The Stars, They Lie

Tommy leaned on the rooftop railing, looking numbly out at the night. The wind licked at his hair and coat, bringing the strong scent of salt. This whole damn place smelled like sea water. The atmosphere smelled stormy despite the clear skies filled with winking stars. It was so peaceful up here, a fierce juxtaposition of the chaos downstairs. He clenched his jaw and squeeze his eyes shut to threatening tears. One would think that after so long, death would stop having such an impact on him, but he couldn’t help but feel a failure every time it snatched a life from his hands. Staring numbly at the already healing cut on his hand, if he hadn’t been such a coward, if he had recognized the need for magic earlier, if he hadn’t waited too long.

Clenching his fist, Tommy relished the slight twinge of pain that followed. He’d already hung his lab up for the night. There was nothing happy about leaving the hospital, he was mentally and emotionally weary. Despite his exhaustion, he was antsy, he had prepared his magic and the magic had nowhere to go and he had extra energy to expend. He looked up at the stars, estimating he had a few hours before the sun rose. And if his nose was to be counted on, it would soon be cloudy enough to give him a little bit of extra time. He climbed onto the rail and in an instant, strong talons gripped the rail. A great horned own stood where Tommy had been, he lifted his wings and silently took off into the night, headed for the Forbidden Forest. Forbidden and less likely to meet a sentient creature. On silent wings, Tommy sailed over Manta Carlos.

After a little over an hour of flying he descended on the lee side of the mountains in the Forbidden Forest. The owl navigated the dense maze of branches, it’s sharp eyes making out a clear path. Alighting on a branch, Tommy resumed his original form, crouching to avoid banging his head in his larger form. He swung down from the branch, hanging on before dropping the rest of the way to the forest floor. He took a deep breath taking in the sweet scent of moist earth. The darkness here was a joy and Tommy wasn’t sure how long he walked between the large twisted giants before he noticed a soft glow from the base of a tree. Kneeling, his eyes brightened. A patch of brightly colored flower, a rare find! A smile graced Tommy’s lips, his stock was running low and their medicinal properties could not be ignored.

Tommy shed his jacket, laying it flat over the roots and carefully pulled some of the flowers, laying them gently in a pile on his jacket. This forest was an abundant source for plants he just couldn’t grow in his garden. It was just as well he had needed to get some anxious energy out to fly here. A soft snap of moist leaves startled Tommy and he froze. With what lived in these woods, no one ever knew what they were going to run into. He heard the noise again. In a split second he was on his feet facing the source of his noise his teeth bared in a snarl and a vicious growl rumbling from his throat.

What came into his vision was wholly unexpected. The figure shrieked and fell backward, revealing a young girl. Tommy’s growl died instantly and he straightened from his attack crouch and put a hand over his mouth in a gesture of regret. The young girl looked terrified… wait perhaps not so young. What was an elf doing so far out here? He recovered, relaxing his shoulders and ducking his head at her apology. “My apologies,” he said softly, a tired smile on his face as he tried to make himself look as non-threatening as possible. “You never know what you’ll find out here.

“You must be more careful,” Tommy continued, his tone turning stern. He didn’t know if he was more annoyed or relieved, but clearly this elf was lost. She had no business being out here. She was lucky she ran into him and not some other creature. He sighed at the frightened girl and shook his head ever so slightly. “Here,” he said gruffly, offering his hand. The insensitive vampire looked down at the elf and he puffed out a breath and tried again in a gentler voice, “Come now, I didn’t mean to scare you.” The corner of his lip twitched slightly, and his blue eyes sparked with humor. “After all, I thought you were going to eat me, and that’s just not how I plan on dying.”

The perceived threat neutralized, Thomas couldn’t wait to send this elf on her way and collect his flowers. Already, his mind was on medicines and formulas. If this flower was here, it’s antithesis couldn’t be far. He was just glad that the elf hasn’t crushed these precious gems while she was galivanting through the Forbidden Forest.

Tommy tried not to sigh audibly. Well that was done… He went to turn back to his plants, but the irksome child was still talking. Tommy forced a smile on his face and tried to be patient as she told him her nonsense. Clearly, the fair elf didn’t realize yet that the vampire really didn’t care. She wasn’t going to eat him, he wasn’t going to eat here. “That’s nice,” he said flatly, and now did turn away from her. “It’s the Forbidden Forest, of course you’re lost,” he unsympathetically tossed over his shoulder as he turned away went back to his plants. He knelt by his plants and glanced over his shoulder to see she was still there. Worse still, she was ‘pleased to meet him’.

