Luke

Thissss....waayyy

With no hesitation, Luke bounded off. He grabbed the first branch he could and hoisted himself up to a crouch. Then he flexed his calves and jumped across the large expanse of rocks and spikes. Passing each recess of trees he took off a little faster. Blurring his surrounding vision. But that didn't matter much. He wasn't using his eyes anyway.

Normally he wouldn't pass this way. The rocks and spikes in this area made for a dangerous trip. He'd go around the area because the sights were a lot more pleasing, not to mention safer as well. The round trip would take more time but he usually had nothing but time.

But not this day. Not this moment.

Hurrrrrrryyy...

He nodded to no one. Continuing his hellish pace.

Each branch he jumped off of flinched with a dizzying motion.

"Sorry," Luke mumbled.

Eventually he arrived at the edge of the forest, or what the Strangers called it, the Dead Forest.

There! Luke yelled internally. His senses picked it up immediately.

Blood.

Just a whiff. But that was enough to heighten his whole body on edge. He opened his eyes then. At the clearing of the forest a fawn lay prone. A baby deer. There was an arrow sticking out of its hindquarters with some blood leaking out of the wound. It didn't look fatal from his distance, but he wasn't sure. Two person approached the fawn. A little one as tall as he, and an older one twice as tall and twice as wide. They both carried bows matching their size. The intruders slowly creeped unto the fawn and got on their knees. The young one with both hands clasped together closing his eyes, as if praying, and the older one pulling out a butcher knife and reached for the fawn's neck.

That was all Luke needed to see before he let out a burst of strength from his jump on the current branch. He launched straight towards the pair and fawn with no other thought.

"What in Ultor's name-" the hunter started when he noticed a flying animal heading straight for them. Without thinking he dropped his knife and reached over to cover the little one.

When Luke landed he caused debris and dirt to fly all over. Hacking and coughing he stood up to his meager full height. He stood between the hunters and the fawn.

"F-father, what was that!?" the little one screamed.

"I'm...not sure," the big hunter replied warily.

Both hunters uncrossed from each other to look at what animal it was to fly at such crazy speed. But what they saw didn't make sense. It wasn't an animal at all.

But a boy.

A small enough boy just like the little hunter. He wasn't skinny, but lean. Topless. A ragtag short. An almost pale like skin. Shaggy mop of silver hair. They've never seen anything like it. But at the same time they knew who it was.

The Guardian. Everyone they knew had come to calling him so.

There were many sightings over the years recently. A small boy with silver hair seen frolicking around the Dead Forest. Some have even tried to call out to the boy in hopes of saving him from the Dead Forest's dangers. Some had the chance to speak with him, but to no avail. And unfortunately, some hunters had the opportunity to witness the Guardian's displeasure when they tried to take rabbits caught in traps. Those hunters came back with nothing on their persons except marks of lashes on their naked skin.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Luke harshly called to the hunters.

He's done this before. Always telling these Strangers that any animals in the forest were off limits. Countless times in fact, but they always come back. Killing the animals. His family. As if him and his family were nothing but fodder for the Stranger's appetite.

"I'm so sorry, Guardian," exalted the older hunter. He grabbed his son beside him. "We're starving."

"Is that what you do after you kill someone's family. Tell them you're sorry and that you were hungry," reproached Luke. He hissed, "You Strangers are all the same."

The hunter bowed his head in shame. "Please-"

Luke tuned the hunters out. He turned around to tend to the little fawn. He felt along its hind legs. Then slowly up to its neck.

A pulse. It yet breathes. He can save it.

Slowly Luke circled both hands around the arrow. Then, quickly, he yanked it as fast as he could. The pain, most likely, caused the fawn to make a sharp gurgle noise.

He took an inhale of breath and...

Slowly...

Ever so slowly...

But also quickly!

He massaged the hind leg. He started to whisper quietly.

The hunters hadn't moved from their rigid postures. They stood locked in place. Unable to take their eyes off this display. Soon a small light could be seen. Enveloping the fawn. Restoring the wound to its previous state. Not even a scar left in its brown skin. The old hunter's eye bulged.

Healing magic!? There's no such thing!

