The day she had come, the forest fell silent. 

Arriving like a meteor, exploding into the forest floor, the creatures of Virens had been attracted by the sound, and the sight of the flickering flames. For a moment, it looked to be nothing more than debris from the sky… but as the flames had begun to dissipate, a girl had emerged from the inferno, naked, dirty, but ultimately unharmed by the fire raging around her. 

And they had been afraid. 

The child had drawn the attention of all the living creatures, most notably a Demonic Beast that called Virens home. Something about this girl drew them to her presence, and when faced with this unusual child, they found themselves in awe of the sheer power that radiated from her, when first she had arrived. They observed the girl, barely three years old, but not remotely afraid of the creatures that circled her clearing every night, their eyes glinting in the dark. Not once did she scream, or cry, or try to run. No, not this girl. Instead she stood, and watched, seemingly emotionless. 
Something about that had called to him, and as the power seemed to leave her (or at least turn inwards once more), he found himself more curious of the child. He had changed his appearance before her, choosing larger and more terrifying forms with each encounter - but she never once flinched, and the more he came to her, the more he hated to leave. 

That had been two years ago now, and he had taken to caring for the child, allowing her to explore the forest, but always keeping a close eye upon her. When he had first reached out to touch her, the girl had grasped his long finger in her tiny hands, unafraid of the sharp claws he wielded, or the shifting, shadowy body he possessed. Looking into his empty eyes she had proclaimed him 'Puppy' and 'Puppy' was who he would be to her, ironically he had looked more like a Hound from the bowels of Hell than any cute pup, but it was clear she knew few words on their first encounter, so he did not mind. It was not, of course, his name, but he did not intend on correcting the child. 
Puppy had essentially raised her, bringing her food and clothes he stole from neighbouring villages, or travellers that came close to the forest - even washing and braiding her hair with ribbons… had anyone ever come across the girl, they would have found an eerily silent, beautiful child, dressed in new clothes and always looking smart. He could not have his girl looking like a stray after all. 
She had named him, and subsequently Puppy had named her. Since she rarely spoke, he had called her Shizuka, which meant silent or quiet or gentle, it had seemed an apt title for the girl after all… 

Puppy had gone off once more, probably to find food, or clothes, or a blanket given it was colder now, which meant Shizuka was left alone to explore as she liked. Older now, and fitter in terms of her stamina, and ability to travel further in the forest, Shizuka had come to the very edge of the forest for the first time since her arrival to Revaliir. Bright eyes stared out at the Plains beyond and the girl cocked her head to one side as she heard voices. There were people here… 
Blinking, the girl looked back over her shoulder, into the heart of the forest she called her home - time to return, Puppy would worry. 

Something did not feel right. Deep in the bones of the Matriarch, she could feel something was not quite right. Uial shifted uncomfortably while sitting upon her throne. She could feel the gaze of her elder council looking up at the dais wondering what was wrong with their queen. Her shifting was uncharacteristic of their leader. Uial bit her lower lip harder and harder as the anxiety built within her chest. Finally, hands slammed down on the arm rests to push the woman to her feet. Her white armor trimmed in red reflected in the light that streamed in through the windows along the roof line.

She did not look to see if Michael was in the throne room at that point. Something was pulling at Uial’s very core that could not be stopped. Quick booted feet tapped across the marble floor away from her council. They all stood up out of respect while watching her leave. Kali was quick to fall into step beside her mistress even though confusion was covering her features. The sphinx unfurled her wings in preparation if to be sent off on a mission. Mental link tying the pair together was pulled taut for an image that continued to flash in Uial’s mind. A quick nod was given before Kali took to the sky in order to track down the location seen.

The Matriarch summoned her diamond unicorn that was already saddled ready to be ridden out of the village. Hooves dug into the earth to speed away out of the village. Uial had to find the person that became clearer in her mind’s eye. She needed to be there. Senses finally started to extend out to know that Michael was with her. He was never far whenever anything were to happen. ”Something…someone…” Her words were fragmented. There were few times that Uial could not piece together thoughts.

Uial pulled up on her unicorn to come to a stop on the outer rim of the Virens Forest. Here, this is where it was. Leg was thrown over the back of her steed to jump to the ground. Finally, her golden gaze fell upon a young girl. Her form was on the thin side, though she was not looking disheveled. Uial felt that anxiety finally settle when looking upon the girl. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes with relief.

