at the wood object he was sitting on, looking expectantly at Daisy. Daisy wracked her brain for the right word, but it eluded her. "Chair," Falcon told her. "Chair," Daisy quickly repeated. She found it odd and fascinating the way humans made these sounds in order to understand each other. Faeries could feel others' emotions when necessary, but for the most part, they didn't need to speak. Daisy could understand why humans would need this sort of language, though. It seems that ever since she became big, she had so many questions she had never considered before. Chair. Chair. Daisy repeated over again in her mind, trying her hardest to remember the word. Falcon pointed to the matching wood object sitting next to the chair. "Table," Daisy remembered that one. "Good," Falcon told her. "How's it going, Cap'n?" Jason asked, walking into his friend's house. "Just fine." Falcon replied. "Jason," he said, pointing to his friend. "Jason," Daisy said, looking at him. "Well God damn, the girl can talk!" Jason said, slapping her gently on the back in a sign of approval. Daisy looked startled as she gazed up at him with wide eyes, but then she simply smiled. "Jason," she told him again, making Jason laugh. "Well, I bet all the women are gonna be disappointed that the captain's been taken before they got here," Jason said, leaning casually against the wall, crossing one booted foot in front of the other. "Don't pretend to feel sorry for them. You're just glad that they'll all be vying for the second-in-command bachelor." Jason laughed and nodded his head. "I definitely saw some good lookin' gals. Just gonna head over to the meal now and watch them fight over me. All I can say is that I hope it doesn't come to blows." Falcon jokingly rolled his eyes. "Is everything ready then?" Falcon asked. "Yeah, I just stopped by to get you," Jason told his friend, motioning with his arm for him to follow as he left his house. *** "Have you seen the captain?" Harriet asked Lucy in a whisper. "He is with out a doubt the handsomest man here." Lucy looked appraisingly around at the men assembled at the feast. "You're right. Though the one that is talking to him isn't that bad looking either," she whispered back. "That's Jason Good. He is next in line to Captain St. James." "I would normally go after the captain, but he seems to be infatuated with that native," Lucy dared another glance to where Falcon was sitting with his arm around Daisy's waist, his head thrown back in laughter at something Jason had just said. "Just my thoughts exactly, Lucy," Harriet replied, "I think I'll go introduce myself to Mr. Jason Good." A look of anger flashed in Lucy's eyes before she quelled it with a simpering smile. "I was just thinking the same thing. Shall we go together?" she asked the other woman, who answered affirmatively with the same fake, cordial smile plastered to her face. Addy watched them leave, feeling disgusted by the women's plotting and scheming. Addy didn't like the two women from day one. When they first met her on the ship, they were so nice and polite to her, but later that night, Addy overheard them talking about how mousy and ugly she was, about how she was so skinny that she looked like a boy, a weak boy. They noticed that she walked with a limp, and criticized her for that as well. Addy had vowed not to trust anything the two had said after that, and had stayed clear of them. She surreptitiously watched Harriet and Lucy as they greeted the man they were both after. He smiled up at them, and Addy thought how handsome he looked with that smile, which he gave away so generously. She disagreed with Harriet and Lucy, thinking that Jason Good was in fact handsomer than the captain. She blushed to herself and looked away from the man, glad that no one could hear her thoughts. She was well aware of the fact that Harriet and Lucy were the most comely women on the ship. All the women agreed, and it was often the basis of discussion that two would surely get first pick of any of the men they wanted. Margaret had even agreed that it was probably the case, since the men would be so eager to get married that they would do so before they got to know the true characters of the women, and secretly confided to Addy the two who would at first think they were the luckiest men in the fort would soon find out otherwise. That had made Addy smile. She looked around for Margaret now, the only woman she felt was her true friend. The older woman was talking to a man with a beard. They seemed to be having a good time. Addy felt lonely, since she had no one to talk to at the moment. The one man who had paid her some attention had seen her limp, and had lost interest. Addy realized that the men here were looking for wives, but also partners. Life out here would be rough, and they needed someone who could keep up with them. Addy sat by herself, thinking that it was probably a mistake to have come. It was her romantic soul that had forced her to run away in the first place, but it looked that she would fend no better here than she had back home. How had her life changed so completely? She could hardly believe that it was really her, sitting here in this place. "Hello there," a man interrupted her thoughts. Addy