Traversing the Unknown

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She kept half an ear open to the conversation, memorizing it, but it didn't interest her as much as she thought it would have earlier. Her mood seemed to have evaporated into smoke and the woman wasn't even sure why. She just felt...irritable and when Danny finally spoke to her again, she only glanced at him before looking away again. "I'm fine." It was short and curt, a tone she'd never taken with him and she blinked in surprise to hear it coming from her own lips. Wyn shook her head and made an effort to engage again, smiling a bit apologetically.

"Sorry, Danny. I didn't mean to snap. I'm just-" She stopped mid-sentence and a look of surprise came over Wyn's face before she looked around hurriedly and then stood, appearing uncomfortable and tense as she did so. "Um, excuse me for just a moment, please...."

She could feel the wetness between her legs, a sensation she'd not felt in years and Wyn suddenly knew EXACTLY why she felt the way she did. She didn't give Danny any explanation as she rushed for the stairs, already thinking about what she might use to help this problem and making a very important mental note to get back on the herbs that kept this from happening. She'd completely forgotten about it.
 
Developing a acute sense of blithering mystification across the frame of his face, she snapped at him firstly then changed her mind only to jump up as if she had been bitten by something and all the while, he wondered what the hell just happened and did he just have a hand in that.

Scratching his head, exchanging a curious look with someone else in the tavern who seemed equally confused to this whole thing, a hand laced over his mouth out of nervous habit. He knew gremlin females were testy at times, but that didn't overly apply here. Female gremlins were frightening in general.

Before he could even really sit and brood on this whole thing, a jerk of a familiar yet discomforting smell slapped into him. The pool of yellow sclera widened making the usual violet irises widen quite drastically. It wasn't a scent that was unfamiliar by him in the least. And honestly it was one of those few smells even in a vague scent that made him all twitchy. In taking a breath swallowing hard feeling the once ample appetite drop into the floor, the bristle of concern erupted through his entire body forcing himself to stand up. He knew she asked for an excusal but... blood in the air. Was he suppose to ignore that? How could he!

A leisurely nonchalant glance across his shoulder and he did well not to cause alarm in the entire tavern, though he was certainly thinking he might. How could she be bleeding, had she been more injured from yesterday than she told him?

Peering up the stairs, conflict entered. As much as he wanted to make sure Wyn wasn't bleeding to death on the floor, he didn't want to over step her boundaries where she had excused herself. Gritting his teeth gnashing hard, he swallowed dryly. Screw the conflict, she could be mad at him later if she felt like it!


Coming up the stairs knocking lightly upon the door, an ear flicked instinctively listening, "Wyn? You're still alive in there right? Did you want me to find someone of a medic value to help?"
 
Wyn's head bolted up at the knock, half-afraid he'd just come right in and she only breathed out in some relief when he didn't. She felt part ready to cry at the mess on her hands - a bit literally at that - and part willing to laugh over the whole situation, especially when it occurred to her that Danny with his great nose had probably scented what she'd rather have kept private. Oh well. Sighing again, she looked to the door as if willing it to stay closed and made sure her voice was loud enough that he'd hear.

"No, no I don't need any help, Danny. I'm fine." There was no waver or untruth in her voice as she continued to clean up and make do with what cloth she had, ripping it with a great tearing sound that would probably make him wonder. "Just don't come in." That was more command than request and for the next two minutes Wyn concentrated on her task, finally washed up and went back to the door. She opened it and looked up - way up, damn he was tall - at the elf with a small, nervous type of smile.

"I'm fine. Promise. Uh...we should um...go back down and eat. Thank you for checking on me, but you shouldn't have left your food." Now it was she who was babbling, cheeks tinged slightly pink in embarrassment. Because, really, how could she have forgotten her monthly cycle?
 
Staring at the door as if it had all the answers, a gaze glowered to it as she said she was fine. He was ready to not believe her but there was no waiver in her tone that would suggest otherwise but yet, his sense of sound was keen. He thought about ignoring her and entering reaching for the knob precisely when she commanded him not too, a soft hiss private to himself came out in his response. It wouldn't have been heard through the door.

