"What?"
Lily found that it had become difficult to form words. This bleak concept felt like something out of some horrible nightmare.
However, she knew she was awake. That was obvious, since the constant pounding of her injury reminded her of that.
I'm going to..die?
Maybe..maybe I just heard him wrong.
When she found her voice, it escaped her lips in a meek way, and she did her best to force back any emotions relating to grief.
"B-but...you can't really m-mean..."
"I do mean that." Kyle looked at her with dark, distant eyes. The fairy-that was what he was, his wings were clearly visible now-looked at her in a way that revealed little care for her in her present situation. 
"I would say I'm sorry that you were bitten in the first place, but only fools venture into Lymeria's forests at night."
He frowned, peering at her more with his eyes. They contained gold flecks that glowed as he examined her.
"Flightless should know where they're not wanted."
Lily found herself squirming.
Pulling the covers close, she hid her face partially. His gaze was piercing and weirdly bright. She sat up a little, shaking off her fear.
If he thought he could freak her out and make her leave just because he had some issue with humans, then he had another thing coming.
The boy stiffened suddenly, his eyes moving away from her. The distant expression he had had was now portraying sudden clarity.
His hands ran through his hair, and he looked down at the floor. With his stare gone, Lily relaxed, feeling a slight sense of victory.
This faded, though, when she looked back at Kyle again. He was timid all of a sudden. What had happened to the arrogance from before? He didn't seem like the type to scare easily.
"Um, I'm sorry, but...I have to go."
Kyle turned to his brother, his ginger hair sticking to his forehead slightly with sweat. "Toby, take care of this girl while she's still around, and let Mom know that I'm alright.
I'll be back soon."
With that, Kyle took his leave, opening the door at the far side of the room and hurrying out without so much as a backwards glance. The door was abruptly slammed shut behind him.
Lily stirred in her bed, sitting up out of fright. When her neck ached, she laid back down again, worry making her stiffen up like Kyle had. "I...I can't die. I can't! I'm only fifteen.
I haven't bought enough clothes, gone enough places, made enough friends..."
Her breathing was shallow. "Every friend I had I left behind at home, and the ones I have here I've pushed away. I'm going to die alone, and my parents...they won't even know about it because n-no one will t-tell them." She sniffled. "I don't want to be alone."
"Hey, I'm still here, you know." Toby smiled, his expression friendly as always.
It was slightly altered by sadness.
"It's okay, maybe...maybe Kyle and I can find a way to save you. It's not too late."
Lily rolled over in the bed, facing him on her side. She turned to him with half lidded eyes.  "How do you know?" "I just do."
Toby crouched beside her and sat down on the bed, grazing her toes beneath her covers.
She moved her feet away from him and frowned suddenly. "I need to find someone.
If I don't apologize to her, I'll..have unfinished business, or something."
The golden haired fairy chuckled. "Unfinished business? You believe in that stuff?"
Lily sat up. Her neck ached a little, but she ignored it this time around.
"Well, yeah. Doesn't everybody?"
"Most fairies do, but not humans."
He looked thoughtful.
"I knew another girl once that was a lot like you. Just as insightful and interesting, too."
"Really? What was her name?"
"Kara."
Lily shot up in her bed like a rocket.
The pain in her neck caused her to fall back down again, but her excitement was still evident. "Kara? You know Kara?"
"Well, yeah."
"Is she a redhead, with, like, green eyes?"
"Yes. You know her?"
"Yeah, she's my friend." With this statement, she thought back on their argument in the woods. Actually, Lily wasn't sure what they were to each other anymore. She sighed.
"Well, she used to be, anyway."
Lily recalled her friends back at home.
They were her friends mostly by association. She was high up on the popularity scale, so she generally attracted other people that were too, only...they were all either fake or arrogant. Most of them she didn't even talk to outside of school. Kara was a true friend, one of the only ones that she had now. She had to find her. Toby smiled. "I should've guessed. You seem like the type of person who would be a friend of hers." Lily narrowed her eyes.
"Should I take that personally?"
"Oh, no, not at all. I just meant you're like her, wild and the kind of person that isn't afraid of monsters." He looked at her neck.
The mark upon it still burned each time she tried to move.
"I imagine that's how you got that bite.
You saw something you wanted to understand better, and got a little too close. Am I right?"