looked up from where she was sitting. The man who had spoken to her was smiling down at her, holding out a cup of wine for her to take. "Hello," Addy said gratefully, taking the drink. "I'm Lawrence Longfellow," he held out his hand as he sat down in the chair next to her. Addy shook his hand, which was big and warm. Addy inspected him from over the rim of her mug as she took a sip. He wasn't especially good-looking, but at least he wasn't old. He appeared to be only a bit older than her, and seemed to be friendly enough. Addy was grateful for the company. "I'm Adina. It's nice to meet you." "The pleasure is all mine," Lawrence replied. "What were you doing over here all by yourself?" he asked her, leaning in close to her face. "You don't like any of the fellers?" Addy wasn't really sure how to reply to that. The man was making her a little uncomfortable, but she didn't want him to leave. She would just have to make a little effort. "That's not it at all," she gave her best friendly smile. "So who do you like?" he asked. Now Addy really didn't know how to answer the question. "Uhh," she said, sort of wishing that she was back by herself again. Lawrence laughed at her nervous stuttering. "It's alright, you don't have to tell me." He took a long sip of his wine and Adina nervously sipped hers as well. "Are you still hungry, should I get you anything, sweetheart?" he asked her leaning in close to her face. Adina forced herself to smile cordially, despite the fact that the way he called her sweetheart made her cringe a little bit. "No thank you, I'm quite full." Adina didn't know why this man was making her so uncomfortable. He was being perfectly nice and friendly. "How about we go on a little walk then?" he asked, standing up before she could answer. "No!" Adina screamed in her mind, but instead stood up and nodded. "Alright," she agreed, allowing him to take her elbow. He would see her limp now, she thought, as she walked along beside him. He would lose interest like the other man, and try to get rid of her. Good riddance, she thought happily. Lawrence surprised her, however, by only looking mildly surprised by her limp, but then not saying anything about it. She was being unfair to him, she decided, and felt guilty. She gave him a bright smile as she followed him. "Where are we going?" she asked as he wandered further away from the others towards the darkened houses. "Just a little further, that way we can be more alone," he said. Adina didn't know why they had to be alone. "Umm," she hesitated when he led her behind a building. "What's the matter?" he asked, coming up to rub his hands up her arms, "You're not afraid are you?" "No," Adina hurried to correct him, even though she was feeling a little uneasy. "You know, you are so beautiful," he said, coming closer to her. Adina could smell the alcohol on his breath, and she cringed, pulling away slightly. Lawrence didn't seem to notice her reaction, for he kept getting closer to her. "What's going on here?" the deep, rich voice interrupted Lawrence's pursuit. Adina felt herself blush as she looked up into the handsome eyes of Jason Good. He was even more beautiful up close, she surmised. "Hey Jason," Lawrence was speaking now, when all Adina could do was stare at the intruder with stunned silence, "Can't say that I'm happy to see you." Jason laughed. "Sorry to intrude," he started to apologize. "N-noo, no," Adina stuttered out, not wanting him to get the wrong impression. "We were just heading back," she said, looking to Lawrence for confirmation. Lawrence grew even more agitated than he had become since Jason's interruption. "If you say so," was all he said. Adina blushed even more at the look Jason was giving her, scrutinizing in a way. She pushed past the two men and started to walk as gracefully forward as she possibly could, but she was well aware of the two pairs of eyes watching her, following her close behind. Though Adina tried to hide her limp as best she could, she knew that there was no way Jason had missed it. She blushed, wondering what Jason was thinking of it, of her. Stupid, she told herself. She shouldn't care what Jason thought. He wouldn't be interested in her even if she didn't have a limp, she told herself. She felt the men come to walk beside her, but she forced her gaze to keep staring at the ground. She didn't want to look into either of their faces. *2 Weeks Later* Falcon was starting to notice odd things about Daisy, inexplicable things. Like whenever she seemed to pass a plant that was sick or dying, a simple touch of her hand and it would be blooming beautifully. Or how animals seemed to gravitate toward her. It had been more than once he had seen her sitting, petting a wild rabbit that was perfectly content in her arms until Falcon appeared, in which instance it would fearfully run away. Once Falcon had almost had a heart attack when Daisy had wandered off into the woods, and when he had finally found her, she appeared to be sharing berries with a black bear. Falcon had called out to Daisy and pulled out his rifle, but quickly realized that the bear had been acting tame before, but was now definitely angry then. While he nearly lost all control of his limbs, with visions