Secret of Kells 1. Chapter 1: Nightmares

_I have lived through many ages_

_Through the eyes of salmon, deer, and wolf_

_I have seen the Northmen invading islands, destroying all in search of gold_

_I have seen suffering in the darkness_

_Yet, I have seen beauty thrive in the most fragile of places_

_I have seen the book_

_The book that turned darkness_

_Into light..._

_~Aisling_

Chapter 1

Nightmares

Be brave. I must be brave.

The broken statues grow thick with ivy that blossom delicate white flowers. It almost seems as if the entire place is covered in an uplifting green and an innocent white. Light comes in golden beams from above and cast their light on the bugs flying above my head. The stone beneath my feet have been overrun with greenery, flowers bursting through the cracks in between the stone rocks. It really is a scenic place. No one would have ever believed that this is the tomb of The Dark One.

I take a step towards the tomb that lies agape, the door broken and the inscription of the horrendous monster engraved onto the back wall of the tomb. There is a dark spot that looks a lot like a scar right over his eye. The eye was actually taken from The Dark One. I know who has it. He has offered to let me see the prize he won from the monster, but I cannot bear to look at it. But, why? Crom Cruach is dead. That horrible creature will never hurt anyone again. So, why does it still haunt my dreams at night?

I take another step. My chest tightens up and I have to force air into my lungs. I watch the entrance in horror, in anticipation for the darkness to advance, for the root-like tentacles to grow out from the cave and to take me away into the darkness. They don't come. Everything is still and quiet, yet it feels as if they are wrapping around my throat, choking me, taking my light with it. I cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality. It's not happening, but it feels so real.

I take a third step and I hear her. It comes on fast like a piercing arrow. I hear her screech of pain, distress, and fear. It happened long ago, but my mind tells me it's happening right now. My hands clamp over my ears and I fall to my knees. She keeps shrieking, calling for help, calling out to me. But, I can't help. I'm so helpless as she is taken away right before my eyes. I crouch tighter and start crying which quickly escalates into an all-out mental breakdown of awful wails. She screams louder and louder and, no matter how hard I cover my ears, or how hard I'm crying, she grows louder still.

Something inside me finally clicks and I drop to my hands and push myself backwards. My body turns and I break into a sprint on all fours, both hands and feet running, carrying myself as far away from her as possible. Just as abruptly as it started, her screaming stops. I don't stop, however, until the long line of twelve stone pillars end and I'm in the safety of my forest again.

Once I've calmed down and slowed my heart rate, I slump against a nearby tree as the flashbacks ebb off. It's all in my mind, I tell myself. But, how could something so real be all in my mind? How many times have I heard her cry and seen her dragged away as I sat idly by? How many times have I seen her precious light drained from her spirit? How many times have I watch my own mother be killed?

Strength returns to my limbs and I force myself to stand, facing the tomb of The Dark One. Why couldn't I do it? Why do I run every single time now? I was able to do it before. The two times that he came with me, I was able to get so close. I was able to open the tomb and that was when Crom Cruach was still alive, when I had a legitimate chance of being murdered. Now, even as The Dark One is dead, I still can't get even somewhat close. What is stopping me? What is making me so paralyzed?

"Aisling?" I hear his voice from far away. A smile creeps up onto my face. It's been months since I last saw him. He's been so busy lately as the Abbot and head illuminator of Kells. He rarely has time to come into the forest anymore. However, every once in a while, he comes to see me. Of course, he's also there to collect some berries for ink and other supplies.

I quickly scale the tree I'm leaning on like a squirrel. My hands pull myself up one after the other effortlessly. I'm in the treetops in mere seconds, feeling the wind toss my hair behind my face and cool my cheeks down. It feels amazing and I want to stay here forever but, that would leave me in the perfect position for him to get the upper hand in our little game we play. I leap across the branches that are intertwined with the tree next to it. "Aisling!" He calls again. His voice is right below me. I stop on a limber branch and drop down to my hands and knees, creeping silent like a spider. I search in spaces between the light-green leaves of the tree, dancing in the wind and altering my view. I wait patiently, ready to spring the second I spot my prey.

"Hi, Aisling!" Brendan pops out from the hidden treetop directly above my head. I give off a short scream of surprise and my foot slips out from under me. Suddenly, I'm free falling, my arms flailing and searching blindly for a branch to hold onto. The wind shrieks by my ears and throws my hair upwards, blocking my view to my surroundings that are flying by. By some miracle, I find a branch and I grip it for dear life. My arm is jerked behind me and my shoulder aches and twists from the sudden weight. I hang suspended in the air as my white hair falls down again to my feet. I look down to the lush, green earth beneath me. It's not very far below, so I release my grasp on the branch and fall with much more control than before.

My feet hit the ground hard, but I gracefully recover. I've been leaping off of great heights all my life. This is like jumping down a single step of stairs. Standing up tall, I smooth out my white hair, whiplashed and tangled from the wind. Something tickles my ankle and I look down to find a snow-white cat with spots of grey hair rubbing his cheek against my ankle. "Well, hello, Pangur. It's been awhile." He continues to purr as I wait for the grown man to slide down the trunk of the tree.

"Yes. It has been awhile, Aisling." He says as if I was talking to him instead of Pangur. His feet hit the ground and he stumbles to regain balance. He hasn't leaped from incredible heights like I have all my life. After all, he is only human. "You're losing your touch, Aisling. You've never let me sneak behind you before." I grin at him. Our game that we play, the one I've always won up until now. is when we try to sneak up on each other to scare the other out of their skin. Or cause them to fall off a tree, whichever one comes first.

"Well, that's one for you and how many times for me?" I challenge.

"I don't know. I've lost count after twenty."

"That's right." I proclaim. He chuckles warmly.

"Well, I can't help it. I'm old!" He bends down to scoop Pangur Bon into his arms. He's not that old, actually. He's only in his thirties, but he might as well be an elder with how little he has been able to leave the abbey to meet me in the forest.

"Well, I'm older than you by hundreds of years and I'm still twice as fast as you are!"

"You're a faery. You could be millions of years old and still be as active as a child." Brendan is right, of course. Faeries don't age like humans do. We can stay young forever despite having lived for many generations. Staying young, though, isn't all I can do. I walk over to a spot where two small oak trees form an acr with their slender branches. A thin layer of mist shrouds it. I hold my hand out and the mist thickens until the forest beyond is covered in mist. All I have to do is wave my hand and the mist falls instantly, revealing the entrance to a picturesque river that is located on the other side of the vast forest, but it's never far from me. The river babbles away inside the portal and the sun shines light onto the glistening surface of the water. I turn to Brendan and Pangur and I gesture to the forest gateway.

"So. Shall we begin?"

...

...

...

If you don't care about my rambling, skip this:

Okay, first of all, I know, I know. I said I retired. Well, turns out retirement really sucked. I decided that fanfiction was calling me back.

Second of all, this fanfic is not pokemon, 'kay? If you're looking for pokemon, and\or already read my Skyborne, kindly look elsewhere. There are plenty of talented authors out there that would love a new reader.

Instead, this fanfic is about Secret of Kells, an amazing movie that I have loved for many years. I highly recommend it if you love movies about legends and lore. There is actually quite a few historical referecnes in the movie which caused me to do a lot of research on this so-called Book of Kells, Crom Cruack, and "faeries"(pronounced "fairies). All this new information inspired me to make a fanfic.

That, and the fact that there were only 24 fanfics on Secret of Kells and most of them were, well, lacking an actual story. Seriously, I know that one-shots are easier and take up less time, but you get my hopes up with a grabbing summary and title only to drop me into despair at a story that lasts one or two chapters. So, I'm determined to make mine longer than any SOK fanfic before me. Even then, it won't be very long. I have no reason to make this any longer than Skyborne, probably a few thousand words shorter.

Anywho, enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2: Childhood Friends

"You wouldn't believe all the things that have been going on in Kells. You'd think that things would settle down without the Northmen striking in years, but life has been as busy as ever."

"Hm." Is all I reply with. Brendan walks along the shore of the river while I travel alongside him on the rocks that peak out on the surface of the rushing water. The rocks are slick and shiny with water coating them. My feet make splashing noises with every step I take. Pangur doesn't dare even get close to the water. Instead, he trots beside Brendan, far away from the spray of the river crashing against the shore.

