Chapter 1~
Tromping through the forest, a spirited maiden explores her favorite area of the woods. Trees tower over her head, growing past the ball of light that hangs in the sky. Spying a tree with branches low to the ground, she stepped up to the lowest branch, and began gracefully swinging and pulling herself to the top. Her brown hair with natural red and purple streaks is tied up in a tight bun on the nape of her neck. Making a birds call similar to a hawk, she leans out of the trees trying to see if her dearest friends are around.
“Boys? Quitterfin? Callabear? Anyone?”
No response. Just the twittering of the squirrels and whishing of the winds through the trees is all there is to break the silence. With a sigh, she let go of the branch and jumped out away from the tree. Down she fell, arms open wide eyes tightly shut, her body limp.
“Gotcha!” Strong arms caught when she neared the forest floor. “Cosette you should know by now, I’m not going to respond to your silly bird call!”
“But must I purposefully fall from the tree without having visible knowledge that you are even here below waiting for me??” Her eyes pop open and stare into the strong, handsome face of her strange hero.
“Can you see what holds the sun in the blue space above our heads? Do you know why the rivers rush in only one direction? No. you don’t. But you trust in the sun and the river anyway. Why can’t you trust me?”
“Quitterfin”, she gasps to regain her breath, “those things don’t involve me catapulting my own body down to leafy floors below. Where’s Callabear, Libtree and Coal? And for your information I do trust you. I did jump if you didn’t notice. Now put me down!!” she pounded on Qutterfin’s chest halfheartedly as he walked toward a cave, Cossette still in his arms.
“Well don’t you want to see the boys?” A roguish smile took over his face.
“Don’t smile like that, you look like a pirate.”
“Oh hush, we are almost in,” he chuckles.
Arriving at the cave he ducked his head under the low hanging entrance, and straightened his form once inside. Gently lowering Cosette’s shapely form down to the cool cavern floor, three human-like child beings came out from the shadowed corners. The Lost Boys came up to Cosette’s waist. She was only five feet herself.
“Cosy Cosy Cosy!” The Middle Lost spoke in a singsong voice.
“Hey Libtree, miss me?” She turned to Quitterfin “I really wish you would let me take them home. They need a home Fin, I can give them one.”
“They depend on me Cos, and I live here in the Woods. The City is for some people, but not for this one.” He hushed his tone, “why can’t you trust me like they trust me?”
“I jump from trees and secretly get you food because you don’t want to have to follow the City’s rules. How is that not trusting?” Beginning to burn with anger she hisses back at him. “I want what’s best for these boys and it’s not…”
“I jump from trees and secretly get you food because you don’t want to have to follow the City’s rules. How is that not trusting?” Beginning to burn with anger she hisses back at him. “I want what’s best for these boys and it’s not…”
“It’s not what?” His eyes burned with anger matching her own.
“It’s not you Fin. You need help yourself and the King is willing to take you in!”
“I’m not bending to the society. You know my reasons. Please Cos, stay here with us! We can live in the Woods. I have for over ten years now.”
“The King doesn’t see you as he did your father.”
“Yeah well others do!!” His deep voice boomed, echoing through the cave. Looking down he saw CallaBear clinging to Cosette’s floor length multicolored skirt. Calla gave a whimper, and his lip puckered out. “Hey I’m sorry Cal.” His strong arms reached out. As he bent to his knees the young one’s height, Calla tucked himself further behind Cos.
“I’m taking them with me Fin, you can come too. But they need a home, education. I can give them that.”
Straightening back to his five feet 3 inch length, he responds. “I can teach them life lessons, show them the Woods that the City is so afraid of…” his voice trails off. It was no use.
“Coal, go pack up you and your brothers’ things, you’re going to come home with me for a while.” A warm smile light up her face. The boys began chattering and clumsily heading over to the nooks in the cave where they stored their treasures. The sun’s rays shown through and brought the big rot iron bed into light. Calla clambered up there and fetched a raggedy old teddy bear, missing an eye, then he stuffed it in the pack on the floor with the other clothing and precious gifts from the forest.
“Please Cos, don’t do this.” His strong hand reaches out and catches hers. His gaze holds her eyes in a trance. The resolve in her spirit begins to melt. Risking the chance to sway her mind he inches a step closer. It broke the moment. Shaking her hand out of his, she pulls back and hefts the pack onto her shoulders.
Starring into Fin’s never ending green eyes lined with misery all but broke her, stay logical Cos. It’s out of the question. The boys need you more. Trying to push away the feeling of guilt she reminds herself that.
“Ready Cos?” Calla timidly asks, tugging on her skirts, sensing something was going on between his two guardians.
“Um yeah, come on guys, I want to get home before dark.” Plastering on a smile she looks down into the trusting brown pools starring up at her.
“Is this like a vacation?” Coal finally speaks up. He being the oldest liked to be involved.
“Yes Coal…” Fin states in a faraway tone. As his three young charges head towards the gapping open mouth of the cave, he catches Cossette’s wrist. “Meet me tonight, ok? By the big oak like usual.” Those green eyes swallow Cossette in and squash her logic.
An inner voice tells Cos to relent as her violet eyes search his face. Her realistic mind is talking too.
“May... maybe. No promises.” His heart leaps in those deep forest green puddles. Goodness I need to toughen up some…
“Are you coming Cosy? Again the oldest Lost.
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