cashewlater | for @suffusion

for @suffusion

[ the forest is quiet.

cyno knows these woods like the back of his hand. he knows all of sumeru, has trekked nearly every inch of it - nearly - for he fears no beast, nor the darkness of the unknown. his work takes him all over the land, through the deserts and forests alike, and though he works for no one, he does not hurt for mora, for cyno is the most gifted hunter and tracker in sumeru. no quarry has ever escaped him, and he has never failed to deliver on any job. this job will be no different.

it isn't an easy hunt. not only is this area of the forest unfamiliar to him, but his prey is sharp and smart, with an incredible sense of hearing. cyno's footsteps are all but silent, but the sensitive ears of the witch can detect him even at his most stealthy. it's fine. he's brought in difficult prey before. if stealth could only get him so far, he has other methods, though he must take care - should the rumors prove true, this witch is powerful, tricky, wise, and cyno could easily find himself on the wrong end of his quarry's wrath. but he was ready for a fight, if it came to it, and it would.

for five days he simply watches. listens. the witch hears him, he knows, but cyno is well hidden, and cannot be found. he scales the trees and watches from the branches, stock still, his clothing camouflaged, his pale white hair tied up and rubbed with charcoal to keep it from standing out. for hours he sits, vigilant, watchful, learning the witch's patterns and strengths, behaviors, taking their measure, and even that is not easy, but cyno learns over time that his adversary favors the bow and dendro magicks, that they know the forest well, and make use of all of its parts. in the end, cyno can only hope to overpower them by force and speed alone, striking fast, getting in close before the bow can be drawn on him. it'll have to be enough, with the element of surprise unavailable to him. but he'll use the tools he has.

his eyesight, for example, sharp in the night. his keen sense of smell. his own good hearing, and his powers of observation. his patience.

cyno strikes in the night, when the witch is far from their hut, gathering samples of bioluminescent moss. he's fast as a bolt of lightning, moving comfortably in darkness, taking them from behind and knocking them to the loamy earth, with his spearhead at their throat. ]

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[ It's easy to lose himself to the feel of the forest around them as they trek through. though they made a lot of distance in that frenzied chase, he knows exactly how to quickly get back to the hut he has come to call home. it will be a bit longer but as he looks around - there is that almost childish sensation of curiosity that he can feel, nothing hostile or malice as they move. tighnari's expression softens a little as he gets distracted by it until cyno pipes up beside him. ]

Hmm.. Well, you haven't been the first - [ most certainly the only one that got this close to finishing it, his supportive hold subconsciously tightening at his own words. ] So I assumed as much, that you would not be the last. I'll manage.

[ more like he has to manage. he cannot abandon the forest, he is all it has... and unfortunately if someone else were to get as close to doing it as Cyno has, he knows the chances of them letting him go as well is extremely unlikely. fate may have smiled down at him today but that does not account for any time to come in the future.

it's a problem. his ears pin back, lips frowning deeply. the path they continue on seems to grow narrower, almost hidden completely until they push through a cover of leaves. up ahead it seems to clear again, an even more distant shape of an almost camouflaged building of wood and leaves. what really stands out is the impossible hard to miss is a ball of whispy light. a blended color of bright pink and lime green that dances curiously towards them. ]

Edited (smacks my mobile) 2023-09-15 21:29 (UTC)

[ cyno, at least, knows of no other hunters as good as he is. that is not to pat himself on the back, but it's simple fact; he knows what he's good at, and what he isn't. hunting and fighting are his life. what this means is that tighnari is in less danger than he had been when it was cyno who was stalking him, and he thinks that this witch will be prepared enough to handle anyone else who comes along, but..

well. he supposes he shouldn't think on it too much. tighnari's life isn't any of his business, though it would be a shame, he thinks, for him to be killed for foolish reasons, for being misunderstood. cyno knows what it's like, to be feared for what you are. for now, though, he says nothing.

