Perched
1591 Words
Chapter 007: Perched
The young man carried Anindira in his arms through the forest as it grew darker and darker. Every step he took was steady, almost soundless, even though the burden in his embrace was far from light.
HOP. HOP. HOP.
Anindira jolted.
Her body rose and fell with each powerful leap, making her instinctively tighten her arms around the young man's shoulders.
A strange mix of fear and awe overtook her.
The young man was not merely walking.
He was leaping—from root to trunk, from trunk to branch—then onto even higher branches. His movements were agile, powerful, wild... yet perfectly controlled.
Before Anindira truly realized it, the world had transformed into a sea of leaves shimmering beneath the last traces of dusk.
He was taking her upward.
Higher. Climbing without pause.
Does he have springs in his legs?! Anindira thought in panic. How can he jump this far and this high while carrying me?! I weigh almost fifty kilograms!
When the young man finally stopped on a large, sturdy, flat branch, Anindira's breath caught in her throat.
The night wind brushed against her face. Moonlight filtering through gaps in the leaves revealed just how high they were.
One step toward the edge, and everything would be over.
The young man seemed completely unaffected. Calmly, he cleared the surface of the branch, brushing away moss and fallen leaves.
“A little uncomfortable, but this is better,” he said flatly, though there was relief in his voice.
“It just so happens that tonight is a full moon. I deliberately looked for a place where the moonlight could reach us—so you would be able to see your surroundings.”
Anindira swallowed hard.
Her legs trembled, not only because of the height, but also because of the uncertainty that had followed her ever since she met this young man.
“Come here. Sit.”
The young man patted the cleared section of the branch.
Anindira hesitated, but obeyed.
She sat down carefully, trying to maintain her balance.
When the young man moved closer and reached for her ankle, she flinched.
“Wait—”
“Don't be afraid,” he said, responding to her reflexive reaction without even looking up. “I'm only checking your injury.”
He examined the cut on the sole of her foot, his brows drawing together.
“It will sting. Endure it. If it isn't treated immediately, your injury will worsen.”
Without delay, he began crushing the leaves he had gathered along the way. A strong herbal scent filled the air as he carefully applied the paste to Anindira's wound.
Anindira squirmed, enduring the sharp sting that quickly spread up her calf.
The young man blew gently over the wound again and again—a warm breeze that somehow felt soothing.
His movements were meticulous. Almost gentle.
A complete contrast to the brutal strength he had displayed while carrying her to the treetops.
Under the moonlight, for a moment, time seemed to stop.
There was only the whisper of the wind...
The throbbing pain in Anindira's foot...
And the strange young man patiently blowing on her injury as though it were the most important thing in the world.
“Thank you,” Anindira said softly, gazing at the young man who had guided her through the darkness and treated her wound.
“I'm sorry for not trusting you earlier.”
The young man looked at her. His *Sapphire-blue eyes shifted beneath the dim moonlight. There was something difficult to describe in his gaze, yet Anindira could only stare back.
Where exactly is the gatekeeper of hell? Anindira thought, unable to take her eyes off him. And where's the grim reaper, huh?!
Once again, reality struck her.
The young man was... handsome.
Tanned skin, masculine features, and a strong build that inspired both security and unease.
The one I thought was the gatekeeper of hell? He's... gentle, Anindira murmured inwardly, unable to stop the small smile that appeared on her lips. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at him.
For several seconds, the forest, the cold night air, and the sounds of mist creeping through the leaves seemed to disappear.
There was only Anindira and the young man, standing atop the trees beneath the full moon's glow, its light illuminating both their faces and revealing all the tangled emotions that words could not express.
“You've done it again...”
The young man's voice cut through her thoughts, firm yet flat.
“Do you know that what you're doing is extremely dangerous? If I were convinced that you were deliberately trying to tempt me, I...” He paused briefly. “...would immediately become mates with you. But for some reason, I doubt you even know what you're doing. So I'll wait... until we're able to communicate properly.”
