Forestborn: Origins of Paili Ward

Affliction(1)

The moon shone red on that night. A cursed pact had been made and the result of this pact was brought to the surface for all to see.

"There she is! She's here!"

"She's beautiful. Look at that hair."

" It's as red as a Jati's fox fur boots. "

The screams of the newborn filled the night until the child was cleaned and fed from her mother's bosom. The father of this newborn, Luri, watched Penna and the child until they slept that night. He stepped out into the frigid night air. The forest beckoned him.

Under the cover of night, he ventured into the haven of trees. Eyes glared back at him, glowing a threatening yellow.

"Now you return."

"Taumu. I have a daughter."

A fox, as big as a hunting dog and fur as red as blood approached him. He glared into Luri's eyes. "That's wonderful news!" Taumu began to pace aggitatedly. "Is that what you were expecting? You have stolen your way into a human's bed. She knows nothing about you other than the lies you have told her. I cannot be happy for a child conceived in lies and deceit."

"I couldn't help who I fell in love with-"

"But you made a choice to act on it!"

"The same choice you would have made if you were starving and burrowed into a house for food! It-it was torture to see her everyday knowing that I could never be with her because of what I was."

Taumu sneered as he paced. "Knowing what you are obviously wasn't enough to stop you. Once it's discovered that she's a Shiera the child will be ostracized, maybe even killed. The woman will also suffer. You didn't think of that did you?"

"I won't leave her."

"Of course not. You will see this through to the end." His large paws stopped in their tracks. "If you come here again I will kill you."

"Taumu-"

"There's no longer place for you here. Go back to the humans. Where you belong." Taumu returned to the darkness.

Luri returned home to where his wife and newborn slept. Warmth swelled in his chest at the sight of the baby's tiny lips as she slept. She was perfect. She had a head full of hair and the most peaceful expression on her face. He dressed down and joined them in bed. Luri kissed the soft skin of her forehead. A child born from deceit was still a child.

___________________________________________________________________

The weeks passed slowly as the new family grew into their roles. The child was named Kiima. If Penna had seen any sign of changes in the baby then she had not shown it. Luri was growing more paranoid by the day. His focus was less and less on his work. Everyday he spent time with her just hoping he could catch some strange feature or behavior before her mother. As if he could hide it if anything was out of the ordinary.

Penna noticed his change towards the baby and it started to worry her. Was she sick in some way and she hadn't noticed? 

One night the baby woke crying and she quickly scooped her up. 

"Wait, I'll take her tonight," he said, half asleep as he sat up.

"No, it's fine," she said as she put Kiima to her shoulder. "You've been in the sun all day. Go ahead and rest. I can take her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, go back to sleep." She rushed from the bedroom into the living room. Kiima screamed as Penna bounced her and pet her back, trying to lull her back to sleep. Her eyes were heavy with sleep but Kiima's screams wouldn't let her dose off for even a second.