Wraithvine is trying to help a panicked child who ends up biting him in their terror. He does not pull his hand away, but rather, soothes and forgives the little one. -- Anon Guest
Of all the evils a modern world could commit, one of the top ten was dumping snare wire in the wilderness. Wraithvine considered it part of hir duties to find and destroy it whenever ze wandered through any part of nature. Judging strictly by the howling and snarling, some other creature of the woods had found it first.
By technicality alone, Wraithvine was correct. In that the small Hellkin had also been dumped in the woods and found ways to survive. They had evidently done so by hissing at any intelligent creature, then scurrying away as fast as they could go.
This poor wretch was so entangled that hissing was all they had left.
Wraithvine had no idea what language they might know, but ze knew how to treat savage creatures. Soft, gentle voice and a calm demeanor. Nothing that would harm the poor soul. Make it clear with singsong and soothing touch, that ze was there to help.
That effort wasn't always successful.
Wraithvine showed the shears ze used to cut the wire, and demonstrated on a loop of the wire that ze allowed to entangle hir own arm. Next, a couple of loops that only helped keep the hissy Hellkin locked into place.
Finally, the piece of wire that worried Wraithvine the most. One too close to vital arteries.
That was when the savage little Hellkin bit Wraithvine's hand. Sharp teeth sank into Elven flesh, but Wraithvine had no concerns for the wound. Ze worked on the restraining wire, retrieving hir hand when the child let go to move their head against the tangle.
Wraithvine healed the wound and offered a small meatball for them to bite instead. That earned a baffled look and some reduced struggling while still delivering suspicious glares. At least they couldn't bite any more while they were busy chewing.
"Much better than raw Elf hand, yes?" Wraithvine cooed. "I have bread, too. I have many things that are good to eat." Clip, clip, clip... ze kept hir shears working. When the Hellkin swallowed their last mouthful, ze produced another. All things that would cause little in the way of trouble.
The Hellkin stopped struggling after the third small vegetable fritter. Watching in silence as strand after strand of entangling wire came loose. They had rapt attention whenever Wraithvine had a small length of snare wire, watching unmoving as ze used hir magic to crumble the wire to dust.
By the time the Unwelcome creature was fully free, they were handing loops of snare wire to Wraithvine.
Wraithvine offered foodstuffs as trade. Maintained the singsong, soothing chatter. It may be too late for the child to learn words, but they could understand ally from enemy.
By the time all of the wire was gone, ze had a friend eager to take hir hand and walk by hir side.
[Photo by Ana Beatriz on Unsplash]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends! Or visit my hub site to see what else I'm up to.
Send me a prompt [16 remaining prompts!]
