Chapter 2

Raven's POV

I felt paralyzed. Be it in fear or in awe of the creature I didn't know. I slowly stood up and backed away. In my retreat, I stepped on twigs, gaining the creature's attention. His massive head turned to me, his crimson eyes boring into mine. As his gaze locked in on mine, I realized I'm not scared. I should be. But I'm not.

I don't know what possessed me, but I walked closer to him. He roared at me but I ignored him. He watched me, his eyes followed me as I closed the distance between us. I stopped directly under him. Reaching out, I tried to touch him.

He suddenly grabbed me, his massive hand encircling around my frame. The pad of his large finger pressed down on my neck, his sharp claw like nail digging into my face. I smiled and closed my eyes. Here it comes. The death I have been waiting for. I felt the bones in my neck snapping as he pushed my neck back before it stopped. The pressure on my neck had disappeared. The tightness of his palm loosened.

Opening my eyes I saw the beast was staring at me with a curious expression on his face, his head tilted to the side. I couldn't help myself. I laughed. The sight was so hilarious. The beast suddenly dropped me like I was a disease he didn't want to catch. The thing is, when he grabbed me, he lifted me almost thirty feet in the air. So when he dropped me, I was falling from that height. I didn't scream though.

Instead I closed my eyes, opened my arms and just fell. The wind rushed in my ears as I got closer and closer to the ground. This is it. Finally. I let a small smile form on my lips. But the impact of the ground never came. Instead what I hit was hot and hard, like molten rock.

Grunting in pain, I opened my eyes. The crimson eyes of the beast was staring down at me in wonder. What I believe to be his brows, were knitted in confusion. Sitting up, I fixed my dress.

"Why do you look content with death little girl?"

I heard a deep, heavy rumbling echo above me. Who just said that? Am I imagining things now?

"Answer me girl." The voice said again.

Looking up, I realized it was the beast that was speaking to me. The. Beast. Was. Speaking. To. Me. Reality hit with that one. Before I knew it, I screamed. The beast closed his hand around me almost squashing me in the process. But it did stop my screaming. You would think he would be use to all the screaming by now.

"Please just shut the hell up kid!" He shouted the words.

He opened his hand. I was actually shivering. Be it in fear or the cold, I don't know. But I am only six. So cut me a little slack here.

"You can talk?" I asked the obvious.

I think I saw his crimson eyes roll in their sockets. If that was even possible. He dropped down, his heavy weight shaking the forest. Some birds flew from their nest in terror. He brought his knee up and set me down on it.

"Now little girl. Answer me. Why do you accept death willingly?" He asked again. His hot breath fanned across my face. It warmed my cold body.

I looked away. I didn't know how to answer. Or rather I didn't want to answer. And it seems like the beast wasn't a patient creature. He poked me in my stomach gaining my attention.

I turned my attention back to the beast. "I hate being alive. I have no parents. And no one would miss me if I was to die. Everyday the villagers hurt me. I'm a freak to them. Do you not see me? My appearance is different from theirs so I'm abused because of it. Even tonight they beat me for stealing food from the priest, which I didn't even stole. So i was beaten for something I didn't even do. I'm sure tomorrow they would find something else to blame me for. It will never change.

I gasped after the words spilled from my mouth. I actually told him. I can't believe I confided in him. How could I have done that? He's the beast of the forest that torments my village and I just told him I'm a freak in my village. I covered my face with my hands.

"What's your name child?" He asked, gaining my attention once again. Moving my hands, I looked up at him through my wet hair that had fallen in my face.

"Raven. I do not have a last name."

"Raven huh. My name is Amon."

He just told me his name?! The beast of the forest actually has a name! Oh my gosh! For some reason that made me kinda happy. The beast, or rather Amon, looked at me like I was insane. I probably was. I was having a conversation with the feared beast yet I wasn't afraid.

"Why are you so deep in the forest Raven?" He asked.

"Oh. I was lost. Actually after the villagers beat me today, I ran away. I ended up by a waterfall. When I tried to find my way back to the village, I got lost and ended up here." I explained.

Amon suddenly lifted me off his knee and stood. He opened his palm and instructed me to sit, as he started walking in a direction. Sitting in the middle his palm, I held onto his nail. He had curled his fingers towards me as he walked. It was the only thing I could grab as I shook with his movements.

The heat from his body had actually dried my dress. At least I wasn't going to freeze while I slept. The nights in the forest were cold. I had actually fallen asleep in the forest a lot of times, so I actually do know how cold they are.

Above us, the sky rumbled. Seconds later, they opened up and the rains came. When the water landed on Amon's body, it sizzled and evaporated. That had me thinking. If his body was so hot that water evaporated on contact, how can I sit on his palm and not be burned? Can he adjust the temperature of his body? It seems that way.

While watching the water evaporate, I realized I wasn't getting wet. Looking up, I noticed that his fingers curled closer together, creating a shelter over me. I smiled. The fierce beast doesn't want me getting wet. Oh how sweet. I giggled at the thought.

I didn't realise where he was taking me, until I noticed the village up ahead. He brought me back. Why?! Amon stopped and knelt on the ground, lowering his hand and opening it for me to step down. I clung onto his finger, his claw digging into my face. I accepted the pain. I didn't want to go back to that village.

"Please Amon. Don't make me go back to the village!" I screamed.

He growled. "Let go Raven. Go back to your village!"

He shook his hand in an attempt to get me off. My arms just tightened around his finger. I think Amon didn't want to hurt me. He is a beast yet all he was doing to get me off was shaking his hand. But I was not letting go. I will not return to that village.

"I will not let go Amon. Please." I begged him.

The shaking stopped. I looked up at him and saw his staring at me. His crimson eyes looking at me with wonder.

"Do you have any friends in the village?" He asked suddenly. Where did that come from? I shook my head. He sighed. "If I become your friend, will you return to your village?"

"Really?! You'll be my friend?!"

I released my hold on his finger and turned around. He nodded. I squealed in delight. Turning back, I hugged his fingers before jumping off his palm. I waved good bye as I ran across the village, making my way to my hut. With the pouring rain, I couldn't tell if Amon was still there hidden in the trees or not. I waved again, hoping he would see, before opening the door to my hut.

Shutting the door, I got a fire going quickly. My dash through the rain had my dress soaking again. I only had one dress so I needed it dry by morning. Taking it off, I hung it near the fire to dry.

My hut didn't have anything in it. My bedding was some hay straws I had stolen from the barn. I had gotten a beaten for it, but they left me with it anyway. My blanket was an old tattered sheet they had used to covered the animals with. It had gotten to thin for them so I was given it. In the middle of my hut was where I had built a fire ring out of large stones I found in the river. I had to learn to survive on my own from a very young age, so I had to use what I had. And that was all my hut held.

Crawling under the blanket, I snuggled deep under it and closer to the hay. The rough strings pressing against my naked body. I was uncomfortable, but I couldn't help it. Tonight the rains made the place unbearably cold. My only hope is that the fire doesn't burn out before the rains stops. Closing my eyes, I fell asleep to the sound of the rain on my roof.