Daughter of Luka (LGBT+)

Nineteen 🌑

I was so glad to return to the vibrant yellow-coloured bedroom of my house. I was going to have to take a short break from the forest. It had already caused too much drama between Accalia and I. However, was I really in the wrong? She was my friend, not my parental guardian. Besides, she had been keeping far more hidden from me than I had from her, except, of course, for the fact that I knew all about what she was hiding from me.

My father walked into my room, with a kind smile upon his face. 

"I'm going to start trying to hunt down these wolves soon," he said. 

I sat bolt upright on my bed. 

"Please, don't," I said. 

His eyebrows drew together at that comment. 

"Ophelia, I hunt, it's what I do. You know that. What's wrong?" he asked. 

"You keep warning me against going to the forest because you think they're dangerous. What does that make you then, dad? You're a danger, too, to the wildlife," I said, "To those wolves. They don't deserve to be killed." 

"They're dangerous, too, Ophelia," he argued. 

I groaned out loud. 

"I don't care. I think I'm going to become a vegetarian," I mumbled, as I placed a pillow onto my face, which my father swiftly removed. "There's worse things going on in England than a wolf pack, dad. You don't need to 'take care' of it or whatever else you have planned. Just think about all of the other concerns we have- like the current state of the government and torrential-rain causing flooding." 

My father did not appear to be amused by my comments. 

"Can't you just get an actual job?" I asked, "One that involves a little less..." I trailed off, "Death?"

"You know, your mother was constantly complaining about it, too," he said. 

I couldn't blame her for that one. I folded my arms over my chest.

My father smiled, as he sat down on the bed. 

"I won't hunt them," he said, "If you promise to keep out of those forests." 

"No- just don't hurt them," I said. 

This was an argument I knew that I wasn't going to win any time soon. 

My thoughts were on Accalia and Fenn. I knew that, whatever I did, I needed to keep the two of them safe.

"Fine. I won't even think about it," I said. 

That was a lie. I was constantly thinking about it. I felt zero guilt in lying to him, though. This was my life and I was eighteen years old. He couldn't keep trying to control my actions.

The forest was the light in my life at the moment, even if I was slightly concerned about its inhabitants. It had given me something to be excited about- to want to explore.

"I'm not apologising," I added, as my father gave me a look. 

"I didn't expect you to," he said, with a tone of surprise.

"School. I need to study. You should leave me be," I told him. 

My father shook his head. 

"Right, right," he said. "I'll leave you be." 

He then turned and walked out of my room, and in his absence I kicked my backpack. 

School. I hated school sometimes. I hated studying for exams. Why did exams even matter when there were werewolves living mere metres away from my back garden? 

I would study and then I would run back to the forests. I needed to. I would take my backpack with me, with some equipment in it- knives, torches, that kind of thing- just to keep myself protected.

If my father knew about my plans, he would probably bolt my bedroom door shut. 

Unfortunately for him, he probably didn't have the faintest clue.

I didn't want to feel as though I had to rebel against him every waking moment, but what was the alternative? 

Accalia was my friend and she was hiding far too much from me, and I was determined to uncover exactly how much she was hiding from me. 

I didn't blend into school that well, sure, but it didn't seem as though she could blend in at all. What was going on with her, anyway? How could she keep friends with so many secrets?

After a moment of studying, I closed my textbook and wandered out of my room. 

I then made my way downstairs and came face to face with my father again. 

"Where are you going?" he asked me. 

"For a run," I said. 

He didn't look as though he was about to stop me, though he eyed my backpack with interest.

"I won't trip over a branch and die," I added, as I took a further step towards the front door. 

My father's expression appeared a little more light-hearted. 

"I trust you. I'm glad you didn't inherit your mother's clumsy feet," he said, but he looked a little guilty after he had said it.

"And I promise that I won't be eaten by a wolf," I said.

My father's eyes widened. 

At least, I hoped that I wouldn't be eaten by a wolf. I couldn't completely confirm that wouldn't happen. It just seemed like a truly terrible way to go.

He gave a nod of his head. 

This might just work out. 

I followed my father out the front door and he turned to me. 

"Be careful," he said. 

"I will be," I said easily enough. As long as my legs didn't give up on me while running, and I fell to my death. 

I knew that my legs were going to ache a lot by the time I was done walking through the forest, but I had packed snacks into my backpack in case I needed to take a rest or two. 

I said a quick "Goodbye," to my dad and then set off on my way.

As I began to walk into the forest, I accidentally stepped into some stinging nettle. It scratched at my leg and I pulled it out of the plant, annoyed. 

It wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, though, I could have been eaten by a wolf. 

I grimaced at the thought and continued to walk on.