The Winter Apple

I had forgotten all about that moment, it had been so long that it had ceased to exist to me. All the thoughts I had at that moment had I forgotten had just left me over time. I had not meant to forget them but I did. I look back at it now and I laugh a little bit at how I regret not remembering some of the thoughts I had. Most importantly, when I needed them the most they weren't there for me to even tell. Not at the happy times, not the sad times that were full of gloom and despair. The smell couldn't compare to cookies fresh from the oven, the smell of wild roses clumped alongside the ditches in the road. It was much sweeter than that.  Like the taste of a sweet popsicle, you would buy from the store in the packages of twelve.

Well, before they had that...

It was like the taste of fresh, and cold chocolate ice cream. But it smelled less sweet than the smell of ice cream. It kinda smells like oranges, but it also has a cool smell like mint. It was hard to explain because the smell had disappeared so long ago. The aroma wasn't even a part of the world that I call home now. The world this smell had come from was my old home. But the fact that I had smelled that means that something might change.

"Rayama!"

A cool breeze wrapped around my skin, my long white hair was flying behind me. There was about a 50 foot drop beneath me and the others that were behind me didn't care. The long, thick green vines were doing their job that they were supposed to do. "Rayama, wait up! You're going too fast for me to catch up" I silently laughed at the older girl who I was really trying to get away from. The people who were on the different vines with me were ones that I didn't even like. They hung out with my sister from time to time and they thought that i'd wanna do things with them. So just to get them off of my tail I brought them to the Sehpore Forest. Because that's the only place I know they won't be able to catch up with me if I really put my body to work. I looked behind me briefly, a small smirk rested upon my lips.  Sliding down the vine a little bit,  I swung my body over and reached over and grabbed a different one. I wrapped my hand around the vine, when I heard a small hiss. Looking at where my hand was, there was an average sized black and yellow snake. My eyes widened and I let go of the vine. Snapdragons. Sure, those snakes look like they are harmless and all, but if you get bitten you'll die and not even the best herbs can help you. I looked around me, there was nothing I could but fall, or use the thing my other told me never to use. I reached up pulling the piece of tan ribbon from my hair, letting the rest of my long white hair elongate behind me.

I closed my eyes for a brief while and they went from the normal light blue to a dark and hazy red color. I felt my feet start to shrink up and my body squeezing together. There was a flapping sound, and the lightness was noticeable around me. I started to get higher and higher away from the ground that I was going to impact with. The red ribbon was held in my two small talons. I have taken flight. I am an animal shifter. But, they weren't allowed to be around and if anyone found out about this power then I could be taken away from my family. It didn't matter that people can control the weather or even be the essence of death. But, an animal shifter nah, they have to be taken away.

Mom would be so disappointed in me right now.

"Rayama! Rayama! Where did you go?" The one who yelled that was Elika, she was my sister's best friend. She wasn't the one who was yelling my name before that was someone I didn't like. You could hear the worry come from her lips every time she said a word.

"Guys! Has anyone seen Rayama!?" She yelled loudly to the others, her voice was carried through the air. Windbreakers, the ability to use the air around you as your own personal voice. Even though she was how many yards away from me it still felt like she was next to me. Deciding that I wasn't going to get caught as a bird I flew down to the ground following along with the longest vine I could find. Dropping down I started my transformation back into human while I was in the air. It took longer for me to turn back into a human because this animal was really small, and well... I don't really ever use my power so it's considered 'Rusted'. "Rayama!! Where did you go!" Elika's voice still could be heard amongst the tops of the trees. I ignored it though since who said anything about me wanting to be found? Not me. I walked along the bottom of the tall viney trees looking at the untouched plants that lay all around me.

Then I saw it.

A flash of yellow light passed by the corner of my eye. I turned around to see nothing. Only the path I had slowly began to walk along. I turned back around thinking nothing of it. I froze when I saw many of those yellow flashes all lined up into a line. Not being smart enough to really think about what could happen if I followed these things, I followed them. I would try to get close enough to touch them then they would disappear into thin air. Running around trees, under fallen logs, threw small clearings, past heavy wooded areas. The small lights finally stopped, I was hunched over, trying to catch my breath, leaning against the small trunk of a Tiger tree. The area around me was well lit up, there was this odd smell in the air that was actually quite good per say. Once I caught my breath, I went ahead and followed where the smell had taken me. The air around me began to get colder as I walked in between two Sehpore trees, when my foot stepped in something wet and freezing cold. I flinched and looked down at my foot, there was a pile of white stuff on the ground underneath it. I removed my foot from the white stuff and kept on walking.

At that time I was completely clueless to what that was. But I found out that the white stuff was actually snow.

I found myself in a huge clearing the smell was even stronger, it smelled so good. It was cool yet, citrusy, sweet, and floral. I was sitting on end trying to figure out what that was. The clearing around me was full of the white stuff, but also it had rows of pink and orange flowered trees. I walked closer to the trees, until I couldn't move anymore. "What do you think you are doing?" I heard a dark voice come from behind me. I didn't speak because I couldn't. I was scared to say the least. "What are you doing here?" They asked again. "Tell me or I will have to kill you."

My eyes widened, I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. What should I do?!

