The Tapestry of Themlis

[The Mood is Write]

"Vivi, are you coming?" Bear asked as he jogged toward the female bunks that housed his partner. He knocked loudly. "Looking for my partner!" he called as he pushed open the door, then looked around until he spotted the familiar two-toned mohawk.

A few of the females in the bunks or chatting together waved hello to the large man with cheerful smiles, but some glared, and others grimaced purposefully.

Bear waved to the friendly ones, but did his best to ignore the females who his presence disgusted, even as he felt himself wanting to melt into nothing to get out from under their sight.

"Fatty. She's probably putting up with him cuz he's good emergency rations," one woman muttered to a friend. With a Hunter's senses, everyone in the room heard, and laughter erupted, though several of the females took offense for Bear.

He forgot this was what happened.

Every time.

The male took a deep breath as he reached his partner's bed, then shook her shoulder. "Viv, we've been called for a mission," he informed as she opened one eye. "I got the mission report from Drake."

The bunks went silent, and Viviette's eyes both snapped open.

"Drake?" she choked.

"Yeah."

"Oh... Fuck. How long before we have to report to the mages?" She sat up quickly as Bear backed up to give her space.

"We have an hour to prepare. Sweater weather, and probably some tracking. I... didn't think to ask what kind of fashion they have."

"Well, there must also be some sort of medical risk, if we're going. I'll meet you outside the admin office. We should be there about five days, Drake estimates, and then the portal will open for us."

"He said the portal would open for us?"

"Yeah, I... think."

"Ok, ok." Vivi ran a hand through her hair. "Ok, so maybe that means we're not on a suicide mission. I'm still gonna let people know, just in case."

"Yeah. Yeah, you do that. I'll get ready, too." Bear took a deep breath, then let it out as he nodded. "See you in an hour." He started to leave the bunks, but a voice hollered after him.

"If Viv gets killed, you better hope you don't survive, Lardo!"

Bear paused mid-step, but continued without a word, even as Viviette started shouting at the other females, demanding to know who said that.

⋯﴾⛧﴿⋯​

The male bunks weren't much better, but Bear knew better than to announce that Drake assigned his current mission. Instead, he packed his jacket with essentials and spare clothes, a few nonessential niceties he didn't want stolen while he was gone—like his new watch.

His phone, fully charged now, went into his pocket along with the solar-powered and hand-cranked chargers and a fresh bulk-size package of unscented tissues. Already in his pocket were several O.B. tampons—no applicators to bother with and make waste, and they had no plastic in the box. Environmentally friendly.

Plus it wouldn't throw historians through a loop by finding plastic everywhere.

Finally, Bear was ready. As he turned toward the door, he nearly ran into another Hunter—nearly his exact opposite. Twiggy.

Twiggy's hands shot out and felt for him, and Bear sighed, then grabbed Twiggy's wrist and placed the blind man's hand on his shoulder.

"What's up, Twiggy? People bullying you again?" Bear's worry showed in his voice as he watched the face of the tattooed man with concern.

"N-nonono, no!" Twiggy shook his head, "No. No, I... I had a vision, a-an... and..."

"I need to go meet up with Viv for a mission, Twiggy." Bear kept patient as he let the younger Hunter know why he couldn't stick around long.

"I... It's a-about the m-m... mission!" The blind man's head jerked to one side, then the other as he undoubtedly listened. The bunks were nearly silent now, aside from some snoring of nocturnal Hunters.

"Here, you can tell me about it while I take you back to Kanna. Is that ok?"

"Twigs and berries!" came a laughing shout, but Bear ignored the 'clever insult'.

Twiggy's head bobbed up and down, and Bear smiled as he took the thin man by the hand. He couldn't help but feel paternal and protective of the 'little' guy (who was taller than Bear by an inch). As he led Twiggy through the halls, Twiggy began to babble.

"T-there was—nn... Gotta say it... s-say it right..." Twiggy paused and forced a deep breath.

"The Colored Serpent of Teal returns to the Seekers of Oneness on eve of the Barren Night. The Bearhearted Mender brings Sign and Solution both, but the Hero's Cost may bring breaking. Through Ancient Pact and Child of Spurning may the Learned One survive."

Twiggy's voice no longer sounded like his own, and Bear stiffened as he realized he was no longer walking beside his friend, but another being within the blind seer.