Looking over at Michael, Uial held out her hand to her love. ”I knew she was here. I felt it.” Little made sense as to why or how Uial had been pulled to this position. All she knew was that it was due to this girl. ”Hello.” Words directed to the girl hoping to not scare her away.

Shizuka turned back toward her forest, intending to return to the clearing where she and Puppy had made their home… but something stopped her. The little girl cocked her head to one side, her ribboned braid sliding over her shoulder as she seemed to listen to the world around her, her eyes closed, her breathing slowed, someone was coming - someone she needed to meet. Eyes opening she looked back to the treeline, where the forest thinned and she could see plains beyond. She was being drawn to this person, she had no idea why but she could feel it, deep in her bones, that she was meant to go to them and be with them. They were the family she had been waiting for… they were a part of her. 
It was Puppy that made her hesitate, she was reluctant to leave without letting him know where she had gone but she knew deep down that he would find her no matter where she went. He was clever like that. 

As the unicorn appeared Shizuka turned to face the newcomers, her eyes fixed upon the beautiful woman as she dismounted from her steed. The girl watched as the handsome winged man took the woman's hand, looking at her in shock at the admission that she had known Shizuka was here, despite the fact that none of them had ever met. As Uial addressed Shizuka directly the little girl stepped toward her purposefully, without hesitation she gently took Uial and Michael's entwined hands and pulled them apart, shifting herself between them, her own slender hands in theirs as she looked up from one to the other, her expression never changing. This was where she belonged. 

What was this draw that pulled at the very core of her soul? Uial looked towards Michael with a golden gaze that had a deep ended pleading for answers. She was a young Matriarch for her people. Many looked to her for guidance for where the entire clan would follow with no questions. The young woman was always raised to know what and where she was going no matter what was placed in front of her. Yet, she stood at the outer rim of the Virens Forest; no answers could come to her mind. All that she knew was that Uial and Michael were destined to be at that forest right at that very moment of time.

The sight of the young girl brought a settling in her heart. Uial’s soul seemed to sigh in relief at the mere image of the black haired child. A light gasp was inhaled at the uncanny alikeness between the two strangers. Uial could not fully grasp why the young girl looked exactly as she had when she had been that age, and yet it did not matter.

Hand tightened around Michael’s hand as she swallowed hard the lump of nerves that and felt as if it were clogging up her throat. It took all of her will power to not scoop the child up in her arms for a loving hug. Uial knew that instincts should have kicked in for her to feel some sort of caution. There was none of that. All she felt was warmth with a sense that she needed to protect the child.

Another bob of Uial’s throat was made as the young girl took the interlaced fingers of the couple in order to connect with them both. Pulling them apart, she shifted to stand between the pair as if she were metaphorically placing herself within the odd family that had already started to form. A slight current felt as if it jolted through the Matriarch as the three were standing there connected. Warmth spread through the woman’s chest to fill each cell within her body. It felt right.

A smile spread across her features while her gaze softened while looking down upon the girl. With a light squeeze, Uial knelt down on the ground beside her to become eye level. ”My name is Uial. Would it be safe to say that I call myself your mother?”. Everything inside of her hoped that the answer would be yes. She needed the child’s approval and love. Again, there was no reason for it. There was no explanation for how they were fitting together as the three of them were. It was clear that Michael felt the same way even if he wasn’t saying anything. Times over and over again the couple had understood how the other was feeling despite no words being exchanged. This child felt as if she belonged to them in some way. No explanation was in place for what was happening. The Matriarch was supposed to know these things, and yet this was foreign. It didn’t matter though.

Uial needed this. She needed Michael and this nameless child.

Uial had not been herself, the Council could unsettle his lover at the best of times given their attitudes and their constant need to undermine the Matriarch, but this felt different - it was unrelated to whatever drivel the old fools were spouting, he felt something in his own heart… tugging on his soul. As her hands slammed down on the arm of her Throne Michael looked down at her, his face remaining emotionless so the Council could not accuse him of being irrational and influencing their 
Leader with it. She did not look for him, but he did not expect her to, she knew he was never far from her side even when he was in Mamlak, he would have come even if he had not already been in attendance. 

He he fell into stride behind her, stopping only to bow to the Elders as was both customary and right given their ranks even if he disliked them. His eyes followed Kali as the Sphinx left the area, the sound of her wings still audible to him even as she vanished out of sight into the cloud cover. He stopped beside Uial and looked down at the woman, his face unreadable though his eyes clearly weighed heavily with concern for her. ”I feel it too, though clearly not as strongly as you. You lead, I follow, just another day really,” he said softly, though the smile in his tone could not quite make its way to his face due to his worry for her. 

