RHG: Inheritance Reclaimed

Chapter 1

Leif POV

Watching the sunlight filter in, crossing rays of light through spotted canopies, is mesmerising. Like a giant above had chosen to barely dig out patches in the wide blanket of leaves covering the sky from the residents of down below.

I can almost picture ashen dark blue fingers, thicker than the trees themselves, breaking through the layer of leaves and with unfathomable delicacy and skill, pinching minuscule clusters that seem microscopic in its fingertips. Plucking them out, carefully and precise, and giving access to the sun for its light to leak in, eager spotlights shining through trying to gather the sights of beneath the canopy that obstructed its vision before.

"A giant? Really?"

"I couldn't really think of anything else," I felt my face flush with a brief hint of embarrassment, almost forgetting Wither's tendency to eavesdrop on my thoughts. Especially my fantasising.

"Hmph. Better that last time. What was it? Acorn fairies? Evil grasshopper people?"

"Evil grasshopper people?" I giggle, imagine people wobbling over the enormous backlegs of a grasshopper around the forest.

"Whatever. You're the silly creative one. Always fantasising, always over thinking little things to be part of some weird big picture."

"And you shouldn't be working on not talking outloud? What if that Storm friend of yours sees you talking to seemingly nothing?"

"Well, no one's really around this part. Not even the wood cutters." I point out. "And if Storm asks, I'll just tell her about you."

"Uh huh. One problem. I don't want her to know about me. Or anyone."

"But why?" I questioned, puzzled. "Because of you, I get to be myself. And well.. you get to be you. We're both needed to form this person. You're a part of me, so shouldn't she know?"

I hear her sigh echo in our skull.

"Look Leif, I let you use the body. I gave up my life for yours, so you can live and grow up. This is your life now. To everyone else, you are the only conscious being in this body. I do not exist. I do not want to exist. Alright?"

"But-" I couldn't understand. Wither is literally my other half. Without her, I, we, cannot be whole. We're just two halves of the person we were.

I could recall that night, senses thrown into disarray. When we opened our eyes again, and realised we could see each other.

A mental image of the other as a separate entity. Knowing then, Lief was no more, only the two split ends of her remained.

Despite being able to control the body one at a time, living like this was hard. Our mind was but a seesaw, and we were constantly changing to keep it all in balance.

So wasn't it only fair that someone.. our first, only, and best friend, knew of the one who made my existence possible? I mean.. Wither's done so much for me and she deserves someone to-

"Hey. I said no. Quit thinking about it." Her grumbling summoned guilt to drag me from my thoughts.

"Sorry." I mumbled meekly. "If that's what will make you happy."

"..."

Leaning back against the tree behind me, I felt the rough bark scrape lightly against my skin, warmth seemingly pulsing under it, almost like a heart beat.

I frowned, shifting on the velvet grass to turn and gaze up the magnificent boughs of the tree. Its branches were splayed out from its top as any other tree in the vicinity, proudly displaying its clustering audience of rich green leaves.