The full moon cast its light over the ground below. A canopy of trees hung overhead. The winged creature stood in a large stream of light which hit the forest floor. She stood tall, raven hair, dark winged, pale skinned. Her wings were the color of midnight, reflecting highlights of violet and navy. The creature had human features, arms, legs and a soft feminine face. Some might mistake her for an angel, but in this world, there exists no such beings.

She haled from a small clan of forest folk knowledgeable in war and peace, in science and magic. There were not many of her kind left, so they often struck out from their sanctum in search of others suitable to share life. Cross breeding was never a concern, so long as they were able to hold the light of their partner’s eyes. However, tonight’s outing was not to find a mate.

She enjoyed her evenings meandering through the forest and communing with nature. This night under a full moon was ideal for observing her favorite nocturnal fowls and beasts. She moved through the trees steadily, missing the twigs and branches scattered on the floor, almost as if she floated through the forest. Her empire waist dress fluttered in the breeze, its translucent dark lace complementing her wings.

The forest floor became covered with a light mist as she approached the lake. A fallen trunk made the perfect seat for her to sit absorb the night air. In the distance, a doe wandered up to graze and sip from the lake. She watched her intently and smiled when a larger buck stepped up beside the doe. The mated pair nuzzled a moment, then retreated back into the forest.

The moon reflected in her dark eyes. From above, an owl hooted and then took flight over her head and across the lake. Its shadow appeared in the ripples in the water. She watched it disappear over a distant ridge. She longed to follow it off to the distant lands on the far side, to explore a new world. She stood up and stretched her wings. It had been years since she last took flight.