The one in front of her jarred it’s teeth, and a low growl escaped from deep in it’s chest. A snarl distorting its face. The pangs intensified. Demi wavered back, balancing with her hands to make sure she wouldn’t trip. She couldn’t hear the one behind her. But if she would turn to look, the one in front of her might pounce. They converged in on her, growling, snarling. Wolves threatening her life like hellish monsters. Demi would cry again. She would refuse to let the thought of dyeing, seep through. She would-----
A wind swept, when they came. With what looked like a quick surge of power, he was infront of Demi. Now she looked at his muscular back, writhing smoothly under the texture of his gray shirt. Demi saw his feet wide. His pale fists clutched into a ball. She saw as he stood beteen her and the beast, snapped his head to the second one, didn’t heed to the one behind her. She saw as the wolf stopped, and its menacing snarl melt. The second one did this too. The third was a mystery.
The boy exchanged penetrating looks with the animals. They seemed to survey him with beady eyes, surprised at the new addition to the meal. Demi shudder as she trailed the word, A meal. Demi’s pounding heart was now deafening. Loud, banging. Demi heard, as it echoed in her ribcage. Thudded with loudness, until it seemed to reverberate in the glade. The breaths were thin, coming out of her mouth only in strained quavering.
The boy was statuesque, and the wolves for a long while, assumed the same position. It seemed to Demi that mutiny would erupt. She imagined the beasts tearing his perfect body into red chunks of flesh. But amidst all the fear, and surrender she had planned to show to the wolves, Demi ogled subtly. A hint of happiness had tinged her. The thought of him in her glade. The thought of him protecting her. Demi liked that.
It was in confusion, when Demi saw this. The first wolf retracted back. The second one did the same. The third was a mystery. Then, it turned around, tail now wagging daintily to the boy. It skidded off the grass, scurring to the willows. Deep within the green of trees. Yelping, Yapping, Squealing. The cacophony of terrified dogs faded quickly then, deep within the green of tress. A serene silence settled, and Demi released a breath of relief.
His hair was frosty when he turned to Demi. His body turning to her, pale face shadowed stylishly by his hair. He slid his snow hands into the pockets of his black jeans. His expression was unreadable when he sauntered to Demi. Then her eyes caught in to his. They burned her back, and Demi felt her feet wobble slightly. She would fall. The attractive boy now looked at her. And she looked at him. The attractive boy was now glorified by the warm, green tainted light. Deoderant Boy.
His expression was blank. But then Demi saw, as he seemed to swallow something sour. A grimace, then a soft frown. His eyes searched over Demi. She had imagined being nervous of his words of approval. It was autonomous when she did this. Jerked her hand in front “Hi…I’m Demi”. But he was silent.
Silence. Demi would escape from it. She did. “We’ve met before,” She said, forcing the surprise in her tone. His face was still. Icy. Demi flushed. She would accept that she’d made a fool of herself. But he spoke, creeping his hand out of his pocket to revive Demi’s, “Hi Demi…I’m Skythe!”
But the sentence was forced. Demi was hit by his mystery. Lured by his handsome voice. It took her a while, to fumble back to reality. She saw his hand, and quickly reached out to it before it dissapeard. It was cold. As if he’d dipped it in a freezing pool. Demi feared that she had gaped. She looked into his eyes, “Hi...S? She forgot his name!
Demi groped frantically in her mind. She was sure that she was blushing now. She realized with shock, that he had saved her. He was smirking, a small smile flickering, “Skythe” he said. Demi saw a white smile. She liked that. “Umm…Yeah, sorry Skythe” The name touched her with allure. Skythe. He sounded like a movie star. Demi liked that.
Demi was releived to see the smile linger. She looked into his eyes when he said, “Don’t worry…It’s not a common name. Even Demi”
Demi hadn’t heard what he had said, but she nodded. His eyes were fierce. Beautiful. “You seem pale Demi…come” Demi’s breath was cut when she felt his hands soft around her waist. She would fall. The crush was overwhelming. His presence. The way he led her to her gray rock, hands soft around her waist. She smelt it then. Exotic fruits, chocolate. He was perfect. Demi sat on her rock, and she saw a satisfied smile spill on him, now standing a few feet away from her.
“There!” he said, “The shock will die away now. You’ll soon forget about those mutts”
Demi’s heart leaped. She remembered. The wolves. She could have died. But he had saved her. She had to rehearse the sentence first, before she could say it, “Oh! I’m so sorry. I don’t know…Thank you! You don’t know how grateful-thank you…Skythe.”
He smirked again, “Don’t worry. The damsel in distress usually is swept away by the hero, before she can thank him” Demi flushed. He knew. He had seen. Demi’s attraction was broadcasted. She would cover up the embarrassment on her face, with her hands. But this was all she was saying, “Thank you.”

The feelings had spun in a drunken frenzy. Demi sat on her rock, silently watching him. And he observed her, the blank expression settled again. His eyebrows struggled to meet then. Hands tucking in his pocket, “I’m so sorry Demi…for coming to you like this, you must be wondering how on earth I could have known that you were in danger”
The words provoked Demi to a real curiosity. The only feeling that had defaced her frenzied crush. “Yeah…so how did you know?”
