Eternal

I smiled a little after waking up. Rushing through the castle, I bustled to the tower. It was too early in the morning for anyone but the night hounds to notice me. I couldn’t stop beaming at the thought of seeing Lily again.

As I walked up the stairs, I saw her sleeping heavily on her bed. She looked so peaceful from when I first met her. Before she look war torn and like a scared animal. Now it was like that wild falcon-I had earned her trust.

But you can never tame a thing so wild and free.

I walked over to kneel beside her form. Taking her hand in mine, I give it a gentle squeeze. She started to stir.

“Hey.” I whispered to her.

“Mmm…” She grumbled. The hair covered her face, suffocating details of her emerald eyes.

“Liiiiiiilly.” I drawled out, cooing her name. I stroked the stray pieces out of her eyes. She reacted under my touch. It was so unnatural like this. The hunter and the hunted, but the hunter was under the whim of the hunted.

She sucked in a soft breath through parted lips and emerald eyes fluttered open to the dim light. The fire was put out in the room.

“Hello, Alan.” She smiled as I stroked her cheek gently. With the one hand laced in mine, she gave it a gentle squeeze.

“How’d you sleep?”

“Well, well. You?” She asked with a yawn. I chuckled at the cute little gesture.

“Good.” I caught myself staring, so I focused my attention elsewhere for the moment. A stack of books was neatly piled in the corner. One was half opened and hidden by her blanket. It was if she had fallen asleep reading it. I chuckled lightly.

“What?” She arched an eyebrow in stern question.

“Were you up late reading?” I asked her. She looked away.

“Maybe….” Her only response was quiet.

I laughed again, which made her all the more furious. She propped herself up on elbow and glared at me.

“What’s so funny?” She wrinkled her nose and I admired the adorable little move. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she wrenched her hand free of mine. Was it wrong that I found it insanely adorable when she scrunched up her face and got mad at me? No, no it wasn’t.

“Nothing, you’re just funny when you scrunch up your nose.” I held up my hands in surrender. She attempted to be serious, but it didn’t work out. Lily just looked even more ridiculous.

“Stop it!” Lily growled as I flopped on the floor in happy tears. She crawled over and flopped on top of me, staring me down.

“You’re just so adorable.” I gasped out between chuckles. She blushed and pinned my wrists to the floor so I couldn’t push her off. I could’ve easily thrown her off using my infinite amount of strength, but I decided to play along.

“Am not!”

“Are to!”

“AM NOT!” She roared. I finally stopped laughed, trying to collect myself again. Outside a falcon cried high in the sky and Lily’s brown hair whipped around as she shot up and went to the window, throwing back the wood planks.

“What’s up?” I asked her, trailing her as she leaned out over the edge.

“She’s back!” Lily squealed quietly and pointed up. There she was, a beautiful Peregrine Falcon that would normally hang out by the cliffs, but was soaring here instead. She was perched on the top of a gargoyle. Her glimmering eyes scanned the landscape.

“Look!” She pointed down to the ground. There was a night hound out, soaking up grey rays of sun that poked through stormy clouds. The night hound hung out in the shade on a balcony high overhead. The falcon hopped down until she was just above the night hound’s head, out of sight. The beast had no clue what was happening.

I bit back tears, remembering my Jasey Rae. That was for sure her right there, teasing the night hounds. It had to be here or Faster-Than-Winds. I knew that for sure.

“She’s been teasing that night hound all last night.” Lily Erebos sighed. We watched together as the falcon pecked at the night hound’s pointed ears before taking flight. The night hound growled and whipped around, trying to snatch the bird out of midair. Yet, the falcon was too fast.

This went around many times, the falcon tugging at the night hound’s tail or at his ears before taking flight. She always managed to escape. It was quite the sight.

“I’ve never seen a night hound be teased by a falcon before.” Lily murmured, leaning against my shoulder as we looked out at the balcony where the night hound barked and snarled.

“Yeah.” I murmured absentmindedly.

Notes

Sorry I haven't update in a while, guys! I'm just a little busy at the moment with school and such. I'll try to update a few chapters soon but for now, enjoy a little cuteness from Lily and Alan! What do you think of the two of them? Would they be good together? What do you think would happen next? What do you think of the falcon?

Don't forget to tell me what you loved about it or what you want to see more of!