of the angry bear turning on Daisy, who was so close to him, and tearing her apart with those large claws and teeth, Daisy wasn't afraid at all. "Hello," she greeted him like nothing was the matter, and ran up to him, putting her arms around his neck. As though the bear realized that Daisy had accepted Falcon's presence, he immediately relaxed his pose and walked off. She had also picked up English amazingly fast. While she still didn't know some vocabulary words, she was putting together sentences within a few days of his attempted teaching. Daisy was surprised herself how easy it was to learn his language when she actually started trying. While it wasn't something that came naturally to her, like talking to the birds or sensing how a tree feels, it wasn't too difficult. In addition to the language, she was also learning about the ways of the humans. They always had to be wearing clothes, unless they were making love, in which case they were allowed to be naked. One could choose one other person to make love to, and no one else. Falcon was hers. Women were supposed to wear dresses and men pants, but Falcon let her wear pants, since she hated the dresses so much. She was also learning about the painful aspects of being human. She had burnt her hand the other day on the stove, and it still hurt. She felt emotional pain as well. She remembered back to the first time she realized that what she had been eating the whole time she was human had been other animals. She had seen one of the men, she wasn't sure who, skinning a deer. The head was still on, and all she could see were its lifeless eyes. She remembered screaming and running away, not even sure where she was going. She ran out of the fort and into the woods. Falcon had eventually caught up with her, and pulled her into his arms. She knew enough English by that time to have him explain to her that that was their food. Daisy had been filled with horrible guilt, and hadn't eaten any meat since then. Falcon explained that it was necessary to eat meat, and the food chain and all that, but Daisy still didn't want to do it. The animals were her friends. Some of the women annoyed Daisy, and she found that she would often rather be alone in the woods than spend time with them. The woods were her haven, and she loved them. The only other place she really enjoyed being was with Falcon. She loved making love to him, whether it be day, night, indoors or outdoors. She also just liked being around him, in his arms or holding his hand. Jason had also become her friend, and she didn't mind his company. He had a nice laugh, she thought. One of the women she liked, and would sometimes spend time with was the one who limped, Adina. Adina, unlike some of the other women, didn't feel the need to fill the silence with senseless chatter, which Daisy liked. They had become friends, or what Daisy considered friends, when she had invited Adina out to the woods to pick mushrooms one day. It had been late, and the two girls were walking home in the twilight when a wolf suddenly appeared in front of them. Of course Daisy wasn't afraid, but the girl beside her stiffened. Daisy told Adina not to be afraid, that the wolf was just curious. The creature sniffed the air, but didn't get to close. He stared at Adina for a long while before letting out a small howl and running off. Adina's eyes filled her face, and she looked at Daisy questioningly. "You just made a friend," Daisy told her, before continuing on her way toward the fort. Daisy decided that if the wolf liked Adina, then the girl must have a lot of good in her, and from that moment on, Daisy considered her her friend. The two friends were out one day, walking in the woods. Daisy was ever graceful, seeming to glide among the trees and branches like she was born to live in the forest. Adina had some more trouble, especially with her limp. She had to go slowly to keep from falling, but she managed to keep up with Daisy. "It's hot today," Adina commented, as she could feel the sweat building up on her back and forehead. "We need some cool water," Daisy told her, "I know just the place," she thought of the waterfall and pond she knew of when she was a fairy. She knew every inch of the woods, but hadn't gone as far out as the waterfall ever since she became human. "Let's go then," Adina agreed, thinking a cool dip in some water would be just the refresher they needed. Adina limped behind Daisy, as she led the way further into the forest. She knew exactly where she was going, but things were different as a human than they had been as a fairy. With her wings, she could go places so much more quickly, but she had to go slow, especially for Adina who was with her. Adina wanted to ask how much further it would be, but refrained herself. She hated to be the one to complain, the one to slow them down, but she was already feeling exhausted. Then suddenly, Daisy stopped and called out from ahead. "It's beautiful," Adina exclaimed. The little waterfall was like an oasis in the middle of the forest. The water was clear, the pond calm and peaceful. Daisy eagerly ran into the water before Adina even had a chance to do anything. "Are you going to go swimming in your clothes, then?" Adina