Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Fyn stood by the cave entrance, Havu around his waist again.

It was close to night time and Kavan had disappeared to who knows where once more. Sighing, Fyn crossed his arms as he leaned against the cave, the cool rock seeping through his blouse. The sky had turned dark, and cool air kissed Fyn's cheek. Back when he had been outside the forest by his hut, he would have been getting ready for bed. This time, he just didn't feel comfortable sleeping on his own. For some reason, he couldn't quite explain.

"I apologize for the master's actions," Havu mentally told Fyn, tightening around his waist. Fyn had gone accustomed to the serpent. If he had known a few days ago that he would find himself with a snake around his waist, tightening on him, without him fearing it all, he would have not believed it. "He is not usually like this. I'm afraid he just isn't hospitable."

Fyn shook his head, brushing his hands against Havu's cool white scales. "That's alright, to be honest, he differed greatly from the stories I heard."

"From what you have heard?" Havu inquired.

"Yeah," Fyn bit the inside of his cheek, "Back in the village, there had been stories about the demon in... about Kavan. None of them were good. And yet, here I am. All of my limbs are still perfectly attached to my body. Kavan hadn't even hurt me, didn't even want to, I think. When you think about it, it was me who was violent with him when it was supposed to be the other way around."

"It is understandable that you have turned violent at the beginning," replied Havu, "You have been brought here by the people you once trusted, the forest is not allowing you to leave, and you have to stay with us in a dingy cave. I'm sure that would make any mortal violent, don't you think so, Fyn?"

"That doesn't excuse homicidal tendencies, Havu."

"I beg to differ," Havu insisted, darting its forked tongue out. "You had been afraid. No matter the being, those who are afraid often do things they had never imagined themselves doing. Fear often makes us do things we never thought we were capable of."

Fyn found himself intrigued by what the serpent just said. He never knew a serpent would give him such sound advice and understanding. Raising his head slightly, Fyn's eyes fall on the forest just in front of them, the cool wind brushing against his cheeks. "Tell me, Havu. Is the forest really like this? Does it really trap things from ever leaving this place?"

"I don't entirely know, Fyn. The forest has a mind of its own. From how they took care of you, and how they prevented you from leaving this place. They didn't even allow me to take you someplace where we could get food. They took you back to Kavan's cave. I do not question the things the forest wants to do. Either way, they know that my loyalty is to Kavan and not to the forest. He is my master, not them."

"You make it sound like the forest is on top of everything."

"Rightly so," Havu said. Fyn's eyes widened at the way the serpent said it, "I have been trying to tell you before. Kavan is not the master of the forest. Rather, the forest is the master of Kavan. Kavan is simply the one who does the forest's bidding. He simply manages everything under the forest's guidance."

Fyn didn't know that, "Oh. I didn't know."

"But to answer your question," Havu added, lifting its head to stare out towards the horizon towards the forest. From where they were, it looked like a simple forest. All green and brown and a mixture of all colors altogether. "There is a high possibility that they trap beings inside of them. Often, during the dead of night, there would be wandering souls walking and running about the forest grounds. It surprised me you didn't run into one the night you tried to leave."

Fyn visibly paled, "Wandering... souls?"

"Wandering souls, yes," Havu slid of Fyn's waist and slithered on the ground towards the cliff on the edge of Kavan's cave. The cliff that was the reason behind the past brides' death. Fyn watched as Havu settled himself just by the edge. The serpent lifted its head and turned around to face Fyn, "Souls of those who died here trying to escape. And the forest simply did not know what to do with them. They were the unfortunate beings trapped inside because of the forest’s curiosity."

Fyn shivered slightly, and he knew it wasn't from the cold.

"I don't really like scary stories, Havu." He shivered once more, hugging himself tightly. "And besides, ghosts aren't real. Of all beings, I thought you would know that."

The serpent tilted its head to the side, "But they are not ghosts."

"Huh?"

"They are not ghosts," Havu repeated, correcting Fyn. "They are souls, spirits, if you will. They are entirely different things. Ghosts are wandering things incapable of thought, Spirits, on the other hand, are those whose souls have survived when a being dies and no longer has a physical body in which to live. Ghosts stay in a place, they do not know why they died, they assume they are very much still alive and breathing. Spirits know that they have long run out of time. The reason they are wandering is that of a tie, often emotional, to a loved one. They probably have unfinished business or something they want to tell to those they have left behind."

"I don't see a difference," Fyn said honestly. The serpent darted its tongue, turning its head back to the forest, and not facing him. Ghosts, souls, and spirits, what's the difference, thought Fyn? They were basically all the same. "No matter what they are, they are still just wandering and I doubt they would leave."

Havu did not reply then. Fyn let his thoughts wander on the night he had slept on the forest floor. Nothing had seemed out of place. Aside from the moving vines and the repeating sceneries, there was nothing else that spooked him out. Plus, the sleep he had that night was one of the best period of sleep he had ever gotten. Taking a deep breath, he was thankful that he had encountered no ghost, no spirit, no soul.

He couldn't even imagine what he would have done if he saw one.

Faint, probably.

"Don't worry," Havu said, breaking the silence. "There aren't that many spirits here. Often children, small animals. Oh, and an old couple too. It's nothing for you to worry about, they are harmless and don't bother anyone. They simply just wander around."

