Purple then walked back and vanished back to the cliff. She returned happily, even whistling on her way to the hut.
"Who do you live here with?" a male voice echoed from a distance, which halted Purple from flying.
She really hated walking. Flying was something for which she was so grateful to the Creator.
She shapeshifted immediately and walked. She knew that the voice was coming from the hut where she and the little girl were living.
She peeked through the bushes surrounding the area of the hut, which she made as protection. This was made as a camouflage so their existence could not be known to any being.
"Purple, you are here." The little girl cried upon seeing her.
The little girl ran and hid behind her.
"Are you okay?" Purple asked, stepping out of the bushes.
"Yeah! But I am afraid," the little girl answered, trying to hold in her fear.
"I'm here now." Purple assured the little girl. "You, what do you need from us?" Purple then asked the man with authority.
"Well, the little girl was right," the man said as he stood up and walked towards Purple to offer a hand.
"What do you mean?" Purple responded by walking past the man without taking his hand for a shake.
"Indeed, you are not friendly but funny. I'm Levine…"
"I don't ask for your name. I wanted to know why you were here. What do you need?" Purple interrupted.
Levine burst into laughter, bending backwards holding his stomach.
"I'm sorry. But you see, no one has ever made me laugh in a very long time," Levine explained.
"Right? She's funny," the little girl said finally, moving out of Purple's back.
"Just answer," Purple insisted.
"Recently, it was reported that a strange creature was roaming around the woods, causing havoc to the town people. They appointed me to guard the forest and search for the creature. And I found your simple hut. It's my duty to keep everyone safe, and that includes both of you."
"Don't worry. I can handle it," Purple said as she put down the things she bought from the town in the hut.
"You've been here for long?" Levine asked as he roamed his sight around the area, standing behind Purple.
"Yes,"
"Where are your parents?"
"None,"
"Oh, so you are alone?"
"What can you see?" Purple snapped.
Then the talk went on.
After half an hour…
"Ever considered living in the town?" Levine asked while helping Purple pick firewood on the other side of the hut.
"Aren't you leaving yet?"
"Ok. Sorry for so many questions. I'll go continue my work. Keep safe,"
"Finally," Purple mumbled.
Levine left, but before that, he gave the little girl a toy, which Purple saw made the little girl excited.
"You're mean," the little girl said, and stormed her way under the tree to play with the toy.
"Silence, little human," Purple whispered to the little girl.
The little girl just stared and pouted while playing.
The little girl kept quiet, which bothered Purple, and gave up after some time.
"Why am I mean?" Purple asked.
"You could have invited him to eat," the little girl answered without even looking at Purple.
Purple was speechless. She was just being careful. Even though she was also wondering why she acted that way to the man.
Days passed, and Levine never showed up again.
Purple kept on thinking about how she treated Levine and promised to do better, but he never came back.
And when Purple thought she wouldn't meet Levine again, she was wrong.
Levine came back, and he visited often then. Often, as in every other day, packed with different necessities and toys for the little girl and questions, more questions, for Purple.
Purple became annoyed with the fact that she had to keep her human form because a lowly human kept on busting into her territory.
One night, as Purple wandered off into the woods, hoping to encounter the creature about which the town had been buzzing all month, she ended up tied up with the lowly human, whom she kept trying to treat as well as she could because of the little girl.
"And what brought you there?" Purple shouted.
"Just please help me!" Levine shouted back, trying to calm himself while stuck in a mud pit.
"What made you think I'd help you?" Purple questioned.
"Because I am your friend," Levine struggled.
"What friend?"
"Someone who cared and brought stuff, free stuff that made your life easier,"
"Did I ask for it?"
"No! But friendship isn't something you ask for,"
Purple noticed Levine panicking as he sank deeper into the mud. But she ignored it and turned her back before marching away.
"Where are you going?" Levine pleaded.
Purple didn't bother answering. For her, helping him would signify authorization to enter their territory, and that thing he called friendship would annoy her for a long time.
Purple was lost in her thoughts and was shocked to notice she had reached their hut already. She saw the little girl sleeping peacefully with the toys Levine gave her.
She looked around and realized that without Levine showing up all the time, she wouldn't be able to keep the little girl alive for more than three weeks.
The rain started pouring. Purple thought that with her Paragon form, things would be a lot easier, but because she could not risk things getting more complicated, she had to get soaked in the rain while searching for a long study branch on her way back to Levine.
"Grab it!" Purple shouted while handing over the branch she just found.
The thunder roared, and the wind blew more harshly.
"I can't. It's hard!" Levine barely said in desperation.
"Just be silent and focus! Protest again, and I'll be happy to leave you."
They both screamed in unison as Levine struggled to pull himself out of the pit, where he seemed to be stuck for all eternity.
"Little more!" Purple wailed, and finally, Levine made it out.
They both sprawled down the muddy forest, gasping for air. Of course, Purple had to pretend.
The rain dropped on their faces, and Purple turned her gaze to Levine.
"Friends?" Levine asked tiredly.
Purple frowned.
Then they both laughed.
Purple never knew she was capable of laughing like a human.
They walked back to Purple's place and took turns taking a bath.
Purple went in first, followed by Levine.
Levine finished taking a bath and washing his clothes. He got dressed in Purple's spare clothes, which made him feel silly but happy. He saw Purple lying on the wooden bed he made, silently looking up at the sky.
"No stars!" Purple mumbled between heavy breaths.
"Mind if I join you?" Levine politely asked.
Purple nodded.
They talked the whole night, and Purple, for the very first time, fell asleep.
The next morning, Purple woke up horrified. She was terrified at the fact that she had fallen asleep.
Purple stood up hurriedly and scratched herself on the rough part of the wooden bed.
Her face twitched with a feeling she had never felt before. Physical pain. She looked at the part where the pain was coming from and saw that she was bleeding.
Purple immediately looked for the little girl to tell her about the unusual things happening to her, but to her surprise, everything was messy inside the hut, and there was no little girl.
"Little human?" Purple sounded worried.
But no one answered.
She strolled outside to see if the little girl had just gone for a short walk, but the little girl was nowhere to be found.
Purple panicked. She couldn't imagine losing the little girl again after what she had to go through just to keep her.
"Levine!" Purple then called, but there was no Levine around.
She wanted to transform, but she couldn't risk it.
Purple went down the stream and up the hill, but the little human did not.
She returned to their hut, and her face lit when she saw Levine sitting on the wooden bed.
"Levine, where's…" Purple hurriedly asked but was interrupted by a group of men.
Three men surrounded Purple and strangled her.
"I'm sorry, but you need to come with us, beautiful lady." The old drunkard man from last time at the alley
Purple was confused but tried to get out of their grips.
"Let go of me!" Purple calmly said.
But before she could even speak more, Levine hit her hard and knocked her unconscious.