together they move through the trees, and into a warm, cozy little clearing. an old wooden building is nestled between tall trees, blanketed in moss and leaves, and he can see the evidence of tighnari's life here in little bits and pieces. a small, dead campfire, herbs and flowers that appear to have been cultivated, a pile of firewood. this must be his home, hidden back in this comfortable nook.

cyno opens his mouth to speak again, when suddenly they are approached by that ball of.. energy? he tenses immediately, but senses no malice from this strange little thing; he can only look sidelong toward tighnari, curious. ]

[ it's just a lil guy...

tighnari brightens as if seeing an old friend, ears perking forward to his earlier alertness yet softer now in comparison. though he can feel that tenseness from cyno and glances to the side before his free hand extends out to the whisp. a pitched noise emits from it in response, before it practically zooms over to bump against tighnari's hand in greeting. but it starts to drift ever closer to cyno with obvious curiosity not even a moment after. ]

It's harmless, don't worry. [ however, tighnari moves his hand again slightly to intercept it, gingerly guiding it away before it can breach cyno's personal space. anyone not familiar with them would be wary enough. and while he doesn't think cyno may lash out at it- he also can't be sure what the huntsman would do. ]

They're a Seelie, quite a few of them can be found around these woods. This one in particular helps take care of the forest with me. [ it gives a gentle sway side to side until it circles around. tighnari doesn't allow them to linger too much in place, already moving towards the building as the seelie follows after them. ] I'd certainly have a much harder time finding any sources of decay without it.

[ a seelie.. ah, he recognizes it now, though this one is of a peculiar color. he's seen them slipping through the trees while he stalked tighnari down, though most of them had been a soft, pale blue, and he had observed them only from a distance. ]

The townspeople think they're lost spirits, guiding the living to their death.

[ he says, offhandedly, the tension in his body yielding as tighnari guides the little sprite away. cyno is unbothered, the creature is no threat, though he can't help but feel curious about their true nature. perhaps tighnari knows. they're moving toward the building now, however, and cyno knows he should feel uneasy, stepping into the unfamiliar home of someone who had just been his enemy, but.. something deep in his gut urges him to trust tighnari. cyno's intuition is never wrong. ]

Decay? I assume you mean those dead zones?

Do they? ...I suppose with their appearance the way that it is. But it isn't nearly as anything dark as that.

[ tighnari tilts his head with thought, until they stop before the door as the seelie slips in through a crack of the nearest window. his hand reaches to push it open and the sight is.. well, at first? complete darkness. it's difficult to make anything out inside. though his hand moves to slide onto the wall right inside the doorway and with a flick of green does light blossom indoors and bathes inside with a clear view.

it's a bit of a cozy setting - various floral and plants lining the walls and edges of the hut. any shelves lining the walls hold even more plants, some familiar in the sense they can have been spotted through the forest. and of course there are some more unknown in nature. the seelie has made its way a bit more deeper inside, hovering over a chimney where a large pot is simmering quietly under some low heat and a couch close by it. looking at it entirely, the room looks like a combination of both a living room and a greenhouse. there are two separate closed doors in the far end of the room but tighnari directs them to the corner here. ]

That's right. [ now and then does a zone crop up somewhere throughout the forest, and since cyno had been following him.. he has surely spotted one or two. they are as haunting up close as they surely look from far away- withering plants, ana rea where decay festers and strikes at anything that gets too close. ] Earlier you asked if I had hurt people, and I told you that whatever happened was their own doing. I was referring to that. Without protection, anyone who gets too close is perfect prey to the decay. Many idiots have come to search for treasure, for something to make profit of, to take from the forest.. only to stumble blindly into these zones and get sick from it.

