Blow a tune

Wind.

It was the sound of the wind. It took a while for Madelyne to come to that conclusion, having awoken with a jolt. The sound was loud and yet barely perceptible unless one listened closely for it. It sounded like a gale echoing through its journey in a cave, surrounding the canyons and greeting the mountains. And yet all that aside, nary a leaf trembled in the trees and the wind-chime hanging from the downstairs window lay silent.

Climbing out of her window cautiously, Madelyne settled herself on the roof. She absently reminded herself to oil the window hinges lest the squeaking awake her overprotective brother who had told one too many times to "never sit on the roof!" Rolling her eyes to herself at her stray thoughts, Madelyne looked up as the sound increased in volume. Above her, the clouds floated with their usual ease and the stars peeked out from patches of clear sky. In the dim light, Madelyne's blue eyes better resembled black.

The tempo of the strange wind picked up yet again. In the corner of her mind, Madelyne knew that it wasn't normal to hear such things yet see no sign of a gusty wind. It would be far more practical, and safer, were she to climb back through her window and lock it tight; but she simply couldn't bring herself to feel alarmed. Instead, she felt safe and warm. Perhaps it was a result of the sleep that still clung to her half-lidded eyes, but Madelyne simply didn't feel frightened.

The fierce tempo of the strong wind resembled a war dance, yet it soothed as well as excited. Closing her eyes--she was simply resting them not sleeping!--Madelyne leaned back against the gently sloping roof and allowed herself to be lulled by the heavy beat.

When next she awakened, seconds, minutes or hours later she knew not, the sound had died down. Climbing back through her window and shutting it softly, Madelyne snuggled back under her covers. Perhaps it had all been a dream. After all, what smoke could appear without fire, and wind song appear without wind? It certainly couldn't be ghosts who played beats to lull people back to sleep. Yes, perhaps it had all been a dream.

But, it had felt real.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"You're finally finished with your playing, South?"

"Yes."

"You took longer than usual this time. What happened? Your winds playing hookie tonight?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why the extended playing? It can't be that you enjoy blowing on that instrument of yours all night."

"...I am a wind god. Why shouldn't I enjoy blowing as you so quaintly put it?"

"Tch, don't talk nonsense. I know how much effort that instrument takes to play. You normally end up looking like shit after an hour on the thing, but you played for an extra hour this time. What? Trying to impress Moon?"

"No."

"You gonna shut up for good or are you going to spill?"

"You're annoying."

"Yea, yea, you've said that a million times before. Think I care? Pft! So spill already."

"There was a girl."

"Hah! I knew it! It was because of a woman! What's her name? What's she like? How long have you known her?"

"Don't know. Don't know. An hour."

"What! You've known her an hour?!"

"Yes."

"So... you had a quickie?"

"Don't be stupid! Not everyone is a perverted idiot like you."

"Hey! I'm the god of fertility! It's my job to be perve--no, wait--to have strong endurance!"

"Hmph."

"So... you stalked her for an hour or something?"

"No! For the love of--! She just woke up, all right?"

"She woke up...?"

"She heard me playing and woke up."

"She heard you playing?! But, humans aren't supposed to hear--"

"I know. Well, she did."

"And so..?"

"And so I played until she went back to sleep. End of story."

"You played her to sleep?"

"Got a problem with that?"

"No! It's just..."

"What?"

"Nothing. Nothing. ...So, you wanna find out who she is or something?"

"No. Now shut up and leave me alone."

"...Geez, what an unfriendly guy."

"I heard that!"

"Yea, yea. Got get some freaking sleep, dumbass. ...I think I'll go speak with Dite for a while."

~~~~~~~~~~

I'm hungry. I really did hear weird noises last night. Don't like it? Feed me next time and I won't come up with strange crap like this then!