Clan Snowflower. The name meant nothing to him. “Tommy,” he answered absently. “Well Luna,” he said wrapping his plants gently in a cylindrical bundle and getting to his feet. He turned, intent to tell her goodbye and make his quick exit, but something about her triggered his healer’s instinct and he clenched his jaw with frustration as he realized he couldn’t in good conscious leave her out here. Why me? he thought. She’d never last out here, lost and inexperienced. If he had been a malevolent vampire she’d have been dead before she even had a chance to scream. “Aren’t you elves supposed to have forest maps in your head or something?” He asked gesturing to his temple.

As he did so, his eyes caught a blue colored flower hanging from a tree branch. Tommy wandered toward it, examining it carefully before touching it. Maybe Luna would be fine out here and would leave on her own. Maybe this had been enough to scare her back to her people. Whatever the case, Tommy decided, he hadn’t flown all this way for nothing and he wasn’t going to leave empty handed. He plucked a few of the flowers, leaving enough to allow for further growth. These flowers only bloomed at night, which left him with another worry. If these flowers closed, he’d be trapped here by morning’s light.

Tommy rolled his eyes. Elves. They didn’t get sarcasm when it slapped them in the face. “That’s not very useful down here,” he said giving her an unsympathetic glance. Granted, Tommy could fly up and see what the stars looked like, but he would hardly be able to relay them in a way that would be useful. He had never had much need to learn the complexities of the stars, he just admired them from afar.

Tommy sighed a little heavier this time, trying his best to control his annoyance. And he looked at her sourly as she came into his view and the first thing he noticed were the petals from the flower he had just plucked adorned her staff. “Where did you find those?” He asked, “That’s one of the rarest flowers in this forest.” He had to fly all the way down here for that. And she used them to decorate? “Don’t you know what they can be used for, why waste them?” He demanded. Yes, Tommy was jumping to conclusions, but if the elves were as frivolous as Luna with these rare and precious flowers, then maybe he didn’t want to meet more elves.

He scowled at her question. “Maybe I just don’t abide well with aggravating elves,” he snapped. Little did the elf know what a cord she had struck. Tommy could remember the exact moment he was last truly happy. Over 150 years ago now. He closed his eyes against the memory, but it came anyways. Emily… He shook his head, his eyes snapping open. “And maybe if you were more serious you wouldn’t get lost in the woods. Serves you right,” he growled, and as his voice grew in volume his lips curled back slightly to reveal his shape canines.

The frustrated vampire stomped away to a log where he wrapped his new flowers in with the rest. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took deep calming breaths. He let a sigh escape and put his hands on his hips as he considered his options. Turning back to Luna, his sharp eyes bored into her. “But here we are. Clearly, you’ll get yourself killed out here alone,” he said unsympathetically, “I don’t know much about stars, but I know how to get out of a forest.” He held up a finger and pointed at her staff, “One condition, show me where you found those flowers.”

Tommy wasn’t sure what was more annoying. The fact that she wasn’t afraid of him, or the fact that she stood there with that smug smile on her face. His blue eyes narrowed to show his displeasure. This. This was why he hated people. Well, technically Luna wasn’t ‘human’ in the strictest sense. Since moving here, Tommy had considered finding a word that expanded misanthropy to include sentient beings. They always wanted to interact and talk. No matter how much ‘leave me alone’ vibe Tommy tried to exude. One of these days he was going to find a nice and deserted island where he could live the remainder of his immortal life in peace. So. the vampire had been saying for near a hundred years.

Humbled, Tommy was finding it difficult not to feel resentful that Luna’s clan had figured out a way to grow these flowers when he had not. With a sigh he shook his head and had to admit he was in need of education. Still, he had to get Luna home without killing her himself, which may prove to be a challenge. He pinched the bridge of his nose again and grimaced. Did she had to be so goddamn cheerful? Waiting until he was sure he wouldn’t just blurt out something insulting again Tommy spoke. “I’m an apothecary in town, I would be most grateful for your clan’s knowledge.”

Tommy glanced over his shoulder and hissed softly. “I think we’ve attracted something unfriendly,” he said softly, “I suggest we leave quickly.” He secured his bundle under his arm and walked past her to where she had initially fallen. Crouching his sharp eyes spied the broken twigs of her passage. Straightening, he glanced over his shoulder and motioned for her to follow. Inhaling deeply, Tommy’s nose was filled with a variety of scents, one of which was vaguely elfish. This tracking strategy was one he hadn’t used in a long time and he had to admit he was rather rusty. Tommy started off into the forest without waiting for Luna, giving off an air of confidence he didn't feel.

Pausing again, he sniffed the air and scowled. It wasn’t a scent he recognized, he didn’t like it. He followed her path backward. Suddenly, Tommy stopped and what he saw made his chilly blood turn to ice. “Luna,” he said slowly. He crouched and moved aside a low branch to reveal not one but two sets of prints. One was obviously the small barely perceptible divots from Luna’s feet. The second was alarmingly large, and altogether non-anthropomorphic, and likely four-legged. “Did you have some…one with you?”