"So, what do you do?" Ty walked along as the fairy flew beside him.
"Well, I look after the forest." Fae waved to the trees vaguely. "In the old days, we little folk helped make the animals and plants. Now, I find myself protecting what's left of it."
"Are you the only one here of your kind?" Ty stared at her curiously, admiring the little woman's trim curves and strange beauty.
"Yes." Fae sighed. "There are so few of us left now."
A little bit of guilt hit Ty as what she was saying sunk in. "Because of people?"
"We live forever, darling." Fae landed on a nearby branch in front of the boy. "But only among nature and goodwill. Man has taken much of the natural world and quite literally paved it away for progress. And the positive energy of the world has been replaced by much darkness. Many of us have perished. Much of the world's magic has been lost, and we can no longer help man."
"That's terrible." Ty hung his head.
"But let us be of good cheer!" Fae suddenly smiled. "You are here with me now, perhaps one of the only humans left who knows true magical powers, and we should have adventures!"
"O-Okay!" Ty brightened, but the nagging sense of loss from Fae's words was still there.