The Story of Ceder and Shanya

It happened a long time ago. I was nine years old then. Like other kids I had heard stories about fairies, elves, dwarfs, trolls, goblins… and demons. I didn't believe in any of those creatures before that one day.

I had had a terrible fight with my parents and I had run to my room. I can't recall what the fight had been about but I wanted to make them pay for it. After some time throwing my pillow I came up with an idea that would hurt them, make them worried. Before I knew I had escaped from my window and ran to a forest that lay near our house. It was a forest with no entry, restricted area. No fences were around it but many yellow signs saying 'Danger ahead. Do not enter.' were placed around it. I didn't know why, though.

It was a big forest. You couldn't see other sides of it from one side. Without thinking about it twice I entered that forest and ran forward. I had no idea where I was running but I still moved on. It took many minutes before I felt exhausted and stopped to gasp some air. Maybe that was the first time that I really started to think as I looked around myself. I turned and turned but every part of the forest around me looked the same, just trees after trees and bushes after bushes. There was only one thing that I was sure about in my confused mind; I was lost. I fell on my knees and bit my lower lip to keep the tears of panic from coming. It'd take some time before my parents would notice my empty room and open window. All I could do was sit there, leaning on a tree, and wait for someone to find me.

"You got to be kidding me!" I woke up when the sudden shout filled the air. I didn't know when I had fallen asleep but that wasn't the most important thing that time. "Oh, come on, Ceder! We can't leave that human there! It'd be more dangerous if other humans came here looking for her!" That made my heart skip a beat and the shout 'I'm here' stuck in my throat. I had thought the first voice to belong to a policeman looking for me but the words that the second voice answered with weren't something that I thought to hear. She was talking about humans. Weren't all talking creatures humans? Thousand thoughts whirled in my mind as the voices seemed to come nearer and nearer.

"You're wrong! We can perfectly hide from them!" The same male voice shouted that had woken me up. "Stop being a ba---", her sentence was cut short as she pushed the bush from her way and came eye to eye with me. My heart beat faster and tried to jump out of my chest. The woman's lips curved into a smile as she looked at my horrified form: "Don't worry. I won't hurt you."

"That doesn't count me!" he came out of the bush beside the woman and that was the first time I laid my eyes on him; only to receive the biggest shock of my life as my widened eyes stared at the thing behind him; a wing. It was like bat's but same time reminded me of a spider's web. I tried to breathe in but it seemed useless as no air filled my lungs.

Suddenly a hand landed on my shoulder and my whole body jumped. I turned my head to look at the woman standing beside me, bending forward to be more on my level. "Come, I'll show you the way out of here", she reached her hand toward me waiting for me to take it. I gazed at it and noticed her nails. They were long and sharp, more like claws. Still, I took it. Others might think that was unwise to do, but to me, it was the best choice I ever made.

She helped me to stand up and smiled. There was nothing frightening about her form. Even the claws seemed somehow normal. Same thing I couldn't say about her companion. He stood there staring at me with hateful eyes and measured my every move. His one and only wing moving slightly like a tail would.  "If you don't want to be part of this…" I guess she had noticed his angry gaze too: "…then go away and hide but I'll take her out of here." When she said that she turned her head toward her companion and that was when I noticed her ear. It was pointy.

The confusion in my head started to win over my scariness "What are you?" I asked silently and, to my surprise, both of them turned to look at me. I didn't have much time to wonder how the man had heard me before the woman's gaze turned to a little sadder one with smile still decorating her lips: "I think it's better if you don't know, young one." I turned to the man for an answer but he turned his back to me. My thought of him being one-winged died. There was another wing growing from his back but it was only the start of it. I could see it had been ripped away.

"We better get going before it gets dark", the woman said and started to take me somewhere by holding my hand in hers. No one said a word as the three of us walked, the man little further from us, or more correctly, further from me. The silence made it feel like forever before the other two stopped. I saw the last trees of the forest right before my eyes and between them hints of my house's roof.

"This is where we separate", the woman suddenly told me and let go of my hand. I watched after her as she left my side and went to her comrade. Waving her hand she turned her back to me soon disappearing into the shadows, the man before her. I stood there alone for a minute before leaving the forest and running home.

That night I couldn't get any sleep. So much seemed to have happened in the forest that my mind couldn't rest. I recalled their words and appearances. After that, it finally hit me.