[ which is exactly why tighnari does his best to first ward fools like them away before it gets too serious. especially since he's aware no one has good intentions. all this work and care he does to take of these woods with his magicks... only for it to be overturned by a couple of fools skipping right in. which.. makes him assume that because of that, they possibly assume tighnari was connected to their misfortune. his tail lashes behind him but focuses on leading cyno to a nearby chair. the table beside it is cluttered with various papers all lined and decorated with drawings of floral with deep botany knowledge to go with them. after a gesture to sit down, he turns to rummage through the drawers a bit as various vials of different colors can be seen like a collection of sorts. tighnari mumbles under his breath as he searches, "perhaps this?" and "or this one..." being heard. ]

[ they move into the building, and it's dimly lit enough that cyno has a difficult time seeing until his vision adjusts, and the seelie slips in through the window beside them, lighting up the area.

it's a very comfortable little space, certainly not looking like any wicked witch's lair, but that hardly means anything. cyno has hunted down vicious criminals who seemed like gentle folk in the past. though of course he knows tighnari is innocent, so it hardly matters, but this is an interesting, comfortable space, crowded with plants and jars of herbs and medicines, books and scrolls - there are hundreds of little things to look at, interesting bottles and shapes.. nevertheless, tighnari is soon explaining the decay, and cyno listens closely. ]

I see..

[ that sounds reasonable enough, and is certainly in line with his knowledge of the people. they're frightened of what they do not understand, and those dead zones had felt dangerous, even from a distance. that people would wander blindly into them is not surprising, nor that they would be quick to blame it all on the strange hermit living deep beneath the boughs.

tighnari leads him to a chair, and cyno sits with a heavy sigh; getting the weight off of his feet helps. hermanubis's power still needles its way painfully into his bones, but it's slowly beginning to ebb; he's quite used to this particular brand of pain, anyway. ]

.. you have no obligation to help me.

[ does he truly see? tighnari is severely tempted to ask. if the man truly knows what kind of effect wandering greedy idiots have on these woods. for a special forest that lives and breathes as much as they both do. however, he bites back the remark, knowing better than to take it out on the middleman sent to simply get the job done. not that it doesn't show from his own body language - the frustrated lashing of his tail, ears pinned back into his dark hair. but he focuses on his tasks and only falters at the words. ]

I don't. Especially since you tried to kill me. [ a bit of a jab but, at least it isn't nearly as hostile as their first scramble. he glances over, taking in his appearance and while cyno does an incredibly good job of looking mostly unaffected... he's sure it's not entirely the case. he does the same himself after all. ] But I've made the decision to, and so I will.

[ ah, there. fingers curl around a vial with a glittering green, though his hand shakes for a split second. he hides it cleanly from view and actually drinks the liquid himself. a sigh leaves him and he stands a bit straighter, as if having a second wind of strength. the seelie drifts closer when he does until it turns to drift to where cyno is seated with as it circles above. ]

Alright, let me examine you. [ tighnari spares him a quick look in his eyes, as if to say don't fight me on this. only then does he come to carefully rest his palm against the center of cyno's chest and a close of his eyes, focusing... listening. ] It doesn't seem to be effects from my own...

[ his head tilts as he considers when-- ] That power from earlier-- what was that? [ ..hm. ] You don't need to go into detail if you want to keep your secrets, I'm more interested to know if it's done something to you. To help me better understand so I know how I can help you.

[ this witch is certainly full of.. energy, isn't he? piss and vinegar, his adoptive father used to call that sort of sharp sass. cyno doesn't seem to mind; it's not as if tighnari is wrong - he very much did attempt to kill him, and that tighnari is helping him at all speaks to his compassion as a person. so he hardly bats an eyelash at that sharp tone, instead he looks almost.. amused, though it's difficult to say, cyno's expressions are very muted, his entire demeanor stony and cool.

his tone of voice, however, is gentle. ]

All right.

[ it's rare that cyno trusts so easily. were this anyone else, he might have tried to refuse, tried to pull away, unwilling to allow himself to be touched. how different this is.. how strange. tighnari's warm palm comes to rest against his chest, and cyno feels himself beginning to relax, despite the strange tickle he feels as tighnari plumbs the depth of his energies. should tighnari have the ability to sense the spirit, surely he will feel the strangeness of cyno's own - as if there is not only one soul, but two. ]

Hermanubis. A power I inherited as a child. Its use takes its toll. [ though perhaps that is not clear enough. ] He's a spirit that dwells beside my own.

