NOTE: This features teh requester's homebrew dnd so character and locations are not canon (belong to Azureman136 on wattpad)

Unkept was one way to put it. Exhausted and scared was another. Things had been tough for the past few days. Maybe I should’ve stayed at home, never bothered moving to a bigger town to make my way…

The dream was over now, though. Crushed and burned and devoured by senseless brutes.

There was nothing left now.

A cool breeze caught my hair, and I had a look around. The bleak road ahead was about to fork; a long, wide path would lead me to a few days' walk to the nearest settlement, Solidus. The other was a winding dirt path leading into a broad forest. The smell of pinecones and rain hit me, bringing my mind to a moment of ease.

Then tug from the west. The breeze had taken a turn for the worst, and the sky grew grey and cold. Best case a shower, worst a thunderstorm.

Behind me, there was nothing. No wagon, no mounted traveller, not even a mouse to scurry on the road. I was all alone, surrounded by dark clouds and green fields.

Any peace that had brought to me was gone, and the dreaded sense of isolation had returned. I pulled my cloak closer to me and sighed sadly.

Then something on my boot.

I looked down, a perfect wet splat on the toe. The heaven’s opened, and the road quickly glistened in a layer of rainwater. The shower wasn’t heavy thankfully, but one pair of clothes was all I had, and that one pair would be a nuisance if it got soaked.

Summoning every bit of willpower I could, I bolted down the dirt trail, puddle-water and mud splashing under my heels. The forest was getting closer, and the branches came into view. They were broad and overlapping with each other to create a perfect canopy. It was rather calming to be under them. The deep drumming of the rain and its smell brought me back to a nicer time and better situation.

I sighed and squeezed out my hair as I gathered myself. This was a nice place, but it was dark and cold. And as the dribble from my hair trickled down my sleeve, my shoulders tingled.

Something was watching me.

And in a forest, something is not what you want watching you.

I spun and glared into the tangle of branched and trunks. Of course I wouldn’t see anything, but I gripped the blade on my belt regardless. Something was there and I wouldn’t allow it to stay there.

There was nothing. No scampering, no scratching, no weird glowing eyes blinking back at me. After a hesitant moment I forced myself to turn away and walk on the path again.

The tingling lingered, hairs on my neck standing on end as I took a new step.

A shuffling came from behind me, from the undergrowth on either side. I tried to grab a glance over my shoulders and was met with the ferns and bushes shifting and trembling. More than a downpour would, if the water was getting to them, but rain had yet to touch the forest floor. I saw something long and green curl up a tree beside me, chilling me to the core.

There was nothing logical in my head, my legs just came alive, bounding down the slick mud path.

“Hey!” called a youthful voice. “Wait!”

My legs burned, but I kept going, rain pouring down my face. With a sting, a droplet wormed its way into my eye, and in a moment if blindness, something constricted around my ankle. I fell face first into the mud with a yelp.

I forced myself over and heaved, spitting mud from my mouth.

A blur of blue landed in front of me, hopping into a puddle, adding more to my wet mess. It had large, angled forms on either side of it.

I wiped the water from my eyes. The blue thing had wings, had four legs and was about the size of a cat. I could also see that their wings weren’t like that of a bird or a dragon, they were like giant butterfly wings, tinted purple. Its limbs had a pink gradient to them, too. It was quite beautiful.

It hopped onto my lap, pink eyes glaring into my soul. “Don’t run from me!” this was the voice that had spoken earlier. It sounded more childlike up front.

I stared at him in my lap, tiny claws digging into my cold skin. “Um… sorry?”

He nodded, planting himself down. “Accepted. I suppose,” he eyed me up and down, sniffing me and flicking out his tongue. “What’s the deal, half-elf? Why are you runnin’?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?!” I was taken aback. “I’m in the middle of the fucking woods and something is watching me and running after me and you expect me to not run?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again slowly. “Fair enough… that was a bad introduction.” He sighed and got off my lap, shaking himself, water spraying from his pink and blue body. “My name is Acorn.”

I nodded slowly, the rain thumping on my body as my heart recovered. “I’m (Y/N).” I looked at him, then at the forest around. “I don’t mean to be rude but—”

“I’ll take you to the village. We’re not far.” He lifted his head and snorted. “Up ya get, (N/N). chop-chop. The rain ain’t stoppin’ soon.” Acorn hopped on the spot.

Putting my hand beneath me, I pushed myself up and wiped down my trousers and hand as best as possible. Mud still seeped through the fabric, though. I sighed, imagining the beauty of a nice, hot shower after this.