He peeped out his white teeth, “I’m a super hero. I heard you with my spidey-sense”
Demi chuckled, “A superhero?”
“Yeah” he said, “But his voice was soft again. Apologetic, ”Yeah I just joking there. But I just heard about this beautiful clearing in the middle of the Wolf Mountains. I’m sort of..what you may call a ‘nature fanatic’
Demi’s eyes sprang up, “You like nature! Me too!”
He smiled. But he didn’t look surprised, “You like nature too!”
Demi nodded enthusiastically, “I study Biology in school” This was said through a wide smile.
Demi saw him walk closer then. He said this in an audible whisper, “Figures.”
“What?”
“Demi…You spend all of your time surrounded by nature, don’t tell anyone about it, and study Biology in school. You are the type of girl who is oppressed by society…I bet you haven’t told anyone that you want to be a biologist”
Demi’s head bent to his truth. “Right” she mumbled. But the thought punched her. How did he know she came here? He had said she was ‘surrounded by nature’ not telling anyone. Demi spoke, saying just that, “How did you know I come here and not tell anyone?”
Demi had thought he would smile, but she saw a slight frown, “I came here and hadn’t told anyone too” Demi saw the smile grow. She liked that. “I know a person who sneaks to fantasy when I see one!”
The conversation between them was warm. The boy…deodorant boy, was sweet. Demi smiled at his truth, “So you and I are both alike in that way”
Demi liked it when she saw a warm smile, “Hm! And we only just met”
“And we only just met” Demi assured. She felt as her body was warm. The feelings that had overwhelmed her were dyeing. But then she felt them surge, as she remembered again, “How did you scare away the wolves?” The chill lashed at her. The snarling wolves. The ones that could have attacked her. Killed her. But he had saved her. He had scared them away. Demi hadn’t heard what he had said. She only snatched him when he said,
“I learnt it some few years back. Animals are easy to manipulate with a little research.”
Demi smiled, “That’s nice”
Skythe leaned in on Demi. Trudged forward. The smell came to her. An exotic fruit, decorated with water droplets. At that, the adrenaline rushed in her blood.
The silence came. He looked Demi, eyes searching. Demi looked helplessly back at him. Silent. His forehead was taught when he said this, “How would you take to a little story?”
The imprompyu question fuddled Demi at first. She trailed behind it, and made sense of it. “Ok?” she said, as it finally lodged in her mind. She breathed. Like him, slid her palms in her pockets,
“I know it mind sound bizarre, but what I’m about to tell you is true”
“Ok” Demi said, ready to dive into his words. It was in a quick movement when he clapped his hands together,
“Right…The story I’m about to tell you has a name…Forlon”
Demi’s eyebrows arched. That intriguing she thought,
Demi hadn’t anticipated it, but she saw the frown again. This time suffused with a look of worry and concern. He began, “After the creation of the earth, humanity has strived through, life’s ups and downs. But there are people who experience more pain than others. Not physical, nut mental. And we all know that mental pain is the most maddening type of pain there is…” He trailed off. His forheard. Creased in pensive thought, as if he was drawing on some painful past experience. The seemed more like a lecture. But Demi had been spellbound to be attentive to it. Attentive to him.
“There are other’s who have more faith. And pray to…your God, hoping that he’ll get them through. But there are others, who see no significance in the teachings of God, and resort to other options” His voice was grave when he said this. Demi hugged her waist. The chills that ran over her were tittering. Religious stories had always terrified her. She knew that they were always real. She knew that if Skythe’s story was of religious gloom, surely it had to be real. And she would be terrified.
“You must wonder what these option’s are…Demi?”
His eyes burnt through the question. Demi would fall of her rock. They were fierce. Beautiful. But she resisted, and forced herself to say in a squeaky, and helpless voice, “Yeah”
“The other’s, who have become an outcast to the holy, are offered another option. To sell their soul to the Devil”
Demi shuddered. He continued, “He comes, and uses the name of Lucifer, appears to you in the most human form he could manage.” His voice was grave. Intent. “Lucifer promises them a second chance of life, eliminating their emotions, which he belives is what causes them pain. Pulling them out of humanity, bu giving them hellish abilities. And asking for their servitude, in return for an eternal life on earth”
Demi listed to this in gaping awe. She saw as he swallowed something sour, his chest bulging. The gleam desperation on his face was pitying, but beautiful. “These people, servants to the Devil, they call themselves…Forlorn” He grimaced when he said that. Then. Silence. Demi had contemplated ferreting out of it. Silence. It took her a while to realize that the story had come to an end. Now his eyes scorched on her, asking for feedback.
“Wow” was all Demi had managed to say.
“Demi..I trust you have listened carefully, because this concerns you”
Demi’s finger stabbed her chest, “Me?”
He nodded. Walked closer to Demi. Poured his face to hers. She looked deep in the shadow of is eyes. Smelt his enticing scent. His warm breath, stroked her nose. His firm arms supporting their muscle on the rock, both imprisoning Demi’s tiny waist. It was in a whisper when he said this. But Demi heard every velvety word, “If you believe me, come here tomorrow. Same time, same place. …listen with all your heart, and turn your back from the ignorance of reality. Demi…you are in danger. Terrible, terrible danger!”