Crow landed quietly on mount Vernon. A few leaves were displaced by the wind currents caused by his wings on landing. He wasn't in his full bird form so only his wings had appeared. He didn't make the wings go back into his back but they were just in their rest position. He scanned the mountain side and when he was sure what he was looking for wasn't there, he went deeper into the woods.
There weren't many animals there, just a few antelope, deer, birds, a bear and some other small creatures. It wasn't like Mt Genesis that didn't support life. His eyes were glued to the ground and the trees. He remembered Ceaser's distraught face when they had learned that Terra was sick and in bed. Genevia had gone to examine the woman and said she needed the black rose to cure her. He remembered how his master had cried silently while holding his younger sister who he wasn't even upset about having anymore. Terra and Julius had broken their promise but with the condition Terra was in, Ceaser couldn't do anything to harm the girl. She was an identical imagery of Terra, another factor that had kept her alive.
Crow stopped walking when he heard a maiden signing. Since when had people started inhabiting Vernon. He followed the voice and recognized the melody; the song his mother had sang to him before throwing him into the river. She was singing the exact same line she had sang as she threw him into the lake. As he got closer to the maiden, the rush of water could be heard from a nearby waterfall. He stopped walking and looked up at the sky and noted the sun's position. He still had time.
Crow walked behind some bushes to hid his presence as he tried to get a clearer view of the maiden. Her hair was a beautiful brown color and was wavy. He moved closer and then froze when he realized that she wasn't dressed. Her lower body was submerged in the water up to her waist whilst her upper body was not. He was grateful for the fact that her hair covered most of her nakedness. He was certain she hadn't heard him because of her own singing as well as the sound of the waters rushing by. He turned to leave when he heard a sharp whistling sound rushing towards him. He fell down to the ground and almost hit his head. He looked at what he had just doged and was shocked to see a leaf spinning in thin air and creating some wind currents around it.
"Reveal yourself!" she shouted.
"Should I look at you even though you are naked?" he answered standing up.
He looked in the direction of the leaf so he wouldn't look at her.He started dusting himself up only to see the leaf come towards him. He bended backwards on time but got a small cut on his chin. The small cut barely bled when it closed back again. He turned to face his opponent and layer his eyes on her. His heart rate sped up for a second and their eyes locked. Her eyes widened for a reason he didn't know. She was beautiful; he wouldn't lie. Her eyes were a beautiful Hazel and her lips were a rosy pink. Her face was flushed out of embarrassment. She was covering her bossom with her hands as she walked to the deeper part of the rushing river. When she was adequately submerged, she closed her eyes and after a few seconds started walking out to the other side of the river. When she emerged from the other side, she was wrapped in vines. She picked up her bag and dress and looked at him again. She raised her right hand and pointed at him. The river's surface started to vibrate in an unnatural way and a large flower stock emerged from beneath the surface.
The maiden broke into a sprint but still had her hand pointing to him. The large flower sprang towards Crow and he jumped from his place, his wings spread out when he was in the air. He flew in the direction in which the maiden was heading and saw that the flower was gradually rotting. She looked behind her and didn't notice that Crow was just above her. She dropped her bag thinking that she had lost him. She dropped to the ground and some of the flowers around her bloomed. She touched one of them and it curled round her finger.
"I need to find the black rose." Crow said landing in front of her.
She was startled and almost started running but the mention of the black rose kept her in place.
"What for?" she asked placing her hand on the ground.
Crow noticed the little movement and grinned. He lifted his hand with his index and middle fingers pointing to a tree on her left. She looked there and Crow pointed his fingers at her and the tree simultaneously moved towards her. She stopped it and glared at him. How was he able to do that? Wasn't she supposed to be the only one who could do that?
"I need it to save someone's life. I'm sure a sweet girl like you wouldn't be able to live with someone's blood on your hands."
"Who?" she asked standing up.
The vines on her lower belly moved out of place and new ones immediately grew to cover her. She caught him staring at her and mistook his panicked expression for lust. She started running again, this time turning to her right. Crow's wings spread out again to follow her but the trees closed up and grew vertically upward. He tried going around but ended up making a full revolution. He decided to fly up and into the circular wood prison but the trees curved inwardly until they created a dome shape.
"That witch! Ahhh!"
Crow's metallic feathers flew out one by one to strike the dome's surface. He made a hole big enough to go through and went in. The place was dark because of the lack of light entering. The hole he had made closed as the dome repaired itself. He smiled knowing that he could see even in the dark. He could clearly see the maiden bidding behind a tree as she got dressed about ten meters away. He looked away to give her some privacy and after a few minutes, when her breathing was sturdy, he looked in her direction again.
"I can see you." he ascertained.
"If you can find the rose then I'll let you have it." she said moving away from the tree and going to another one.
He watched as the maiden seemingly merged with the tree. He was surprised at this and went to the tree just to confirm his suspicion. He touched the tree's bark and sniffed it. The tree had the faintest scent of a human being and he sniffed the tree she had been changing behind of. He confirmed that it was her scent; sweet scent like nector. He guessed that she would probably go where the rose was so he followed her scent off every tree. He came to clearing where the flower was growing wildly.
"You can come out now." he told her.
"You used my scent. That's not fair."
"All is fair in love and war."
"This is neither of the two. So I say it's not fair."
"What is your name witch?" he asked plucking a few roses.
"I'm not a witch!" she protested.
"Just answer."
"It's... it's Elizabeth." she said blushing knowing he wouldn't notice.
He turned to look at her and she appeared as a dark silhouette. He walked towards her playing with one rose. He stopped in front of her so she parted the trees directly above them to allow some light in. They looked like lovers meeting in a secret place. Her heart started racing when he took a single rose as though he was going to place it behind her ear. He watched as Elizabeth shut her her eyes in anticipation then he chuckled and spread his wings and took of leaving her in a cloud of dust.
Elizabeth screamed in frustration as she watched him squeeze through the small hole. Crow laughed when he heard her scream. He flew back to Dreg at a high speed and was there within three hours when normally the trip would take five days and nights.
When he landed on Terra's bedroom balcony, Ceaser and Genevia were already waiting for him.
"Finally. What kept you?" Genevia said standing from her seat.
"I encountered a witch, that's all. She was generous enough to give the flower to me." he answered as his wings disappeared behind his back.
Ceaser had his face in his hands and hadn't looked up at his companion. Genevia nodded to Crow in Ceaser's direction, silently asking for Crow to be with him while she prepared Terra's medicine.