When he didn’t get an answer, he tugged harder on the harness. Bowman stumbled backwards in surprise, and one foot landed on air as he reached the edge of the railing.
When he’d learned how to fly, Bowman had moved on to learning all kinds of aerial tricks and acrobatics. He practiced every day, even when he should have been practicing his Prayers more. He gave up finesse with the Earth Spirit’s magic to soar through the air instead. Bowman’s dexterity in flight improved every day from then on.
One of the tricks he’d perfected was correcting a freefall in barely more than an instant. After falling backwards off the railing, his body twisted around almost as though on instinct.
Tag: bowman leafwing
Bowman Lost Excerpt
Bowman crouched down on the railing to watch the world go by. Without thinking, his hands dropped to the surface beneath him and brushed over the pronounced grain of the dead wood. The railing came from a tree that had long since died for the humans to build their dwellings. It was so different from the way the sprites used trees.
Back home, tucked away in the very center of Wellwood, his home, the village nestled on a stand of pine trees. Each home was shaped out of the wood itself, often with the trunk as support and propped up on a branch. Everything smelled of pine, strong and alive, and the wood grain wasn’t just a side effect. It was part of home and safety.
Bowman Lost Excerpt
“Bowman, dude, come on out, I’ve got something for ya.”
Using his actual name was unusual. Bowman narrowed his eyes, unsure if he wanted to come out or force the human to reach in and start moving stuff, like he usually did when he got impatient.
“Come on, Bowman, you’ll like this one, I swear. I think it’d be good for you to get some fresh air outside, and this’ll help,” the human called.
Bowman’s heart fluttered oddly in his chest. He almost didn’t recognize the hopeful longing for what it was. He hadn’t had a reason to hope for any leeway in so long.
Jacob camps a lot, and is for the most part a more outdoorsy type than Dean is, so he’s more likely to tan (in addition to being Mediterranean, which helps his chances in the sun). Dean spends most of his days holed up in a room researching, with a good amount of his waking hours at night hunting spirits. He will burn quick before he tans if he’s not expecting it.
Sam will never let Dean hear the end of it, but he better keep out of the sun himself. All those years in the motel left him even paler than Dean, so he’ll burn faster.
Bowman would be very critical of all of this. People burning just from spending time in the life-giving sun?! It’s such a weird idea. Even knowing that sprites can get themselves dried out and overheated, he will be baffled. Of course, the shedding will have him wondering if they’re sick and need some kind of medicine. Dean would get such a Look for all of this.
There’s a lot to unpack here! ;w;
Wood sprites do bury their fallen, usually right at the bases of trees near their village. A grave is not specifically marked, but the general area is. Most communities will try to grow some specific kind/color of flower in the area to make note of what it’s used for. Some communities also have a hall prayed into the nearby tree(s) where they can ink the names of the ones buried there.
Wellwood has a maple tree and a cluster of yarrow plants for its graveyard. It’s a peaceful area and sometimes those who have lost someone will pay respects by tending the yarrow. It’s not quite the same as “visiting” a specific sprite.
Bowman tends the area sometimes. Usually in winter, when the yarrow is dormant and in need of pruning or an extra prayer, he will take it upon himself.
As for what happened to his mother, I’ll try to explain without going on and on!
Eyara Songbird was gifted with the Voice of the Spirit, and she trained alongside Cerul to fulfill their responsibilities that came with the gift. She was actually so ecstatic to find out she was with child that her joy radiated out from her and brightened the moods around her a small amount. She was so ready to have a little sprout of her own.
Her health declined as the due date approached (and the fact that it would be a winter birth didn’t help her). When Bowman was born, Eyara used a lot of her energy to Pray over the baby and make sure he would be okay. No one thought to caution her against it, as they didn’t know exactly how much she needed that energy for herself. She didn’t last very long after the birth, and her midwives had to bring the baby to his father without his mother.
Bowman Lost Excerpt
On restless days, Bowman had nothing to do but fly back and forth in the cage. He had a few feet to dart in one direction before he had to kick against the wall and turn around. Then he’d fly to the other side and repeat the process.
Back. And forth.
Day. After day. After day.
Bowman Lost Excerpt
A quiet instinct ran in the blood of any wood sprite. Prey instincts. Anything that could overpower him so easily could eat him. Bowman’s wings spasmed just before Bryce secured a hold around them.
Humans didn’t eat sprites. So he’d heard. Bowman’s heart fluttered in brief terror anyway.
Bowman Lost Excerpt
Bowman, the wildflowers are blooming!
A happy little voice piped up in his memory, trying to wake him from another sluggish rest. Bowman let the tears fill his eyes and blur the frightening room around as he called up the memory of a pair of bright golden eyes.
Birdie. He hadn’t seen his little cousin in more than a week. By now, everyone back home would assume he’d been caught by a predator, or hurt himself too badly to make it home. He wondered if she waited for him to fly home.
I can see this being an entire short story. Sherlock seems to earn the scolds better than anyone else (EXCEPT MAYBE DEAN AND BOWMAN)
They’re the troubled trio. Gonna get scolded.
Bowman Lost Excerpt
He knew what a stove was, and a sink. He knew the unnervingly-uniform rows of cabinet doors hid piles of dishes and things the human would use for cooking and eating. Glass and plastic, in varying colors and sizes, waited behind those walls.
If Bowman wasn’t trapped, stuck there against his will and fearing he might be stuck forever, he might be curious. A small part of him, the fascination that hadn’t quite died, would stare through the colored glass with wonder, would try the dials on the microwave.
Brothers Apart 