Stay on the path
It ended as quickly as it started. The birds flew off, cawing in fury. He didn’t know how the woman stopped them, but it was a relief. Even if he was covered in feathers and bloody scratches. Blood was seeping through the tears in his shirt. He pulled away from her gentle touch.
“What was that?” He glared at her. “Did you do that?!”
It was impossible for her to have any hand in it, of course. Unless she was a was some kind of witch. But she didn’t look like one. Besides, she scared them off. What witch would stop that?
But he didn’t trust her. No matter what she did, he was sensing trouble off her.
Rose winced as he flinched away from her, as if she were the one who attacked him. And… he wasn’t entirely wrong. The crows did get defensive because of her, even if she didn’t want them to.
“Sorry,” Rose found herself saying on reflex. “They’re, um… I know those birds.” Wow, could she phrase it in a way that didn’t incriminate herself or make her sound like some weird crow lady?
“They probably saw you push me, and–” Nope, not a chance. Elaborating was probably a bad idea, too. Flustered, Rose shook her head as if the action would clear her mind and any of the thoughts she was about to spill. Time to change the subject.
“Wait, you’re bleeding!"
Who would just know birds? Each second he spent with her, he got more suspicious. He backed up and prepared for any fight that she might make. But then she did something even worse.
“I know that!” he said. At least, now he did. Blood dripped down from a cut on his temple, and he could feel more down his body. If he could transform, he’d heal in minutes from such shallow cuts. “Get out of here!”
He turned to storm off, not wanting her to see any form of weakness. Hopefully she would just leave him alone if he didn’t react.