Anindira stared at him, confused and curious at the same time.
“I... I really don't understand what you're saying,” she muttered quietly. “Are we actually having a two-way conversation?”
The young man leaned forward slightly, his sharp yet expressionless eyes examining Anindira's clothing.
“You are a strange woman... I don't know whether those clothes were given to you by your parents, or whether you're forced to wear them.”
Anindira followed his gaze.
She looked down and realized that she was wearing nothing more than blue track pants with black stripes rolled up to her knees and a dark gray short-sleeved shirt still damp from playing in the river earlier.
She was barefoot.
Her feet were completely unprotected—the reason for the cuts on her soles, and also why the young man had worried about her and guided her out of the wilderness.
The forest around them was dense. The night mist thickened, while the sounds of leaves and insects filled the air.
Moonlight slipped through gaps in the canopy, casting narrow beams that illuminated their faces—tense, mysterious, as though the night itself was holding its breath, waiting for what would happen next.
The silence was shattered by distant howls answering one another, whether from dogs or wolves.
Night insects deepened the gloomy atmosphere with their buzzing and the rasping of their wings.
Owls and crows occasionally called back and forth, while the beating of wings echoed from directions impossible to determine.
Amid it all, Anindira rested her chin on her bent knees and wrapped her arms around her legs, her heart pounding rapidly.
Eek...
Is a forest always like this at night? Or is it because I'm so far away from my family?
The young man turned and looked at her with sharp eyes.
“You are afraid?” he asked, his tone flat but attentive.
Anindira looked back at him, brows furrowed and face pitiful as she tried to understand his meaning.
No verbal answer came.
Only an anxious gaze lingered between them.
“Don't be afraid,” the young man finally said, a faint smile appearing on his face.
His hand gently stroked Anindira's head.
“I am here... protecting you.”
His voice was soft and soothing, piercing through the darkness and the fear that surrounded her.
Anindira could only stare at him, feeling a small measure of comfort amidst the terrifying night.
“Here,” the young man said, raising a small tree branch. “So that you can sleep comfortably...”
He began plucking leaves from the branch.
Crushing them in his hands, he tried to rub the leaves onto Anindira's skin.
Instinctively, Anindira pulled back slightly, startled and wary.
The young man was equally surprised by her reaction, staring at her intently while remaining patient.
However, the moment Anindira caught the distinctive essential-oil scent of the leaves and realized their purpose—
Mosquito repellent.
She smiled faintly and slowly extended her hand, allowing him to apply the crushed leaves.
The moment the first touch reached her skin, Anindira winced in pain.
Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
“Ahh... ow... it stings...” Her voice trembled.
“It hurts?” the young man asked, immediately pulling his hand away.
His face remained expressionless, but concern was obvious in his eyes.
“I will find something else,” he said, preparing to leave.
But Anindira quickly stopped him, looking at him pleadingly, unwilling to let him walk away.
“AHH! SIR...” Anindira cried out, grabbing the young man's muscular hand as he started to rise.
“Sir, wait!... Wait a moment!” she exclaimed, still holding his wrist.
“Let me see those leaves!” she added, pointing toward the remaining leaves and extending her hand.
“These?” the young man asked, lifting the bundle of leafy twigs.
Anindira nodded with a smile.
She accepted the leaves, examined them, inhaled their scent, then tore off a small piece and lightly touched it to her tongue.
That's right, these are eucalyptus leaves!
A sweet smile appeared on her face.
“It's okay... It stings because my body is covered in scrapes. But this is actually very good. It helps wounds heal faster and prevents infection,” she explained to the young man, even though she knew he would not understand a word she was saying.
However, her smile quickly faded.
A long sigh escaped her lips, replaced by disappointment.
“Huft... come to think of it... I probably won't be able to go to a hospital either...” Anindira murmured, forcing a bitter smile as her brows knit slightly at the mention of a hospital.
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