[ admittedly the gentle reply and easy submission to tighnari's help does take him aback. if tighnari wasn't too focused on the examination, he might have looked more closely in a different way. it's enough that his tail lowers and his mood cools a bit from its earlier wind-up. which also helps in his own favor. with something like this, he should clear his mind.

a warmth spread from his hand, gentle and almost ticklish, and he is no stranger to finding more than there is to be seen. his magicks have always been special in that way - especially with the forest's extended aid. tighnari continues to examine the state of those energies, for any discrepancies. some bewilderment shows on his face when he feels the strength behind it. which quite frankly isn't too surprising when he saw it on display in their encounter in the cave. however, there is more to it that catches him off guard. he blinks to him, taking in the explanation. ]

A spirit? [ there's a moment of silence, a look of concentration showing as he thinks it over.] The toll-- is it just physical?

[ ... ] It doesn't affect your life force, does it? To share host to another spirit, that...

[ he looks distracted for a moment. this huntsman is still a stranger to him but... of all the things that could have come up, how is it this that he finds some familiarity in. another spirit... though, this could spell quite dangerous if it is anything like... at that moment, the seelie coos softly to cyno and distracts his own wandering thoughts. ]

I can make something to help replenish your energies if it's only that. I should have everything I need here. But if it's more than just that...

[ the seelie's presence is soothing, however strange the little creature might be to cyno. he spends a good deal of time in sumeru's forests, but most of his life was lived in her deserts, as his sun-kissed, sand roughened body can attest to. his clothing, as well, is that of the desert folk. creatures like this seelie exist there as well, lingering in caves and underground holes, though he's still never seen one quite like this one.

at tighnari's question, cyno frowns. ]

To be perfectly honest, I don't know.

[ cyno and hermanubis have been one for as long as he can remember. he was suffused with this power at a very young age, and those who placed its burden on his shoulders are long dead and gone, unable to be asked. he does not even know why he was given this strength, for what purpose, he only knows what hermanubis has whispered to him in the darkness. ]

I only know that using it comes with pain and fatigue, but it's nothing I'm not used to.

[ after all, in his youth, it was far worse. that's in the past, now, but cyno's pain tolerance is still quite high. with one hand, he reaches toward the seelie, palm out, allowing it to draw nearer if it chooses to. ]

Hmmm.. Did no one explain to you the risks, warnings- or anything? Not even those you grew up with when you inherited said power?

[ it's strange, that thought shows on the fox's face as he regards him again. the life and dwellings of areas outside these woods are completely unknown to him. he hears talks of townsfolk, of distant tribes, but not once has he stepped outside the boundaries of this forest. never once thought to do so. however, he feels as if something was given to him, wouldn't it be expected to at least give something?

after a moment tighnari pulls back with a contemplating hum. pain and fatigue... tighnari is interested enough that he'd like to do a bit more extensive research but, it isn't as if cyno is asking something like that from him. as much as he wants to look into it further.. he pushes the thought away and moves around to inspect his desk for other materials. ]

Just because you're used to it doesn't mean you should be. [ finding his movements a bit constricted, his hand comes up to unclasp his own outer darker robes, hanging it nearby to reveal his clothes underneath are a lot more colorful in comparison to his robes. he starts gathering a mortar, plucking at various pieces of floral pieces and plants along with some spices to get his work started. ] I'll have something ready for you in a moment.

[ the seelie dances for a moment away from that outreached hand, almost as if shy, before circling around that hand once in a loop and then gingerly settling the more curved light of its body onto his palm. immediately cyno will be able to feel a soothing warmth that eats away some of that fatigue, a gentle wash of comfort flowing into him. ]

[ to that question, cyno is momentarily silent, and though his smooth, stoic expression does not change, something like a shadow flickers behind his scarlet eyes. ]

No.

