A voice amongst the wind is seeking Shadow, however the voice knows that she may not want to hear what needs to be said but she needs to hear these words. Some words are hard for her to accept or believe. Hard to know when words should matter and need to be taken in to deal with a broken soul. Broken like the many silver mirror pieces that are scattered throughout the dark forest. The gentle wind comes to a halt; Shadow is sitting against the tree with fresh blood on the bark and gazing at her palm. The wind takes human form yet stands where he stops and sees Hunter, her protector, across the river. Blue eyes stares at amber eyes. Both echoing the same pain in them, for Shadow is why both are here in the forest, both at a lost on how to reach her and both wanting to shield her from any more harm. Hunter and the wind stare at each other then focus on her.
Hunter hears a branch break through Mother Earth and sees the branches come forth to encase Shadow within. Shadow continues to stare at her palm not realizing she had silently commanded the branches to form her walls. Blue eyes seek amber eyes with urgency for they had to reach her before they close in around her. The branches have her blood on them. Hunter quickly reverts to his natural form after breaking eye contact with the wind encouraging him to do the same since it would be quicker to get to her. As they come close, they learned she had finally mastered a way to keep them at bay. Hunter reverted back to human form and takes vigil while the wind slowly emerges into his human form watching the blood fall from her palm and soak Mother Earth only to show on the branches that are encasing her. Pain radiates from her. Something he never meant to cause yet he did, words he wants to take back yet he can’t.
One thing about Shadow’s forest, words can be spoken however there is no taking anything back for only the truth shall be spoken. Her only wish? Truth. Something denied to her over and over. A voice to be carried across the wind can be anyone from her past, present, or future. A voice to be carried on the wind is someone who passed away. The many voices of love ones that Shadow will always miss, but treasures when she can hear from them. Yet, this voice is new. The wind’s blue eyes is someone of Shadow’s past and was once her present. More branches break through Mother Earth and Shadow never looks up to see Hunter or the wind near by for her head is bent over her palm looking at the blood that flows freely. A ring of walls surround her.
Hunter stands up to watch the branches encase Shadow, wanting to break them yet understand why he can’t. He places a hand on the branch hoping to send his strength to her in this tough moment. To know that another love one has pass is hard for her to understand when it was sudden. Hunter had heard the words that the wind is seeking to tell her and knew that Shadow would doubt every word spoken. She is so hurt by the one act of betrayal that to hear words he wants to share and to have the truth behind them, she doesn’t know how to respond. To retreat behind the bloody branches is a natural thing for her. Hunter lets the branch cut his palm. Hoping that she know he is here as always for her. As his blood mingles with her blood, Shadow stops gazing at her palm and afraid to look up for she is not sure if she should look up. . .
Shadow senses Hunter through the blood on the branch and looks up to gaze into his amber eyes. Brown eyes convey sadness. Shadow leans back against the tree trying to get up without hurting her palm for the gash is deep yet she can’t. Hunter hears the wind intake of breath as he watches her fall back into the tree and sense the need to hold her for it is a need within his own being. The wind reverts back its natural form and sends forth a bandage for her hand. Shadow wraps her hand up and then touches the bandage in a loving manner. The wind turns back into the human form and stands by the branches wanting to touch her face yet he cannot for she is blocking him out.
Shadow leans back against the tree and stares at those blue eyes. Eyes that she could never forget and don’t want to for they belong to a beautiful soul. Shadow gets up and brushes the dirt off of her slowly walking up to the branches to face the wind. Sadness runs deep in her and Hunter motions for her to move a wall down despite the fact that Shadow doesn’t think she can. Brown eyes seek the blue searching for an answer but stops when she sees that she can’t ever have that answer. Brown eyes stares at amber ones wondering why he wants her to put a wall down. Amber eyes stare back letting her know he would not leave her ever in this trying moment. As Shadow turns back to the wind, pain radiates in the message spoken. Shadow looks back at the bandage on her palm and smiles. Her black with red streaks hair shields the smile from both. A tear crosses her face, using her good hand, she brushes it back for she doesn’t want Hunter to break the wall and hurt himself. Her protector means well. The wind starts to change out of his human form and Shadow quickly places her hand on his arm. Her eyes begging for him not to go yet and he doesn’t.
The wind quickly turns back into his human form, placing a hand over hers to keep her with him. Shadow manages to get the walls of bloody branches to crawl back into Mother Earth like she never commanded them to come up yet if one looks closer to the ground, there is a ringlet of blood of where the branches once stood. Shadow takes her injured hand and place it on the wind’s face then places it on the back of his neck so she can have his forehead against hers. The wind moves his head so he can whisper his words in her ear and to have her face next to his so he knows when a tear will be shed. Shadow touches his face with both of her hands, her brown eyes letting him know she understood his goodbye. The wind gently places a kiss on her cheek and smiles as his kissed her tear away. Blue eyes reaching the brown ones, he places a hand on her cheek and slowly moves back to revert back to his natural form. As he slowly shifts, he looks at Hunter to speak of his final wish. Amber eyes meet blue and both nod in agreement of guiding Shadow to place this mirror piece back in the silver frame. Hunter picks up that piece and watched the wind shifts completely into his natural form and watches him circle Shadow once more by placing a kiss of hope on her cheek.
Hunter places his hand up for Shadow to grab instead she throws her frame into his chest. Careful not to drop the mirror piece or cut her, he gathers her frame with his arm and holds her close. He hears her call for the mirror frame. The frame comes and Hunter slowly touches her cheek to send his strength to her. She intertwines her injured hand in his and takes the mirror piece away with her good hand to place it where it belongs. Shadow looks at the piece and sees all the memories that wind lets her see and chuckles at them. Hunter kisses the top of her head as she steps forward to the silver frame, he lets go of her hand so she can place the piece back with both hands. Shadow steps back to watch the piece join the other pieces she had placed back in many different occasions. She faces Hunter so she can send the frame to its resting place so she cannot destroy it again. Hunter places his hand under her chin so he can see those brown eyes he loves so well. A hint of sadness is in those eyes yet she understands the goodbye. He wraps his left arm around her waist while cradling her head with his right as he brings her into him. Leaning against the tree that bears her blood, he manages to slide to the ground and cradle her closer to him. He relaxes as he feels her slowly heading into a peaceful sleep. For once, she has a chance at peace in being able to say goodbye. He places a kiss on her forehead as he moves her more into the wall of his chest. As he leans back to shut his eyes, Shadow places her injured hand on his chest sending her love for him and everything he will always do for her. Hunter cradles her closer into him and wraps his arms around her to keep her warm while silently whispering for her to sleep. A broken soul and her protector get some rest on her journey to place all her memories where they belong. A silver frame of every aspect of Shadow.