Fyn crinkled his nose, rubbing his arms as goosebumps spread around his skin. He had enough of the stories about ghosts and spirits and souls. Anything spooky was something that he never wanted to hear. Clearing his throat, he knew the best option was to change the subject, and that was just what he did. Taking a few steps towards Havu, he crouched down.

He was extra careful to distance himself from the edge of the cliff.

"Hey, Havu." Fyn bit his lip, "Actually, I'm curious. Why does Kavan never leave the forest? Surely the forest would allow him to do so, right?"

If Havu had an answer to that, Fyn would never know. Because the minute the question was out of his mouth, the sound of flapping wings echoed just above them. Standing up, Fyn looked up, just in time to see Kavan swoop down from the skies, landing just a few feet away from them. Kavan had loose vines hanging on his antlers, and some mud stuck on his bare feet.

Inverting his wings back into his skin, Kavan threw something in Fyn's direction.

Powered by instinct, Fyn automatically caught it.

It was another basket of fruits.

Looking down on the contents of the basket, Fyn noticed there were more of the fruits he had lots of than the ones he barely touched. He didn't know how to react to that specific information. Was Kavan watching him while he ate?

"Havu," Kavan growled lowly, as if as a warning. "Do not tell the mortal strange things."

Swishing his tail, Kavan turned around and walked towards his cave. Furrowing his brows, Fyn puffed his chest. Ridiculous! How could he even think that Kavan was nice when he was still acting like an arrogant bastard? Narrowing his eyes, he walked angrily over to where Kavan was, "Just to let you know, I do have a name. Mortals have names."

Kavan barely glanced at him.

Fyn huffed, "It's Fyn by the way. Not that you asked!"

"Mortal," Kavan said, "Eat the fruits. We have a long day tomorrow."

Kavan continued to trudge deeper into his cave. Fyn blinked in confusion. He ran after Kavan, the basket of fruits held tightly against his chest. He shouted, "Hey! What do you mean by we?"

His voice bounced on the walls of the cave.

When they had reached the middle of the cave, where Fyn had slept the night before, Kavan stopped. He turned around quickly, making Fyn squeak in surprise. He had been following real close, and when Kavan had turned around, his tail almost made him fall down on his feet. Not to mention now that Kavan was facing him, Fyn had a full view of his chest.

Blushing, Fyn quickly turned away.

"We have a long day tomorrow," Kavan repeated. His deep voice reverberating inside of Fyn's body, making him blush deeper. "I have decided to keep you, mortal."

If he had been blushing before, he was now blushing more. Taking a few steps back, Fyn sputtered, "Wha-what?! I am not an object that can just be kept! Don't just-"

Fyn wasn't able to finish what he just said. Kavan had lunged towards him, grabbed fruit from the basket, and plunged it into his mouth. Narrowing his eyes, Fyn bit into it and grumbled softly, whilst chewing on the fruit. He hated that it was sweet. Hated that it was probably the tastiest food he had ever eaten. Hated that the best thing he had placed inside his mouth came from him.

As Kavan watched him chow down the fruits he had brought, Fyn swore he saw the demon smirking.

It didn't help that the demon had his tail wagging like a cat teasing its prey.

"Haha," Fyn said, bits of fruit still inside his mouth. Swallowing, he stuck his tongue out. "You're laughing now, but do you know there are loose vines still hanging on your antlers?"

Furrowing his brows, Kavan lifted his hands in an attempt to remove the vines. The vines were deeply stuck on his antlers and they were just tiny little things. Rolling his eyes, Fyn placed the basket full of fruits down by his feet and approached Kavan. No matter how big Kavan was, he looked as if he could never remove the thing.

"Stop," Fyn orders. He smirks when the demon actually stopped moving. Even though he sent a dangerous glare in his direction, Fyn didn't let it stop him. Closing the distance between them, he stood on his tiptoes and attempted to reach the vine stuck to Kavan's antlers. Steadying himself, he placed his hand on his chest and reached.

He grabs it easily, showing the small vine to the demon.

"See? I could do..."

Words die in Fyn's mouth once he realized the position they were in. He sucked in a breath once he realized that Kavan was looking down at his chest. To be more specific, Kavan was looking at his hand that was on his chest.

Clearing his throat, Fyn removes his hand and takes a step back, "I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Kavan grabbed his hand, stopping him from doing so.

"It's cold." Kavan said softly, so soft that Fyn wondered if he even meant for him to hear it.

"Mortal," Kavan said, looking at him finally. "Why is your hand cold?"

Fyn wet his lips. Averting his gaze, he whispered, "Its cold in here."

Seconds passed and Kavan still hadn't let his hand go. He was also still very much staring at Fyn.

Blood rushed to Fyn's cheeks as he took steady breaths. The beating of his heart so loud that he could hear it thumping in his ears. Suddenly, without notice, Kavan dropped his hand and without saying anything, leaves the cave.

As if his knees had lost power, Fyn fell in a heap on the floor.

He had been cold moments ago, he can't say if it was the same now.

Moments later, Kavan entered the cave once more. Fyn had already finished most of the fruits that Kavan had brought back for him. He watched as Kavan started piling up wood in the center of the cave, and silently he started a fire. Fyn watched him do this, placing his hand on his chest, just above where his heart was.

It was beating loudly, and he wondered why that was.