Chapter Twelve

The night sky was dark and black, and many sounds filled my ears. Many creatures were still very active at night as my feet walked through the woods. I feel a little uneasy. Not knowing if the red caps were lurking around somewhere in the shadows. 

 "Rori Rori," The sirens in the pond call to me. At first, they were hard to resist but my father has told me many stories about them and I know they were dangerous so luckily my feet never guided me towards them. 

After several moments of walking, I finally reached my destination, one my father would lose his mind if he found out I was visiting. The story of the apple tree was a classic campfire horror story.

 "Rori, daughter of the Chetan."

I bow to the tree. "The tree of knowledge."

He chuckles a crazy lunatic laugh. "So that's my street name."

"Do you go by any other names?"

He laughs. "Pick an apple, Rori."

My hand shakily reaches for an apple. I close my eyes and take in the moment. It feels smooth in my hand, But I haven't twisted it off the great tree yet. 

I feel a hand over mine. "Are you crazy," I hear my father say. 

Shit shit shit. 

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I can ask you the same question."

"Chetan a pleasure for sure." I hear the tree's deep voice.

"Stay away from my daughter."

The tree laughs hysterically. "I'm a tree, I can't go anywhere she came to me."

I feel my father grab my wrist gently. "Let's walk."

We walk a little ways in my eyes only stare at the ground. I feel disappointed that he caught me at this moment. This was something that he warned me not to do. 

"Rori, Do you understand how dangerous the tree of knowledge is?"

I nod. "I need answers."

"About?"

"Where I belong."

I hear him chewing on his tongue. This is something that he did when he was aggravated. 

"Because of the whole magic ordeal."

"Yeah ."

We keep walking back towards camp. I know that he was disappointed in me, but he'll never tell me that. 

"Just because you practice magic doesn't make you any less of a werewolf."

I nod. 

I feel his hand gently brush my cheek. "So, now you know where you belong."

"How did you know where I was?"

"I just had a bad feeling."

"That was pretty lucky."

"Father's intuition."

"Hey, Dad."

"Huh?"

"Can we please not tell Nico about this."

"Okay, Rori," he makes the motion with his hand over his lips, pretending to zip it..

I feel the laughter escaping my lips. "I love you daddy."

He puts his arm around me. "I love you more."