"People are coming to Kells in waves. They all want to seek refuge from the destruction the vikings left in their wake, but, because of the population change, our food supply has been low."

"Sorry to hear that. Where do you want to go, today?" He considers my offer for a moment.

"I'm working with the other illuminators to document some of the plant-life close to the abbey, but no one knows what a weeping willow tree looks like and, to be honest, my memory is failing me from last time..."

"You mean, the time I showed you the willow tree-"

"When I was a boy, yes." He finishes rather bluntly. I remember the tree so clearly. It's within walking distance from here, actually. It was a beautiful afternoon on that day. He was drawing on a stone tablet. I was teasing him. The days where he came every day I remember fondly. Nowadays, he only comes once or twice every few months. He will only come if he needs inspiration whether it be from the trees or the animals or sometimes he only comes to spend a few minutes gathering supplies. I am merely his guide to lead him to the best places in the forest to go. Yes, we are still friends. We play games with each other at times. We talk to each other, but it's not how it used to be.

"Come on, then. It's not far at all. I jump back onto the grass and travel away from the river, into the forest. Brendan follows and launches into something about the functionality of Kells as I tune him out. I understand that the people of Kells have complained about this or done that the first ten times he has told me. It's all he ever talks about now. But, whenever I bring something up from the past, he's quick to change the subject. He will never talk about the things he did when he was younger, when he was the illuminator of the book. As a boy, he would spin hopeful and whimsical tales of how he imagined the book would be like. He would tell me his visions of the future during the day and I would dream about them at night until he returns the next day with more. I absorbed and cherished his every word like a tree thrives in the sun. Those were the days I loved the most. Yet, even though the book is complete and the people of Kells crawl over each other to see it, it is as if the book never existed to him. When he finished, he disconnected himself from the book.

We're at the willow tree in no time. I watch him as he studies the delicate leaves, his icy-blue eyes careful and calculating. He whips out his tablet from a satchel he carries across his shoulder along with a piece of white chalk. Brendan's back settles against the trunk of the willow tree and lets the vines engulf him into it's secret hideaway. The shadows dance across his soft skin, slightly tanned from working outside and around Kells all day. I climb within the limbs of the tree, exploring the same world I've explored time and time again. But, the joy I feel when surrounded by the safety of the branches makes me feel alive every time.

I stare down at the crown of Brendan's amber hair that touches his shoulders. My knees wrap around the limb I am sitting on and I drop upside down to face Brendan. He looks up from his drawing to look at me and grins. "So, how's the book?" I inquire. His smile drops slightly and he shifts awkwardly in his place, clearly uncomfortable with my question.

"I haven't touched it in a while. I've been assigning Brother Tang to read the book to the villagers. He's a wonderful illuminator and I just can't find time anymore..." His voice trails off into silence, allowing only the whisper of the wind to fill it. His gaze is casted downward at the tablet in his lap.

"What about any new projects? Have you been illuminating at all?" I swing my legs over the limb of the branch and let them dangle above his head.

"No, not really. Whatever I make probably would be less than satisfactory anyway. I think time has done a number on my skills. I'm stale, Aisling." I roll my eyes and jump down from the branch. Brendan startles when I drop right in front of him and it's easy to snatch up the tablet in his lap. I hold it at eye-level. The branches are carefully detailed. The leaves seem to come alive on the stone surface. It truly looks as if the limp and stringy branches and emerald leaves are fluttering in the wind. Each line, each detail is captured on a single tablet. It truly feels as if the picture has a very life of its own. I hand the stone back to him.

"I'd say you haven't lost your touch at all, Brendan."


	3. Chapter 3: Cries of the Night

Chapter 3

Cries of the Night

I thunder through the dense woods, my four legs crashing against the forest floor. It is night, so I cannot see the path in front of me very clearly. However, not a single twig is snapped. I've run through each path so many times, I have memorized every step in the forest. I've had decades to commit them all to memory. I don't need to see in order to run as silent as a ghost in the forest. A small whisper of the occasional growl or snarl come from behind me. They are from a pack of wolves with fur as dark as the night that engulfs them. They're not after me, though. They're following me, their wolf leader.

My run slows to a trot and the rest of my pack does the same. I creep up against the thick bushes, covered in ruby red thorns. There are small spaces in between the branches that an orange glow bleed through. Beyond the bushes is a small group of people, surrounding the fire. A cloth tent behind them casts shadows into the woods. There is a man organizing supplies in his bag. His wife tends to the fire close by his side. There are two sons that play with a few dead twigs on the ground, counting them and recounting the amount that each child has. The fire in the middle sends flames high into the sky, breathing a thick smoke into the branches above. My wolf pack gathers around all sides of the clearing. The wolf across from me gives a nod saying they are in position. I snarl and the rest of the pack advances.

They advance slowly and calm like a predator ready to pounce. The family notices right away and their eyes grow wide. All of them stand up at once and the boys run into the mother's arms seeking comfort. The man then comforts the mother. I watch from the cover of the forest as the pack slowly advances. The father's eyes search for an opening, some escape, some glimmer of hope. He finds it and his finger shoots upward, gesturing to the wide gap in the formation formed by the wolves. The family warily eyes the wolves and dashes for the woods. The mother holds the hands of both the children as they try to keep their footing with their tiny legs. I watch their retreating backs vanish into the forest, leaving behind their tent, supplies, and roaring fire.

The pack of wolves stop, waiting patiently for my command. I give off a short bark and three of the wolves pursue the family. They know not to hurt them. Just to drive them away. In fact, their entire escape was planned. I made sure there was a way for them to get away, conveniently placed in the direction of Kells. They're probably travelers that want to settle in the abbey. They're just going to get there a bit sooner than expected and, unfortunately, without their belongings.

I emerge from the bushes into the clearing, howling as I do so. The rest of the pack retreat into the woods, their job completed. I approach the blaze with a curtain of mist following my every step. The white wisps fall in sheets down onto the fire. The fire suffocates from the moist air, growing smaller and smaller until nothing more than an ember is left. In one swift motion, I stamp on the flame, extinguishing the last of the orange light. The smoke runs thin and almost vanishes completely.

I keep my foot on the charred wood, staring downwards and letting my tail droop. It feels like I don't have the energy to lift my head. When I saw the children run to their mom, it hurt me to see them. The mother hugged them so tightly, so lovingly. It made me feel alone. When was the last time I felt that? It was literally centuries ago. I've been alone for so long and I haven't really felt companionship until a few years ago, when I met the one person that I could call my friend. In the light of recent events, I'm starting to lose him, too.

Somehow, I find the energy to look up. Even though there is no more fire, the stars in the sky make the night almost as clear as day. The moon is especially brilliant tonight. However, the leaves that were once green above are pitch dark. They were hurt by the thick smoke. I hang my head again and turn to leave the clearing, letting the comfort of the forest engulf me within it's shadows.


	4. Chapter 4: Price to Protect

Chapter 4

Price to Protect

I stroll from branch to branch, staring upwards at the bright blue sky above my head, peeking through the lace-like forest roof. I know that one wrong step can send me in a fatal drop to the earth below, but I've never failed to stroll in the treetops without slipping before. It's all really easy after doing if for awhile. Birds sing their morning song all around me. Their feathers come in soft browns with flecks of black or white. I watch them take to the skies, beating their wings at blinding speeds. I wonder what it would be like to fly? Is it really hard work or is it exhilarating? I bet it feels amazing and free.

I continue to walk in the direction towards the abbey, climbing to a higher position as I go. I take a huge leap out of the treetops and land on a branch jutting out above the leafy cover. My hair is lifted into the air, curling and flowing like a river in the wind. I stand straight up and stare at the one large spot that is barren of any trees in the huge forest. A stone tower scrapes the sky in the clearing, always signifying exactly where Kells is. People crawl around Kells like ants, continuing on with their busy day. Brendan was right. Kells is getting really crowded. The entire ground of Kells has a hut or a pen for animals. I can't see a single spot of green in the whole abbey. The walls surrounding Kells are crumbled from either the viking's attacks years ago or from the elements of nature wearing it down until only a few remains are left standing.

