Chapter 13

Sparks was sitting on Alex’s shoulder, his injured arm still held to his chest. The two of them had determined that it had not been broken, only bruised. The same went for his leg. But there was a cut that Alex wanted to get cleaned. It was on the fairies shoulder, his clothes had been stained with his blood.
Sywyn hadn’t said much, only leading silently. Alex was glad to have some company, if only for a little while. Every time he looked over at Sparks, he had to grasp the idea that there was a fairy riding on his shoulder.
There was no way this trip could get any stranger.
Alex had set Sparks on a stump, getting a fire set up. The fairy watched and Sywyn wandered, looking for something. Alex didn’t question him. He knew that if Sywyn wanted him to know what he was doing, he would say so.
Alex tried to get the fire started, cursing under his breath at every strike from his flint and steel. The Sparks showered, but the sticks were just too moist.
“Do you want help?” Sparks asked from the stump.
Alex looked back, remembering when the fairy had attacked the wolverines. “can you?”
“of course, I am a fire fairy,” he rolled his eyes, carefully standing up. He raised his tiny hand, snapping his fingers. Alex jumped when there was a pop next to him. The sticks had caught fire, jumping up and already burning. Alex grinned, tossing a few more logs into it. Sparks sat back down, his legs over the edge. Alex went next to him. “Thanks,” he nodded.
“No problem,” the fairy shrugged. “so, what are you both doing out here anyway?”
“I need to take Sywyn home,” Alex explained.
“so… what exactly is Sywyn,” Sparks asked lowly, leaning to Alex while watching Sywyn.
“A jerk,” Alex muttered back with a grin.
“I heard that!” Sywyn called from further away.
Alex and Sparks giggled. Alex shook his head, still grinning. “Sywyn was an elf that has been trapped in this gem,” he explained holding the gem around his neck up. Sparks leaned closer, the gem was bigger than he was.
“how did that happen?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Alex admitted. “he won’t tell me. But he was trapped in this room and I got him out, so I decided to take him back to his home.”
“a human and an elf?” the fairy asked. “Elves don’t play with humans anymore. They haven’t for a very long time.”
“well, as he is so fond of pointing out, He wouldn’t have made me if there was anyone else for the position,” Alex muttered. “this wasn’t something that either of us really agreed to. It just happened. He needed me and I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
Sparks carefully stood up, keeping much pressure off of his leg. He looked Alex over, putting a hand on his chin. “Well, you are the first human I have seen. I think you are the first human to make it this deep in this forest for hundreds of years.”
“I would have gotten lost if Sywyn didn’t know the way,” Alex admitted. “I don’t see how anyone can navigate through this place.” He looked at Sywyn. The ghost was still looking at the trees. Maybe looking for another mark or some little hint of directions. Alex turned his attention back to Sparks, seeing the blood on his shirt again.
“how bad is your cut?” he asked.
Sparks looked down, making a face. “Its manageable,” he muttered.
“did one of the wolverines get you?”
“no, or I would be dead. I just fell on a branch that was much sharper then I had thought.” He carefully started to peel his shirt off. There was a red mark on his shoulder. To Alex, it would have felt like a paper cut, but to the fairy, it was probably something to worry about.
“Can you heal yourself?” Alex asked, knowing the fairy could use magic.
“no,” he muttered. “I can only use fire spells.”
Alex bit his lip, looking at his hand.
“don’t even think about it Alex,” Sywyn said shockingly close to him. Alex jumped, now seeing the ghost standing next to him.
“But Sywyn-“ Alex started.
“no buts,” Sywyn snapped. “You could easily kill him. I’m not going to deal with you bawling the rest of the way because you killed the pest.”
Sparks frowned, looking at both of them. “what are you two talking about?”
“I can use magic,” Alex explained before Sywyn could stop him. The ghost sighed exasperated.
“Just tell the whole world Alex,” he muttered.
Alex ignored him, still looking at Sparks. “I was just thinking that maybe I could heal you, that’s all.”
“a human using magic?” the fairy raised his eyebrow. “you can’t fool me. I am no idiot. Though I don’t know everything about your race, I do know that you can’t use magic. Everyone knows that.”
“I shouldn’t be able to,” Alex agreed. “But I can. Sywyn thinks it’s the reason that I could see him when no one else could.”
“alright, enough,” Sywyn snapped. “no magic Alex. Do not make me tell you again. Healing can be just as dangerous as attacking if you don’t know what you are doing. and with something so small, I am not going to take the chance. The wound won’t kill him.”
“alright, alright,” Alex grumbled. “the least I can do is help clean it up though.” He started digging through the bag, finding the shirt. He tore a strip out of it, then tore that strip again. Once he had a small piece, he gently rubbed the blood away. He had never been so scared of hurting something. Just one wrong move and Sparks was dead. He was extra careful around the thin wings, trying as hard as he could not to bump them. “hold this here. I’ll get something so you can tie it.”
Sparks obeyed, letting Alex reach into the bag once again and pulling out more fabric, ripping it until it was as thin as possible. He handed it to sparks who carefully wrapped it around his arm. He finally tied it, seeming satisfied with the work. Alex handed the fairy his shirt back, holding it between his index finger and thumb. Sparks took it, slipping it back over his head. He gave a thankful smile and Alex returned it. Above them there was a screech, making Alex jump. The hawk from before was in a branch, shaking it’s wings and silently opening its beak. Alex flinched a little, scared it would attack again.