The hunter wasn't very well learned, but he's seen his share of life's devices. There were poultices and salves, sure. Healing tonics. Bitter brews. But make no mistake those were mundane solutions. No magic in them whatsoever. What he's seeing now. As far as he knew, was never recorded in history of any the three dukedoms. Likely even the King's court has never seen such the likes. The fawn wiggled up. Shaking it's hindquarters cautiously. It looked at the silver-haired boy briefly, almost like it was communicating it's thanks, before bounding off back into the forest. Not sure of what he was seeing, he thought maybe he was going senile.

"You may leave," Luke demanded, not turning around to face the hunters. "And don't come back."

"Please, Guardian," the old hunter started. Waiting to see if the boy would cut him off again. "We're starving. The duke has levied a tax impossible to pay." The hunter once again bowed his head in shame. "We gave them everything. Our coins. Our livestock. They even said they'd..." He lowered himself even more. Pulling himself in with the little one by his side. "They'd come after my wife and son next," his eyes watered.

"What are you talking about?" Luke questioned. Interested now. "Why not just move away then if this duke is so mean."

"We can't," the hunter cried. "We have nothing. The land isn't even ours so we can't sell it for coins. How would we go anywhere." He started shamelessly crying. "We ran out of coins last Muun Day, and my wife and son haven't eaten since." His son clutched at him harder.

"It's okay, pa," the little hunter soothed.

"Killing and eating my family here isn't the answer, you know," Luke said."How would you like it if I tried to eat your son because I'm starving too."

Both hunters whipped their heads up and recoiled. "You eat humans!?" the old hunter asked in fear and bewilderment.

"Yes!" Luke called out for all to hear."I eat Strangers all the time."

"Please! Spare my son. Take me instead," the old hunter exclaimed.

"No, pa!" the little one screamed.

Behaaave...

Luke steadied himself.

Fiiiiine. Luke drolled.

"Alrightys then, I won't eat you or your son," Luke magnanimously said.

The hunters quieted down. But only just.

"In exchange you will never come back here or hunt my family again."

"But-" the hunter started.

"I will eat your boy remember!" Luke cried out.

"B-but...you look as much a boy as I am," the little hunter replied.

"Ehh..that's besides the point," Luke nonchalantly waved away."I eat Strangers your size all the time."

Luuuuuuuke...

The hunters seem nonplussed at the revelation. The older hunter straightened himself. Wiping away dirt and grime from his face as well as his son. "As you say then." He dipped his bead briefly. "We meant no harm-" Luke eyed them sardonically. "I mean...we didn't mean to intentinally hurt your...family. We were desperate and hungry." The hunter paused. "We're sorry again." He pulled his boy back towards the forest's end.

Giiiifffft themmm...

Surprised. Luke crossed his arm and thought briefly. He watched them walk out of the forest momentarily before he decided against his better judgement.

"Wait!" Luke called to the hunters.

He jogged out to the hunters. "What's your name?"

Taken aback by the weird change in hospitality the hunter responded as best he could, "My name is Grayson. This here is my son, Harrison."

"Wait here." WIth that Luke ran back into the forest.

"A little of this...A little of that...Hmm...maybe some of this as well." Luke monologued to himself. "Some of that too?" he asked seemingly to no one. "What does that do?" he waited.

Then nodded to himself. "Ooh, I see." He nodded again. "Sure."

Grayson and his son were nervous. They stood alert and wary. Thinking and bracing for any ill-will that may come their way. He fidgeted, but his son never took his eyes off of him.

"It'll be okay, pa," trying to reassure himself as well as his father.

Grayson looked down at his son and smiled grimly.

Luke came running out of the forest with a little tarp made of giant leaves. When he came within arm distance he stopped and presented the tarp.

"Here. A gift from the forest," Luke proudly presented.

Both hunters stared at the cluster of seeds.

"What am I to do with these?" Grayson asked. His face puzzled.

"You plant them in the earth and grow 'em, of course," Luke responded. "Don't ya' know what seeds are?"

"Of course, it's just..." Grayson said wistfully. HIs family was starving. Even if he started planting whatever these seeds were, it would take a whole season, maybe, to grow. They wouldn't last that long.

"Trust the forest," Luke said earnestly. He handed the tarp to Grayson making eye contact. Lastly, he whispered, "Trust Terra."

Not knowing what else to say Grayson responded with only gratitude. "Thank you." He bowed his head."Your Guardianship." They turned and walked away. Never looking back.

Prooudd...

Luke couldn't help but smile. He hopped and skipped back into the forest.