Sweet As The Punch -[[open

[Cumin Andrew Murder]

The wind ruffled his auburn hair, sending it flying in all directions around his face. The grey of his eyes was barely visible as he squinted against the breeze. His shoulders were hunched forward as he studied the sight before him. With his hands clenched in his jean pockets, he stepped forward. The tree seemed to jerk to life in a split second, its branches whirling around around him. Smirking, he stepped back again. It was protecting something, he just had to find out what it was. He would die trying, if it came to that.

His weight shifted to his right leg as he crossed his arms, studying the tree. The flailing limbs were slowing down, meaning the tree was calming. It believed the threat to be gone, even though he had merely retreated a couple steps. Waiting for the tree to stop was simply torture. Crabstepping, making sure to stay the same distance away, he moved a few feet to the left. It didn't flinch, the leaves the only thing moving. What was it with this tree?

"What are you gaurding, tree..." His voice drifted away on the wind, floating to god knows where. His head cocked to the side as his studying continued. Cautiously, he stretched one foot in front of him. His toes touched gently to the earth, the grass bending beneath his weight. Nothing. Gently, the rest of his foot floated to the ground. He moved forward, his back hunching as he shifted himself little by little onto his foot, the other lifting slowly from behind him. He repeated the process of swinging his foot before him and touching down lightly. He was taking large steps and was certainly a couple feet closer.

As his weight flowed through him, his eyes jerked to the tree. It flinched, leaves falling from its branches as he continued his slow advance towards the trunk. He knew, though it was inanimate, that the tree wasn't stupid. It couldn't be to survive this long.

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[Edward Hohenheim Elric]

The short blond-haired boy stomped across the dying, dry landscape, his school robes under arm. He had switched them for his favorite red coat for the cool weather outside. It was early winter, and midday, but the wind carried a threatening chill that rattled right through his skin and into his spine. Edward had nothing else with him except for the silver watch he carried in his pocket to alert him of the time. Going outside between classes could be devastating; especially when the next class was Defense Against the Dark Arts.
His honey-colored eyes looked up from his treading feet. He noticed a tall, lanky, auburn-haired boy yards away from him, examining the Whomping Willow. The tree swayed back and forth, lurching occasionally in synchronization with the mysterious boy’s movements. Intrigued, the Hufflepuff began walking towards him, unaware of the puzzled expression he wore.
“That can kill you, ya know,” Edward said, approaching the Ravenclaw. He halted not too far behind him and crossed his arms. The kid looked pretty stupid studying a tree as if he had never seen a single one before. Well, maybe not a moving one, but it was still nearly the same damn thing; a tree nonetheless. “If I was you, I wouldn’t be anywhere near this thing. Though, I did hear once there was a secret passage under it.”
Ed didn’t know why he was talking so much. He glanced away and turned toward the high sun to warm his rough-featured face. His eyes squinted, realizing he was staring at the sun. He had no intention of going blind anytime soon like that one dude, or chick- no one exactly knew that kid’s gender really… but he had been said to be male. Freaks….
He then thought about just turning around and leaving, and go back to the castle. It was kind of stupid to even concern himself with the taller boy anyway, and Edward could not help but wishing whoever this guy was that he was older than him, for his self-esteem’s sake.