Now he was getting frustrated, listening to the fabric tearing, her shuffling from what could be heard through the walls and door only to damn near leap right over the railing when the door opened again. His brows knitted, not buying her. "You've said your fine three times in the last five minutes, it's not very convincing." he was ignoring the rest of her sentence. Irises were flicking back and forth before he made a very visible grimace lifting the back of his hand to rest under his nose trying to block it somewhat. Another swallow and he narrowed his stare further. She was nervous and the blush on her face only added to it. "You're still bleeding," he murmured to her, "If I had injured you so terribly from yesterday you should've said something to me. It wasn't my purpose to cause you harm when. Granted I thought I have held back quite enough, I didn't know it wasn't enough." his entire features softened into a worried fatigue over her being, feeling acutely guilty for what he thought occurred. "You ought to be tended to Wyn, not moving around at this rate you'll lose too much blood and then there's no coming back."


Chalk this all up to his naivety about the human race and the truth behind the situation.
 
As he continued to speak, Wyn stared at him, her eyes growing wider and her complexion growing redder. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to duck back into the room and slam the door or if she wanted to laugh hysterically. She didn't think the former would be good because he'd follow her and then it would be even more of an awkward situation. And the second option wasn't good either because he was already worried enough as it was and the last thing she wanted was him to start spouting off even more theories as to what had happened to her.

And well, part of her blush was because she realized now how acutely he could smell her and she knew that scent was going to last a few days at least. She cleared her throat and reached out, touching his arm, a gentle smile coming over her lips as the blush faded slightly from her face and she looked down the hall and then back at him. "Danny, I am fine. You did nothing to me, I promise. I am not injured in any way. In fact, what's happening to me is normal."

She moved a bit closer to him, voice lowering just slightly so the words were just between them. "I'm having my monthly cycle. I haven't dealt with it in some time because the vampire kept me on herbs, but I've been off them for a while now and I forgot." Now she grinned, slightly embarrassed again, but hoping to move past it quickly. "I'm not in any danger of dying, I swear, but I would like to go eat again and perhaps find an herb shop afterward."
 
Man was this the thing they called stuck between a rock and hard place? Cause it was sure feeling like it. He knew what he was unfortunately smelling but he couldn't logically understand her saying she was fine. Bleeding usually meant well, being hurt or possibly dying. Though she seemed to have more than ample amounts of blood to fill her face.

And then she leaned in, forcing his ears to listen deeper to her hushed tone. She explained it but... it didn't make sense to him.


A monthly cycle where... she bled? And the vampire had made sure that she didn't do that. Rubbing a hand to the side of his face, he stared at her twisting his face a little to the right, "You... do this monthly?" Nope even saying it out loud sounded bizarre. "But..." again he rubbed his head, "Humans are strange. You state you are fine yet you are bleeding and yet it doesn't bother you and the vampire made you stop and now it's started but its natural and it happens a lot and yet, nothing." eyes blinked wrinkling his nose before raising his brow to her saying something about eating. "No thank you, after all the smell of cruor my appetite has been quite sedated." Which was saying something since he actually hadn't even touched the meal at all yet, "I'm still confused about this whole thing! Mainly," he sectioned his hands into neat palms, "Why? I mean I know what a moon cycle is which only happens to the female gremlins in their hundredth year meaning they are-" he stopped stared at her with quite the aghast look, leaning away, "Are you pregnant!"
 
Now Wyn was getting slightly annoyed. She KNEW he was only trying to make sure she was fine, but really, even if he didn't understand it shouldn't he just TRUST her word because she said it? It wasn't like she'd ever lied to him or given him a reason to think she wouldn't tell him if something was wrong. She crossed her arms as he spoke, waiting him out, but his last comment made her stare at him, dropping her arms down and then glaring outright, fire sparking in her eyes.

"You don't have to look so horrified by the idea, Daniel! If I was pregnant, and I am NOT since I am virgin, I would view it as a blessing and THAT reaction would piss me off even more than you already have!" She growled to herself and pushed past him, flinging her words over her shoulder. "I am so very sorry my smell offends you, too! It will be gone a few days, so just stay upwind for a while!"