[ the scent of blood dances in his memories. he pushes it aside. no, no one explained the risks, much to their own detriment, in the end. little was told to him, save that he had been born with a great responsibility, and he had been far too young then to ask the right questions, to understand what was happening. but there's far too much for him to unpack here to a relative stranger, no matter how much cyno inherently trusts him. it isn't necessarily a secret, but.. neither is it something that he enjoys talking about.

so he lets the matter drop, turning his attention to the seelie, and its warm presence that seeps through cyno's rough palm right into his weary bones. the tension in his shoulders fades, and he hums softly, his eyelids heavy. that's a lovely feeling, it soothes the ache in his flesh.

and then his eyes are shifting to tighnari again, watching with interest while he works. ]

Is there anything I can help you with?

[ ah.

tighnari's hands slow a bit from where it is grinding some of the ingredients, glancing over before focusing back on the task. to no surprise, he decides to move on and doesn't push any further. clearly something he can't exactly get into with someone who doesn't even know him. which is just fine. it isn't as if he's prepared to share too much regarding his own history here. ]

Probably a few things I could guide you to do, but I'm not a very good teacher. I'm nearly done anyways.

[ rather, he's never had the opportunity to teach another, only learn. so truthfully he doesn't know, but he waves his hand briefly to reassure him he's got this. all the crushed ingredients are put together, pouring it into a handcrafted cup until he steps away to pour himself a cup from the simmering pot at the chimney. a bit of trekking back and forth to get things done before he finishes it by pouring a bit of dendro magic into the cup. ]

Alright, here you are. Though, I'll tell you now so you aren't caught off guard, but you might end up feeling sleepy. Just let me know if you do and I can prepare you somewhere to sleep. [ once he explains, only then does he offer the cup out to take. while the earlier ingredients may have been strange looking, or even unpleasant, the flavor is anything but and very easy to consume. the seelie chirps softly before it drifts up to make a nest atop cyno's head, on the spot in between his ears. comfy.. tighnari looks briefly amused at the sight before continuing. ] It should at the very least get rid of your fatigue and pain.

[ cyno doesn't expect that tighnari will accept his offer, but he couldn't help but ask nonetheless; he's not terribly good at sitting still and doing nothing while others are working, especially on his own behalf. but it is what it is, tighnari seems the independent sort and cyno won't fight it. he has some knowledge of first aid and wound healing, he has to, considering the situations he if often in, but surely what he knows pales in comparison to half of what's in tighnari's head.

his only answer is a noncommittal hum. all right, fine. he'll sit here uselessly on his ass for another few minutes.

when tighnari approaches at last, cyno lifts a hand to take the cup, though he pauses with it halfway to his lips, some of that telltale tension returning to his shoulders. his back stiffens and his ears perk tall, his scarlet gaze flickering toward tighnari's face. sleepy? he doesn't like that. cyno lives a dangerous lifestyle, he must always be vigilant of those who would knife him in his sleep, and while he sincerely doubts that one of his enemies would track him into this dangerous territory, he still can't shake the feeling of unease at the idea of incapacitating himself somewhere wild.

he doesn't like it. in the end, it's the comfort of the seelie nesting atop his wild hair that soothes him again, and makes him survey the contents of the cup with a little more affirmation. at least it smells good. ]

.. how sleepy?

It could be only enough to make you drowsy at most. But it might end up being enough that you could fall sleep for a bit as well. The way the potion will work is it'll level your energies by helping bring your body to a more relaxed state. Which consequently makes it easier to heal you.

[ tighnari continues on as if it isn't too much of an issue, he has the accommodations for whatever ends up happening but that pause is hard to miss. he watches him closely before he glances up to the seelie atop the huntsman's head. the seelie coos softly with a little wiggle, though doesn't move otherwise. it seems to have settled comfortably in cyno's presence. tighnari carefully moves to cross his arms over his own chest with a twitch of an ear, a finger idly tapping at his arm. ]

You've already surmised I wouldn't do anything to harm you. I don't have any plans to leave for the rest of the day, so I'll still be here to keep an eye on you.