Bear couldn't look, but the silence forced him to finally direct his eyes toward the blindfolded man.

Though Twiggy couldn't see, his face was aimed with eerie directness at Bear's. After a moment, the blind man smiled, as though he knew Bear was looking.

"Honestly, the Useless is worrying too much. However, do keep alert. Prophecy is not always as it seems."

The fat Hunter nodded a few times, the movement shallow as he gaped, and then watched as Twiggy pulled a wine cooler from a pocket and drained it. A moment later, he slouched, like whatever had been stretching him erect released him all at once.

"I thought that only worked when you were..." Bear started.

Twiggy reached into a pocket, then offered a pill bottle to Bear. "S... sorry... I... I had... had to... He ma... made me..."

He. Whenever Twiggy said it like that, it meant the one who 'took over' when he had his visions.

Bear's body went cold. "Where did you get the pills?"

"F-from... from... H-he didn't... didn't let me know... I don't... don't know..."

"They need to be returned," Bear asserted as he read the label. They were someone's prescription painkiller—

The name drained all color from Bear's face.

Elizabeth Leauge.

Thankfully, he saw Kanna just ahead, and hurried Twiggy to her, pushing their hands together. "Hello, Miss Kanna. Sorry for the abruptness, but I need to return something He made Twiggy steal."

Bear took off before Kanna could answer, and made his way to the Hall of Offices—thankfully not far from the mages.

⋯﴾⛧﴿⋯​

Breathless, Bear arrived at the doorway to the portal room. Within, four portal mages idled, waiting for their next job, and near the door, Viviette waited for Bear.

"You were almost late," she murmured in surprise.

"Twiggy—" he paused for breath, "—wanted to talk. Was... Was important." He bent over, hands on his knees as he fought to catch his breath. He'd ended up having to track down the Councilman to return her medication to her, and she only released him from her hateful gaze when he managed to squeak out that he had a mission to get to.

The sprint to arrive here in time was what murdered his lungs.

He was glad, for once, that he did have a mission to save him from the hooded ruler.

"Let's... get going. All ready?"

"Yeah. You?"

Bear nodded, then forced himself to stand, and the two entered the portal room. He handed over the paperwork, and the mages began their work—casting a portal spell.

The elliptical magic hung in the air, revealing a forest on the other side. A few plants glowed beautifully within, and the scent seemed like a dream.

A moment of staring, and the two Hunters looked at each other before Bear took the lead, dagger drawn warily.

When Drake assigned a mission, it was rarely easy. Worse, a place that looked so filled with magic? Their nosebleeds seemed like they'd be hindrances rather than aids. True to Bear's gut, he felt a tickle in his nose almost immediately once he caught more of the area's air. Behind, he smelled the scents of HQ fade as the portal closed.

"So," Viv began.

"So..." Bear closed his eyes as he looked around. "The papers said the portal was against a large tree with crystalline growths hanging from its branches, southwest of the village."

"Let's go ask some questions and scope it out."

"Mm. Yeah." the male nodded, then stepped forward, only to look back toward the tree. A low whistle of appreciation slid easily from his lips. "Pretty place."

Viv, just behind him, turned to look as well, and he heard her inhale sharply. "Yeah," she murmured.

 

[DevilishSchokokeks]

The forest Syrin had grown up in had always been bright and beautiful, magic weaving trough it's very core both visible and invisible. When he was still a child, he remembered as he was tugging his cloak tighter, he had loved to wander into the woods and lay down underneath some of the big willows and watch their long, sliver branches swing in the wind.
He would close his eyes and listen to the whisper of the forest, and feel the wind caressing him - and then he would get up, because he was a small child, and climb the tree and probably fall down and scrape his knees.
Sometimes he would play with the fairies - they loved children, and they loved playing. Little glittering balls of light they were, shining even in the violet-red of the sinking sun. They would build nests in his hair and show him hidden places and sometimes, they would try and show him their castles and lands on the other side and give him fruit. But Syrin was raised by a witch, and so he never ate anything they offered him and only came with them once. His Grandmother had come then, to take him back. That day she had been scarier than he ever thought she could be and he had been forbidden to leave his room for a week. Instead she had made him study books about fairies.