The next day I went to the forest again and entered it, but only few meters. I didn't want to get lost again. Last night I had remembered something that woman had called the man. It was my only clue and I shouted out that name: "Ceder!" I did it few times again but nothing happened. I turned around to leave when I bumped into someone. "I suggest you pronounce it with hard c. Otherwise he might do something nasty to you."

I blinked my eyes few times as I looked at the woman in front of me. It was her. She had blonde hair that came from back to front. A thick leather tub hid the rest of her hair. That thing reached her waist and from the end of it came hair out. Decorations fell before her pointy ears. Her emerald green eyes looked into mine. "I'll try to remember that", I answered to her.

She slid her head little to the side like a curious puppy: "Is there a reason why you are here?" "I think I found my answer", I started and noticed her questioning eyes: "You're a demon, right?" Her eyes seemed to start fall but she lifted her head and walked past me: "Don't be ridiculous. Demons aren't real." She showed her back to me as she spoke but didn't continue walking. "I thought that too but what else can you be? You're not human. We don't have claws or pointy ears."

Her form stiffened and I heard her snort. "You can't deny that, can you", I said aloud and watched how her shoulders fell in a defeated manner. She turned to face me: "Look, just forget that you met us. It'll only cause us trouble." "How come?" I asked with sincere curiosity. "You know the stories. We are evil creatures born from hell. You can imagine what happens to us if humans find out that we really existed."

I seriously thought about her words and understood. They would be killed without second thought. "How is it possible that hasn't happened yet?" "Who said it hasn't? About four hundred years ago there was a boy like you who got lost in this forest. To prevent humans from coming here searching for him Ce---" "I think that is enough!" Both females turned to look at Ceder who had revealed himself from shadows. "You shouldn't tell her that much, Shanya!" he shouted to the she-demon.

Shanya found the ground in front of her more interesting and focused her gaze there: "She found out about it by herself. We can't change that." Ceder was about to say something but Shanya continued before he could open his mouth: "Throwing her out of the forest won't prevent her from coming back."

Ceder lifted his hand to lean his head on it and shook his head lightly. Synchronizing his head, his undamaged wing shook as well. You can't even imagine how funny that looked. That wing somehow seemed to have a mind of its own and a desire to copycat its master's every move. I hid my mouth behind my hand trying hard not to start laughing. Only a glance at that hilarious act provoked me to burst out laughing. Shanya's head snapped up to look at me all confused.

Ceder let his hand fall as he watched me laughing. His eyes narrowed dangerously but he didn't make any moves: "And what is so funny here? Feeling happy to bring us a death note?" "No, no, no, no!" I quickly declared between the laughs. "It's just your wing…" From the corner of my eye I saw how Ceder's left hand flung to his back and most likely to his damaged wing end. His every muscle tightened. That made me wonder how he had lost it. To make him feel more relaxed, I explained the reason for my laughing.

I have to say that Shanya's reaction was one to my like. After they had melted the explanation in their minds, Shanya had started to laugh too. Not as hard as I had. It was more like giggling. "You know, young one, I have noticed that same thing."

The only one not amused was the victim of our laughs. Ceder took his left hand in front and clenched it into a tight fist. "You son of a…" He hissed under his breath as his eyes send lightnings toward us. Not literally but it really looked like that, though.

That was where our friendship started. Before that I never knew that I could get friends as close as they were. I got the feeling I had received a big sister and brother that I didn't have before. After that day, I visited them everyday. I came as soon as I could after school and left before it came dark.

Ceder always acted all cold, silent and arrogant but I think, in his own way, he liked me too. Shanya talked a lot with me. She told many things about her race. How they had lived for centuries in there. How there had been times that humans found out about them and some of their fellow race mates got killed because of them. There was a reason why they never left the forest. It's simple. They couldn't. For them, there was an invisible wall that didn't let them leave. With Shanya I could talk about everything. Ceder was always there listening too and I didn't mind. I trusted him as mush as I did trust Shanya.

There was one time that we were just the two of us, me and Shanya. I knew it was wrong to brie in other people's business but I wanted to know. So, I asked Shanya about Ceder's damaged wing. She felt little bothered by the question but still answered me. It had been a cause of humans. That little boy had been guided out of the forest by Ceder. As a thank you, he had told other humans about him and a big pack of humans had entered the forest. Shanya didn't tell me more precisely how they had ripped his wing of. She told me to ask him if I wanted to know more details. I never did that.

I visited them for one and half a week. I must say that time seemed longer. It was like a month. In that time I learned much about friendship, and love too. Ceder and Shanya were lovers and I noticed this in few days. Their bond was something deeper than mine with them. I admired that bond. I had never seen one like it before.  