[ because it doesn't exactly hit tighnari that the man is actually more worried about the possibility of another threat coming upon them. though he's aware enough that the man does this for a living, just based on his words alone, the idea of the man possibility having enemies himself doesn't cross his mind. he just assumes cyno may be having some second guesses about tighnari himself. so, he does enough to at least assert he has no plans to do anything different. ]

[ as expected, tighnari doesn't quite understand just what cyno is worried about, but that comes as no surprise. he isn't exactly being open about his concerns, and tighnari's assumption that cyno is wary of him is, in fact, quite reasonable. he should be wary of tighnari, certainly shouldn't be drinking anything prepared by him, but every time cyno looks into those lovely eyes he can't help but feel at peace. comfortable. as if he's right where he should be.

even still, it takes cyno a bit of time for him to make a choice. he spends several long seconds staring down at the cup, watching the way the seelie's light played off of its surface, before he finally decides to take the plunge. tighnari wouldn't harm him, and this deep in the forest, they would be fine. no one would come after him here, and if by some wild chance they did, tighnari would hear them coming.

so at last, cyno lifts the cup to his lips and begins to drink. the taste isn't terrible, in fact it's quite pleasant, which makes swallowing it down easy enough. it's not a large portion, so it doesn't take him long to finish drinking it down, offering the cup back to its owner while the seelie chimes over his head, as if in approval. he'll still do his best not to sleep if at all possible, but.. ]

.. thank you. [ he says, at last, and sits back in his chair. ] I appreciate your help.

[ and then, he frowns, crossing his arms. ]

I won't be the last to come for you.

[ the more tighnari looks to him, the more he wants to push just a bit more on his reassurance. which is strange. a lingering, almost distant need to protect- to ensure his safety. he tries to shake it off, with the thought it could be more from the forest itself than actually himself. it couldn't be him. and yet his gaze curious and bright keeps finding its way back to him. ]

... No need to thank me. I wanted to so I did, that's all. [ nothing more, nothing less is what he means to say. his hands begin to tidy his own things, stacking papers and books together. getting rid of the cluttered space to set his bow down on the now clean surface of his desk. he leaves the earlier cup beside it for now. and for a moment, almost seems a bit of a loss on what to do next.

maybe it's because he has actual company. something he's never had before, never allowed anyone close to the vicinity. and now here someone was as far as to be resting under his own roof. it's not a mistake, and tighnari does not believe to be a foolish decision either but. what was he thinking?! an ears twitches to his statement and he glances over. ]

You don't really seem like the type to come with a group, much less have backup. [ no, he seems like the type to work solo. it's the impression he's gotten so far. ] In any case, I'll know it as soon as someone makes their way into the forest if they do. If it happens and you're asleep, I'll be sure to wake you for a helping hand.

I think that sounds decent enough for payment, don't you think?

[ not that tighnari was expecting any form of payment to begin with. but, he had asked a bit more from the forest than he normally does during their earlier clash, so his confidence in tackling anything right away by himself is extremely low. however, he refuses to give any information like that and instead puts it under the guise of payment. at least this way he may not receive a no. ]

[ well, cyno still thinks that tighnari deserves thanks, however much he might argue that he doesn't. when push comes to shove, he has helped the person that hunted him, that nearly took his life, and that speaks a great deal to his integrity and compassion. unless, of course, it's all a very well played act.

but why would it be? what would tighnari stand to gain from that? no, cyno is quite sure that his kindness is genuine. ]

Yes, I think so.

[ and all things considered, he is more than willing to help tighnari defend himself from anyone who may come after them soon, but.. cyno won't be here forever. tighnari has proved himself capable of protecting himself well, and cyno knows of no hunters that can surpass himself in power and ability, yet still. hermanubis stirs in his blood, whispering. tighnari is to be protected at all costs. cyno heeds his spirit's words. ]

But in the future. Others will come.

Good.

