Rowan

He wasn’t thinking right.

Rowan lost control of himself. The scent made him move closer, his feet moved on their own, dragging themselves along the floor.

He was on the edge of shifting, but something deeply hidden inside his mind screamed at him that wasn’t an option. As he got closer his mind turned unfocused, he felt as if everything around him disappeared, he was alone, but it was a calm feeling. The scent that was getting closer and closer sent comfort, but also made him desperate to quick the pace.

He could almost feel the scent as something he could grasp, his fingers twitched, he quickened the pace and suddenly his nose flared in pain. He scrunched his eyes as he fell to the ground, slamming his head against the ground. He heard a soft whimper as he groaned from the impact.

When the burning pain finally receded, he finally came back to his full senses.

He heard another whimper of pain not so far from him, he raised his head alerted.

He hit something. No. Someone.

He rose to his feet slowly and looked around him. Nothing. The creature must’ve run away. 

He was soon proved wrong as another whimper was heard to his right. He turned his head quickly to the sound’s direction.

He moved his feet slowly, walking towards the whimpering sound. He walked down a gentle incline covered with high grass. He was soon close to a small meadow, covered with small flowers.

He narrowed his eyes, which were bright in the night and saw something scattered between grass. Suddenly, a head surged and looked around, the grass around them looked as if it had leaned towards them.

Rowan quickly hid behind a tree, he didn’t even know why he was hiding, the creature probably didn’t have night vision, but he felt something he’d never experienced before, forcing him to shy away. It was stupid.

The creature slowly stood up, they were small, wavy hair trailed down their back.He now knew where the distinctive scent he’d been smelling for days came from, it came from this creature, he could almost see the sugary smell surrounding them, a pressuring pain bloomed inside his chest and urged him to get closer.

He looked at the creature's face, his eyes ran over their long hair and stopped, staring at the thin delicate lips that rested limply on their freckled face. His eyes soon ran over the pointed ears making him hitch a breath. He looked at elf’s eyes, they stared directly at him and he froze staring back at them.

He suddenly woke up from his trance and took a confident step forward, leaves crackled under his foot, finally free from any doubt he’d previously had. He wanted to get near to them, he wanted to talk to them, hold them close.

Just as Rowan was walking towards the tiny creature, their big eyes turned wider, staring at him alarmingly and suddenly bolted, running back to the decayed trees behind them.

Rowan fled after them, not wanting to lose sight of them. He ran pass dead trees, following behind the small elf that was trying to run away. 

Even if Rowan failed to keep up, he could guide himself with the scent that the creature emitted.

They were fast for such a small creature, Rowan was even running out of breath, struggling to keep up with them. But he was filled with relief when he saw the creature slowing down, also struggling to keep running, their steps becoming slower and sloppier. 

They soon reached a river, fast flowing water splashing on its rocky bank. The creature backed quickly when they felt the cold water touch their feet, they stared at their feet, feeling cornered by the rapid waters. They looked around anxiously.

Rowan almost reached them, his heart thumping wildly inside his chest, he quickened the pace, snapping twigs as his feet moved faster than ever. The creature heard him and quickly ran along the river unexpectedly, he just followed behind. Weird.

He then heard the sound of water splashing, very similar to rain, making something click inside his mind and fill him with terror.

Shit.

He quickened his pace and tried to reach for the elf running a few feet away.

“Wait!”, he screamed, “I’m not hurting you!”. His heartbeat quickened, he was suddenly terrified of what the creature was approaching unknowingly.

The elf heard Rowan and looked back at him, their eyes unfocused because of the dark but their legs never stopped running.

“Please”, Rowan begged.

They stopped abruptly. Tilting their head at him no longer alarmed but curious.

How did he miss it? They were the same elf he’d seen two days ago! The scent always got closer when the creature was there. He mentally slapped himself for being so stupid. 

The creatures eyes flickered around, trying to find his eyes and suddenly, their eyes met, he choked on his breath.

The elf’s expression brightened and opened their mouth to speak.

“Hi-”.

Rowan accidentally slammed against them. Cutting them off and pushing them backwards where there was no ground. Instead water laid beneath them, a waterfall rested behind them, water falling rapidly. The creature fell with wide eyes as the small drops of water fell down to the lake. 

Fuck. Rowan tried to reach for them, realizing his mistake. Their fingers grazed each other, but he was a second too slow as his fingers wrapped around nothing but vair and the creature fell down the great fall and splashed into the water with a painful sound.

The elf’s figure slowly disappeared beneath the water, vanishing in the dark. 

Rowan stared below him completely shaken and cursed at himself. He’d forgotten to stop running.