"Aisling?" My ears perk up to his call. It's Brendan's voice but, it couldn't be him. For the past few years that he's been home, he's only come to the forest once every few weeks. Sometimes months go by without a word from him. Now, all of a sudden, he's coming two days in a row? I drop down to a lower branch, peering down at the earth. Sure enough, I see the familiar red hair that I know belongs to Brendan. Well, it's not expected, but it's a good way to reclaim my title as champion of our surprise game.

"Aisling, I don't have time! I have to talk to you, now!" His voice is angry. I've heard him get angry when he's talking about his troubles in the abbey before, but he usually at least comes to the forest with a smile on his face. I swing my legs over the branch and I drop to the ground, landing only feet away from Brendan. He recoils a bit which, I think, counts as a victory for me. "Hi, Brendan! You're back!"

"Yes, I'm back because we need to talk." He mutters towards me, almost scolding me.

"What's wrong?"

"A migrating family came into the abbey last night. They came in looking like they've seen a ghost. The family said that they were attacked by wolves at their campsite last night. They abandoned their things and ran. One of the wolves even got close enough to bite off part of a child's sleeve on his shirt. Now, while no one was physically hurt, that family is probably horrified now and will be very wary for the next few weeks. As far as I know, there is only one wolf pack in these forests and you're their leader." Brendan steps closer to me with a certain malice in his eyes. "Aisling, did you tell them to do that?" I glare at him.

"I don't control them all the time, Brendan. When I'm not a wolf, for all I know, they could be on the other side of the woods, doing these things."

"Aisling, one of the boys reported glancing in the woods and spotting a wolf with white fur, unlike the rest of the pack." My eyes grow wider. I was perfectly concealed! How could he have seen me? "I'm not asking you what they do when you're not leading them. I'm asking if you told them to terrorize those people last night." His eyes bore down on my with accusation. I sigh and drop my head.

"Yes. I did."

"Why?" I lift my head back up with an anger that reflects his like a mirror.

"They were in my forest. They had a huge fire going. You know that a big fire can catch very easily in the forest. The smoke was suffocating the animals around them. I never had any intention of hurting them. I just wanted them to leave!"

"But, what about the boy's sleeve!? A few inches closer and it would have been a few fingers, Aisling!" I shake my head. I told the wolves to chase them, but make sure they're not hurt. If they were hurt, it would not have been my fault. A silence wedges itself in the fiery conversation. Brendan sighs. "Look. I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I'm trying to protect my people. I'm sorry that they caused problems in your forest. The fire clearly upset you and they didn't know that they were hurting the forest. However, I beg of you, please do not go to such extreme measures."

"Then, if it happens again, what am I supposed to do?"

"People are scared of wolves, but they won't be scared of you if you approach them the way you are, now." He gestures to my human form. "I know you don't want to, but it's the most civilized and safest way of telling them to heed the sake of the forest." My eyes turn downcast. I can't do that. There are only two outsiders that know my human form and one of them is a cat and the other is standing in front of me. It's special and sacred to me. It's a secret that only the three of us share in common. It reminds me that he will always be my friend.

"Is that the only thing you came in the forest for?" He shakes his head.

"I'd also like to retrieve the family's belongings. Can you lead me there?" Silently, I nod and work my faery magic to create a gate between here and the clearing. All the while, I can feel his eyes pounding on my back, making me almost too scared to turn around and gesture for him to follow.


	5. Chapter 5: A Dagger of Hope

Chapter 5

A Dagger of Hope

Everyday, the sun has set later than the day before it. Animals are making early preparations for the winter approaching even though the frigid winds are still many months away. For now, the air is warm like an invisible blanket is wrapped around everything until it is replaced by the sheet of snow. An occasional cool breeze passes by from time to time then it flies away on the wind's breath.

Everyday, I scale a bulky tree that is stationed close to the perimeter of the abbey. I reach for the tallest branch that can support my weight and watch the abbey fall into their daily routine. Some villagers tend to vegetable gardens or animals in pens. Some sit at the base of their huts and care for children running around and laughing. Mothers hug and kiss their children on the forehead and fathers pat their backs, showing that they are proud of them. There are the brothers, the men that follow Brendan everywhere he goes, trying to help. Then, there is Brendan, recognizable from a special red cloak he wears only in the abbey to show that he is the abbot. Everyday, I see him go about his daily duties whether it be taking complaints from villagers who buzz around him like flies or entering the scriptorium, probably to talk briefly with the illuminators. By mid-afternoon, he usually disappears behind the walls of the tower, escaping the toils and troubles of the everyday-life of an abbot in charge of a vastly-growing abbey.

Everyday, he forgets about me. The last time I saw him was two months ago when he was mad at me for scaring away the family. Before that, he only came into the forest for a willow tree reference and some more berries for ink. If that is what our friendship is becoming, where he only comes into the forest, not for friendship, but if he needs something or is mad for something I did, then what is the point of remaining friends? Why do I come here everyday? It is because I keep coming here to pray that he will remember the friendship we once had and return to the forest. But, whenever he comes, he has an alternative purpose in mind. I have become unimportant, at the bottom of his priorities even though I was here before the abbey took over his life.

Everyday, I gradually lose hope that he will ever come back. Then, he does come after a long wait and my faith is replenished, only to deplete and hurt me even more once he is gone. However, here I stand, everyday, wondering if he really has grown too old to care about me anymore.

Today, I follow the same routine. I watch, I pray, I fall into the pit of hopelessness a bit deeper, then I leave. I half-heartedly climb down the tree trunk before jumping down a few feet from the grass. Hitting the ground hard and stumbling a little, I feel empty and limp. My limbs seem to lose part of their feeling as if they've gone partially numb. Despite that, I force them to move and I stare down at my feet. I can always think better when I'm moving. Is this what it feels like to be lonely? Does it feel like there is a rope around my chest, becoming tighter and tighter the more I think about everything I once had? Does it feel like I am trapped in a dark ditch and I know that no one will be there to rescue me? Does it feel like I am constantly being drained, stabbed, and tormented from the inside? I have lived on my own for centuries before Brendan wandered into my life. I have been alone for hundreds of years and I have never felt the pain I'm feeling now. So, why do I feel like I am slowly disintegrating every few months that he is absent? I have lived through so many ages, but why can't I survive for a few months without falling apart inside until Brendan comes to put me back together? I rack my brains to find the root of the big question. What is different between then and now? Then, it hits me.

Hope. Hope is the difference. When my people, my family, and my mother died all at the same gruesome moment, I knew there was nothing I could do that could bring them back to life. I knew they were gone forever. With Brendan, he may be gone for a few months, but he comes back. Which only makes the months harder to live through. The more hope that I gain and build up from Brendan's visits, the more I'm destroyed from the inside. He replenishes the life inside of me, yet he is murdering me at the same time.

I look up from my wandering feet, getting vertigo as I do so. Everyday, I wander and everyday, I wind up at the same place, face-to-face with his tomb and the tomb of my people. My chest tightens even more than it already is. Everyday, this place terrifies me more and more and to no end, yet it has become part of my daily rituals. What was it like to be surrounded by loved ones? What was it like to know that there is a person who was a safeguard over me? What was it like to always be able to cry in someone's arms and she would stroke my hair, whispering in my ear that everything was going to be okay? These events were so long ago. I still remember what happened, but time has taken it's toll to my memory that held how incredible it felt to have a family.