She continued to stalk away and then a thought occurred and she turned at the stairs to look back at him whether he'd followed or not. "I'm not a gremlin elf. If I say something is normal for a HUMAN than it is. The least you could do is trust me to know my own damn body and not argue with me about it. Female humans bleed for a few days every month when they turn about fourteen. It's just something we do."

She turned away again and made her way down the stairs, still mumbling under her breath.
 
He knew he had that filter in his head that told him when and why he should be quiet, apparently yesterday it took the entire day off. Pinning his ears back as she laid into him - most effectively and honestly he understood he easily deserved that one- he didn't get much of a chance to at least explain his actions.

They had left the port town later in the day than he originally wanted, but he was less inclined to go bothering Wyn anyways. So when she came and asked if they would be leaving, he simply nodded leery of the woman. She may have been small but she was a simmering fire he knew from the first touch, not to touch again.

Eyes glazed to the map holding it front of himself as they walked through the slowly cloistering tropical trees, the humidity was rising but it was actually fairly slow raise of temperature. He found it comfortable in his perfect truth.

Planning out some the actions, he plotted out their steps at least as best as he could so they could actually take a bit of time to see this tree top city and hopefully he would be able to leave Wyn to her own devices for a few days. Though in comparison to her uncharted emotions varying from one extreme to another, he was sitting pretty. Granted his headaches were getting worse, he'd take them over whatever the hell was the matter with her.
 
She didn't mean to be up and down with her moods. She really didn't. Wyn didn't like how she felt anymore than she liked the way Danny avoided her. She wanted to reconcile with him and have the easy comrade they'd had before, but she was constantly irritated, restless and moody. So she stayed away from the gremlin elf for both their sakes, hoping things would get better when she did - and luckily she knew that would be soon and then she could start taking the herbs again that repressed this sort of thing. She wouldn't be forgetting about this kind of situation again, that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Still, crampy and miserable as she felt in bouts, Athwyn couldn't help but gaze in wonder at the trees around her. She'd never seen trees. The desert didn't have them. The sea didn't have them. They were wonderful and they walked, she found suitable distraction in the many kinds of foliage around them and the sounds of creatures in the treetops, creatures like she'd never heard before. One said creature was a colorful bird with feathers like that of a rainbow. The human watched it curiously and it twisted its head at her, warbling before it flew away. Wyn smiled after it, feeling her mood grow gentler as she continued to follow Danny.

She stopped quickly as she noticed him walking right over a snake and paused when she came to it herself, crouching down. The thing had a splotched green pattern all over and she picked it up without hesitation, feeling the coils wrapping around her arm as the head looked at her. She'd seen snakes like this before in Nymaya and knew them to be harmless unless you put them around your neck. Then they could strangle you.

She looked up toward Danny and spoke gently to him. "Danny. Look." When she saw his eyes, she smiled widely and lifted the snake just slightly.
 
Pausing his advance to look back to her as he heard his name called, pleading very suddenly that she wasn't about to lay into him for something he might have been doing without thinking about it. That wasn't the first time either and he was extremely hesitant.

Rolling the map up into his palm, he kept his distance still looking at the slithering creature that she was holding. Apparently not worth any sort of alarm, he nodded with a smaller smile. "Snake yes?" he was still learning all the creatures that were above the soil.
 
Wyn nodded, looking down and away at the snake. She still felt bad about snapping at Danny, but also knew that she wasn't 'fine' yet, so it would be rather useless to pretend she was. Still, the least she could do was apologize and bringing her green eyes up, the human did just that, petting the snake coiling around her arm because it was soothing and she felt she needed that. "Danny, I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday and that I've been extremely unpleasant to be around. I...will be better in a few days and I'll try to be decent until then."