asked, already unbuttoning her dress. "I thought we weren't supposed to take off our clothes outside?" Daisy questioned, already up to her knees in water. "Well, we are far enough away that I doubt anyone will see us," Adina reasoned as she pulled her dress over her head. "And we don't want them to get all wet." Daisy came back out of the water and pulled her dress off as well. The girls went back into the clear water only wearing their white under clothes. Adina couldn't swim, so she couldn't go out as far as Daisy, who was luxuriously floating on her back near where the light waterfall hit the water. She stayed where she could safely touch the ground, but ducked down so the water went up to her shoulders. The cool water felt so good on her heated skin, she let her head fall back so her hair floated out around her, feeling it vacillate gracefully as she gently shook her head. The water felt good against her scalp. Daisy was playing the waterfall, laughing and splashing. Adina noticed how at home she looked out here. While Adina knew that she was awkward in the forest, Daisy seemed to be one with it. The water glistened off the girl's skin in an almost unearthly manner. Her hair, black as night, seemed to sparkle like silver and underneath the water like she was, it seemed to almost reflect the rainbow in it. Adina could swear she saw the girl sparkling, but only out of the corner of her eye, and whenever she turned to get a better look, she thought she must just be imagining things. Daisy came over to the shallow end to splash Adina playfully. The girls laughed and giggled and splashed each other until they were both exhausted. "How did you know about this place?" Adina asked. "I used to live out here," Daisy said simply. The question reminded her of all the questions Falcon asked her, as soon as she could even remotely understand. He wanted to know where she was from. Who her parents were. Where the rest of her people were. Why was she on that rock. Daisy tried to explain it as best she could. She had lived in the forest her whole life, she didn't have any parents, the rest of her people were still out here, and on the rock, she was waiting for someone. When she had told him that she was waiting there to be sacrificed, he had gotten really upset, called her people savages, and had demanded to know everything, but Adina didn't know how to say fairy in English, and with every passing day, she seemed to remember less and less of her old life. Her life before she was human seemed like a dream to her now, and it was slowly growing fainter and fainter. Faerie Wings Ch. 04 "Where is your family?" Adina asked, but before Daisy could answer her, there was a shout in the forest. "What was that?" Adina startled. Daisy could see the pure panic in her friend's eyes, and was surprised to feel it in herself as well, for the shout they just hear wasn't in English. The two women hastily got out of the water and hobbled over to where their clothes were, they grabbed them and tried to move more under cover, into the bushes, but they had already been seen. The ones who found them were unlike anything Adina had ever seen before. Their hair was black, as black as Daisy's, but unlike her unusually pale skin, their skin was a dark tan. They barely had any clothes on at all, only brief cloths and feathers, knives strapped to their thighs and waists. Most had bows and arrows strung over their shoulders, and soft leather on their feet, though some were bare foot. Adina noticed none of that, though. All she saw were their faces. Their eyes were black, black, like deep wells right in the middle of their faces, which were smeared with paint. The paint is what frightened her the most, it made them look inhuman, monsters. Adina wanted to scream, but the sound was stuck in her throat. She could feel Daisy beside her, but couldn't tear her gaze from these strange men to see what her friend was doing. It wasn't until one grabbed her that she finally let out the scream that was building up inside of her. She instinctively kicked out at the one holding her, but he only shoved her, practically threw her, away from him. Adina landed hard on the ground, too dazed for a moment to even register what was happening, but then she finally realized that the screams she heard were no longer her own, but Daisy's. Daisy was thrown over one of the men's shoulders, and the small group was walking away with her. "Let her go!" Adina shouted after them and struggled to stand to her feet. She limped a few feet after them, but they were already gone. Adina didn't know what to do. Who were those people? Did Daisy know them, were those her people before she came to the fort? But why were they so tan when she was so pale? And Daisy obviously didn't want to go with them. It only took a moment for Adina to decide what to do. She couldn't go after them. She was only one person, and couldn't possibly fight those strong men if they didn't want to let Daisy go. Plus she didn't know where they were going. She would go back to the fort and get some men to go after Daisy. It wasn't a perfect plan either; by the time they got back to this spot, they others will have been long gone, but it was thing Adina could do. Her feet were