	6. Chapter 6: A Seed in the Forest

_Chapter 6_

_A Seed in the Forest_

_She is the girl with the hair that looks like the morning mist that engulfs the land into the confines of silence and peace. Her eyes are emerald green, like mine, that look like the iris itself is a cluster of leaves in the late springtime. She has a free spirit inside of her. When she runs through the secrecy of the forest, she manifests a living, breathing version of the forest itself. I've always known that she belongs here. She is intertwined with the forest on a level I cannot fathom. Her laugh is like a song, soothing the most ravaged of spirits with her melody. Yes, she is arrogant and hard to control. She will find any way possibly to defy my commands to her. She will treat everything like a game, no matter how life-threatening it may be. She is proud with a huge ego. It is almost impossible to keep her hidden like I promised myself I would. _

_Her father was a mere traveler. I saw him for only one night, yet that one night made all the difference. I remember standing outside his tent, showing my human form to him. He was in awe of my radiance, not a word rolled off his tongue. I reluctantly stepped forward to take his hand in mine. I took the lead as I pulled him back inside the tent. He never said a single word the whole time. He just let his body take over as well as I. It only lasted a few minutes before I walked out the tent again to leave him wondering what a great queen was doing with him. I had my reasons, but the shortest answer I could offer was that I wanted a child._

_That night was the first and last time I have ever met him. Like the drifter he is, he vanished with the wind to be on his way. I was too desperate to be picky about who was her father. I just knew it could not have been my husband. I knew that, if I was to ensure the survival for her, I had to make sure the father was disconnected to the rest of the tribe. Sure enough, I heard nothing from the other royals of the traveler I met that night and what happened because of it. The one night that we were together, I never asked for his name. It did not matter, though. What mattered is that I planted a seed who would eventually grow into a beautiful tree that would survive the inferno._


	7. Chapter 7: Bloody Paws

Chapter 7

Bloody Paws

I dance around the fallen twigs with careful movements and silent breaths. The evening sun casts a warm glow on the glossy leaves and blades of grass. The bark of the tree scratches against my back. I'm still in human form which is definitely a first for me. I even refrained from calling for backup from the rest of the pack. Brendan said I should be peaceful with the people. If I have an entire pack of wolves to gain up on the wanderer I'm silently following, he would be terrified. I, personally, have no problem scaring people out of my forest, but Brendan does have his own morals to the matter.

The man frantically darts his eyes from corner to corner of the forest around him, but I can still stay well out of his line of sight. I weave my way over and under low branches, dodging anything that can make a noise. The man has a gray cloak wrapped around his shoulders. He has dark, brown hair and very nimble steps. He is clearly young, but weary. The bravery that comes with early youth has left him. Yet, he comes into my forest anyway.

The man stops in front of a bush that holds a few bushels of berries. I stop behind a tree and peer around the trunk to spy on him. I cringe as I hear the snap of him breaking branches off the bush to harvest the berries. He holds the branch decorated with deep, red, ripe berries as he reaches for more. I feel anger rise up in me. A scavenger! Taking from MY forest! Only one person is allowed to take the fruit of my forest with him! Yet, I recall him saying that they had food in Kells. Then, I remember. A few months ago, he told me that the food supply was getting scarce in Kells. Is that why the man was here? Nonetheless, he is not allowed to be in the forest, let alone take from it. My blood reaches to a fever pitch and I can feel my cheeks getting warm. Before the better part of me can stop myself, I drop to my hands, falling on all four limbs. I can feel my tail swish around and my long hair becomes fur. Without warning, I let out a loud bark at the man who whips around.

My teeth are barred and forming a growl as I advance on him. His eyes grow wide and he starts to back away from me, holding a bundle of branches in one hand, the round berries reflecting the light of the moon into my eyes. I bark again and the man searches his immediate surroundings, probably for an escape route. Yet, that's not it at all. His eyes land on a low branch of a perfectly healthy tree. His hands reach out and he grips the middle of the branch. I can feel the excruciating snapping sound crash through my body. It's not a short and quick snap of a dead branch. It's long and lasting. The branch clings onto the tree as the ends splinter, clear signs of a branch that was alive and growing. My head starts pounding in pain as the last splinter of the branch let's go of the tree, transferring its possession to the man. The anger that is ignited inside me cannot be contained. My hind legs scrunch up and I lash out at the man, aiming right for his heart.

Before I can attack, the splintered side of the branch makes contact with my ribs. I'm flown straight into a tree, crashing into the bark as it bites my back. Before I can force air back into my lungs, my limp body falls to the ground. My side screams in pain as well as my lungs and my back. I hack to be able to breathe again and I struggle to my feet. I look up and am able to react fast enough to get out of the way of the branch that is aimed at my head. I spring to all fours and prepare my feet for another blow. I should have brought the rest of the pack. Even if I call for them now, it will still be quite a while before they arrive. I'm stuck fighting man against wolf. The branch swings wildly and I dash out of it's path and out of immediate reach of the man. He is swinging the branch like a tornado. Anything that comes near him will get a bad welt. I have to get him to stop attacking. I search around for weak spots. The man relies on his limbs for combat, so if I can eliminate one, he can stop attacking long enough to turn the fight around.

I zone in on his legs, supporting the whole windmill machine of destruction. Now, to get close enough. With fast legs, I run in a huge swooping arc around him until I get behind his sight and behind the tornado. Before he can turn around to see where I am, I lunge for his ankle and sink my teeth into his skin. The man howls in pain, but I don't let go. I taste his blood in my mouth and I hold on for a second longer before letting go. The man is screaming and in too much pain to move his arms. Just as his guard is down, I snatch the branch out of his hand and toss it away into a patch of thick bushes. The man watches his only weapon fall into the thickets as he is bending down to hold his ankle in pain. Blood pours down his ankle in small, steady streams. Tears well up in his eyes. He must have never experienced this bad of pain before. I don't make a single move. I just watch as he removes his cloak and wraps it around his ankle. He cannot hurt me anymore, so there is no reason to be on guard. Slowly, I can feel my anger ebbing away, giving way to pity of the wails of pain the man releases.

I watch him a second longer before turning to leave. He will surely abandon his scavenging mission after this and go home right away, but that is not why I left. I could not stand the pain and agony before me. It felt like I was being hurt inside just as much as he was just by watching him. I did that. I hurt him. I bit into his ankle when he was trying to feed his family. Oh, what have I done?


	8. Chapter 8: Safe of Her Sake

Chapter 8

Safe for her Sake

_"Mother, why can't I go anywhere when you're not here. Why do I have to stay hidden?"_

_"Because, my little Aisling, when you are hidden, you are safe."_

_"But, the forest is wonderful. You say so yourself, right?"_

_"That's right, but it's also dangerous, Aisling."_

_"Danger doesn't scare me! I'm tough!"_

_"Hahaha! I know you are, dear. I guess I just worry too much, but please take my concerns to heart. I love you very much and I don't want anything to happen to you. If you won't stay for your sake, then please stay for my own sake. If I can know that you are safe, I won't feel as worried all the time, okay?"_

_"Okay, mother."_

_"Thank you, Aisling. I must be going now, alright? I'll be back tomorrow morning."_

_"Promise that you will play with me tomorrow?"_

_"I promise. Goodnight, Aisling."_


	9. Chapter 9: Threads of Hope

Chapter 9

Threads of Hope

_"We can't go on like this. We have to fight." Another advisor across from me exclaims. My palms grow sweaty and clammy. My husband offers his hand, but I refuse to take it. He'll know that I'm nervous, more nervous than usual. I'm typically so calm, so under control. Yet, tonight, I am like a child awaiting punishment from parents. I fear the worst. A whole army of advisors, executives, and people high up on the hierarchal system all gathered in a single building with a single room that holds a single, huge table and many chairs. Chairs filled with people that are deciding our fate as the Tuatha de Danann._

_"They are too powerful. No matter what we try, they always will advance. They are almost on our threshold. We have to start thinking about the best options for our tribe, the best paths to take." One of the three kings of Ireland across the table declares. He is the husband of my sister, Fodla, who also accompanies him in this meeting._

_"What options do we have? Our tribe has been connected to the land for generations."_

_"Well, we either must move to a new land or die along with it. Our enemies are approaching fast, too fast to make any long-term preparations. We must act now or never." I watch with a silent voice as a painting of despair is created before my eyes. Each member in the room is frantically reaching out for a slim thread of hope to survive with. Even though the weight of our burden is too massive to be sustained by such a thread._

_My mind eventually tunes out the words spoken by the leaders of our tribe and return to the forest. I imagine of the emerald green leaves and warm breezes that carry the whispers of the wind. I picture the glistening water and I can feel the coolness of it as I submerge my hands in the river. I dream of her running through the forest, seeing the nature through her eyes. Yes, our kind has always considered ourselves connected to nature, but Aisling is different. She doesn't connect with nature, she becomes nature itself. She is beautiful and young and free._

_My perfect painting of my child is shattered as the doors to the hut crash open to reveal a messenger, dressed in a cream-colored cloth and decorated with crests. A messenger bag is slung around his shoulder. My husband stands and stares with fear at the messenger who announces the news we have all knew would happen, but have always dreaded the event._

_"Your highnesses, the Milesians are here..."_


	10. Chapter 10: Sacred

Chapter 10

Sacred

I suspected he'd come. I knew, as soon as the man walked into the abbey, he would make plans for an early return to the forest. Since early in the morning, I've been scanning the usual paths he treads among the maze of greenery, warily anticipating his arrival. I feel both excited to see him yet dreading the moment we lock eyes. I can almost picture his scornful stare pounding into me. I know I should be fearful of his sharp gaze and even sharper words. However, I feel more happy than afraid merely for the fact that I get the chance to see him once again. Part of me does not care that he is furious at me. What does it matter? As long as I get to spend time with Brendan, I'm prepared for a tongue-lashing of the century.