She took a deep breath then and moved to a tree, letting the snake glide onto a branch and making sure it wouldn't fall before she left it and started walking again, stopping a bit before she came to Danny, unsure he'd want her near him and not blaming him. So instead of asking or assuming he wouldn't, she looked around again, and skirted a little bit to the side of the path as if she were going to study something just so they could avoid the awkwardness.

Gah, she couldn't wait until this was over.
 
Keeping his gaze rather neutral to the moment though he was paying a bit more attention to the creature she had been holding before her voice interrupted his rummaging thoughts on such a animal, he thought about speaking and stopped. Nothing he had to say would have come out quite right and he knew it. He wasn't even sure he should say it was alright wondering if she might turn that around on me in some way.

If there was one thing he had learnt in his years was no matter what species the female race was, they had an acute knack of taking anything in any sort of sentence and making it a projectile. His own kin had done it so many times that he was certain he was target practice for her. Whether or not Wyn was like that, he didn't know and he wasn't tempted to find out either. But he was certainly figuring out why the vampire might have had her on those herbs. She was a spitfire and perhaps she was fearsome enough to scare the night dwelling creature.

Exchanging a look, making a tip of his head forward making the motion to move forward; he couldn't wait till she was back to normal. Kind and wily but Wyn. Not this acid gentle one. He even bet that she could scare some gremlin females and that was no thought of a lie. But it was just a thought and he kept that to himself.

~~~~~

The further they went into the swamp the warmer it had become, enough that he went from being comfortable to slick with sweat. Removing the jacket to stuff it into his own newly purchased pack, the night was cracking through the skyline dappling little patches with the gleam of the stars. He had started a fire even with the heat knowing that some light would be best so he could keep an eye on things, not that he needed the light.

They had been traveling for about three days now, and it proved... okay? Was that the word he wanted to use? Seemed decent enough as he brushed his hands on his pants from the grass, he rocked back onto his rear end perching a hand over top his knee letting out a worn sigh. They had taken very little breaks, moving constantly wanting to get to the next destination in one piece. He wanted to get to Jor'lun for more reasons and he was struggling finally. Not that he hadn't been since the ship but it was straining his limitations.


Exhaling heavily trying to steady himself a little bit, he threw a curious look around for Wyn more wondering what she was up too now. It seemed her moods were starting to become far more even with still a bump or a hiccup there. He was still a little hesitant to speak but he did a little more freely at times though he never directed the conversation at her specifically, but rather the atmosphere around them or possible creatures that were in the trees. Even some plants that he heard grew around.
 
She felt better and Wyn was glad of it. She was herself again, knew she could take the herbs next time and her spirits were up. She laughed far more easily now and her smile was back, the life in her green eyes bright and curious again. Danny might have still been a bit wary around her, but Wyn didn't feel the need for such a thing anymore and she decided she'd let him figure it out for himself. It wasn't like if he tried she was going to snap at him and she bet he'd at least try eventually as her mood stayed stable.

At the moment she'd taken off her shoes, both lying haphazardly on the ground next to a tree trunk just within the firelight, and the white-haired human herself was up the tree. She'd scrambled up, curious as could be while Danny built the fire and now she looked down, giggling as he looked around for her. Creeping out over a branch, finding it no different than the long poles and rooftop walls she used to prowl as a child, Wyn took a small fruit that grew on the tree - she didn't even know what it was - and let it drop. It hit Danny's shoulder and the woman tried to stifle her laughter as eyes green as the leaves she hide among peered down at the elf.

She didn't think it would take him long to find her.
 
Habit created flicking his ears back and forth seeing that her shoes were lying on the ground without her inside them, the curiosity peeked over any fear. His sense of smell was more shot this past while from the constant scent of blood making it actually a little more difficult to find her in that sort of sense.

He was thinking about getting up and moving around to search for her until a piece of fruit fell from the tree top bringing his gaze right upwards prying through the leaves. First he thought it might have just fell itself, but upon picking it up and looking at the stem itself, it was pulled with how rough the stem was shaped.