As I straightened up, a weight landed on my back. “Let’s get going!” Acorn called over my shoulder, wing extended to shelter my head.

I tucked my head down and trekked my way down the muddy path.

“So, where are you from? I know everyone in these woods, and I do not know you.” Acorn turned his head to look at me, blinking his pink eyes in suspicion.

“I came from a town uh… north-ish of here. I’m headed to Solidus to get back to my parents…” I trailed off. Admitting everything was hard.

“That’s a long trek. You miss them?”

I shrugged, tucking up the collar of my jacket. The answer was no. “I suppose.”

I felt his eyes bear down on me, and I slowly brought my gaze to meet him. “Don’t suppose you’re heading from that village the orcs buried?”

My jaw tensed, seeing the axe effortlessly cut through my door as the drums beat out, shaking my windows, baking trays and fine porcelain.

Acorn tuned his head back to the path ahead. “That was aimless destruction. I’m sorry about that.”

I sighed. “It’s fine. Probably wasn’t a life meant for me.”

Acorn looked at me. “What life?”

I looked at him. “I left the city to become a small tea shop and bakery owner.”

His face lit up, pupils dilating, grin spreading. “Tea?! Bakery?!” his shrieking voice caused me to wince.

I nodded, grimacing. “Yes?”

Acorn flapped his wings, hovering in front of me. “Come on!” he beat his wings excitedly through the rain, following the path.

I ran after him and, after a moment or two, smelled burning wood and heard soft chatter. With the turn of a bend, a village appeared. Clustered rustic buildings were alive in the wet day. Music came from inside inns and pubs, chatter came from sheltered beer gardens out front, and smoke curled up from pretty much every cottage and chimney.

I darted in under a canopy and looked around. The drinkers were far more diverse than I could have imagined. There was a gathering of pixies, faes and satyrs in this one beer garden.

“Sit down, doll. Let me fix ya up something sweet,” a pixie server fluttered over to me and pushed down my shoulder.

I nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.” I slumped down onto a seat behind me, water pitter-patting onto the gravel path.

Acorn hopped up on the table beside me, claws skidding on the sanded wood. “There you are!” He looked around. “Ah! Getting cozy in the inn? That’s a great idea. Then you can get baking again.” He bobbed his head assertively.

I put my bag down—it too was destroyed in mud. “I’m here to get out of the rain. And yes, I’ll get a night or two here in the inn. I need a shower and a nice bed. Baking can wait.”

Acorn launched himself at my chest and stared at me firmly. “It can’t wait! It is of utmost importance that you get baking immediately!” He stomped his paw on the wood as he settled back down. His wings fluttered irritably.

I looked around, confused. “Why are you so despera—hey!”

A blink dog appeared beside me and sniffed my bag. Before I could swat it away, it grabbed a muffin from it and teleported away, my hand missing its wet fur by a centimetre.

Acorn gasped and lunged for my bag. “You have some!” he opened my bag and grabbed my tin of treats. As he tossed it onto the table with a deafening clatter, the beings in the canopy and from inside the inn came to see. Within a moment, various fluttering beings surrounded me, lapping blink dogs and tail-wagging satyrs. I think a few elves appeared in the crowd. Each one of them seemed delighted to see my scones, loaf, muffins and a couple of iced cookies.

Acorn grinned. “Can we have some?”

I hesitated. This was the last of my—

“—We’ll pay! Name your price,” the nearest satyr reached into his purse, red ears twitching excitedly.

Anything would help at this point. “Yes please. Just a couple of coppers for each will be enough.” Steeper than my usual prices. I grabbed a knife and cut slices of the loaf of bread. Before I knew it, everything was gone, and I was left with a stack of copper and a few silvers.

Acorn nibbled at a cookie. “This is incredible!” he growled possessively as a hand dropped an extra copper as a tip, getting a smidge too close to Acorn, apparently.

I giggled and sipped the tea the pixie server had brought to me. I pulled a face as a bitter taste hit my tongue. “Thank you, Acorn.” Looking around, I saw the nearby tables were devouring my baked goods. I was surprised. “Why?”

Acorn looked up from his treat. “Why what?”

I looked at him, grabbing the last cookie. “Why are they all so excited?”

