Her Wendigo

Patience Is A Virtue

The spirits formed a circle with the Head at the top. Whispers could be heard coming from the far back only to be silenced by the glare of the Head's supporters. My kind decided against creating yet another ruckus, not even they are stupid enough to disrespect the spirits.

"THE MEETING WILL NOW BEGIN"   shouted one of the spirits putting an end to the last few whispers and those who were still trying to find their clan immediately stopped.

The meeting this time was not only about what concerned me but about other problems which were in a way of less importance. Some territory trespassings and disputes between some of the spirits in the cousil.

I waited patiently to hear the words I longed for. An hour passed, then two. The head was silent this whole time allowing his supporters to solve this minor issues for him. Sure enough though the time came and a hawk spirit announced "THE NEXT DISCUSSION CONCERNS THE RISING NUMBER OF HUMAN SIGHTINGS IN SOME OF THE DEEPEST PARTS OF THE FOREST, AS WELL AS HUMAN ACTIVITY AGAINST PHANTOMS AND ESPECIALLY WENDIGOS"

It easy to understand the reason the crowd surrounding the spirits became so restless at the sound of those words. Humans have been trying to deny our existence some centuries now but all of a sudden not only do they remember us but come after us too. This fact worries many of the lower races like the bitter bunnies who some hundred years ago were hunted down to the point where the spirits had to interfere to prevent their extinction. If humans were bold enough to come after Wendigos, the one remaining predator of their species, there was nothing stopping them from going after lower races.

A fox spirit comes forward and turns to the others "THIS CAN'T GO ON! WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION NOW WHILE ITS STILL EARLY! THIS WAY WE CAN-" She wasn't given the opportunity to finish as a pigeon spirit came forward from her right, interrupting her "CAN WHAT? WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE CARELESS HERE WE NEED A PLAN. WE CAN'T JUST GO AFTER THE HUMANS, WE WILL-" Another spirit started talking from somewhere in the back, an owl I believe. "WE WILL SIT AND LET THEM DO AS THEY PLEASE AGAIN? AS YOU SAID WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE CARELESS! WE NEED TO GO AFTER THEM BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO COME AFTER US! LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED IT COSTED US ALL GREATLY, WE CAN NOT ALLOW THE SAME THINGS TO TAKE PLACE AGAIN!" Whispers of approval could be heard once she was finished, leaving the pigeon angered.

The head still had not said anything, just rested his head on his hand. It was honestly difficult to say whether he was actually paying any attention to what the ones standing in front of him were saying. His supporters would occasionally look at him and then back at the meeting, looking for any cues that he wished to speak or hear someone else's opinion on the matter or anything really.

Many other suggestions were made after that, some said that spirits and phantoms alike should withdraw to the deepest parts of the forest until the tension dies out while others supported a more aggressive approach to the matter. There those who even said that Sandalwoods should be eliminated so as to ensure that no humans trouble the forest again.

The head raised his hand and his supporters silenced the crowd."QUIET" Everyone turned around to see the head standing up, looking at all those in attendance, an eerie quietness settled down among us. "I THANK EVERYONE FOR SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS BUT THERE WILL BE NO PLAN TO ERADICATE THE HUMANS AS SOME WISH BUT WE WE WILL NOT LEAVE LIKE SOME OTHERS SUGGESTED. THIS ISSUE CONCERNS THE WENDIGOS AND THE WENDIGOS ALONE FOR NOW. NO OTHER PHANTOM HAS BEEN HARMED OR EVEN SEEN BY A HUMAN FOR DECADES. SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN WE WILL HOLD OUR GROUND BUT THERE IS NO REASON OR BENEFIT TO COME BY PROVOKING THE HUMANS."

A deer spirit raised their hand to ask a question once the head was finished," THEN WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND WE DO SIR?" The head turned to the other spirit and said "THERE IS A SAYING AMONG HUMANS: PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE. WE WONT MAKE A MOVE FOR NOW, I WILL PERSONALLY TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION IF IT COMES DOWN TO CONFLICT."Soon after the head withdrawed with his followers close behind him, "THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S COUNSIL MEETING" said the pigeon as they disappeared leaving nothing to indicate they were ever even there.

The crowd of phantoms surrounding the spirits became restless, they wanted a clear answer not this. Still, they knew better than to go against the spirits.

I took a few steps back and bumped into one of the Wendigos gathered behind me. It growled and attempted to bite me only to realize that I was way out of his league and backed away once it saw me glaring at it. I turned and run as fast as I could to the direction the spirits were facing before they disappeared. I needed answers that this meeting could not provide.

When can I finally meet her? Does she remember me? How come I didn't lose myself to my instincts? Is she related to that? What is this powerful feeling I have, that I need to be near her? I can feel the need to create a bond with her right now more than I have ever done in any of her past lives. Could it be that she is back? No that can't be.. The Duchess is gone for good but the resemblance is uncanny. No, it is far more than just resemblance, they have the same face, body everything. Well almost everything.

Her aura is...different? Yet the same? She looks the same but also doesn't? It's like part of her is missing, or rather has been replaced. A smirk made its way onto my face. For some reason I like that new her and once I finally meet her I will make certain that I know all she is hiding.

"Ah mistress, you have no idea how long I have been waiting for you to appear. And now, you are mine"

A laugh, something between human and beast, came from within the deepest parts of my wretched body and echoed in the forest. My patience is now, finally, paying off.