Lily laughed nervously. "Sort of.
Not exactly, though."
Toby looked back at her with interest.
His curiosity was childlike, and nice in an endearing way. No fairy had taken interest in anything she'd said. Not Prince Axel, not the water fairies..this was new, new in a good way.
"Really? How'd it happen, then?"
Lily yawned widely, then lifted her head to look at him, suddenly drowsy.
"I'll tell you tomorrow. I'm tired."
The boy smirked. "That's understandable.
I'll save that soup for you for later.
Do you want me to?" Lily nodded.
Another yawn escaped her, and she curled up against the bed, in a more comfortable position than before. Toby shook his head, smiling.
"Okay, sleepyhead, I'll go."
He went to the door to the bedroom, his hand on the knob and turning it slowly.
As the door opened for him, he turned back, looking curious.
"You probably heard Kyle say my name earlier...but I'm Toby, by the way. What's your name?" Lily's eyes slid closed as she answered him, but her voice was still loud enough for him to hear it. "It's Lily, like..the flower."

Kara's steps were slow. How she was still able to stand was hard to comprehend at this point. Sylvan was asleep on the greenish couch in her house. The house itself was still, and painfully quiet. Peony hardly made any noise as she hurried through the house, but Kara felt as if she were stepping on every creaky floorboard the place had. Sylvan was roused by one of her missteps, her eyes opening. Kara cringed.
She didn't want to wake Sylvan up and have to explain what had just happened. It was painful now, but she knew if she had to put the whole situation in words, she would break down and cry. Luckily, the fairy only yawned and fell asleep again, rolling over to face the side of the couch. Peony chuckled, and Kara looked back at her begrudgingly.

There was nothing funny about this, nothing at all.
Foster was gone forever, and it was her fault.

Peony watched as Kara went off to her designated room in Sylvan's tree.
She knew the girl was mourning her loss, but she blamed her for it. Kara was young, so it was acceptable that she didn't understand. The boy would have suffered for much longer if she hadn't stepped in. She sighed. Humans- even half humans- were so hard to keep from harm. Taking dainty steps so she didn't rouse her, the purple haired fairy settled down beside Sylvan. Her fellow Gifted fairy looked so serene and at peace in sleep, as if all her cares had momentarily left her with the oblivion of rest. Peony straightened the black ribbon in her hair, then thought of whether or not to wake her.
She had wanted to talk so badly earlier, so she figured she might as well get her up. Gently, Peony shook Sylvan's shoulder.
That wasn't enough, so she shook her other one. When that didn't work, Peony smirked. She usually didn't do this, but it would definitely work. The fairy slowly turned Sylvan over so that her back was facing her, then poked the center of it, in between where her wings were.
That did the trick. Sylvan yelped and turned over, looking aggravated.
When she saw who was there, she glared at her, her cobalt eyes stormy. "Peony! What was that for?"
"You wouldn't wake up." Peony flashed a mischievous grin. "It worked like a charm."
"Oh, stop being childish! Honestly, you'd think I was the older one here."
Sylvan sat up entirely.
Her viridescent hair was in disarray, but Peony found she didn't care about that much. Sylvan smoothed it down as she received a reply.
"Age does not matter. If we were being technical about it, I would be at least a hundred years older than you are."
"I know. If I continue on like this, I'll be that old one day too." The nature fairy sighed. "It's best not to think too hard about the whole immortality thing." Sylvan ran her fingers through her hair further and winced as it didn't fall into place, only looking dirty and disheveled.
"I'd better fix this. You might want to back away for a second." Peony nodded and listened, getting up off of the couch.
Sylvan's powers took some time to calm themselves before they worked normally. She wasn't afraid of being hit, but it certainly wasn't an enjoyable experience. Sylvan's eyes closed at once, and her hair gleaned, arranging itself into a side ponytail. If straightened and aligning itself into a magically created hairband that glittered with silvery light.
Her eyes opened again, and she released a gentle sigh. "Ah, that's much better."
She stretched and sat back down on the couch, running her fingers across the upholstery. "Did you...need me for something?" Peony cleared her throat. "Yes. I'd like to talk now." She sat down on the couch beside her, taking in every detail of Sylvan.
Sylvan paled. "Talk?"
"Yes." Peony straightened out her lady dress and breathed out slowly.
