Hopelessness

Being grounded was better than cleaning the entire church. But it's infuriating regardless.

After Maro finished tending his injured wings, the werewolf left to do his chores. Lefric was left alone all day, cooped up in his tiny room with nothing to entertain him. He abandoned his cans of paint outside, and the sisters probably threw them away.

So he couldn't paint to relieve his perpetual boredom.

Lefric hoped the kind philanthropist donated more paint this year. Or maybe, he could've just tried another attempt to run away instead of waiting.

But this time, he needed to think it through.

The sisters who kept patrolling around the forest were tanukis, troublesome creatures with an amazing sense of smell. They could track him down with no problem.

Lefric tried everything to get away from their radar. Like going out at three in the morning where everyone was fast asleep.

But because his scent disappeared from the church, the sisters were alerted and looked for him immediately. Another failed plan was when he lied to the sisters that he wanted to pick up berries in the forest, but sister Marva won't leave his side the entire time.

Lefric even went as far as forcing Maro to drench him with his werewolf scent by hugging him for hours (which Maro didn't appreciate), but the sisters were too smart. They always know where he's hiding.

Or maybe he's just terrible at hiding his trails.

Lefric did find a scentless spray bottle from the infirmary. But that won't work because there's a sister who worked at the infirmary. And she never trust Lefric one bit, so they didn't lower their guard down whenever Lefric was present.

The only way he could escape was by flying.

And he couldn't fly.

Lefric heaved a heavy sigh, stretching his arms and his wings as he walked toward the small window.

The sun was setting. Hues of red, pink, and orange extended through the horizon. They're mesmerizing as always. This was one of the reasons why Lefric was so desperate to leave the orphanage.

The world is beautiful.

And he wasted precious time being locked up in this old church.

If only he could fly.

"C'mon," Lefric murmured, concentrating on the nerves on his back—and fluttered his wings. He could flap them with ease, creating a strong push that drove his body forward and upward. But he couldn't go higher.

He landed on his tippy toes when he got tired of flapping his wings. Lefric let out another sigh, walking toward the door absentmindedly.

Should he just run for it?

"Argh!"

When he was about to open the door, the door swung open and collided with his face. Maro opened the door wider, raising one of his eyebrows.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, clearly unimpressed.

Lefric groaned in pain, rubbing his nose, and glared at Maro. "Leaving,"

"Mhm, then I'll see you tomorrow," Maro said in nonchalance, walking past Lefric after he closed the door behind him. Lefric scoffed.

"I'm not coming back tomorrow,"

"Sure,"

"I mean it!"

"You kept saying that for years, Lefric. Talk to me when you find something new to tell," Maro plopped down to his bed, quickly snatched his book, and began reading.

"I'm sure this time," Lefric said, walking toward Maro. "I'm way stronger than before. I was too weak. That's why they can easily find me,"

"Mhm,"

"My wings won't be a bother anymore,"

"What about your scent? The sisters can track you,"

"Hug me again,"

"Over my dead body,"

"Fine. I'll steal the scentless spray from the infirmary," Lefric rolled his eyes. Maro eyed him once before going back to reading, flipping the page.

"Without getting caught? Good luck with that,"

When Lefric was about to counter a snarky remark, he stopped. He widened his eyes when he thought of an idea.

"You'll help me," Lefric said.

But Maro didn't hear the seriousness in Lefric's tone, so the werewolf barked a hollering laugh. He wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes, chuckling, and looked at Lefric with a huge grin.

But Lefric didn't smile back.

Maro stared at him a little bit more, his laughter died down, and his face fell.

"You're serious,"

"Maro, do you think all of the attempts and mischiefs I did to escape this place were just a joke?"

Maro paused. He slowly closed the book's cover and set the book aside, eyes still on Lefric's. Maro twitched his long ears, narrowing his eyes.

"You're leaving for real this time?"

"I always wished to escape from this place. You know that better than anyone else," Lefric exasperated, furrowing his eyebrows. Pair of wings on his back shifted behind him.

"Lefric," Maro sensed the air that gotten heavier. So the werewolf stood up from his bed, standing in front of the younger.

Lefric slightly looked up, thanks to their height difference.

"I know you wanted to run away, to fulfill your dreams and whatnot. But I never help you out because—well, I'm scared you'll get hurt. You're a hatchling. You're only twelve, for heavens' sake. You won't survive out there on your own, and I'm not strong enough to help you survive. We're both powerless, Lefric,"

Lefric knew there's a truth in Maro's words. No, everything he said was right.

Lefric was supposed to fly. He'll be safer that way. He's small, slow, with heavy wings on his back. What can he do if he wandered out there in the wilderness with nothing but a set of useless wings?

He knew that.

He's aware of that fact.

But he felt like he wasted so much of his life and he grew frustrated.

Maro sighed and pulled Lefric into a comforting hug, but Lefric didn't hug back. Instead, he just sniffled and hid his face on Maro's chest.