"Geo what are you do!?" There was the voice of a woman yelling, I could hear the loud crunching of the white stuff underneath her feet. "Oh-" The crunching stopped. "Geo, please release the young lady. I don't think she is going to cause us any harm." The lady spoke softly, with an elegant voice. I felt the hold on my body release and I dropped to the ground. I had taken in deep breaths, holding onto my chest, I was practically hyperventilating. "Oh dear, oh dear I wouldn't sit on the ground like that you'd get a cold." The lady rushed over and wrapped her arms around me. She pulled me up from the white stuff and slowly walked me over to the small cottage that wasn't too far away from rows of trees. I was still breathing weirdly, I didn't know if it was really me anymore or if it had to do with the way my body froze. But my suspicions would be answered soon enough and when I say soon I mean, by an angry mom. 

"Geo, what did I say about using your power like that? Do you know how dangerous that is?! I think we both know you can control the flow of air, but you can't do it to a human body." Being surprised was even a thing. I was pulled into an area of warmth, set down in front of a burning fire and had a blanket pulled over me. I listened to the woman yell at who I presume is her son. She sat behind me and slowly braided my hair, she moved her fingers slowly, with a gentle movement. It barely felt like she was even touching my hair at all thats how it felt to me. I started to cough slightly, finally noticing that my breathing was still off. I couldn't even open my mouth to say a word. "Geo go poor this lady some jasmine tea." The women said, but in her words she almost sounded like she was annoyed with something. I covered my mouth with the back of my hand, kinda getting cozy.

"I didn't want Geo to hear this but, you're an Animal Shifter?" I tensed up. How did she know that?! I slowly nodded my head, and she chuckled a little bit. "Nice to meet another one. It's been a long time since I've met someone like myself." I turned my head and looked at her.

Now, I really see what she looked like. She had thin lips, with almond shaped eyes, short black hair that reached a little past her shoulders. She was very pretty I'll say.

I couldn't speak it but I self like she had read my mind. "I am one, but my power is much more than just an animal shifter. I can also do things with nature. Hence why this area is growing flowers and trees in what looks to be a snowy place." A small laugh left her lips. "The name is Millia, Geo if you thought was my son, is not that is my nephew. I don't have any children of my own, but he is really like a son to me." She smiled softly and sat down beside me. I coughed slightly, still not able to talk at all.

"I got to tea you asked for." A voice cut through the brief silence. I watched as Millia stood up quickly and grabbed the small cup of tea. Slowly Geo handed it to her. "Thank you Geo." I heard her mumble to the boy. He had black hair that was tied in a bun on the back of his head, looking closer you could see that they had the same almond shaped eyes and thin lips. 'Must be a family trait.' I thought quickly as the cup was set into my hands. "Drink up, this will help you voice come back." Nodding slowly I put the cup up to my lips and slowly the soft smell of jasmine filled my nose. I took a sip, the drink itself was actually very delicious, as it went down my throat I felt my own breathing begin to get better. I looked over at the lady, noticing the boy had already walked away. "Thank you." I said with a surprised voice, I was completely shocked. What kind of magic was in this drink!? "Yeah don't worry about it, it was Geo's fault that you couldn't talk in the first place." She sat down on the small padded chair by the fire.

I slowly stood up, setting the cup on the small wooden oval table. "Thank you for your hospitality.." I bowed, quickly the woman waved her arms in surprise. "No, no, no, you don't need to say anything to us. It was our fault, so please don't say thank you." I smiled softly and handed Millia the blanket. "But, I really must be going now..." I said softly walking towards the door of the cottage. I opened up the door and stepped outside into the cold weather, I hadn't been there long at all. "Wait!" I heard behind me. Turning around I came face to face with Geo, he placed around my shoulders a cap and then handed me a leather bag. "Here are some apples to take with you." He gave a soft smile, "Sorry about before." He whispered, to me he seemed dark and scary but he really did have a nice side to him.

"Goodbye Rayama."

I walked away from that place, not really expecting to go there again and again talking to the two black haired people that lived there. But, I did over and over again. Everytime I would go they would give me those apples, the sweet apples that almost had the sweetness of ice cream, but the coolness of mint and the citrus of an orange. I would always eat them before I left the forest because I'd normally be hungry and they were the best thing I'd ever had in my life. A few of my first time going there those yellow flashes would guide me. Not because I was lost, but because I was special.

I was the chosen one.

I was the white haired girl he had been looking for.

I was the girl, who would potentially save and destroy the world all in one and for a long time I never knew it. I just thought it was a normal smell... Until one day I told Millia about the smell, and then the next thing I know... My whole world was thrown into disarray.  Those trees that Millia and Geo had were not just trees, they were a monster.

A monster that is very powerful.

A monster that would do anything to get his hands on a girl with long white hair and the power to animal shift. For he was the reason certain animal shifters should stay in hiding. He is the reason I wasn't in the world I had come from.

There weren't any magic users in this world that I know of other than me. I have a feeling that something is going to happen if I ever describe that smell again. Something that I can’t have any control over. Something that I can’t help with if it ever happens again.

But in the end I am only faced with one option. 

I have to face the smell of the sweet, Winter Apple even if it will be the death of me.