After that he and the fairies didn't play for a while. But eventually they had found each other again in these long spring afternoons under the cool branches of weeping willows with leaves as silver as the moon. But he had never gone with them again, no matter how often they tried to lure him. For the small things in this world did not have much of a memory, and did not remember his Grandmothers wrath - but he did. As he grew older he had always kept the favor of the fae, bringing them small little gifts of honey and milk and giving them trinkets of mirror and string. Fea loved mirrors - there was nothing they liked more then looking at themselves. So whenever he entered the forest they had come out to accompany him along the way, to see if he had something for them, or to nest in his hairs and sleep as he wandered in the cool shades of the trees.

But as he entered the forest now there was no fairy in sight. No small thing came flying at him to nest in his hair. The forest still whispered, but it sounded wrong now. Somehow...alarmed. The wind was cutting trough his clothes. They were to thin for the weather, although Syrin had tried to get something warmer together. He wore two pairs of pants underneath each other, and had a tunic draped over his warmest shirt and on top of that he had wrapped himself in a black woolen cloak that his Grandmother had left him. She had used it for flying.
But it was only of little use. For as long as he could remember there had never been another season than spring in this forest. But now the skies were grey and cold, and dried leafs crunched underneath his shoes.

Jinx shivered around his neck. The small dragon liked the cold about as much as Syrin did, and his ferret like body was hidden neatly underneath the young mans cloak. Normally Jinx was a proud dragon and, as almost all of his kind, a little boastful. So he liked to sit proudly upon Syrins shoulders, the sun reflecting of his beautifully colored scales in rainbow cascades just to spread his butterfly marbled wings and sail around him - naturally impressing everyone, even the fairies.
But now it was simply to cold for that.

If Syrin had a choice he would have liked to stay inside for the last few weeks, likes most of the folk from his village. But he couldn't, because he wasn't most of the folk. A few weeks ago a monster had first attacked a small child that had played near the edge of the woods, just like he had played years ago. The girl had survived, but only barely, a gashing, black wound spreading her side open. He had tried everything he could but he hadn't been able to help her. And so he had fled to the forest and called on their guardian - but she hadn't answered. And when he finally heard the leaves rustle behind him and turned it hadn't been the Lady Unicorn that stepped onto the clearing, but a dark, twisted thing that was turning black whatever it touched and that dripped with foulness. It had been so terrifying that he had fled on the spot. And that had likely saved his life. He had heard it breaking through the underbrush after him, but he had managed to hide in one of the small places the fairies had shown him so very long ago.
The girl had died that night. Since then Syrin had rounded the village every day, placing sigils and charms around it to keep it safe. It helped, mostly. But sometimes it wasn't enough. Sometimes the monster was too strong. And it seemed to grow stronger as weather grew colder.

He had just sat down at one of the border stones to renew his sigils when he heard a noise behind him. He knew what he would see before he had turned his head. There it was, between two dying trees, slime dripping from it's body and it's grotesque mouth. It looked at him. He screamed and tried to run, stumbling, tripping, kicking the stone over in his effort to get away. He was sure this time he wouldn't be fast enough.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Bear began to make his way toward the village after admiring the fall-reddened tree strung with glowing crystals for a few moments. Leaves crunched under his heavy feet, and as he caught sight of the bare branches of some of the trees, his thoughts drifted back to Twiggy.

HQ's lone blind Hunter. A fellow target of bullying. More bone and tattoo than man, some said.

A group of cruel females once nearly got Twiggy punished by the Council by forcing him to...

Bear shook his head.

He told Twiggy he'd forget about the incident, though parts of it refused to leave his memory. The seer had been telling him something earlier...

"Did Twiggy approach you recently?" he asked aloud after a moment.

"Um, no. I still have yet to even see him, actually."

Bear blinked. "Weird. He's hard to miss. Doesn't dress himself well, wears a tie as a blindfold?"

"Never seen him. You sure he's real?"

Bear frowned, then sighed and dropped the subject. She almost seemed stubborn, sometimes, when he mentioned Twiggy.

A scream tore through the forest. The subject of Twiggy dropped suddenly from both their minds. As one, they followed the sound at an urgent jog that ate the distance, until a stumbling young man charged past them. A creature mere meters behind chased the boy.

Bear didn't hesitate. He imposed himself between creature and boy and charged forward with a roar, nose gushing with blood.

"I'll get the kid!" Viviette shouted.