He he took hold of the steed offered to him by one of the Hunters, nodding to them in thanks as he swung himself up and followed after Uial, his eyes never leaving her back. As they came closer to Virens Forest he began to see a glow, the closer they rode the brighter it shone until Michael had to squint and look away. Whatever they had been drawn to was powerful, innately so even if it did not realise it was. As they dismounted Michael as forced to shield his eyes, and suddenly he understood what they were looking upon… or at least what the light indicated. ’A Nephilim? Here? Thank Father we found her before Gabriel or Uriel…’ he thought as he stood beside his lover, the light fading now the girl was coming toward them, his hand taking Uial’s. They had been called here, but why? Why had this partially Angelic child bonded to Uial? There was no denying that there was a tie between the pair.

The girl uttered no words, merely strode toward them and placed her hands in theirs. The moment she did it was as though he had been struck by lightning, jolting his heart from a slumber he hadn’t realised he was even in. She belonged with them, he didn’t understand how or why but she did. Looking upon the child he was struck by how similar her features were to Uial’s, had he not known Uial to be childless he might have assumed she was his lover’s from her previous husband - but it was clear that Uial was as stunned by the child’s appearance as he was.

As Uial knelt Michael finally allowed himself to smile. ”And how about you call me papa?” He asked her, he could not quite bring himself to utter the word Father, not after everything that had happened with his own. ”She’s a Nephilim, I don’t know how she’s here or why but she’s partially Angelic. I can’t tell how much but that side of her burns bright, she nearly blinded me on the way here as though she were trying to call to us, you felt her too though, I don’t understand why…”

Shizuka looked from the woman to the man and back again, before her gaze flickered to the forest. Puppy might get mad at her for this… he was always so careful about how far they strayed from the safety of the forest, but she had been drawn here, she was sure that he both knew where she was and understood why she had gone against all of their rules.

Her dark, bright eyes followed as the woman knelt beside her, their eyes now level. Shizuka raised a slow, gentle hand, her fingertips tracing Uial’s face before she placed her palm on the woman's cheek. ”Okaasan. Haha,” she stated in a soft tone, pointing to Uial with her free hand. Then she turned to look at Michael. ”Otoosan. Chichi.” 
”Japanese? Not a language I’m fluent in but I know some basics, though she’s agreed to call you mother in her own way,” Michael chuckled.

The girl looked back at Uial and placed her hand upon her own chest. ”Shizuka tomoshimasu. Puppy called me Shizuka,” she added in her quiet, almost ethereal tone,

Knitted brow appeared on Uial’s face for a moment as Michael had shielded his eyes from the girl that was before them. The woman had seen no blinding light, but it seemed as there was something only an angel could witness. What could it mean?

Instead of dwelling upon the reaction of her love, her attention went back to the child. The child that pulled at the very center of Uial’s core looked perfect in every way. She should have questioned where the child had come from. She should have questioned what she had been doing out in the Virens Forest. None of the questions that should have been posed were actually voiced. Instead, the two adults accepted the child instantly. The child belonged to them in some way that just could not be explained. As Uial looked at Michael, the demon hunter knew that the angel felt it as well.

It was odd though how much the child seemed to look similar to herself. Shock would have been the best way to describe the reaction that Uial felt deep down as the features of the girl were further examined. How was this possible? The only reaction that Uial outwardly had was to gently stroke the girl’s cheek as if to memorize the planes of her face.

Michael finally spoke to explain what the child was. The blinding light that had made Michael baulk for a moment. ”A Nephilim….that’s part angel part human, correct?”. The answer truly meant little considering Uial did not care what the child was. All she knew was that they would not leave without her. The Matriarch noted the silent glances made towards the forest; this made Uial curious though she said nothing.

Her face tilted slightly to lean into the gentle returned caress from the girl. ”Okaasan. I like it,” Uial responded with a gentle smile. Golden gaze did not leave the child. When hearing the girl’s name, it struck home. It made sense as if Uial had known it the entire time. ”Shizuka. What a beautiful name, but who is Puppy?”. This time, her gaze flicked up towards Michael with concern laced in it. Shizuka was nourished well enough, as well as she looked strong. But a ‘puppy’ in the Virens Forest could be anything.