Sure enough, I see him thundering through the forest, wrecking anything that falls under his foot. His cloak flows behind him in wild ripples like a whirling ocean. His path is not far from the abbey, probably close enough that the abbey can actually hear his voice barking out my name in anger and command. He looks almost like a bear, demanding respect from the whole forest by striking their confidence with his defiant stride. He calls my name once more and I find the sound of my own name being spoken by another voice odd. This is the first time I've heard my own name in months.

I take a graceful leap from the branch I'm perched on and land silently on the ground. My hand only barely grazes the grass to maintain my balance. I straighten up to find Brendan storming over to me, more identical to a bear on the ground than from an aerial view from the treetops. He skips any sort of friendly "hello" and skips directly to his accusation. "Aisling, what have you done!?" My voice is locked in my throat as well as my face. I show no emotion, no signs of fear or weakness. "I saw what you did and there is no blaming it on the rest of the pack. The injured man said that the wolf had white fur and green eyes."

"I only attacked him because he attacked me first!"

"That's not what the man said. He said that you lunged for him and he had to defend himself." I stare down with a shred of sheepishness.

"That's not the way I meant."

"Well, how did you mean?" Brendan scolds, clearly losing his patience.

"He... he hurt my forest and that-"

"Your forest!? That man almost lost his entire foot!" Brendan throws up his hands in frustration and starts walking around, rambling about the severity of the situation. "The teeth marks exposed the bone, Aisling! It's a miracle he even made it back at all!" I wince as his voice escalates, but he does not take my hint to stop. "All the villagers have heard of your notorious reputation and they are all terrified! Half the entire abbey was unable to sleep last night. Many of the villagers had to cram into the tower to sleep soundly. And all for a few twigs and berries!?"

"It's my forest, Brendan! And he was hurting it! He broke off the entire limb that held the berries! He ripped a live branch from a tree as a weapon! He hurt the forest, so he hurt me." Suddenly, he whips back at me, using his fingers to point in accusation.

"You couldn't have just let him go!? Or, better yet, show you human form and actually be civilized for once!"

"You know I can't do that Brendan."

"Why not!?"

"Because! It's too special to share with anyone else! It proves that we'll forever be friends!" Tears kiss my cheeks as I scream at him in anger. I hate him yet I love him at the same time. He is my worst enemy and my best friend. Both voices come to cease-fire and tension hangs heavy in the air. The wet tears crawl down my face and make their way into my mouth. They're salty yet calming at the same time. I don't make any move to dry them from my face. I just let him stare at me with something that looks like pity and malice. After a long silence, he turns to walk away.

"I'll come back to check on you, Aisling. I'll be back soon."

For once, I actually believe that he will.


	11. Chapter 11: One Option

Chapter 11

One Option

_My hands are buried in my face as I sit on the bed. I can feel tears trailing down my face. My husband rubs my back, rolling his fingers against my spine as I tremble. I knew this was a possibility, but I never imagined it to be so soon. I believed that it would be years before this verdict was decided. However, the Milesians were inpatient. We have lost and they have won and the winners have demanded a prize: the rule of Ireland. I knew that would occur soon, but what I couldn't imagine happening for many years was what they intended to do with us._

_The Milesian king, Erimon, has already come to a verdict for the Tuatha de Dannan. The Milesians would rule Ireland. We will rule the sidhe, a land shrouded in myths. Erimon says it is not unlike Ireland. He says we will be happy and we will never have to engage in combat again. He defines it is as our new reign of peace. The three kings of the Tuatha de Dannan and my two sisters have succumbed to his euphemisms. All these are shrouding the cruel truth._

_The Milesians intend to cast us away to sidhe, the world of spirits._


	12. Chapter 12: Mother

Chapter 12

Mother

For once, he actually did come back soon. He came back once every few days after that. The last time I remember him coming so often was back when he was a child. However, then, he would stay for sometimes hours, late into the afternoon. Now, he comes, says hello, makes brief exchanges of small talk, and leaves. I cannot tell if this new pattern is better or worse. The hopelessness I once felt is gone now, but it is replaced by an empty feeling. Nothing seems to be there anymore. I feel no pain, at least. Yet, the flame of hope is missing as well.

Today, he comes again, but when I come up to meet him, he does not begin with his usual polite "hello". Instead, he smiles warmly at me, a grin I have not seen for months. "How about we take a walk, this time." Without another word, he places his hand in between my shoulder blades with gentle fingers. His feet move in sync to mine as I take his suggestion into effect.

"Aisling?" He inquires. "I... I'm worried about you. I've just been thinking about how upset you were." I say nothing in response. "I just want to know why. Why would you do something like that? It is not something the Aisling I know would do." I cross my arms in front of me and he drops his hand to his side.

"You just don't understand." I mutter.

"Then, tell me! Let me understand. Please, Aisling, I want to be able to help you. Obviously, something strong is driving you in this direction. I want to know what it is so I can be here to help you through it." I tense up at the sound of those final words. My feet stop and my head swishes around to a surprised Brendan.

"You were never here to begin with." I snarl at him. His lips are parted slightly, his chin dipping ever so slightly. His bushy eyebrows curve downward. He is clearly hurt by my words, but he has hurt me for so long before now, even if he did not realize it. After a long silence, Brendan sighs and returns to his fairly bright self and he starts walking forward. With a moment's hesitation, I catch up to walk by his side.

"I can't help what goes on in the abbey. I can't just abandon them to run into the forest everyday. My job as abbot is to serve them, to be their comfort, their guiding light, and their example. My uncle told me, when I was a boy, that if we serve them, they will serve our faith." Brendan explains. I don't respond. I stare down at my feet, watching one foot push off the ground, leaving space for the other. I want to find a reason for why he should be in the forest, but I can't. According to his beliefs, he is doing good work in the abbey. Would it be right to command all that attention to myself, to one mere faery?

"I think I see the problem now, Aisling." I look up at Brendan who stares down at his own feet. "You're lonely here. Aren't you, Aisling?" I almost scowl and turn back to my feet. It took him five years to come to that conclusion!? Of course, I'm lonely! I was lonely ever since he left as a boy! When he came back years ago, I thought things would go back to normal, but they never did! It would probably have been easier on my aching heart if he never returned to Kells at all! He does not read my signs of anger and, instead, keeps talking. "I see, now. This is because of me, isn't it? You go to such extremes so that I'll be drawn out into the forest to patch things up with you." I turn my head back up at him and my hair swishes in a white curtain around my head. His face is filled with kindness yet sorrow. "I think I know how to solve the problem, though." His hand reaches out in front of me with his palm facing up towards the sky. "Aisling, live in Kells with me."

I blink, processing his offer, running his words through my head. "What!?" I blurt out.

"Live in Kells with me. There's an extra room in the tower that would be perfect for you. You can come in and out of the abbey as you please and we'll see each other everyday. You'll also have the company of the other brothers and many of the villagers. You'll be loved on a daily basis and you'll always have proper care. I promise, you'll be happier there." I shake my head in both shock and denial of his offer.

"Brendan, I can't do that. I have a forest that needs me."

"The forest doesn't need you, Aisling. The forest is so vast, it can survive just fine on it's own. No amount of human intervention can hinder the growth of the forest now." I feel a slight pang in my chest, offended in a way by his words.

