Shadow Kissed pt.3

Part three of Nanali, which I currently re-named Shadow Kissed. Enjoy, and please comment!

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Nanali lay in the bush Nyx deposited her in. Several woodland animals gathered around, pawing at the rung of darkness that surrounded her. As the shield surrounding her weakened the amount of animals around her increased, even more strangely so, Nanali understood everything that was happening. She knew about her mother, father, and the strange creatures that made that horrible noise. She could recall the spinning vortex of wind that played around in her hair, the warmth of arms around her, and the sing-song voice that assured her, promised her, that she would be back. She knew enough to know that person had lied.

A small hatred simmered in the back of her brain, hatred for being left alone, for being forgotten, for being lied to. A hatred that would slowly, but surely, develop into rage over the years.

The years passed slowly and Nanali, being alone, had learned everything she could about humans through the animals. The animals often brought her berries, nuts, and water, knowing she wouldn't like the raw meat they occasionally ate. After five years of secretly studying humans, watching them from bushes and behind trees, she was ready. With the studying, animal help, and magic from her parents, Nanali knew her animal ears and tail were strange so she put a invisibility cloak around them.

Nanali walked out from between the bushes, squinting the bright light that was, now, not reduces by the canopy of trees that usually hung above her. The wind ruffled her, now, tangled hair and wrapped around her dirt smudged body. Various animals, squirrels, rabbits, foxes, deer, and a few other poked their heads out of the brush as they watched Nanali slowly make her way across the vacant street to a woman sitting on a park bench, reading a book.

Nanali approached the lady crying and rubbing her eyes. The woman gasped, dropped her book, and cautiously lifted Nanali up to examine her. She was young, about twenty-six or twenty-seven, she had long blonde hair and deep brown eyes that worked perfectly with her high cheek bones.

"Are you okay, darlin'," she spoke with a southern drawl. Nanali shook her head.

"Nyu cra clee," Nanali cried, realizing, a bit to late, she was still speaking animal.

"Huh? Can you speak?" Nanali nodded.

"I was walking," she cried," and mama and daddy they...they gone now. Mama and daddy go bye-bye." Nanali wiped her eyes with the back of her small fist, and the woman held her close.

"Oh you poor thing! My name is Racheal, can you say Racheal?"

"Rayshell, my tummy hurts." Racheal gathered her things in a small bag and threw it over her shoulder. She removed her leather jacket and wrapped it around Nanali's exposed flesh before starting to walk home.

"I'll take care of you sweetheart, don't you be afraid." Somewhere, in the thick forest Nanali left behind, the animals cried, mourning the loss of the girl they worked so hard to raise.

Well, that's all! Bye-bye! Tell me what you thought of my story, please!

XOXOXOXOX

Summer Night