The Forest

-22-

Azure sat atop the leathery ring that crowned the interior of Mike's car. It was how he controlled the hulking metal contraption, like the reins on an animal, and was called a steering wheel. He had tried to explain the workings of the car to her, but all the different names and uses had become jumbled. She understood at least that there was a part that made it go, stop, and turn, and this was the turning part. The sides were still warm from the press of his hands.
She waited with her eyes fixed on the big building, holding her breath at every twitch in the doors. Every passerby was Mike until she looked closer and saw their face. She prayed that this time he wouldn't return alone. He was taking longer than he had at any of the other stations, which might have been a good sign. Or not.

The building wasn't as tall as the others around it, she didn't find its shadow as imposing, but there was still something unsettling about the ageing shape. Its walls ran halfway down the street further back than she could see, a red brick that was weathered and sandy. Lots of the windows were encircled with white paint. Some of the lower ones had bars or mesh engrained within the glass. It looked as if it had stood for centuries, as old as some of the trees back home.
She averted her eyes. It looks like a prison.

Funnily marked cars rolled in and out of the gate while she waited. They were white as the window paint, but with a checkered line looping around the body, a sequence of luminous green and blue. The word police was marked in unmistakable bold letters on every side.

She tapped her foot restlessly, knotting and unknotting her hair. There had been no trace of Lucius thus far. A small but sure bloom of doubt was starting to twine its way into her thoughts. What if they couldn't find him? Was it wrong of her to have made Mike go looking?

The big doors opened yet again, but it wasn't Mike. Most of the humans buzzing around wore identical clothing: heavy coats and rounded hats, boots that looked like they could pulp rock. All of the jackets read Police on the front. She had worked out that they were something like the human's version of the Guard, but what she couldn't make sense of was why they had a problem with Lucius.
Worry broiled like a hot spring. She just wished she could know what had happened in the woods, how these people had dragged him away, whether there had been a struggle or a reluctant agreement. She hoped for the latter... but her heart knew Lucius. He would never choose to leave his home.

And then she had a thought. Did he consider the forest as home?

The main door opened again and familiar blonde hair caught her attention.

Azure sat up when Mike exited the police station. To her dismay, the door swung to a close, and he descended the steps alone. She watched with baited breath as he trudged across the carpark, his hair catching the wind. He pulled his jacket tight around him to keep out the bite of the cold. With one shivering hand he reached into his pocket and retrieved a peculiar looking rock, which he pointed at the car, causing a shuddering click that made her jump.

The car rocked when he pulled the door open.
"Well?" She was demanding before he had a chance to sit down, "Where is he?"
Mike heaved the door shut with a whack and another shudder. Azure drew her wings close to her back— gods it was cold out there, he had carried the chill inside. Even as he settled into the seat, he was radiating winter air. His ears were speckled pink from the bite of the frost.
Mike was looking at nothing, "I don't know."
"What?" Her heart sank. She shook her head, "What do you mean? Those people said they must have brought him here-"
"They did." Mike spoke over her. It wasn't hard considering their size difference. He rubbed a hand against his face.
Azure only realised what he had said a moment later, "You mean he was here?"
"About half a day ago."
Half a day? That couldn't be right.
Mike was watching her reactions. He dropped his eyes and spoke through his hand, "We're too late."