"I... I just can't..." I mumble under my breath, just barely loud enough for him to hear despite the two of us being the only human ears for quite a distance.

"Yes, you can. Your destiny isn't tied to the forest, Aisling. No one says you have to stay here. You can leave if you choose to." His words hang heavy in the air. Every animal, every bug is quiet, holding their breath, waiting to see if their protector, their mother, is going to finally leave. I shake my head more furiously this time. I can't leave. I have a purpose here, to be the caretaker to the forest that I could not have the luxury to possess.

"I'll allow you to think about it, Aisling. But, please, give it some serious consideration. If you need me, you know where I'll be." I don't turn around to his voice. I just stand there with my arms dangling limp at my sides and head drooped low enough that my neck starts to ache. His footsteps crunch under the first fallen leaves that is a nearly sign of the approaching autumn.


	13. Chapter 13: Sidhe

_Chapter 13_

_Sidhe_

_The rays of the afternoon sun dance downwards and shine on her beaming face. My hand caresses her soft hair and my fingers weave in between her streaks of gray among the white locks, flowing across the ground like a river. Her curious eyes dart in an attempt to capture anything that moves. I simply pay attention to the beautiful girl in my arms. My back is leaned against the roots of a small oak tree, young but growing everyday like her. She nestles comfortably further into my arms. I let out a big breath. I've been fearfully anticipating this moment ever since the Milesians announced our relocation to sidhe. In fact, I have known this would happen for a while. I should have been more prepared, but nothing can prepare you for saying goodbye to your own child._

_"Aisling, my dear?"_

_"Yes, mother?"_

_"I... I have something to tell you. I'm going away for a while."_

_"Okay, mother." She replies, not even flinching at the news._

_"This won't be like other times where I leave and then come back, my dear." Aisling doesn't say anything. Instead, she watches a light green leaf with brown curling the edges flutter down to the grass. "I... I'm not sure that I will ever be coming back." Aisling turns her attention away from the leaf and gazes right at me with the most innocent look on her face like a newborn pup._

_"Whaddya mean?" I swallow hard._

_"Well... according to legend, this world is not the only one said to exist. There is a place called sidhe that is known as the Otherworld. It is similar to the world we live in now. That's where I am going. However, it might not be for a while so I will get to see you before then." She stares at me blankly, the concept of a new world escaping her grasp entirely._

_"Okay. If you're going away, we should do something fun as long as you are here. Right, mother?" I shake my head slightly in shock as tears bubble up into the corners of my eyes. I have to quickly blink them away. Oh, the innocence of a child. She has no idea what this means for her, for me, for all of the Tuatha de Dannan. It is all a game, a fairy-tale to her. She has no idea that she will be alone in a matter of weeks._

_ "Yes, Aisling. You're right. We should."_


	14. Chapter 14: Guardian of Murder

Warning: You see that "Rated T" mark at the top? This is where it comes into play for rather bloody descriptions. Just preparing you. That is all.

Chapter 14

Guardian of Murder

Whatever Brendan said to stop the villagers from entering the forest, it worked well enough to keep everyone out for quite a while. However, nothing could ever keep them at bay forever. As I've observed, resources are dwindling. Food has been running low in supply as the number of huts has grown. Many must to live in cloth tents. Some do not have a roof over their heads at all. Of course, I hate to see them in this state. But, when a group of villagers come into the forest wielding axes and pitchforks early in the morning when no one else is awake, the protective side of me kicks in.

The sky is tinted a cerulean blue, the sign of an approaching dawn. This time, I brought the rest of the pack with me. I don't want another one-on-one fight to happen again. The salty taste of blood no longer remains in my mouth, but it dwells in my mind. If a smooth, clean operation can be carried out like with that family, I will be satisfied. Brendan would surely understand, I suppose.

Suddenly it is just like the night with the scavenger all over again. The group of human advances into the forest, whispering to each other in hushed tones. The leader of their pack tells the other to watch where his feet are walking after his foot crunches a dead leaf on the forest floor. However, everyone's worn sandals form a symphony of crushing leaves and snapping dead twigs that can be heard by any one of my wolves from a mile away. They don't have to be following me as I stalk behind the group in order to know exactly where the source is. My pack merges with the forest, mimicking the waving of branches in the wind to avoid the detection of their eyes. Brendan's words echo through my memories: _The forest doesn't need you, Aisling. _Ha! What a joke! If a whole horde of men enter my forest with those wicked axe blades, I think the forest would need protecting, then.

The shorter man with a stubbly gray beard points to a young birch with a trunk about as thin enough so that my hands would be able to join together if I wrapped them around the trunk. One of the more burly men nod and picks up his axe. I snarl from the shadows and two black wolves crawl into the vision of the men. The smallest of their group takes notice right away and points, speaking in a language I have not heard before, to one of them. It takes only a few seconds longer to realize that he has an ally with him as well. The man with the gray beard, clearly the leader, shouts something to his own small army and they all raise their weapons of axes and pitchforks, poised to strike at the heart of the wolves. I scoff to myself. They're still not scared enough to run. Let's see how valiant they are with the remainder of the pack.

I bark out to the rest of my pack and they creep silently from their position out into the open. Now, the men's chorus of rampaging has been replaced by a great orchestra of snarls and sharp barks. Hundreds of pointed teeth glint in the arriving dawn light. The cloaked men huddle in a circle with their backs to each other, facing the ring of predators advancing. Some hands tremble as they hold their weapons. Other hands are steady and confident. I grimace. I can't say I counted on them having the courage to face a whole pack by themselves. I have a plan, in case they did, of course. I never wanted to resort to it, but I will not have anyone dying this morning, neither man nor beast. I take a deep breath and set my paw forward, melting from the shadows to reveal the rumored "demon" of Kells.

Before I can take another step, I hear a cry of thunder. I watch in horror as the shortest of the bunch, a young man with blonde, overgrown hair thrusts the teeth of his pitchfork into one of the wolves, one of my faithful soldiers. All other wolves are standing still, the dying shriek of their brother resonating through theirs and my own blood. None of the other men make a move, either. All eyes are on the speared wolf, using his last movements to paw at the fork lodged into his heart. I watch in horror as the paw gradually slows down. First, his hind legs give out under his weight. Then, the third front leg. After few precious seconds, the struggling leg goes limp and so does the rest of his life. Red mixes with black as a puddle of his blood flows from my faithful follower. It's fast and painful like a dagger slicing through my heart. My breath becomes stuck in my throat. My body trembles as I watch him, waiting for him to move, praying for a sign that he's okay even though it's no use. He's gone. I feel my heart drop far below me like a rock as I stare at his motionless body. A sound rises within me. At first it is like a pained wail. Then, it erupts into a shrill shriek filled with sadness, distress, and hatred mixed into one bloodcurdling scream mixing with wolf howls.

Suddenly, my legs start racing all on their own and I am thrusting my claws at the group of men in the center. It seems to last less than a second before my teeth are around the wooden pole that held the pitchfork the boy held, still dripping with blood. My neck jerks back and forth to loosen the boy's grip on the weapon. Red drops splatter from the movement all over the grass, my white fur, and the men's cloaks. The rest of the trespassers finally recover from surprise and aim their weapons at me. The gray-bearded leader finally speaks in a language I understand. "The demon, my brothers!" Then, he reverts back to his own language and raises his axe, aimed at me. I see the metal glinting in the faint light out of the corner of my eye, but I have no time to react. My teeth pry themselves out of the wood as the blade is coming down on my neck.

A flash of black dashes across my field of vision. The axe is removed from it's poise and I back up further to safety. To the side, the man is lying on the ground with the wolf that attacked on top of him. I see more blood spurting from the man's chest. The wolf's teeth are lodged right where his heart is, gnawing at the vital organ that keeps the man alive. The hounds lets go of his grip and backs off. Shreds of flesh are piled on his chest and the pool of blood grows bigger still. The man is motionless. There is no way he could have lived for a second more.