[ cyno's answer seems to satisfy him. at least he has that definitely covered, looking to the window to the woods outside. he's aware no one could have made their way in without his notice. and more especially come up upon the huts so deep, deep into the forest. so there is no anxiety or concerns there, and it shows as he continues his minimal cleaning up with calm composure.

however, it's those words again that come up that give him pause. ears flicker back, tail giving a low considering sway. finally, a hand comes up to pinch the bridge of his nose with a soft sigh. ]

I know, I know. [ the situation is pretty serious and dire the more it goes on. it is not something he can just ignore and keep pushing back, he knows. however, tighnari can't do much except chase them off, there aren't any other options that he exactly has available. there's a brief pause, thinking, before he turns to meet cyno's gaze straight on. ] Unfortunately, I'm not capable of leaving this forest. And even if I were - I can't exactly trust anyone else to be allowed in these woods to help me if the time comes to it.

[ which is to say, he doesn't have anyone. anyone he did care for before.. the risks there were too much, living a much more suitable life outside this forest. though, the more he stares at cyno, technically that was someone he did allow into the forest in the end. ...no. he shakes his head, waving his hand in turn. there's no way he could ask of something like that. ] I'll manage it by myself. If my fate ends up with me dying on these lands, so be it.

[ the concoction that tighnari prepared is beginning to take effect, slowly but surely. cyno's mind feels a little more.. dull, his limbs a little heavier, his senses numbing. slowly, his eyelids begin to droop, but he realigns his thoughts and lifts his chin, shifting a bit in the chair to keep himself awake. being drowsy is one thing, but he would rather not actually fall asleep if he can help it, for a multitude of reasons. ]

.. hmm.

[ cyno looks thoughtful, his head tilting like a curious dog. is tighnari so resigned to his fate? so unwilling to leave this place that he would risk his life to stay? is it simple dedication to his work, or perhaps something more? his scarlet gaze follows tighnari as he moves about the cozy little home, until their eyes meet again. that same feeling bubbles up in his chest - that spark igniting in his mind when tighnari looks him straight in the eye. ]

Not capable? Are you bound to this place?

[ of all people, cyno certainly understands duty and dedication. his own work is no different, he does not do this because he wants to, because it makes him happy, but because it is what he must do, it is woven into the very fabric of his soul. seeking justice, punishing those deserving, protecting the innocent.. this has always been his calling, whether he enjoys it or not. perhaps tighnari is the same, in some way. perhaps some invisible duty ties him to this space in particular, or some sense of responsibility so strong that he would rather die than abandon it? ]

[ as it starts to take effect, tighnari makes his way back over with little to no hesitation this time around. gingerly, a hand reaches out to carefully cup the man's chin to steady him gently. a look of concentration shows on the fox's face, frowning a little as he examines his eyes, moving his hand then to rest the back of his fingers against his forehead for his temperature. he straightens a moment after, peering at the seelie that remains comfortably quiet. ]

...You could say that.

[ for a moment, he says nothing else, closing his eyes with some serious contemplation. the risks of it all, deep down knowing he shouldn't say any more than he has to but... a part of him is comfortable enough to share. just a bit, a small explanation - it's the least he owes after what he heard earlier. ]

It isn't exactly the same as your case with your spirit, but my life is more or less intertwined with this forest. If I leave these woods, I'm dooming it to a fate that is much worse than death.

[ as he's sure this man has his sense of duties and responsibilities with his job, tighnari has the same here. duties he cannot break and attempt to run from. his words leaving no room for any other options, determined to stay his ground. because.. it's the least he could do. he owes this forest that much. a resignation he has long accepted a long, long time ago. ]

[ tighnari's hands are gentle as they lift and touch his face, and cyno feels that same warm wash of familiarity that he felt before - as if he has done this hundreds of times, been cared for by this man, in this hut, in the past. an absurd notion, but cyno always follows his heart, and there are many strange things in this world that cannot be explained. he keeps still as tighnari examines him, it's clear that he is fighting the drowsiness as best as he can, trying to remain aware despite how tired he is feeling.

it certainly doesn't help that these last five days he has spent stalking his prey he has not gotten much rest, instead remained vigilant and watchful, sleeping only in brief naps when he knew the witch was resting. even those had been restless.

at any rate, his brows lift a little at tighnari's explanation. bound to these woods.. he could mean in many ways. perhaps it is simply loyalty that keeps him bound, but perhaps it is something deeper than that, something in his bones and soul that keeps him tied to this place. ]

And you are willing to die to uphold this responsibility?