already carrying her as fast as she could go before the plan was even fully formed in her mind. She had to help Daisy, she was her only hope. Adina could feel the weight of her leg slowing her down. It started to hurt with all the strain she was putting on it, but she had to keep going, she had to get back to the fort as quickly as possible. The woods all looked the same, though. She knew she had started out in the right direction when she left the water fall, but had she somehow turned around since then? She wished she had paid more attention to where they were going when they were walking there, but why did she need to when Daisy knew the forest so well? She didn't want to stop walking, but was overcome with the feeling that she could be going the wrong way. With every desperate step she took, she could be getting further away from the fort and from help for Daisy. It must have been hours, but had it taken that long to get there? She must have turned the wrong way somewhere, she should be back at the fort by now. Was it getting dark outside? If she didn't get back soon, it would be too late to go look for Daisy, with daylight gone. "Adina?" she thought she heard her name shouted. "Hello?" she screamed as loud as she could. Maybe someone was looking for them. "Is anyone there?" she screamed, "Hello?" Perhaps it was just the wind. "Daisy!" No, there it was again. "Here! Help!" Adina started screaming, hurrying in the direction she thought the voices were coming from. "Hello?" "Adina," she recognized Jason Good, and although every time she had seen in the past two weeks, she had felt a little flutter in her heart, she had never been so happy to see him as she was right now. She didn't realize she was crying until she tasted the salt water on her lips. "What happened?" The horror on Jason's face made Adina realize exactly how horrible she must look. For the first time, she realized that she had left her dress back at the waterfall. Her hair must be in horrible disarray, still damp from the swim and clinging in messy tangles around her head and down her back. She was sure she must have scrapes on her arms and legs from the trees in the forest, but couldn't feel anything, too filled with adrenaline. It took her several attempts to speak before she could force any words out over her heaving breaths. "Daisy," was all she was able to say. Jason had been blowing a whistle, presumably to tell whoever else was out there that he had found her. "Where's Daisy?" Jason stopped to question. Adina must have looked like she was about to collapse right then and there, because Jason pulled her into his arms. "What happened?" Jason asked for the second time. Adina started to cry for real now. She finally felt safe for the first time since those men showed up, and it was an unbelievable relief. Now they just had to find Daisy. "Men took her," Adina struggled to explain, "Some men just showed up and took her." "What? What men?" Jason asked, just as Falcon and a few other men showed up. "Oh my God," one of the men said when they saw the mess of a girl being held on her feet by Jason. "Where's Daisy?" Falcon asked, "Was she with you?" Falcon was filled with such fear as she saw the condition girl was in, and wondered where Daisy might be. "Men took her," Jason told him gravely. Adina was grateful that she didn't have to be the one to tell him that. "Where?" Falcon was ready to spring into action. "Which direction?" "I don't know," Adina admitted regretfully. "We were swimming, by a waterfall, and suddenly these men showed up. They had knives and arrows and paint on their faces. They picked Daisy up and carried her away." "Where's the waterfall, take me there," Falcon demanded. "I don't know," Adina admitted, crying, "I got lost." Despite all her efforts, Adina felt like she had failed. She had been so focused on finding the fort, she forgot to pay attention to where she was coming from, and of course the men would need her to lead them back there. "Try. Which way?" Falcon urged, only needing a direction to start off in. Adina pointed to the way she had just come from, the only way she knew to point. Falcon immediately headed off in that direction. "Falcon, wait," Jason called after him. Falcon turned around. "It's dark. You'll never be able to find your way now." Adina hadn't realized how dark it had gotten. "The girl was lost, wait until morning, she might be able to better tell us how to get to the waterfall. Whoever has taken her are long gone by now. If you wait, we might be able to track them in the daylight." Falcon looked as though he was just itching to take off, as if still standing still was a great burden on him. But logic won out, and he conceded to Jason's plan. Jason carried her back to the fort. Adina liked the feeling of being in his arms, but couldn't really enjoy it. She was simply to exhausted and hurt and worried. She felt guilty that she probably wouldn't be able to tell them how to get back to the waterfall, and guilty that Daisy was taken and she wasn't. She also felt guilty about worry over such petty things as the fact that Jason had called her "the girl" as though she were simply just another girl to him, when Daisy was out there somewhere, captured.