That one attack sets off the rest of the pack like a delicate and fragile landslide being awakened from it's slumber. My pack attacks the men at the center in waves. Metal meets with teeth and both battle in a fierce war for supremacy of the forest. Jaws clamp over anything foreign to the forest whether it be a weapon or a human limb. Blood is spouting high into the air and landing with a splash in the earth below for the grass to drink. I watch, silently horrified as both human and wolf hit the ground with a thud, dead. Each give out mortified cries of pain, of death, of mourning. I watch the larger one fall to the ground, trying to scramble away. The leader is calling for him to come back as he swings wildly at a group of four wolves elusively circling him, waiting for an opening. The other man escapes into the forest, on the run, before any other wolves take notice. But, the gray-bearded man watches the last of his foot disappear behind the thickets. That is the opening. One wolf pounces and sinks his teeth into the heart of the man. He does not so much as shriek, but groans as his knees hit the ground hard. In a matter of seconds, his heart has stopped.

Most sound has died away. There are little more cries. I scan the ground. Four wolves dead. One man escaped. The other three are dead...

No. The pack circles around one body among the carnage. It is the young man that landed the first blow. He lies still, but his breaths are shallow. Two dead. One escaped. One still holding on to the last shreds of life. My pack makes way for me to approach the man. I take a deep breath and pick up one of the daggers that was carried by a man lying further off yet, dead. I don't pick it up with my teeth, though. I pick it up with my hands.

I crawl on my hands and knees to the side of the man. His eyes wander across the forest roof until he spots me kneeling by his side. He cannot avert his gaze as his mouth hangs agape. His eyes glisten with tears that sparkle in the dawn light. He starts muttering pleas to me. "Please, faerie. Spare me." I swallow hard and hold the knife up to his throat. "Y-you are not the demon that they say you are! You are not evil, faerie!" My own tears splatter onto his cheekbones, my hands are trembling and I shake my head side to side.

"Yes..." My hand gives way and the blade does it's job. "I am."


	15. Chapter 15: The Killer of Kells

Chapter 15

The Killer of Kells

My paws tread gently on the ground with a gossamer touch. Each hound that follows me has their heads hung low. Some have the bodies of the men on their backs. The massive dogs easily carry the weight. The walls of the abbey come into view, their crumbling structure displaying only the charred remains of the skeleton. Wood is splintered in areas and ivy crawls up the pillars. The only area kept in fair maintenance is the large wooden doors. However, they are kept ajar. I saw the watchmen from miles away and I heard them receive the signal to open the doors. However, only one would be crazy enough to open to doors to a pack of wolves carrying the bloody, dead bodies of their brethren.

Every other villager is tucked away in his or her hut. Brendan stands at the Abby entrance, staring in disbelief and disappointment at me. His red cloaks drop down to the ground and are a little torn at the hem. The cloth is old, but overall kept in good condition. This is the first time I have ever seen the Abbott robes up close.

The wolves step forward and lay down the bodies on the grass, mere feet away from Brendan. He does not even blink as the limbs slump to the ground. He stares in horror at the bodies. My pack retreats into the forest, leaving only me and Brendan in the cool dawn. His lips form gentle whispers that I hear as clear as a bell. "Leave. Now."

I back up on my hind legs before turning to leave, tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. His two words keep resounding in my head, pounding into my skull with every step I take until my mind is like a beating drum, chanting those two words in a horrible rhythm. After what seems like ages, when the abbey is far behind me, two different words are replaced with the old pair.

_I'm sorry._


	16. Chapter 16: The Gift

_Chapter 16_

_The Gift_

"_Come on, mother!" she grips two of my fingers in her tiny hand, pulling me along over protruding roots. My back hunches over as I attempt to keep up with her. Her quick feet weave in and out of the proud trees. She knows where to jump and where every stone or twig is and, yet, she does not look down to see what her feet are doing and where that are going. They just move like a graceful spirit all on their own. She does not travel through the forest. She travels with it. _

"_Please, Aisling, slow down!" I puff out. She listens and slows her pace a bit. "What is it that you wanted to show me?"_

"_I met a bunch of new friends!" My back stiffens and I stop suddenly._

"_You what!?" She turns back and happily trots up to me._

"_I met new friends! They're all really nice."_

"_But, how is that possible? No one lives back here!" My little daughter cocks her head to the side._

"_There are plenty of friends here, mother." Her delicate, tiny fingers brush against the trunk of a tree. The gentle fingertips trace the edges and curves of the jagged bark like she was caressing it. Her chin lifts up at the canopy and she smiles. My gaze darts from her to the tree. _

"_Are you... friends with the tree?" Aisling pauses and starts giggling a bit._

"_No! That's just silly, mother!" Much of me is relieved. Some of me is still skeptical. Then, I realize what she means by "friends"._

"_Oh, you mean the animals, right?" It makes sense. They must have accepted her as another creature. She has lived in the forest for years, after all._

"_Yes, I am friends with a lot of them, but they're not my only friends. The forest is my friend, mother." She raises her eyebrows as I tilt my head in confusion. She further explains and takes my hand. "You're my mother, right? But, this finger-" she lifts my index finger as she cradles the rest in her tiny palm. "-is not my mother. Same with the forest. The tree is part of my friend, but it is not my friend itself." I look from Aisling to the tree and I understand her analogy. I understand her friendship with her environment. It is her sole home, therefore, her friend. _

_Two vibrant-colored birds fly down from the canopy and perch on Aisling's shoulder. I grin as Aisling notes their arrival and whispers softly to them in a hushed voice. "Do you think you could introduced me to all your friends." Aisling smiles and nods. It appears that I have learned two things about my daughter today. One: she is growing older and wiser to acknowledge beings that are not as they appear. Two: her gifts of connection to the earth are growing fast. Such gifts are a rarity in the supernatural powers in the hierarchy of Tuatha de Dannan gods and goddesses. I have seen such gifts before, posses some myself. The ability to connect with other beings on a spiritual level; it seems Aisling manifests just that gift._


	17. Chapter 17: The Demon Catchers

Chapter 17

The Demon Catchers

_I can't see her. I look around frantically among all the chaos, the flames, the shrieking. I hear voices lifted up in a ghostly chorus of devastation. The scent of smoke and soot overtakes my lungs and breathing makes my chest burn in pain. Tears are welling up in my eyes and I can't make them stop. People are running in the opposite direction that I am. I know them. I never forget a face that has the image of pure terror in their eyes. The screams grow louder, but I can't pay attention to them. I can't save everybody. Then, I hear her. A cry in fear that lifts higher than the rest, the last sound she makes before the silence._

I wake up with a start, swishing my ears around and on full alertness. I still feel the heat of the fire, the pain in my lungs, and the ring of her shriek. My paws shake and my fur stands straight upward. My breath is rapid, forcing air in and out of my body. I realize that I am in wolf form. Did I fall asleep that way? Memories from last night are shrouded in my mind. I remember hunkering down in the protruding roots of the willow tree. The roots form walls around my bed of fallen leaves nestled tightly against the trunk.

I look up to find the twinkling stars in a gap between two branches, lighting a clustered streak of white across the sky. Somehow, the sight of it makes me calm. My heart rate slows to a normal pace and my muscles relax again. The shining beacons of white light illuminate the sky like a firefly show on a warm August night. It is almost beautiful how the stars don't change. They are almost always the same, no matter where or when one sees them. Unlike my up-and-down mountain range of life as of late, the stars are the one reliable and clear being in this world. All else seems to be shrouded in mist.

I rest my head on my paws but I do not close my eyes. I don't want to go back to sleep. I'm afraid to drift off into another nightmare. Another horrible nightmare filled with the raised voices of the dead. My white tail curls around my legs tucked underneath, reassuring myself that nothing can hurt me and I am safe in the security of the forest. My eyes drift shut and I even out my breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. It seems to work and I feel my consciousness ebbing away with every breath.

I don't even notice the intruders until the net comes over me.

As soon as the net touches skin, I lash out like a mad wolf to anything close enough to tear to shreds. I quickly realize, with the sudden weight pushing me down towards the ground, that the net is made of chain-links. Heavy chain-links. I move my snout around to find any opening and it pokes through the net. Only my mouth actually emerges outside the small holes in the chain-links. I can't even open my jaw without the metal bars biting into my skin. I yelp out in pain and draw back. My head whirls in circles, searching for a way out, an escape. I try to jump to my hind legs, testing the strength of the net. The heavy chains pull me back to the ground, stuck in the grass as if they are bricks.

