Our Land

Chapter 4 - Wren Meets Kristen

Our people had existed in these woods for hundreds of years without having to deal with humans. Most of the previous people who had owned this place were only here a few weeks of the year either to hunt or to cut wood. It had been easy to stay out of their way. In fact, we would often set enchanted objects about through the woods that would encourage the people to stay away. When the buildings and fencing started going up, we got concerned. Once the sheep arrived and a woman moved into the smaller building, we were sure that this was the end of us.

Then something strange happened. She drove back and forth, back and forth for days transporting one sheep at a time in her tiny car. She played with them. Sat out in the grasses with them and fed them treats. She did not go off into the woods and she did not bring a bunch of others with her. In fact, once the construction was done, even the hunters that would have normally been wondering about this time of year were nowhere to be found. It was peak coyote season, and no hunters or traps to be found. This woman was certainly a curiosity.

When we decided to make contact with her, it was our leader that went first. I stayed in the trees until he had her inside of the smaller building and approached as he asked me to. I saw the control he was able to have over her and hoped that he was still safe. As he opened the door, I saw the woman laying on the couch and knew instantly why things had changed. Whether this woman knew it or not, she was at least half fae.

“Wren, can you please sit with this woman until she wakes up and figure out what is going on?” Tigen, our leader, could be very matter of fact when he wanted to be. I wondered if he had also felt her fae side.

“Will you be leaving me alone with her then?” I asked Tigen as I pulled up a chair beside the couch. Just because we chose to live in the forest away from man didn’t mean we knew nothing of what being a man was about. We were each required to live out with the humans for a year before we were allowed to be recognized as an adult. This was supposed to teach us caution and understanding for their kind and to help us deal with them when we met them in the woods.

“You will be staying with her as long as you need to, to ensure that we are going to be safe. Try to figure out why she has built here, and how long she intends to stay.” Tigen walked out the door and shut it without another word. I was left staring at a sleeping human with not even so much as her name to figure her out. What would I say when she woke up!

Her eyes fluttered open and she shot to an upright position on the couch with her arms wrapped around her tightly. She met my stare with sheer terror and scooted back as far as she could on the couch. I could tell that she was looking around the room for something, but I wasn’t sure just what.

“Why are you here and what do you want?” She spoke to me, but she did not look at me. Her eyes were darting around the room still looking for something.

“We were curious about you, but I think that sitting here in front of you, I understand a little more. My name is Wren, and the other that you met was our leader Tigen.” Wren held his hands out to the woman and waited for her to take them. He waited for a long time before he realized that she did not understand the simple greeting that he had offered.

“I mean you no harm and am only here to speak with you about what you are doing living on our lands.” This stopped her from looking around and now she was staring directly into Wren’s eyes.

“My name is Kristen and I purchased this land. It is my land and I would like to ask you to leave my house and leave me alone.” Kristen was slowly getting her confidence back, but Wren could tell that she was still afraid of him.

Wren hopped up off the chair and landed softly beside Kristen on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug and leaned in close to her ear. “We are not here to hurt you, and this has been our land for hundreds of years. It is my job to determine if you are here to hurt us or not. Please do not give me a reason to decide you are bad. It would not end well for either of us.” He squeezed her for a moment after speaking before letting her go. As he pulled his arms away, Wren felt a sudden rush of freezing cold. This was not good, this feeling. Not good at all.