Man, it sure is nice to land on sweet solid ground after a long endless flight. But I can't get comfy yet, I still need to find a place to rest.
I noticed how this forest have really thick trees and bushes, perfect for hiding in case humans ever come here. But what will be the perfect place in a forest to take a nice long nap?
I decided to head north and see what I can find.
As I kept walking, for some reason I can feel divine energy from this place. Weird, how do I know that? It felt like this place is being protected by a powerful divinity. And that's when I theorize that everything in this world is all the domain of a certain god, humans might not notice it but maybe creatures like myself can.
That sure is reassuring, that means this place is guarded by a god. Nobody will ever dare interrupt a gods domain, they have to be crazy to do that.
I should really get going, it's going to get dark soon
I can already see the sun is about to set as I look up, or wait... Is that a chariot pulled by four horses? That must be the sun god, and after him, I think the moon goddess is going to catch up to him once it's dusk. This means I don't have much time to find a place to rest, I better hurry.
I keep moving forward hoping to find a good place to rest my wings, but then I stop when I hear weird noise.
Munch-munch-munch
What on earth could be making that weird noise?
I slowly approach the source of the sound - trying to not make any noise myself, eventually I found a shrub blocking my path but I know that all it needs is just a little nudge to see the other side. I'm not going to confront the source, nope; I just want to see what it is - that's all.
After a quick nudge to fit my head, my eyes were greeted with a strong light and a warm air. I open my eyes and saw a human figure sitting on the ground, eating a huge piece of meat with such speed and power. Turns out, the human was still a child - a human boy. And I also saw he's sitting in front of a fireplace where there are more meat he's cooking, so that's the sound I just heard. It's just a human eating, I guess I was worried for nothing.
I decided to leave the human boy and let him eat in peace, but before I can leave - he started to scream in frustration. "Dad's a jerk!"
I almost neigh in surprise but I managed to control myself, otherwise I would have been busted.
"I know I can help him if he trust me, but he never does. Why do I even bother? Bothered to-" Before I realise it, the human boy started to cry; he fold both of his legs to his chest and cross both of his arms in his knee and then started to cry even louder.
At this point, I felt bad. I don't know what's making him upset but he said 'Dad' when he yelled a few minutes ago. So then... He has family issues?
That's terrible.
Maybe I could try to comfort him, I know I promise myself not to get involved with humans - yet but I just can't shake off this feeling that I should help him.
While I was thinking on what to do, a fly landed on my nose. I can already feel the itch coming. "This is bad, hey! Shoo!" I whispered to the fly to go away.
When that didn't work, I tried blowing it away and the fly still won't budge.
Ugh! Go away!
I was so frustrated that in my anger, I kick a tree right behind me. It was so loud that the human boy heard it.
"Huh? W-Who's there?" he was alarmed.
I gotta think fast before I-
WOAH!
-Fall and slip out of the shrubs... Aw nuts. And to make it even more embarrassing - the fly flew away, just great; what's next? Are ants going to crawl up on my legs and make me go crazy now?
"Um... Hello?"
I look up and saw the human boy looking at me while crouching close to my nose, I gasped in surprise and tried to stand up. Sadly, it was not going well. Then out of nowhere, I can feel warm hands helping me get up. Not surprisingly, the human help me to stand up finally.
After that, the two of us look at each other with awed. As for him, he kept his jaws dropped like he can't believe what he's seeing.
But luckily, I think he managed to snap out of it and began to speak. "No way, you're a winged horse."
I give him a smile, hoping to show him that he is right. The human look really happy and started screaming excitedly "Oh my gods! I can't believe it! Dad always says that mythical creatures are so rare to find, and to think I found one..." suddenly he stopped in mid-sentence and began to sulk, I think maybe he just mention 'Dad' and his expression drastically change.
I almost forgot about that.
I gently nudge my nose to his face, trying to cheer him up. The one thing that I was so conflicted doing to the point I cause a humiliating accident. Gods, I'm such an idiot.
Then, I heard the human boy laugh. "Ahaha... Thanks boy, say I know we just met but do you want to be friends?" He ask suddenly, which surprise me. "It would be nice to have a companion... Here in a desolate forest, it's not like I can go back home after a scene I cause."
Okay, this is has actually pique my interest. I wonder what could cause him to be this upset?
~~~
It was already night time and the two of us sit together in front of the fireplace after both of us have calm down a little, it was so nice of him to give me an apple from his bag; I was so hungry and I have no idea that being hungry can make an apple this tasty.
I munch and munch on the apple that I started spilling juice and leftovers from it, excuse my manners.
As for the boy, I finally know his name - it was Deacon and he lived in a city called Sparta not so far from this forest. From what I can tell from his description, Sparta is a city that really took pride in their military forces and that's why they have some of the best soldiers and army here in Greece. That's amazing, Deacon actually lived in such a city?
But of course, he wasn't finished telling his story. Hearing his sad tone and him not wanting to go back, I can tell I haven't fully hear the rest of the story.
"I wanted to be a great warrior and maybe a great general and so I have endured all of Sparta's harsh training, but the harshest was probably my dad saying that I wasn't ready yet." He said grudgingly. "To make it worse, my dad trusted my older brother instead because he was a grown up and can do anything."
I think I just sense sarcasm - from the way he talks about his brother, guess it wasn't his dad that he had problems with.
"And then... I lashed out on my dad and run away, and that's how I ended up here in the forest."
Oh woah, that's... A lot more worse than I thought. I never expected it was because of his desire for approval from his father that... He decided to do the unthinkable.
"You're probably thinking 'What a mess up story' and you're right, what I did just now was really cowardly and awful."
That's not true! I'll admit I wasn't expecting that but I know deep down he didn't mean it, sometimes people do horrible stuff when they are full of emotions - when they didn't mean to.
I kept nuzzling him, trying to show him I wasn't thinking like that. Thankfully, looks like it works.
"Hey stop that! Ahaha... I take it you don't care do you?" He ask and I neigh happily, glad he figured that out. "You know, I've been thinking that; since you have wings. You can fly right?"
That question came from out of nowhere, I'm pretty sure it should have been obvious by now. But I guess he just want to make sure, so I gave him a goofy smile and he laugh back.
"Okay, say Horse; let's say you and I leave this place and go exploring the world together." He said excitedly.
And immediately, I gasp really loud.
What?! Is he serious?
Already Deacon looks disappointed.
"I take it you don't want to, huh?" He mumbled.
Oh... What should I do? I don't think he should abandoned his family - the same way I did just a few months ago and... I also don't want to disappoint him either. Gods... This is so confusing.