Moonlark Turned Evil

Inktober Special: Angel

Help idk if it's "adams apple" or "Adam's apple" or something else- you all know what im talking about😭

Finthen love eeeeee

The sun had barely risen in the sky when someone shouted.

It was a small village, and the walls of the houses weren't very thick, so the alarmed cry reached Gethen easily. His eyes blinked open as he sat up in bed, noting how dark it was outside. A few people were already on their feet, rushing towards where the noise had come from. He pushed back the blankets, tossed a cloak over his shoulders, and rushed out the door to investigate.

Almost half the village was crowded around the gates, whispering amongst themselves. Gethen saw the physician crouching down on the ground, and his heart skipped a beat. Both his parents were out tonight—what if . . . ?

Before he could finish the thought, a hand ruffled his hair. Gethen looked up to see his grandfather.

"It's not them," Kai assured him.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "What happened?"

"Some kid was lying there, apparently. Singed hair and clothing, not a face anyone recognizes." Kai shrugged. "He should be alright, though. It looks like his injuries aren't anything beyond a bit of hunger and some burns."

The crowd started clearing away as soon as they'd gotten their fill of the early morning drama, finally remembering what time it was. After a short discussion between some of those who remained and the physician, Kai and Gethen ended up bringing the unconscious boy home with them.

They laid him down in Gethen's bed after wiping the dirt off his face as best as they could. Food and water would have to wait until he was awake.

The sun was starting to peek over the horizon by the time the three of them settled down in the house, Kai cooking something in the kitchen and Gethen sitting beside the bed with a book.

The injured child slept fitfully, tossing and turning and occasionally lashing out. There couldn't have been anything good in his dreams. He woke up several hours later, amidst the clearing of plates. Gethen's parents had come home not long before, and they'd just finished eating breakfast.

"Hello," Kai said, poking his head through the doorway when he heard the boy moving around. "Would you like some food?"

"Hi," the boy said. "Where am I?"

"Soro Village," Gethen supplied, stepping into the room.

There was a moment of silence where all of them seemed to have too many questions at once to voice any of them.

"Thank you," the boy said finally. He twisted off the bed, bare feet hitting the ground. There was a barely perceptible flinch that went his handsome features, and Gethen realized that his feet must be covered with cuts and burn marks. He hobbled into the kitchen anyway, flinching with every step.

Kai gave him a bowl of soup.

Gethen sat down at the table, propping his chin up on his hands. "I'm Gethen Ondsinn," he said awkwardly as the boy across from him started eating with a murmured thanks. "Uh . . . what happened to you?"

"Fintan Pyren," came the reply, crisp and clear. "I'm from a few villages over, actually. Does the name Weil ring any bells?"

Well, it didn't for Gethen, but his parents seemed to know what the boy was talking about.

"You came from Weil?!" his mother exclaimed, aghast. "How did—" She cut herself off abruptly, sneaking a glance at Gethen as though she didn't want to say anything in front of him.