I really started to think that nothing could go wrong. Well, I was wrong. Nothing good lasts forever.

It was the 12th day that I was on my way to visit them. I half run and half jogged the way. I just couldn't wait to spend my time with them once again. The sight that I saw when I entered the forest will always burn in my heart. Blood was everywhere, and so were demons. A pack of demons were fighting against the ones that I had learned to love as my siblings. "Shanya… Ceder…" I whispered as I looked their bloody bodies with cuts and wounds all over. There were few demon corpses on the ground. I had never seen other demons than Ceder and Shanya. There were ones with wings, ones with horns and something undescribeable.

I looked horrified at the scene that opened before me. I felt like my legs were giving up under me but same time they were too stiff to move. "Shanya… Ceder…" I whispered again. Tears started to form in my eyes. "What are you standing there, run!" I heard Shanya shouting to me. But hearing it didn't help at all. My mind was blank and my body had frozen to its steps.

Shanya looked behind her at me but that was a fatal mistake. I saw how two fingers came through her side and the she-demon winced from the pain. "Please, Kate! Run!" she tried to shout between her coughs as blood started to make its way out from her mouth.

A little light started to form in my mind as I started to regain my conscious state. I tried to think something but I couldn't get anything straight. My body was still stiff as a board.

Ceder growled and dove. With his right hand's claws, he slashed from down to up using a jump to make it more forceful hit. The other demon froze for a second before falling forward, dead. Ceder used that change and dashed toward me. He used that little time he had to push me out of the forest. Before flying between the trees I saw Ceder's eyes widen suddenly.

I hit the ground butt first with my back soon after it. Shaking I sat up and tried to listen. I only heard a peaceful song of bird and a warm summer wind blew past me. No sounds of claws cutting flesh. No smell of fresh blood twirling around in the air. I knew that there was fighting happening with blood spilled and death cries shouted. I felt the fear grow inside me. It took over me, and before I knew, I was hiding under my bed's blanket crying my eyes out.

In the next day's morning I found myself staring at the ceiling. My eyes were tender and still few drops of tears remained in the corners of my eyes. The only thing that was in my mind was the cruel fact; I had run away leaving my dearest people dying. I hid my eyes under my hand as new drops of tears started to form to replace the ones now sliding down on my cheeks.

By the time of midday I had build up enough courage to find my way back to the side of the forest. I reached toward the forest with my hand but quickly took it back on my chest, clenched in a tight fist. How could I return after running away like that? I don't know how long I stood there. As sun changed its place on the sky I thought I saw a familiar color flash between the trees. A little light of hope lit inside me and I ran into the forest toward that place.

What I found wasn't something I had hoped to find. Ceder sat leaning on a tree. Shanya sat beside him leaning on him. They had arms around each other. Ceder's undamaged wing was on Shanya like a shield or a blanket. That sight made once again new tears run down my cheeks. What warmed my heart were their smiles. Both of them had a peaceful smile decorating their lifeless faces. Their skins had changed their color to a pale one. They were all bloody and that only made the skin look paler. I kneeled beside their dead bodies. I touched Ceder's arm that was nearest me. It was cold. It reminded me of ice. Shanya had a bit of her side tore away and Ceder seemed to have a hole through his stomach. Their bodies included many cuts; from big wounds to little scratches. Neither one of them bled. All blood had left their bodies during the last night. I tried to shake my tears away but I couldn't stop them. Who wouldn't cry after losing the most important persons in your life?

The last thing I did for them was wreaths; one for Shanya and one for Ceder. After I had finally left them in the forest, I picked flowers and made those wreaths that I placed on their heads as my last present for them. After that I hugged them in same time and let the last drops of tears fall from my eyes. I promised myself to never cry for them after that. When I left, I never, even once, watched back. That was the last time I entered that forest.

From that day on I have once a year, on the day of their death, visited the side of the forest. I always make two wreaths that I lay on the ground before the forest starts. That is the only time I go near that forest. Now I'm over 40 years old and I still honour them by leaving those wreaths. I still regret running away on that faithful day but the smiles they had when I found them… They make it easier for me to forgive myself for being so stupid when I was a child.

I will never forget Ceder's one sided evil smirk that exposed his fang. I will never forget Shanya's kind words that have helped me to keep on living. I will never forget those two, Ceder and Shanya. For me, they were my angels.