What was Once Lost

I had spent many years away from any human villages. Their emotions were always so overwhelming, I could never really tell where my emotions started and theirs ended. I wasn't going to get anywhere close to the village the last time I had, I earned a new scar. It was the silence that made me circle back and land in the forest. There had been no emotions coming from the village when I had flown over head. Few creatures moved between the roots, and bushes. There was something heavy hanging among the branches. It felt familiar to me but it had been such a long time. I made my way a few steps at a time toward the edge of the woods. I paused for a moment, salt hung in the air and I could hear soft sniffling. What I felt hit me hard enough for me to take a step back. Waves of pain, anger, and confusion rolled over me. I couldn't breath it felt as if someone had wound barbed wire around my lungs. I tried taking a few more steps, the feelings kept coming. I'm not sure what I was expecting to find but I certainley was not expecting to find a toddler standing between the trees. Her dress was dirty and her hair fell in ringlets and tangles. She couldnt have been more than a couple years old, what was she doing out here all by herself?

She looked up at me wide eyed, fear mixed in with the other emotions. I brought my head down to her level, "Hello."

I watched her as she thought about whether or not she was going to talk to me or run away. She gave me a small wave.

"How old are you?"

She held up all five fingers, looked at them and then dropped two of them."Three."

I nodded, "That is a good age to be. My name is Orthrin, what is your name?"

She struggled for a moment and frustration pushed its way past her fear, "Ella."

"Are you lost Ella?"

She shook her head.

"Do you know your way home?"

She looked down at the leaves around her feet, and moved a few around. Pain and fear filled the air, she nodded.

"That is very good that you know the way home. Can you show me? We can walk together."

Her lip trembled, "All gone."

The wave hit me hard enough to almost knock me over. She wasn't lost, she had lost someone. It was her grief. It hung in the air, and sat heavy on my chest. How could someone so small carry such a weight? Thoughts raced through my mind, if she was alone what was going to happen to her? Who would take care of her now? I did not see her move but my soul could have left my body. Her little cold hand was resting on my nose, fully spread her hand barely coverd even the small scales. She was shivering, and exhaustion was pushing everything down.

"You can come with me I suppose, for the night. We can find you another village in the morning." I held out my arm, "Go ahead and sit on my hand, I can carry you so that we can get there quicker."

She hesitated at the sight of my talons but she followed directions. She sat in the palm and I curled my fingers up slightly to create a bit of a cage, "Hold on tight to one of my fingers!"

When I felt her hands holding tight I pushed off the ground. Wild screams turned into laughter once we were gliding above the tree line. Glee dampened the grief and I felt like I was able to take a real breath for the first time. I turned towards the mountains, we were almost there when I felt her hold loosen. I glanced down, she was curled in a ball. I shook my head, at least I wouldn't have to fight with her to get her to sleep.

The sun had already set when we made it back to my cave. I set her down as gently as I could on a pile of wool and feathers. I settled down next to her, the emotions that had been ruling her space were finally calm.

"If you cannot get things under control, all the emotions in the world will drown out your own emotions will be lost." I had been a fledgling at the time I had gotten too close to a nearby village and had almost been taken. My father was furious.

Confusion and curiosity pulled me from my dreams. I opened one eye to see Ella wondering around the cave. She let her fingers trail over every object and different textures. I had collected many things over the years clothes of multiple colors, books of various sizes, and pieces of armor from different regions.

"Ella that is not for you."

Her hand paused over the sword she was reaching for. I direct the most authoritative look I could muster, I belive my father would have been proud. She let her hand fall to her side, her lip tembled but I did not sense any fear. She came over and sat next to me, "Rin?"

I couldn't help but smile, "Good morning Ella. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

"Good, we will head out to the base of the mountain soon. There is a family in the village below that I know would be willing to take you in."

Worry, and sadness curled between us. I looked her over, "Do you think that will be ok?"

"Ella be safe?"

I nodded, "I promise you will be safe."

She nodded, she rested her hand on my nose. I closed my eyes, the sense of loss came through. I could not tell if it was my emotion or hers. I stood up slowly, "You'll have to sit in my hand again. We will arrive faster this way."

She crawled on again and I made my way down the mountain. Before long we reached the farm right at the base of the mountain. Granny was waiting for me.

"Orthrin it has been a while. Where have you been?"

I couldn't meet her eye, "I need to be alone for a little while."

"Mhm. I'm sure that's it. Who have you brought with you?"

I slide Ella out of my hand, she stood close her hand on my finger. "This is Ella, I found her in the forest by the lake. She was lost."

"And her family?"

Grief spilled out, "Gone."

I took a deep breath and the weight on my chest lessened.

"I need you to look after her, she cannot stay up in the cave."

Granny was looking me over, "I can do that. As long as you come to visit, she seems to be very attatched to you."

I looked down at her, she gave me a small smile. "Go on. it's all right."

Ella walked over to granny and took her hand and the turned towards the house. I turned back toward the mountain and was getting ready to take off when granny called out to me.

"I'm glad to see that you are not lost after all."

Fathers words came back to me and I realized what she meant, "You're right, I am not lost after all."