Chapter 9: Old Friends Come Back

The sound of plane engines begin to turn on as I lean back with a sigh, looking out the window.

"Are we really going to your home town?" the light voice asks.

I nod, "I promised you, didn't I?"

He nods back, "Do you think he's still in that forest you always speak of?"

I ponder on that for a moment before saying, "To be honest with you, I don't fully know myself. I don't think he has anywhere else to go."

"Do you think the lady is still there too?"

I lean back and chuckle to myself before saying, "She's probably living the dream out there. She has the open woods to explore for the rest of her time. I know she's still there, somewhere, having a good life."

He paused for a moment after that, leaning back in his seat,"Do you think I could meet her too?"

"We shall see," I say, smiling at him.

Whatever this creature was, it looked hostile but it didn't attack me. I couldn't move, I was too scared. Why wasn't this thing ending my life right then and there? I had so many questions going through my head that I couldn't hear what Avan was saying to me. After a long stressful moment, the beast stopped growling at me and seemed to have relaxed. I didn't know what to do in the moment; should I run, should I stay here and not risk getting chased by this thing?

At the corner of my eye, I saw Avan slowly poked his head from the doorway to see what was going on. I don't think I've ever seen someone turn as white as he did as fast as he did. He quickly pulled his head back in after laying eyes on the beast. During that whole time, the creature was looking right at Avan, not looking as menacing towards him as it was to me.

"You two in there?" A voice calls out outside the cabin. It sounded like Bosque. The creature looked up and glanced at the doorway that Avan peaked his head through before slowly standing up. I started to hear the creaking of the porch, followed by Avan's voice, "Yes, we're here!" After that, I couldn't hear what he said afterwards, but something along the lines of, "Don't go in there."

After that, I was able to hear Bosque say, "Don't 'cha worry about me."

A few moments later, Bosque knocked on the wall that was right next to the door.

"Are ya' in here Gariga?" Bosque asked, peeking her head in the doorway.

"Y-yes I am," I stuttered, looking at the beast.

She looks at me before moving her gaze over to the beast, showing a small soft smile before saying, "There you are."

"Do you know this creature?" I asked, looking over at her, finally working the courage to take a few steps back from it.

She nods at me, "I know this little guy from when I was a small dolly," she walks over and puts a hand up as the beast slowly moves his head down and rests its forehead on her hand, "This one may seem like a killa', but he's a good hearted dog."

"That's no dog," Avan said out of the blue, working his way through the doorway, "that's something else."

She moves her gaze over at Avan and cackles quietly, "I know that. He's a dog to my old eyes, but a beast to others."

"What even is he?" I asked, feeling calmer now that she was here.

"I have no clue myself," Bosque starts, "he came wandering near ma' home while I was playin' on the porch. He looked smaller when I first saw him, almost like a pup dog. He looked as curious as any other animal and walked towards me. Exactly like a dog, he sniffed all over me. After that, he'd come around 'n visit almost every day."

"But, how can he even see?" I asked, "I don't see any eyes on this thing to be able to see."

"That's the thing," she starts, moving the center part of his mane out of the way, seeing, what looks like, three eyes, "this one has eyes under his mane." Both Avan and I were surprised.

"But, how does he even survive with all those open wounds?"

"I don't know, but as long as he is alive and well, I see no reason to bother with it."

"Did you ever come up with a name for him?" I asked, becoming curious.

"Watcher," she says, rubbing the top of its head.

"Why the name Watcher?" I asked, sounding more curious.

"He always watches everythin' with those eyes of his," she replied. A couple of hours go by after the whole situation. Something about this whole event that happened today made me want to come back more often. That's what I did for a few weeks afterwards.

Avan and I visited every now and again, checking up on Bosque and Dador. After that, we'd go to visit the Watcher. The more we came over, the more he started to get used to us and the more we started to get used to him. He was just like any other animal, protecting their own life and protecting the ones he knows.