The protector

Morning sunshine

Chapter 23

Warmth graces the skin on my arms and face as my own hair slowly hits me across my chest. The clicking sound of a bird awakens me from my deep sleep as I perch high away from the ground.

The morning light burns my freshly opened eyes as I stifle a yawn; my wings lay limply by my sides as the bark from the tree rubs up and down my back.

Something crawls up my arm as my eyes wander around the trees that only sit a few meters away. Their tall trunks sticking out from the soft soil as wind blows the tops ever so slightly.

My hair lifts from my shoulders as a steady wind blows through the trees. The fabric from my sleeves rolled up exposing my large golden mark that shimmers in the sunlight.

My toes wiggle before me as cool air runs through them, a quite giggle escaping from between my lips at the odd sensation that runs though my feet.

Something grazes my shoulder; a small monarch butterfly sits very still on the edge of my shoulder, its small little wings moving only a little in the soft breeze.

Then with a push from the wind it takes flight, falling away from me and into the air.

Reminding me of a poem I was once told many moons ago; the memory is quite fuzzy now but I can still remember some of the words formed by her lips. Her voice as smooth as silk as she softly sang the poem to me as I lay in bed.

The memory like a punch in the face as I run my fingers slowly though my hair; she is not with me anymore, so stop bringing it up.

Oh how I wish she could hold me once more and sing sweet songs to me as my eyes flutter close, for sweet sleep to take me away from the land of greed.

The sun start to burn the soft skin on my arms as I shift uncomfortably on the large tree limb, the dark bark falling off as my hands grip the sides.

Grabbing onto the side I swing down, my feet touch another limb, my feet feel the pressure of the wood underneath me.

My wings fall back behind me as I take steady steps across the tree, my arms spread out like an eagle as I take another step closer to the end.

The wing blows my wings up ever so slight as I balance on the thin branch that sits under my feet.

Jumping down with a swift thump, my feet touch another branch only a few feet from the one I was just standing upon, the rough bark pushing slowly into my skin.

A sharp pain covers my body for a millisecond almost like the tips of needles dancing across my skin before it vanishes and leaves me feeling alright. Confusion must cover my features as I stop mid step to take a breath from the odd pain that covered me only moments before.

My toes dig into the branch as I filter through my thoughts to come up with a conclusion to the weird pain.

After a few seconds of thinking for any possible solutions I let the odd occurrence to slide as I hop down to another large tree limp that sticks out extra far.

What a wonderful morning, filters through my mind as my hair brushes up against my exposed back. Then like a massive wave the events from yesterday roll back into my mind as a thin lined frown starts to cover my face.

Letting out a sigh and slowly running my hands through my hair I jump another branch down and without a sound perch myself on it almost like an owl.

My eyes look around through the cracks in the leaves and wood, sucking in a shallow breath something catches my attention.

Leaning forward a little with my hands curled around the bark I see pink skin below me, the owner not seeing me in the tree. The persons hand wraps around a low branch that is only a few yards below me.