Ravensblood Forest the seas did not forgive, and they did not welcome their wayward children home

as ghostly as heloise had been, she was loam compared to the massive spirit that confronted kukutux now. taking two steps backward, fear leaping into her belly, the girl trembled somewhat as she looked over the haunted pallor of his features, the way that his sides strained for breath.

sickly was not the word; the man was out of place in this world, some dying spectre flung into the forest. and kukutux sensed the rot in him even with distance between the pair.

not understanding why he spoke, or that it was a greeting, the duck’s watchful stare lingered on the man for a handful of moments. ”what has happened to you?” kukutux asked quietly, drawn to the answering tragedy of him more than she was compelled to flee.