Bear's snarling "Yeah!" answered as he gripped the monster around the neck and dug his heels into to he ground. He couldn't keep up the grapple forever, but his jacket protected his arms and sides as he shifted an arm in preparation to slash into the creature's shoulder.

Viviette changed course to go after the fleeing young man, eager to ensure the poor guy was unharmed. "Hey! Kid!" she called, "We're here to help!" Blood fell over her mouth as she shouted, uncaring for the moment about appearance as she concentrated on the safety of someone in danger.

A single look at his clothes from behind said everything—she and Bear were dressed for the wrong technology level.

 

[DevilishSchokokeks]

The creature was horrifying. It was a large beast, greater than any bear or horse or wolf that had ever wandered this Forrest. It's limps where twisted and thin, it's maw spiked with black teeth, spikes were protruding his head. It looked almost as if it they were thorns driven outward from inside the skull. The body was bloated and grotesque, with bulges on top of bulges deforming it further. Some of these seemed to be filled with puss or some sort of other vile slime that stunk horribly. And on top of that it seemed to be decaying constantly, it's skin dripping of it onto the floor which it sullied and sickened. Where Bear touched the foul creature, skin and flesh stuck to his hand.


It screamed as Bear fought it, a bone chilling noise so utterly wrong. It didn't belong into this world - it didn't belong in any world.
The thing reared it's ugly head back, trashing and kicking wildly, it's maw snapping at the mans broad shoulders. And yet, somehow, it seemed not really focused on him. It was angry and violent, yes - but it didn't seem to want to kill or eat Bear. It simply tried to shake him off, to get him away. It even tried charging after the boy that had run away with the man still attached - although it didn't succeed.


Syrin had stumbled past the strangers blindly, to much in panic to pay their odd garb much mind. They had appeared abruptly before him and in his blind panic he had remembered to late to warn them. When he had tried his throat had been chocked with his own fear. He might have continued to run, to caged in his own emotions to notice that he was offered help, were it not for a root in his way. He fell face first onto the hard dirt of a well trodden path.


The pain helped. It brought him back to the now, at least a bit. He was able to turn around, to face who had followed him. He was white as a sheet, eyes wide, his hood had been thrown back in his fall and his hair was a wild mess. His face was dirty and he had a scrape on his left cheek. "Who are you?" He yelled his voice thin with fright and he cursed himself for it.

He was a witch. He was the witch of this town. He shouldn't be frightened, he should stand tall in front of this beast and turn it away from his home. But he couldn't - he was to scared. Syrin couldn't fathom that he would have a chance against the thing that drove the Lady Unicorn away from her own woods.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Bear could smell its anger and rot and bile. It bit at him and only chance kept its teeth from closing on his shoulders and neck as its flesh came off under his grip. He couldn't keep a solid hold.

He drove his fingers in and slashed the creature's shoulder with his silver blade. A shallow cut that burned away magic pure and corrupt alike, leaving behind mortal flesh in its wake. Rot and ooze slid along the leather-bound grip and jammed the part-wrapped guard against Bear's hand. His flesh burned and smelled of fatty meat.

The fat Hunter shoved himself forward one step as he roared again, a bear's cry of challenge to one who threatened what he protected. Thick muscles beneath his fat pushed him forward, refusing to yield, despite a grip that refused to stick easily.

His head throbbed from the creature's scream.

Something was wrong, though.

A flicker of curiosity ran through Bear's gaze on the thing as he realized what it was.

No bloodlust.

That moment of recognition came at the same instant as Bear's dagger slipped from his grip, nicking creature and Hunter alike.

"Shit!" he cursed, but instead pressed himself more firmly against the creature. Without his knife, this would be brutal. It'd be slow and painful, and Bear hated few things more.

The Hunter grunted as he stared up at the creature, locked in place with it for a moment before he spoke. "Neither of us getting anywhere fast, huh?"

He couldn't help it, not when he also wanted to see just what would happen if he tried communication with the thing.

It wasn't bloodthirsty.

Angry, though.

"I can do this all night, though."



Viviette thrust her hand toward the fallen witch as she stared down at him with green eyes behind blue-rimmed glasses.

"A protector. My partner's dealing with the monster. I'll escort you to safety."

She gave him no time to object or argue as she grasped his arm with uncanny strength and pulled him up, careful not to break him if she could help it.

"Which way? I can carry you if you can't walk."

