24 Apr 2022, 13:06
Building Trust
Willa rushed out of class, preparing herself for what was to come. She had pondered over it for a few days now, unsure of what she should do. She had been relaxing at the Great Lake a few days ago when she encountered a mysterious creature that she assumed was a Hidebehind. They had stared at each other for a long moment before it ran off, presumably into the enchanted forest or something. She knew the right thing was to tell an adult, but she kind of liked the creature. If it had wanted to kill her, it would have. It seems like they aren't awake much during the day, so she'd have to risk detention and break curfew sometime. She wanted to at least learn more about it, possibly bond with it, before telling an adult. Perhaps she'd tell another student, one of the few that she could trust. She bounded into the dormitory, ignoring the glares of a few of her roommates, who were gossiping about who-knows-who.
Although it wasn't perfect, Willa had a plan. She would venture out towards the Great Lake to meet the hide behind again. She decided she'd take a few pieces of bacon that she'd saved from breakfast in case she needed it for this very purpose. She stuffed it into her rucksack hurriedly. What was it that repelled them? Oh, alcohol! I haven't gotten any of that, so I guess I'll have to make do without it. She threw her rucksack onto her back and ran off, hearing the mean snickers of the gossiping girls behind her.
When she reached the shallows, she took her shoes off and sloshed around for a bit, preparing her mind. I could die, she thought. At least she was just a stupid muggle-born who nobody even knew existed. If she died, maybe no one would notice. Still barefoot, bacon in hand, she began walking towards the largest patch of trees. She took deep breaths.
"Hey there, want some bacon? Hello? It's really yummy!" she called out, her eyes darting around faster than her heart was thumping. She felt, for a moment, that she would never find it again. She waited for half an hour more, standing in the middle of the patch of trees like an idiot.
Just as she began to leave, she heard another faint rustling sound. A chitter of some sort. She saw some sort of animal prints nearby. She sensed that it was somewhere, hiding behind a rock or a tree, either plotting her death or deciding to take the food or not. She tossed some bacon in a random direction, before taking a bite herself of the next piece. Perhaps it thought it was a trap. Smart animal.
After more waiting, she was reading to forget it and leave, but something sprang out from behind a tree and picked up the bacon, sniffing it curiously. She was losing light at this point, so she couldn't really make out the creature. It eventually ate all of the bacon on the ground in one bite, chittering happily. It seemed... small. Like it was still growing. She smiled at a sudden realization: It was just a baby.
"You probably can't understand me, but... I'm Willa. Willa Moon. I'm not going to hurt you, little guy... You're alright." She whispered in a soft voice to it.
It morphed behind the trees once again, and she heard it running off. It wasn't very stealth, it seemed. She didn't want to be eaten, but she needed a friend. No better friend than an animal. She ran off, her feet covered in mud, thinking.
Although it wasn't perfect, Willa had a plan. She would venture out towards the Great Lake to meet the hide behind again. She decided she'd take a few pieces of bacon that she'd saved from breakfast in case she needed it for this very purpose. She stuffed it into her rucksack hurriedly. What was it that repelled them? Oh, alcohol! I haven't gotten any of that, so I guess I'll have to make do without it. She threw her rucksack onto her back and ran off, hearing the mean snickers of the gossiping girls behind her.
When she reached the shallows, she took her shoes off and sloshed around for a bit, preparing her mind. I could die, she thought. At least she was just a stupid muggle-born who nobody even knew existed. If she died, maybe no one would notice. Still barefoot, bacon in hand, she began walking towards the largest patch of trees. She took deep breaths.
"Hey there, want some bacon? Hello? It's really yummy!" she called out, her eyes darting around faster than her heart was thumping. She felt, for a moment, that she would never find it again. She waited for half an hour more, standing in the middle of the patch of trees like an idiot.
Just as she began to leave, she heard another faint rustling sound. A chitter of some sort. She saw some sort of animal prints nearby. She sensed that it was somewhere, hiding behind a rock or a tree, either plotting her death or deciding to take the food or not. She tossed some bacon in a random direction, before taking a bite herself of the next piece. Perhaps it thought it was a trap. Smart animal.
After more waiting, she was reading to forget it and leave, but something sprang out from behind a tree and picked up the bacon, sniffing it curiously. She was losing light at this point, so she couldn't really make out the creature. It eventually ate all of the bacon on the ground in one bite, chittering happily. It seemed... small. Like it was still growing. She smiled at a sudden realization: It was just a baby.
"You probably can't understand me, but... I'm Willa. Willa Moon. I'm not going to hurt you, little guy... You're alright." She whispered in a soft voice to it.
It morphed behind the trees once again, and she heard it running off. It wasn't very stealth, it seemed. She didn't want to be eaten, but she needed a friend. No better friend than an animal. She ran off, her feet covered in mud, thinking.