What she wanted to say-what she could say-would spell out certain death for them both if anyone found out.
However, no one would.
She would make sure of that.
"You may speak first, since it was you that wanted to talk so badly.
It was you, wasn't it?"
Her jokingly spoken statement had embarrassed Sylvan a little.
Her complexion abruptly turned crimson. "Yes..well, I-I mean-"
Peony smiled. "Go on."
"A long time ago before Kara arrived here..you said something that stayed with me. Something eloquent."
A smile broke across her face, a sheepish one. "I don't remember it now."
"I do, but Sylvan..it was such a long time ago." Disappointment crossed over the other fairy's face. Peony hated to see that, but she knew what she had said had been brief and thoughtlessly worded. Sylvan had misinterpreted the meaning.
"I could have lost you in the Beast Wars, so I allowed myself a moment of passion. That was all it was, truly."
Her gaze drifted to her hands, which were currently clad in dark gloves.
She clenched her fists.
"It was out of line."
"No, it wasn't." Sylvan turned to her, appreciation showing in her face.
It was ill-begotten.
If only she could realize that.
"It was, Sylvan. Please understand that."
"No. Peony, you need to understand what I'm saying, not the other way around."
Her expression changed to one of solemnity, and she straightened her glasses. "Answer something for me.
Why did the demise beasts rise to power?"
Peony found herself bewildered.
"Why are you asking me that?"
"Just answer it. Why did they rise to power? Do you know?"
Peony knew what Sylvan wanted her to say, but saying the wrong thing would lead to a more meaningful conversation.
She chose that option. "Of course.
It was because of their strength."
"No, it was the willingness of the people to turn away and push the matter aside that allowed them to rise." Sylvan hesitated, then grabbed for a mug she had left on the table beside her couch.
Tea. It had been left there overnight.
It had gone cold a while ago, but Sylvan had taken a sip anyway.
Her tea. It was similar to the Flightless obsession with caffeinated beverages.
Peony still hadn't completely grasped the overall idea. She sat up and crossed her arms. "Why are you speaking of this?"
"Because the way we treat each other is very similar to that, Peony." She set down the mug and looked serious.
"We've been pushing aside everything, pushing it under this metaphorical rug.
What's the point of it all?
Is it fear, or something else?"
Peony contemplated these words, then replied bitterly. "I am not afraid."
"Then what is it?
Why are we hiding this away?"
"It's too dangerous. What we have, the very essence of it, breaks several laws according to this realm's Council.
Not only that, but it isn't accepted by the general populace. You know that, Sylvan."
"Yes, I do know that. However, I am tired of knowing, knowing and remaining this way. We should not have to hide, Peony, not anymore."
Peony felt prone to combustion, she was so irritated. You of all fairies should know what the Council will do if they catch word of this! Sylvan, it's a life or death matter!"
"Well, you know what my choice is.
You've known it for a long time."
She sighed. "Either accept this, or go on with your life. It's up to you."
Peony stood up. She covered her face, rubbing her eyes to dispose of the moisture there.
"You know my choice as well."
"Then we are done here."
Without another word, Sylvan got up, and hurling her covers away from her, grabbed for her tea and briskly headed to her front door.
She snapped her fingers, and her nightgown vanished and reformed into casual clothes, which included an airy blue tee and a billowy, dark navy skirt.
She was going to her garden.
Sylvan always went there to clear her head. Before she could do so, she turned back to look at Peony, who had trailed behind her helplessly. She had wanted to stop her from leaving, but she couldn't think of anything to do or say that would be of substance. Sylvan spoke up in that instant. "There's something you should know. Back when we first met, you told me you despised people like me because of our weakness. Later, you told me you lied because your mother had forced you to. But the thing is..the thing is, you didn't lie, not really. That was the truth.
I just didn't want to accept it."
Sylvan bit her lip, on the verge of tears.
"You were just using me," she murmured. "Using me for all this time. You never really loved me." These words brought despair upon Peony. "No. Sylvan, it's not like that.
I just want you to be safe.
If the Council finds out-"
"I don't care about the Council."
The green haired fairy took another step back, her eyes glossy looking. She trembled.
"They weren't going to find out.
You're the stronger Gifted fairy.
You could've held them off with your magic." She wiped her face with one hand, then turned away from her. "You know what, Peony?
It's fine. I'll be much better off without you."