The next day, Lefric skipped breakfast and went to the backyard, where he could only stare at the forest hopelessly.
He's sitting on the grass, knees folded and wings wilted like dried flowers.
Yesterday Maro voiced out Lefric's inner turmoil he's been having for years. Lefric felt even weaker than before, more hopeless than ever. All he ever wanted was to see something new. Breathing air without feeling like he's suffocating.
Sleep whenever he wanted, wake up whenever he wanted, eat whatever he wanted.
He just wanted to be free.
Like a bird.
Lefric let out a humorless cackle at that. "Ironic," The raven mumbled, bitterly plucked the grass with his fingers.
"There you are,"
Lefric didn't have to turn his head around to see who it is. Maro dropped to Lefric's side, pushing his shoulder with Lefric's smaller ones. Lefric groaned, pushing him weakly.
"Go away,"
"Rude. I'm here to give you some good news,"
"An adoption?" Lefric asked cynically.
Maro grinned. His sharp canines were on display. "Better. The philanthropist will visit early,"
Oh, that is better than adoption.
Lefric immediately perked up, his listless wings stretched, and then shifted comfortably. "Really? You're not joking, right?"
"Nope. I overheard the sisters talking about it in the kitchen,"
"Will he bring paints?"
Maro rolled his eyes playfully, ruffling Lefric's soft hair. "He doted you. Of course, he'll bring paints,"
Lefric got up from the ground and flapped his wings, causing Maro to closed his eyes to the unexpected rush of wind. Lefric jumped up and down excitedly, then looked at Maro almost apologetically.
"Ah, sorry about that,"
Maro got up too, swatting away specks of dust and leaves from his pants and face, and then glared at Lefric. "Birds,"
-
The philanthropist's name was Vesper Acria. A friendly old troll with fascinating hair. His hair was long and oily, and there were tiny sticks and plants on the top of it. As if there's a small forest on his head.
Even though he looked like a rogue creature, the troll was mysteriously wealthy. He dressed like a homeless, but he always brought tons of useful items for the children. Toys, books, other useful miscellaneous.
And Lefric absolutely adored him.
"Oho, you painted this?" The troll asked, fondness laced in his croaky voice. Lefric showed Vesper his forest painting. The painting lost its contrast a little bit, but still pretty.
"Yup!" Lefric grinned, wings fluttered.
Vesper pat Lefric's head. "What a talented little artist. I'm happy that you used the paints I gave you,"
"Of course," Lefric beamed by the praise.
The troll smiled warmly. "You painted the forest in great detail. You must have loved it,"
"Well, I love anything other than the church," Lefric mentioned a little quietly to make sure the sisters couldn't hear him. Vesper frowned, his huge nose slightly scrunched.
Lefric knew the old troll doted him, even wanting to adopt the raven. But the sisters refused. It shocked Lefric to the core when he heard the sisters didn't allow Vesper to adopt him.
And it all because Vesper didn't have a proper home for Lefric. No income, no clear background, and such. But he remembered there's one scrawny witch who adopted a child—a very suspicious-looking witch with no clear source of income, no proper home, nor clear background.
Lefric was sure the sisters kept him for a reason.
"I'm sorry, little one. At least you could paint using the canvases and paints I brought,"
"You're right. Thank you, Vesper,"
When Vesper left to talk with the sisters, Lefric could guess what they were talking about. The troll asked about Lefric, and he really wanted to adopt Lefric. And Lefric wished to live with Vesper more than anything. Vesper was the only one who could take him away from this place.
He grew more frustrated because of the sisters' antics.
He always dismissed it, but now he's curious. Suspicious.
Why did they refuse to let Lefric go?
"Ooh, nice painting," Maro complimented him when he entered the room, spotted Lefric, who's busy painting another forest painting on the canvas.
"Maro," Lefric stopped painting. He then looked at Maro. "I'm going to leave,"
Maro looked at him with disbelief. "Did you not listen to what I said yesterday?"
"I did. But I have a hunch, Maro," Lefric creased his eyebrows, setting the paintbrush to his lap.
"What do you mean?"
"You heard me theorizing about why the sisters insisted on locking me up here for years now, right?"
"Uhuh,"
"I feel like there's more to it," Lefric whispered. He gently traced the wet paint on the canvas with his index finger, gradually letting it dissolve and spread—following the tip of his finger. "A very important reason. Dangerous, possibly,"
Maro listened, quietly walking toward Lefric's bed and sit beside him. He watched the raven painted without saying anything, silently coaxing Lefric to keep talking.
"… But I don't know what they're plotting. And it scares me,"
"Everyone is afraid of the unknown," Maro said. Both arms propped behind him, sighing. "Trust me, and I feel the same way. You're not the only kid that ran away, but they insisted on keeping you here,"
"Exactly," Lefric sighed.
They both went quiet again, busy in their train of thoughts.
Lefric suddenly loudly gasped, causing the werewolf to gasp and put his palm on his chest to make sure if his heart was still beating. Lefric dropped the canvas beside his bed, looking at Maro.
"Oh yeah! You're going to help me escape,"
Maro sighed. "Lefric—"
"No, listen to me, Maro. I've had enough. I don't know why the sisters kept me here, but the longer I wait, the more anxious I get. I don't care if I'm overacting, or if I misread the situation. But right now, I know it. I know that I have to leave,"
Maro blinked a couple of times, widening his eyes.
The werewolf knew that it'd be a long night.