 

[DevilishSchokokeks]

The thing in bears grips howled as it was wounded. I grew even angrier, it's trashing more erratic as it tried to get the man that was holding it back of it. The wound on it's side was now pink meat, but from it gushed black blood on the ground. When it touched the grass or leaves under his deformed legs the greenery rotted away.
It didn't react when the man talked to it at all. It was completely mindless, bile gathering at it's mouth as it set to try and bite and tear at bear with renewed vigor.
Fortunately for him the creature was so large that it was in it's own way. And while it's feet kicked against bears body relentlessly, his teeth couldn't quite get him properly because of the angle they were locked in with each other.

Syrin only needed a few seconds to reach for her hand with his own, gripping her tightly as he was pulled to his feet again. He had a thousand questions - where did they come from, who send them, why where they protecting the village, did they know something about the Unicorn, why did they wear such weird clothing? - but he swallowed all of them in favor of pointing towards the village. "This way. We need to get into the temple, it's save there." He gasped out, "What is with your friend?" he asked, as he was already running towards the village with her. His foot was hurt, he twisted it when he fell but he didn't notice yet. Adrenalin meant that only later would he start to feel the throbbing in his ankle and look down to see it swollen blue.

But right now everything felt fine and he flew over roots and uneven paths because he had walked them his whole life, and because the arm he was holding grounded him. It didn't allow him to break down so completely.

They arrived at the Village and Vivette could see that it was positively tiny. Only a handful of small brick houses, maybe 100 people. Maybe. There was what looked like a pavilion in the middle of town - it was the place were decisions where made in this community, for lack of a town hall. And at the east side a temple. It was round, made from white wood and build around a large tree. It's bark shimmered with tiny crystals and it's long branches were covered in unwithered, golden leaves.
In front of it's doors was a large bell. This was were Syrin was headed and where he finally let go of Vivettes arm. He slithered to a halt in front of the bell and started ringing it loudly.
Immediately, doors opened and people stormed out of their houses towards the temple. "Get in!" he called towards Vivette. He himself didn't enter until not every last of the townspeople had been secured.

As soon as the thing heard the bell it got in a frenzy so wild it even managed to throw bear - finally - off it, charging screaming towards the Village. But not long after it stopped and reared up howling again as the Temple doors closed. After that it fled back into the woods leaving a beaten and bruised Bear behind.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Bear still couldn't reach his dagger, but he slammed a fist against the slippery being. Another roar, and he tried to topple the creature onto its side. The difference in their sizes and stances wouldn't let him easily flip the creature, but it was the next thing, if he was going to get to his dagger and end this quickly!


Viviette nodded and let the young man lead the way. His question about her partner earned him a glance as she helped keep him upright through their run. "He's a bear. Not sure what kind, but he won't let that thing get past him."

She wasn't sure the strange-haired boy would hear or understand what she said, with how they ran and the sound of the wind going by their ears.

If he didn't, he could ask her to repeat herself. It wasn't important, aside from being reassurance for the kid.

At the bell, she let Syrin take hold of the bell and helped up any of the villagers who tripped on their way in, to prevent anyone losing life or limb to trampling. Only once there was nobody left but herself and Syrin to enter, did she grab him by the arm and pulled him in. She took a position just inside the closed door, silver knife drawn as she waited, panting subtly.

"Everyone accounted for?" she asked as she looked toward Syrin.


In the woods, Bear shouted in pain as the thing's increased frenzy broke one of his wrists and yanked his shoulder from its socket, then trampled him as it charged at the village.

Bear grabbed his dagger and started after it. He shouldn't have hesitated earlier!

The creature's screams tore through his mind, emptying it of thought as he continued to charge after the creature. He roared in answer and lunged at it as the creature reared.

A second howl clawed at Bear's sanity.

He drove his dagger into the creature's hip, but the oozing and flaking black prevented him disabling the joint entirely. Instead, a deep cut burned into the thing's flesh, cauterizing the wound as it burned away the magic there and left mortal flesh in its wake.

The creature fled into the woods, leaving Bear to stumble several steps forward, covered in liquid rot and his own blood.

He leaned against a tree and retched. The creature was headed away from the civilian.

Not a victory yet, but not a failure either. They'd need some sort of shaman or nature-based Hunter to help undo the damage to the place. The blackness from the monster polluted horribly. Bear could feel it on his skin. His fingers and face burned where they'd pressed into the thing's flesh, and he could fell it similarly on his chest and stomach.

