Forestborn: Origins of Paili Ward

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Paili woke up early the next morning upon hearing a rather disturbing sound outside. Her fox ears did not fail to catch the slightest crunch of boots in the snow outside. She stole a peek out the window. A man was coming up to the house wrapped in a thick burgundy coat and poofy brown pants. 

His boots looked almost new to the outside weather. She watched as he came up to the door and slid something inside which she heard hit the floor. Paili watched the man leave until he vanished from her keen eyes in the orange glow of the morning's vibrancy that radiated from the snow.

She ran to the door and picked up the small paper. It was cold and, as she raised it to her nose, she caught the scent of a place that was unfamiliar to her. That smell was mostly covered by the man's scent of soap and slight perspiration. There were words on the envelope but she couldn't read them. 

Her knowledge was very limited on the human language but she could speak it well enough to survive. Reading was on a completely different level. Her skills were poor in that area but she was sure that would change since she was living with them now. Paili held the letter in her teeth as she ventured to Kain's room. 

She knew he wouldn't be happy about her waking him up so early but he had to tell her what the words on the envelope were. She could feel there was something else inside as well. More paper? She opened the door to his room slowly and snuck inside. 

He barely stirred as she climbed onto the bed and moved to sit by him. The bed was large enough to fit two people plus herself. Surely he didn't need all this extra space- there wasn't much man to fill it after all. Kain was a small man muscle-wise and didn't seem to hold any of the weight of what he ate. Ever. 

He rolled over to face her, his bare chest turned a darker shade by the sunlight creeping over his shoulder. Paili reached out a small hand and touched his shoulder. Kain groaned and pulled up his covers. She shook him but he refused to stir. 

Remembering how she used to wake her brothers, Paili put the paper down and positioned herself with her feet to his back. She would tackle them or nudge them or tickle their noses with her tail. Paili thought nudging would be better received. She forced her feet into his back and pushed him over the edge sending the bed covering over with him.

"Are you serious right now?" Kain's voice floated up from the floor.

Paili crawled over to the side of the bed and he covered his face, completely disbelieving. "A man came. He put this under the door." She dropped it.

Something sharp poked his rib cage. Kain took up the envelope. He waved it in the air, paused a moment, then sat up. "It's a letter," he said as he turned it over. "It's from Yali."

Paili tilted her head and leaned down over the edge. "Will you read it to me?"

Kain looked up into her small, inquiring face and sighed. If nothing else she was adorable. "Yeah, yeah whatever. I'll read it to you. Let me wake up first," he yawned.

Paili sat back up as he stood and left the room. She was utterly confused. He was talking and walking around, wasn't he awake now? The more she learned the more she hoped all humans weren't so strange.

Once he felt well enough to face Paili's inquiring eyes, Kain went to the kitchen for breakfast. Paili watched him wash the rice then put it on the stove. He glanced at her as he rolled up his sleeves. "What's on your mind?" She stared at him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Why are you letting me stay here?" She answered without hesitation and the honesty threw him off. 

Kain focused on stirring the rice. "Do you want to leave?"