The insistent knocking on the door startled Avery, jolting her from her increasingly frequent reveries about silver-furred Lycans and moonbound legends. She had been staring out at the rain-streaked woods, the silver feather resting on the windowsill like a silent sentinel, her mind lost in the fragmented tales Grandmother Rhea had shared.
Pulling herself back to the mundane reality of her rented cottage, Avery opened the door to find Nina standing on the porch, her usually composed expression etched with a mixture of concern and a familiar hint of exasperation. Nina's sleek city clothes looked out of place against the backdrop of the weathered Victorian, and her perfectly coiffed hair was already beginning to succumb to the Alerion dampness.
"Nina! What are you doing here?" Avery exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and relief washing over her.
Nina stepped inside, shaking the raindrops from her stylish trench coat. "What do you think, Ave? I haven't heard from you properly in weeks. Just vague postcards and cryptic little notes about 'finding peace' and 'connecting with nature.' Honestly, it sounded more like you'd joined some kind of woodland cult."
Avery managed a weak smile. She knew her attempts at reassuring Nina had been less than convincing. Since Liam's death, she had retreated into herself, and her communication with her younger sister had become sporadic.
"I'm fine, Nina. Really," Avery said, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her words.
Nina's sharp, intelligent eyes scanned Avery's pale face and the slight limp she still favored. "Fine? You're limping, you look like you haven't slept properly in days, and the last time we spoke, you mentioned… strange noises in the woods?"
Avery hesitated, suddenly reluctant to share the fantastical reality she was grappling with. How could she explain Lycans and moonbound prophecies to her pragmatic, science-minded sister?
"It was nothing," Avery said dismissively. "Just the wind and some local wildlife."
Nina raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, a gesture Avery knew well. It meant her sister wasn't buying it. "Local wildlife that howls like a tortured beast and leaves silver feathers around?"
Avery's breath caught. How had Nina known about the feather?
"Mrs. Gable mentioned you found something… unusual on the beach," Nina explained, seeing Avery's reaction. "She's a sweet woman, but her stories can get a little… colorful. Still, it added to my growing list of concerns. You isolating yourself in this spooky old house, the vague postcards, Mrs. Gable's tales of strange happenings… I had to see for myself that you were okay."
A wave of guilt washed over Avery. She hadn't meant to worry Nina. But the weight of her recent experiences, the need to keep the Lycan world a secret, had made her withdraw even further.
"I appreciate you coming, Nina," Avery said sincerely. "It's just… Alerion's Edge is a bit… different. It takes some getting used to."
Nina's gaze softened slightly. "I can see that. But something feels off, Ave. You're not yourself. You're jumpy, you keep looking out the window like you expect to see… what? A mythical creature?"
The irony of Nina's words struck Avery, but she forced a smile. "Just the weather, probably."
Over the next few days, Nina's presence brought a semblance of normalcy back to the old house. She insisted on cooking proper meals, something Avery had neglected, and her witty banter and practical advice provided a welcome distraction from Avery's increasingly fantastical thoughts.
However, Nina's concern didn't wane. She observed Avery's lingering limp, the way her gaze would drift towards the woods, the almost reverent way she handled the silver feather. She also noticed the books Avery had borrowed from the local library – volumes on local folklore, ancient myths, and the natural history of the region.
One rainy afternoon, Nina found Avery poring over a particularly worn book on local legends, her brow furrowed in concentration. The silver feather lay beside the book, its unusual sheen catching the dim light.
"What are you reading?" Nina asked, her voice casual.
Avery quickly closed the book, a blush rising on her cheeks. "Just… local history. Trying to understand the area."
Nina's eyes narrowed slightly. "Local history that involves silver feathers and howling beasts?"
Avery hesitated, knowing she couldn't keep the truth from Nina forever. Her sister was too perceptive. Taking a deep breath, she decided to share a carefully curated version of her experiences, omitting the more unbelievable aspects, focusing on the unsettling feeling of being watched and the strange encounter in the woods.
Nina listened intently, her initial skepticism slowly giving way to a look of concern. "A creature made of shadows? Ave, are you sure you weren't dreaming? Grief can do strange things to your mind."
"I know what I saw, Nina," Avery insisted, her voice firm. "And there was someone else… he saved me. But he wasn't… normal."
She described the golden eyes, the incredible speed, the almost animalistic grace. Nina listened patiently, her expression a mixture of worry and disbelief.
"And this feather?" Nina picked up the silver plume, turning it over in her fingers. "You think it belongs to this… unusual savior?"
Avery nodded. "It was near the place where I saw him."
Nina examined the feather closely, her scientific mind searching for a logical explanation. "It's… unlike any bird I've ever seen."
Over the next few days, Nina's skepticism began to erode, replaced by a growing unease. She couldn't entirely dismiss Avery's distress, and the strange feather defied any rational explanation. She started asking subtle questions around town, carefully probing for any corroborating stories, any whispers of unusual occurrences in the woods.
She heard the same hushed tales Avery had – of strange animal sightings, unsettling howls, and a general sense of unease that had settled over Alerion's Edge since the storms. Old Man Hemlock's outlandish stories suddenly seemed a little less fanciful in this context.
One evening, as the wind howled outside, mimicking the strange sounds Avery had described, Nina sat by the fire, her brow furrowed. "Ave," she said slowly, her voice serious. "I don't know what's going on here. But I don't like it. You're not safe, out here on your own, surrounded by… whatever is in those woods."
Avery looked at her sister, a flicker of gratitude warming her heart. Despite her initial skepticism, Nina was worried about her. And as Avery looked out at the dark, whispering pines, she couldn't deny the truth in Nina's words. The quiet retreat she had sought had become something far more dangerous, and the mysteries of Crescent Pines were only just beginning to unravel. Nina's arrival, fueled by growing suspicions, had brought a much-needed dose of reality, but it also underscored the very real dangers that lurked just beyond their doorstep.