Another retch covered the horrid stink with his own to a slight degree. His bleeding nose saved him from the worst of the reek, and he hurriedly wiped at himself to get the grime off his body.

A small bottle of holy water from a pocket stopped some of the burning on his face and chest where it dripped.

The fat man stuffed the bottle back into his pocket before he forced himself upright. He shoved his shoulder back into its socket as he walked, and then he broke his wrist again, setting it before he allowed his natural healing to take over again.

Viviette's scent led the way.


Long minutes passed before Bear finally entered the village. Dizzy and puffing, he looked around for signs of life before he leaned against the side of a home and shouted, "Clear! It's..." he paused for breath, "It left! Every—" more breathing, "Everyone safe?"

He let himself fall quiet as he looked around for several moments, then pushed from the house and stumbled toward the center of town.

"'Lo!" he bellowed.


It felt like forever before Viviette heard Bear's voice outside, and she glanced away from the door toward the bell-ringer who'd been chased when she first saw him. "That sounds like my partner."

 

[DevilishSchokokeks]

Syrin was still out of breath and leaning against the door. He had heard what the strange woman had said earlier about her partner, but he hadn't had much time to wonder about it yet. A bear? But hadn't he worn clothes just like hers? How could he be an animal then? He'd never heard of an animal that kept the company of men and dressed like them. Except of course Werewolves, but those poor sods didn't know what they were half of the time or spent most of their existence trying to suppress it as best as they could. Of course that seldom succeeded.

They'd had a werewolves problem themselves a few years ago when his Grandmother was still alive. She'd caught the man turning and he had attacked her. But his Grandmother had been powerful and the wolf was quickly subdued with the help of some of the Villagers. She had sat by him all through out the Full moon and kept the wolf calm and when he had turned back in the morning she sat down with him for a long while and talked to him. Afterwards she had given him new clothes and a few herbs that would help calm him and keep the animal side of him at bay and then she had send him westward were a pack of them lived, with a letter to their leader. Syrin sometimes wondered what became of the man and if he had made it to the pack.

And now he wondered if maybe the man from the woods was a bear just like the other man was a wolf, and if he could control it better. But he couldn't ponder long on his thoughts. The woman's question 'Everyone accounted for?' tore him back to reality and he straightened. He passed her and climbed up a small altar to look down at the masses. An elderly woman in the white garbs of priesthood looked up to him not too pleased. But when she sat on to say something Syrin mumbled in a quiet, out of breath way. "Forgive me Mother, but I need to see if everyone is here." And she closed her mouth and only looked offended.

Syrin let his glance fly over the small crowd of people, looked for anyone missing and was pleased when he found everyone there. He jumped off the altar again and turned folding his hands and sending a quick prayer towards the tree, asking for forgiveness. He didn't believe the gods of the woods much cared for his sacrilege, much like he didn't believe they cared much about anything except when it suited their whims. But the old priestess cared, and she looked a bit more soothed after that and only scolded him quietly. "Take a chair next time Syrin." Her voice was creaky and old, like a door angle that hadn't been oiled in quite a while. Syrin smiled at her and mumbled "Forgive me Mother." again and then left her before she could say anything else.

Back next to his strange savior he was just about to tell her that yes, everyone was here and ask her more than just one of his question when they heard the voice from outside. Uncertain he looked at the woman, then at the door. Finally he opened it.

Bear stood almost exactly in the middle of their pavilion. Syrin needed to admit that his form had much in common with that of a bear, yes. But he was missing at least as far as Syrin could tell quite a bit of fur and claws. However, the young man had only but a second to come to this conclusion before he was already rushing outside. Bear looked completely and utterly wrecked, covered in blood and grime. "By the love of the gods, please, sit, you need help." He said his voice halfway between worried, thankful and commanding. "Bring me warm water and clean linen! Now!" He shouted towards the Temple and almost immediately a small group of young man and woman hurried of to get him what he had asked for.

In the meantime Syrin lead bear carefully to one of the stone seats around the main area of the village. "You saved me. And the whole village." He said, voice softer now. "Thank you stranger."

 

[The Mood is Write]

Viv followed him out, then crossed her arms and just looked at her partner like the man hadn't been grappling for his life, but instead just been a little boy playing in the mud who tracked it into the house.