I search around again for an escape route, but what comes into view are three men, instead. They emerge from behind the tree and tilt their head as they stare at the creature they captured. One of them whispers something that I can't quite make out as they watch me flail against the net. Another holds a torch closer to his face and I stop moving for just one second. The one with the torch is short with a very long, white beard. His eyebrows match the color of his beard and are raised in surprise at the rumored "demon wolf". That face is a face I recognize. I don't know his name, exactly, but I do know that he is not just an ordinary villager seeking a home. He is a monk, living in the monastery as a brother. Not only that, however. He is one of the close followers of Brendan. The light shines on the other two and I determine that they are brothers as well. Their motive becomes clear, then. They've betrayed Brendan to come capture me!

The three brothers get to work in surrounding the net, seizing an edge of my prison. I fight, I struggle, I do everything I can but, it is no use. The brothers join the edges together and close the edge of the net. I am knocked off my feet with my back against the chains. They pinch and tear into my spine. I tell myself not to cry, not to even wince. I maintain my vicious growl at the brothers. They don't turn around. They work together to drag me across the uneven terrain. Mud coats my white fur and I can feel bruises already forming from the rocks and roots that roll under my body. Every single ounce of me screams in pain and anger. And there is nothing that can be done about it.

I must have fallen asleep fairly close to the abbey because it does not take long until the ground smooths out to a worn, dirt path that is, thankfully, smooth. The gates are already open, but no one mans it. Everyone is sleeping in their huts. The entire abbey is quiet. Even though there is no one outside, I still tremble as if there are thousands of eyes boring down upon me. I have only been in the abbey twice. Once was to break Brendan out of his bedroom as a child. The second time is when I am being dragged to whatever fate the brothers have for me. I am dragged past hut after hut. My head swerves in all directions, trying to predict the destination of where they plan to take me. I don't even consider the possibility of the tower until it looms over me.

My neck arches to take in the massive structure. It is just as I remember it, looming and gray. The window at the top is dark. Brendan is asleep. I am about to let out as loud a bark as I can manage with my limited energy when the monks throw open the door and rush me inside. The jostling makes the sound stuck in my throat. I hear the door slam behind me, but I am focusing on the door in front of me. The shorter brother unlatches the trapdoor and hurls it open. It is the same trapdoor I saved Brendan from when we were children. The three brothers work together and push my back, soaking with blood towards the edge. My paws hang over the hole to the darkness below. I flail to get back and my muscles come to life again. I push back, but they push forward. It is a battle of supremacy of animal versus man. The claws that tip my paws scratch against the wood, but the combined monks overpower my massive structure and push me over the edge.

Suddenly, I have the frightening sensation of falling, falling into the abyss. I land hard on my side and the pain screeches through me. The chains flop to my side. I feel too paralysed to move, too frozen to cry, to terrified to think about anything else than the pain and my fate. As I lay there, still on the ground, I hear the door slam shut above me. Thus, plunging me in the pitch of night.


	18. Chapter 18: A Light in the Dark

Chapter 18

A Light in the Dark

Sometime in the past hour, I think I switched back to my humanoid form. Normally, I'm able to determine something as simple as that, but I still feel so numb from the kidnapping endeavour, I cannot determine anything anymore. My thoughts crash through my mind like a lightning storm. My back is pressed against a corner and my knees are pulled as close to my chest as possible. Tears fall in steady streams from my eyes. How did they find me? What do they plan to do with me? I shiver uncontrollably at the thought of all the possible options that my captors can carry out. They may be monks but, if they think I am a demon, they will have no qualms about killing me. I have only one hope. Brendan. Surely, he does not know of this plan, but the monks will tell him. They can't keep me in his former bedroom forever without telling him that there is a demon in his tower. My last hope lies in him.

Suddenly, the door above opens and light streams in. A hooded figure kneels at the edge of the trapdoor and starts climbing down. I shrink back into the corner. What sort of horrors do they have planned for me, now? The silhouette reaches the bottom as I gain enough sense required to begin to transform into my wolf form. That is, until I see who the man is. He removes his hood with one hand while holding a candle stick with the other. My muscles relax and I am back in my humanoid form. I grin so wide that my cheeks begin to ache. "Brendan..." I whisper. The small, yet, powerful flame casts shadows across his soft face. I use the wall to push myself to my feet and start running, running towards his open arms. I collapse in his hug and sob into his cloak. His callused hands rest tenderly on my upper back and he strokes my wild hair smooth. "I-I knew you'd come." I manage to choke out between gasps.

"It's okay. I'm here, Aisling." he soothes. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, Aisling. Forgive me and forgive them. The villagers were all terrified and they believed something had to be done." I release one of my arms to wipe the tears dry from my face. He's here. He's here with me. Any tightness in my chest has been released all at once. I am laughing and crying at the same time in a semi-hysterical sob. Everything is alright. My insane breaths even out enough to speak.

"The sooner you can tell them I'm not a demon, the sooner I can go home, right?"

"Yes, Aisling. Exactly. I'm so glad you understand." I'm smiling all over again.

"I just knew you'd come! I knew you'd set me free!" There is a long silence as I wait for a response. I break away to arms length from our embrace to stare intently into his ice-blue eyes. "I am getting out of here, right?"

"Yes, of course but-"

"-But what?" I cut him off. He sighs.

"You will get out of here. Just, maybe not now. Maybe not for a while..." I let go entirely and take a step back as if his words are poison.

"What? I don't underst-"

"I sent the brothers for your capture, Aisling. I told them to bring you here." My eyes grow wide in shock.

"Brendan... why?!"

"Aisling, I love you. You will forever be my friend. Yet, in light of your recent actions, the rest of the abbey and I have deemed you extremely dangerous. You are hereby confined to this room until you see enough sense that your actions are never to be repeated. I won't release you until you can prove to me and the rest of the abbey that you are harmless." Each word he speaks feels like a dagger is tearing through my heart. My legs and arms go numb and I am speechless in disbelief. In one swift motion, I fall to my knees. I feel like I am being drained of any energy. I can no longer support my weight, so I kneel on the ground. Betrayed. The word "betrayed" is what hammers inside my skull the most among "helpless", "killer", "demon", " friend". All words that I am labeled with. I find the strength to speak again and I scowl with a shaky voice.

"S-so you're j-just leaving me here!?" Brendan offers me a hand up, but I do not make a move towards his open palm, just as I hadn't back in the forest many days ago when he offered me a place in Kells. When he sees that I have no intention of taking his hand, he lets it drop to his side.

"I had no other choice. Everyone else wants you dead. All of them, even the brothers, believe you are an evil devil in wolf-form. They were ready to stab you and the rest of your pack to death out of fear. I convinced them that the 'devil' could be removed from you and they agreed. Aisling, my hands are tied." Brendan gestures to the space around him. "I'm afraid this room is going to be your home for a while." It takes me a few moments to digest his words.

"You think that I am a devil, then?" He shakes his head.

"Of course not. I know you are not a devil nor is a devil possessing you. You are just a child that has wandered far from the right path. I am going to keep the abbey believing that you are a devil, however. To preserve your innocence." I shake my head back and forth over and over. My friend, my best friend, he is now a warden and I am a prisoner.

"How could you do this?" I whisper.

"What I am doing is for your own good, Aisling."

"Lies. It's all lies."

"I did not lie!" He barks at me. "I said that, when I can honestly tell the villagers that you are no longer a demon, you can go free. But, that means that you have to change before that happens." I look down. I can't bear to even look at him anymore. I hear him let out a sigh and his footsteps as they retreat back to the ladder. "I'll bring you your meals. Please know that it is not forever." With that, the boards of the wooden rungs begin to creak under his weight. I keep my head down and clench my fists until I hear the door slam shut and the lock slides into place. I breath in deep and collapse into tears, right then and there. Warm, salty water crawls between my lips as I gasp for air in between hysterical sobs. The distressed song of my weeping goes on long into the night until consciousness finally gives way to sleep.


End file.

Secret of Kells, Fantasy, Friendship