“There you are Ember wing! I was starting to get worried! Come down here!”
The bird took no other order. It glided down, landing on the stump right beside Sparks. Alex flung himself back, landing on his butt. The hawk kept its wings half raised, giving Alex a look over with its unblinking eyes.
“He won’t hurt you.”
It took Alex longer then he would like to admit to realize that Sparks was speaking to him, not the bird. He slowly sat up, still looking at it. “are you sure?” he asked timidly.
Sparks smiled, standing up and limping over to the hawk. He put his hand on the birds chest and nodded. Alex came a bit closer, sitting in front of them. The hawk turned its head, looking Alex over. Alex gave a small smile. “Hello,” he nodded.
“Friend, ember wing,” Sparks rubbed the birds feathers. “Friend.”
Alex looked closer, seeing something on the birds feathers. He leaned in, his eyes widening with shock. “he has a saddle?!”
“of course,” Sparks laughed. “it’s the only way I can stay on. Ember wing is the fastest thing in the skies. We’ve even raced eagles. There is nothing faster, smarter or more equipped for flying then ember wing here.”
“I can think of something,” Sywyn muttered behind them, speaking lowly as though to himself. Alex looked at him, hoping for a continuation of that statement, but the elf was busy looking at something else. Alex turned his attention back to the fairy and hawk. He carefully scooted a bit closer.
“Can I pet him?” he asked.
“sure,” Sparks smiled, patting the hawks side.
Alex nodded, bringing his hand to the large bird. He timidly touched the soft feathers. The hawk gave a little hiss of disagreement, but Sparks soothed him with a soft hush. The bird seemed to relax and Alex risked scratching him on the breast. The bird opened his wings a little, allowing the touch.
“scratch his neck, he loves that,” Sparks encouraged.
Alex brought his hand above the birds head, gently running his fingers through the soft feathers on the neck. His heart was fluttering, but there was a smile on his face. He offered his arm to the hawk and the bird looked at it, then climbed on. Alex could feel it’s weight, a little shocked. He turned the bird, looking at it from every angle. When he got a little further from Sparks, the bird jumped from his arm, returning to its rider.
“he doesn’t like being away from me,” Sparks explained. “it’s not your fault.”
“He is beautiful,” Alex complimented, sitting next to the log again.
“Thank you. I have hand raised him since the day he hatched.” he petted the birds head. The hawk leaned down so it was easier.
“why do you have a hawk? Can’t you fly?” Alex asked. He hadn’t realized until now that he had yet to see Sparks use his wings.
The fairly smiled. “why do you use horses if you can walk?”
“yeah,” Alex agreed. “I suppose that makes sense. So do all fairies get hawks?”
“no,” he shook his head. “Most families have sparrows or robins. Some even have ravens. Hawks are considered too dangerous. Their kind is known for making fairies a normal meal.”
“and yet, you have one?”
“well, I had killed his mother,” he admitted quietly. “she tried to attack me and I thought she just wanted to eat me. It turns out that she had been protecting her nest and I had disturbed her. I didn’t know this until she was already dead. Ember wing hatched right there and I couldn’t just leave him. So I decided to raise him.”
“but what about your family?”
“they threw a fit, just like the rest of the town,” he smiled. “but from the day he hatched, me and ember wing have been inseparable.”
“you said something about fire riders?”
He lost his smile, still petting his bird. “I had been trying to get their attention for awhile, but I guess they just had other things to do. doesn’t really matter, ember wing and I will show them one day. We don’t need them to be fire riders.”
“But you do need a phoenix, so in a way, you do need them,” Sywyn came up behind them. Alex looked him over, feeling his breath catch. “Phoenix?” he breathed.
Sywyn just smiled, then looked back at Sparks. “you may think yourself braver and better than the rest just because you have a pretty bird, but you need to face it sooner or later. You were just not meant to be a fire rider. I’m sure there are other places that need your talents. Stop dwelling on these foolish ideas.”
“what do you know?!” Sparks snapped. “your just a ghost!”
“a ghost who has met many fire riders and considers them great friends,” Sywyn warned. “now enough of this foolish talk. Alex, get cooking some dinner. I don’t need you staying up to late playing with your new toys. We need to move faster then what we have been. I have been very patient with you but now you are just testing me.”
Alex frowned, nodding. “alright,” he said quietly.
“and you,” Sywyn looked at the fairy. “You would do well to keep what you saw a secret. Head back home, it’s not safe for a lone fairy to be living out here. You may stay tonight but by sunrise, you will be gone.”
Sparks didn’t answer and Sywyn took his place on the opposite side of the fire. Alex shifted a little, looking down at Sparks. “Do you want something to eat?” he asked.
“what do you have?”
“I’ve got a bit of elk left.”
The fairy made a face. “I mean no offence, but I don’t eat meat.”
“really?” Alex asked, shocked. “well, I do have some berries that I picked along the way. Would you like those?”
“Don’t worry about me. I have food,” he went to the hawk, opening a small pouch on the saddle. He pulled out what looked to be a tiny bag of food. He sat back on the edge, silently eating. Alex followed his lead, happy to be sharing a meal with a friend.