"Oh, Bear," she sighed, looking completely unphased.

Bear held up a hand to try to stop Syrin from touching him, but his bruises hurt. Blood pooled within his flesh was the slowest damage to heal, and hurt the worst because it lasted longer than the pain-killing adrenaline.

"Careful, the... black stuff—" Already, the smaller man was leading him to a seat, and Bear simply sighed, then sat thankfully.

At Syrin's gratitude, he looked up with surprise. Winded from the sprint to get to the portals, the fight, and tracking his partner, it showed in his smile.

"It's..." he waved a hand, not wanting to say it was 'nothing' because it didn't feel like nothing, and obviously the boy had been terrified before. "It's... No need to thank me..." He let his head drop for a moment. "Happy to help how I can," he said finally.

He didn't want to downplay the danger of the locals, or act ungrateful for their care...

Especially since this one was really cute.

If not for the redness in his face from the grime's burning, he would have visibly blushed.

"Careful of the black stuff," he warned, "It burns."

"What happened with the monster, Bear?"

The large man looked up from his seat. "It tried running at the village when the bells went off, but then it suddenly turned and fled. Got a few hits on it, but nothing crippling."

"Buys us time to learn more."

Bear nodded, then heaved a breath and looked again at Syrin. "So," he started, already feeling partway recovered, "I'm Bear. My partner is Viviette. We're travelers that protect people from monsters."

He coughed into his elbow, tasting blood, then frowned and pulled a tissue from one pocket and wiped his face before he stuffed a second tissue up his nose.

 

[DevilishSchokokeks]

"I know." Syrin answered solemn to Bears warning. "A little while ago a child was attacked by the monster. She.." the young man clenched his fists and averted his gaze for a moment. "I couldn't help her." he took a deep breath and shock his head as if he wanted to chaise the memory away "Have you been hurt by it's horn or teeth?" he asked instead, worriedly scanning the man for any bleeding gashes and relieved to find at least none that had been caused by said appendages.

By now the people that had left to get what he Syrin had told them to get were back and placed soft linen and fresh water next to him. Syrin didn't even seem to pay them much attention, instead tending to Bear -of course careful not to touch the black ooze himself. "You should take a bath and get this stuff off properly." he mumbled.

When he looked up he let his gaze wander between both Vivette and Bear. "It was fortunate you came then. We ...need all the help we can get. I'm afraid we wont have much to pay you back with, but the whole village would be grateful." Nobody opposed this. The Villagers mumbled quietly, hunched together like frightened children. "We can offer you shelter -I would like to invite you to my house, but it is very small. Maybe the mayo- oh!"

Suddenly Syrins body jerked and he tried to grab something, but he didn't seem to be able to get it. Something was moving under his shirt, a large bulge that finally broke free - and poked his brightly colored head out between popped of buttons. "Jinx." Syrin softly scolded the young Dragon, but it only hissed and trashed about distressed until the young witch patiently plugged it out of his shirt and let it climb on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jinx's just frightened as well." Syrin explained.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Bear's expression fell at mention of the child. Among Hunters, children were considered the future. Their lives were sacred, despite the hardships that training put them through. To kill a child was a grave and horrible taboo, and the second biggest tragedy that could occur.

Despite the death at the hands of a monster, Bear felt no rage: only deep sadness. Ever slow to anger, he held a hand out toward his partner as he smelled her growing rage.

Instead of addressing the subject of the girl, he offered reassurance to their young host, "It couldn't get through my coat."

It might have, had the black goo more time to erode at it.

He remained quiet as he listened to Syrin speak. About to object to the need for payment, he cut off as he saw the young man jerk about.

Bear's dagger found its way to his hand, and worry covered his face as a colorful head popped from the inside of the young man's shirt. The boy's manner indicated no fear, but an almost parental tolerance of its antics as he placed it atop his shoulder, called it by name, and explained to Bear and Viviette that the small dragon was scared.

Bear put away his dagger slowly. "Oh. Yeah, I bet he is," he agreed with a chuckle. "Sorry about the dagger. I didn't realize you had a little friend hiding in your clothes."

The male shook his head, then rolled his neck to crack it and stretch the over-tensed muscles.