[ he asks this without malice or judgment in his voice, only simple curiosity. perhaps the two of them are not so different after all, he thinks. dedicated to their work, to their respective causes, to bettering the world and the place around them. ]

[ most wouldn't be capable of understanding, and though tighnari has tried in the past... it brought a danger upon this place, and it's because of that reason he wants to leave the topic there. and yet, feeling that earlier spirit dwelling in the depths of the huntsman's soul, it piqued even the nature here's interest. an interest he gently keeps trying to hold at bay for its own safety.

bright eyes meet with those scarlet red again, finding something about the other man that brings a certain kind of comfort to him. the kind of feeling one has after being gone so long and finally coming home. as if this man was meant to be by at his side and nowhere else. a breath leaves him and his next words come before he even realizes it himself. ]

If someone saved your life, wouldn't you do anything to repay that debt? [ tighnari blinks suddenly, as if surprised by his own murmured inquiry, looking off to the side with an exhale. after quickly recomposing himself, he turns back and brings his hand to gingerly nudge the seelie. it chirps before moving off cyno's head to drift on down to settle against the huntsman's chest like a lounging cat. that earlier warmth is much more vivid now, soothing as it flows out with the intention of encouraging that sleepiness. ] So yes, if it comes down to it, I am.

[ the words are a bit grim, dark, heavy with an unknowing weight that he doesn't clarify any further on. briefly, his hand touches cyno's shoulder until he moves away towards the chimney with a new plan in mind. ]

You should rest. I'll have food prepared for us by the time you're awake again.

[ there's a conviction in tighnari's voice that cyno recognizes, for it is the self-same conviction he carries in his own heart. they're very similar, he thinks, despite their differences as well.

saved his life, hmm..? cyno has always felt the energy of this forest, an energy that grows thicker the further into its depths that you travel, but such a thing is not terribly uncommon, especially where ley lines overlap and converge. still, it's a bit odd how tighnari refers to the forest, as if it is a living, breathing creature with sentience and a will of its own. or perhaps cyno is simply looking too deeply into it.

when the seelie hovers down against his chest, he feels it again, that sweet, warm flow of energy that both heals and comforts, and it's enough to make cyno hum softly, contented, like a cat purring in a sunbeam. it also serves to make him even more tired than he had previously been. cyno carries himself with a certain stiffness most of the time, a readiness to move, to fight, a sort of underlying tension that always thrums in his pulse, but here in this place, with tighnari, and with this strange little seelie, cyno feels.. at ease. so at ease that it feels strange, as well. ]

Mm. I suppose I should.

[ he makes no remark on tighnari's convictions, on his comments; he doesn't want to pry more information from the witch than he is willing to give. so cyno nods instead, and rises slowly from his chair. ]

[ hmm, tighnari almost expected any kind of remark. some reply, further inquiries on what tighnari has mentioned so far, but he actually moves on. which only makes sense, he does not truly know tighnari, whatever decisions he's made himself is his own business. just as tighnari takes to not judge the kind of life the huntsman has, tracking down people like himself. even if... he is admittedly curious. drawn by something he can't really name concerning the other. ]

The door to the left will lead to a bedroom, you're free to help yourself to the bed there. Or the couch inside this room if you don't want to be too far.

[ on the account of being within quick reach for anything. wherever it is that cyno decides to go, the seelie will stay close by with no intentions of leaving his side. it doesn't go unnoticed, tighnari sparing it a glance with some minor amusement. though he resumes his food prep now, ears twitching atop his head and taking some moments to pause as if listening.. or feeling.

fortunately, the food doesn't take long to make. after a while, the scent of mushrooms and a hearty stew fills the hut. the fox settles two bowls of sabz meat stew on a cleared out table, along with something more of his own preference and creation. the mushroom hodgepodge settles more in the middle of the table for easy pickings of delicious mushroom pieces. with all the work done, tighnari looks it over with his hands on his hips, his tail swaying highly and a pleased expression on his face. ]

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