Acorn looked down. “Well, we don’t have a baker in the village. And the one baker that does come through here stays for an hour or two, overprices everything and it’s all bland. Blah!” he stuck out his tongue. “We’re a small artsy village. And what better art than that of baking to add to our town? We have knitters, embroiders, filigree specialists, sculptures who sing wood into what shape they like! But we lack the skills of tastiness! Even you have tasted how bad the tea is. And how can you mess up tea?!”

I tried not to laugh and nodded, forcing my smile to drop. “Sure. I’ll bake for you. But I’ll need a kitchen to myself. I have some tins to bake with. If you have a blacksmith, I might need them to make some more for me.”

Acorn grinned. “Excellent! Don’t worry about cost. And I’ll sort out the kitchen! We’ll handle everything. Do you have ingredients?” he finished his cookie, licking up any crumbs.

I glanced at my sopping back, seeing a layer of—what could only be—thick, wet flour oozing through. “No. Not really.”

“Make a list!” he nodded. He flew over to snatch the waitresses pen and paper and dropped it in front of me. “Tell us what to get and we’ll get it. We have farms. We can probably get it all.”

I nodded. “Okay. if you say so.” I grabbed the pen and made a list, the hot gaze of Acorn watching my hand as I scrawled it.

*~*~*~*

“Wake up, (Y/N)!” Acorn bounced on my chest as sun glared into my eyes.

I groaned and pulled my blanket up over my face. “No…”

Acorn huffed and grabbed the blanket in his mouth and tore it off, taking it with him onto the floor.

I culled up on my side, back to the sunshine.

He trotted around my bed, claws tapping on the wooden boards so I could track him without seeing him behind my hands. He paused by my head and started licking my face.

“Ah! No!” I yelped and backed away, falling out of the bed. I swore and forced myself to my feet.

Acorn hopped onto my bed. “Ha!”

I gave him a dirty look. “Yes. You’ve succeeded. Congratulations.” I sighed and looked at the room, fresh pyjamas on me and body clean. entwined vines and trees body surrounded me. In the corner of the room was a miniature, round bed, made if willow branches and solid birch. This was the upper floor of Acorn’s home, and that was his bed. The home had been carved out of a large-trunked, but short tree, with a thick mass of dark green leaves hanging around it.

It was quite pretty.

Acorn smiled up at me. “So, are you ready to start baking?” his smile spread into a grin.

I drew in a breath and nodded reluctantly. Then stopped. “After breakfast. Baking while hungry is a bad idea.”

He chuckled. “Alright.” He hopped off the bed and glided towards the narrow spiral staircase. “Let’s go! Let’s make munchies!”

I sighed slowly, walking after him as he floated through his home. Everything around me was one with the tree. This home had to have been enchanted or something. It was quite wonderful. His kitchen took up most of his lower floor, lined with cupboards, a working sink, oven, hob and fridge, with an arched door leading out towards the village and brightly lit by the late morning sunlight. On the dark, varnish table was a wide array of baking supplies; flour, eggs, brown and white sugar, butter, oil, milk—you get it.

I barely remembered my journey to Acorn’s house. It was after stopping at the inn, making my list and filling up on a splendid meal and shower. He’d been very insistent that I come with him.

And the same with watching me cook.

I turned, grabbing a pan, bowl, flour, oil, eggs, and milk. No sooner had I put them on the counter, Acorn landed on my back, and I jumped.

“The fuck?!”

He leaned his head over my shoulder, claws digging into my skin and wings spread for balance. He blinked at me. “Watcha makin’?”

“Pan—,” I winced and picked up one of his claws, then the other, “—cakes.”

Acorn’s eye grew wide. “Pancakes!” he beamed, claws sinking in again with excitement.

I nodded slowly. “Yes. So please relax your claws or sit on the counter to watch.” May gaze hardened.

He smiled nervously and repositioned himself, hind legs on my shoulders, front ones on my head and his long neck hovering above.

I looked up to him. “Comfy up there?”

Acorn nodded. “Yes! Now cook!”

I rolled my eyes and made the batter, heating and oiling up the pan. It was a quick recipe and within a few minutes I had two stacks ready to eat—little pancakes for Acorn and average pancakes for me. I served with some berries and carried the plates to the table and sat down.

Acorn hopped off my shoulder and sat beside me, snatching the first one from his pile, berries spilling off, and shoving it in his mouth. His face melted, frill drooping as savoured the light pancakes. As soon as he was done with his mini pancake, he devoured another one.

“I’m so glad you like my cooking.”

In a blink of an eye, his plate was clear. Acorn even went to the effort to lick the plate clean of berry juice. He held up his plate, big begging eyes looking at me.

“May I have some more?”