"Anyway, I'd been about to say that we don't need payment, but a meal now and then would be appreciated, if you have food to spare. Neither of us would want to deprive you and yours of means to survive, especially since we were sent here to protect you." Bear hoped his smile offered reassurance rather than worry.

"On that subject, though, I think it'd be wise if Viviette and I slept outside, to make sure that monster doesn't cause trouble at night."

Viviette winced, but then sighed and nodded. "Yeah. We're used to roughing it."

 

[DevilishSchokokeks]

Syrin smiled back at bear while jinx found his way into the witches hood and, making tiny, unsatisfied noises, rolled in on himself. "You have quick reflexes." he noted, and was just about to lead to something else when he was interrupted by another voice. A tall, round man had stepped forward. He had almost no hair on his head, but plenty in his face. It was steel gray, and matched his bushy eyebrows that hung heavy over deep brown eyes in a weathered and worn face. "We don't mind sharing what we have with yous. We're not used to fighting anything but trees, and to be quite honest, the monster out there is scaring everyone here. We need the help." He didn't look at Syrin while he said that.

The young witch averted his eyes in shame. It was his responsibility to protect these people, but when a life had been at stake he hadn't been able to help. And when he had faced the monster he had turned tail and ran screaming. Syrin clenched his fist. He wished he could do more - but he didn't know how.

"But, if I can ask, who exactly send you here to help us? We might be living a bit further away from the big cities than most, but I recon we should've heard about an organisation like yours?" The man asked again, crossing his big, muscular arms.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Bear smiled at the praise, but his expression became somber again as the older man approached with his own commentary and questions. Bear listened seriously, then looked up briefly toward his partner. "Well, mostly our organization likes to keep itself quiet. We're not actually... supposed to introduce ourselves so much as come in, deal with the issue, and leave."

Viviette nodded. "We're sent by our superiors. I don't know how they know about the troubles they send us to deal with. We're just soldiers."

"Yeah," Bear agreed. "We do what we're told and hope we're helping keep people safe." Throughout his and Viviette's verbal defense against the muscular man, Bear's posture, while not relaxed or submissive, remained without aggression or challenge, and he kept eye contact aside from the glance toward his partner. He wanted to be believed, because he believed himself.

 

[DevilishSchokokeks]

As Syrin got up he still averted looking at the Major, instead focusing his eyes on Bears shoulders. "Well. This is certainly unusual!" The major continued, rubbing his beard "But we are in desperate need, and whatever organisation is responsible for this, we owe it our thanks."
Syrin almost cringed at that. You never ever told anybody you didn't know that you owed him anything. That could in any case only lead to trouble, magical or not. But it had already been said and done and the young witch would find a way around it if he needed to. Hopefully.

"Of course you're free to stay at my house. I'm Mayor Greenson, I have a guest room in my house. Only one though, I hope that isn't..well, indecent. I mean, of course a man an a woman alone in one room - not that I'm implying anything, and I mean it's not like you folks would care anyway, since you have a much more important job to do, of course an-" Syrin couldn't watch the man fall over his words any longer and cut him short with a quiet "There are two beds. I will come back a bit later today if you don't mind. I can make a herbal paste for your skin." While he did that he leaned down again and picked up one of the towels with two fingers. "I'll take that. Maybe I can find something that'll help me find some protection against the ooze if I study it."

 

[The Mood is Write]

Bear shook his head and waved a hand at being owed, but the mayor kept on. Clearly, Greenson wasn't accustomed to outsiders.

It didn't inspire a lot of trust that the man's naivety wouldn't get someone hurt.

When the young man who rushed to him first spoke up again, Bear turned his attention to him.

"Ah... Thank you, both of you," he finally said. He could sense an undercurrent of tension between the pair, and it only seemed clearer in his mind when the younger seemed to imply he didn't live in town.

He turned his head to look toward Viviette. "Vee, I'll go with him. Watch over the village?"

She blinked, then shrugged. "Yeah, fine with me." She smiled, then looked toward Syrin. "Watch out. Bear's annoyingly protective." She gave a brief wink, then stepped toward the mayor.

"So, Mayor Greenson, would you mind giving me a tour?" Her question was meant to get information, but also prevent the old man from stopping Bear.

The male Hunter nodded thanks to his partner, then rose and rolled his shoulders, then stretched his neck, the bones making loud cracks before he nodded to Syrin, smile warm. "Lead on?"