Pushing himself to his feet, a little more gingerly than usual he bounced the fruit against the inside of his elbow and back to his hand. "Being mischievous one again Wyn." he lifted an eye to the trees, "Does this mean you are well?" he was careful about his wording still.
 
Wyn rolled her eyes at his wording and the fact that he wouldn't just play along, but she supposed she deserved that. The human moved from her branch and gauging the distance carefully, let herself fall to the one below her current position. She landed in a slight crouch, now more visible to Danny down below and she looked down at him with a genuine smile. "I was never sick, Danny, but yes, I'm all right now. No need to tiptoe and don't worry, the herbs will keep this from happening again. I don't like it either."

She swung from the branch then, hands wrapped around the branch and then pulled her body back up, replacing hands with legs so that she hung upside down. It was at that point that she tilted her head, white hair hanging and frowned at the elf, worry flickering in her gaze. He'd not been himself for a few days now and she was starting to notice. It reminded her of when they were on the ship and the fact that he seemed to be having trouble moving...

"Danny, are you hurt?"

Could she have missed that?
 
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Rolling the peculiar fruit in his palm nimbly back and forth, a smirk touched his lips. "Not sick, which I understand now, I was more afraid that I'd upset you any further than I previously had. No offense to you, but you are quite frightening in your cycle." he was earnest in that. There were times before that he had been afraid for his life, but never his tongue. It made him privately chuckle.

Watching the nimble woman crawling through the tree with ease and elegance, a little more envious that she could move in such a way. He could be fluid but not remotely close to how she was. He might have been a better fighter if that was the case.

Drawing his gaze to that one flickering with an array of emotions he knew better than the previous ones; he a sharper pull of breath and he narrowed one eye over the other. "In a sense, and in another not so much. Just a bit ill if i was to put it plainly, i think its called aches and pains when you are sick? No?" he tilted his head, it certainly felt that way.
 
Frightening. That was a word she'd never have thought could describe her. Wyn chuckled to herself at it, not sure she agreed with that statement, but not wanting or needing to argue with him over it. If he thought she was scary, that was his opinion on the matter. She personally didn't see how it was possible, but oh well.

The human's frown of concern grew as he answered her question and she pulled herself up again but this time to get on the trunk again and then nimbly, as quick as a squirrel, making her way down the tree and to the ground. She stood from her slight crouch and moved to the gremlin elf without hesitation, and rose on her tiptoes to touch his forehead, leaving her hand there for a long moment and moving her much cooler palm along his temples and then the back of her hand against his cheek, humming unhappily to herself. "You're warm. I think you might have a fever. Sit down." That last bit was soft, gentle as she set her hand on his arm and waited until he complied before bending her head just slightly - not needing to do more than that - as she prompted him to open his mouth. He was a healer, he should have some idea what she was doing.

Her fingers found the lymph nodes in his neck, trying to see if any of them were swollen as she looked into his mouth and at his throat. No inflammation. "Hmm..." Wyn drew back and it came to her that perhaps she should ask if he knew what ailed him and a slightly sheepish look came to her face as she dropped her hands and put them behind her back in an old habit. "Sorry. Umm, have you been sick like this before? Is there anything you need?"

She wanted to help. She'd been so awful to him and she cared about him a great deal.
 
Smirking lopsided to the young human as she came down the tree with no problem and perfect ease only to come up and start addressing him such a way that had him chuckling. If he hadn't known what was going on with himself, he might have been more teasing in her motives. She had experience with the ill in the sense of a flu or cold or possibly more. But he complied more interested to see what she did, how she did it.

Her fingers were cold in comparison to himself but he remained docile nonetheless, violet eyes flicking ever so slightly showing he was watching and gauging her. This human, this woman that had more moods than he could throw a stick at and he was rather keen on doing so. He could learn a lot from just watching.

Finally she stopped looking him dead in the eye before he rubbed the back of his neck. "Never this intense, then again I've never had a reason to keep it like this." Danny lifted his shoulders putting his hands to his knees thinking for a moment, debating over a few thing before he brought his full focus to her. "You want to help Wyn, honestly?" he was serious about this, he rose up again to his full height giving a bit of a muddled grin. Swallowing hard and dry, he let out a pant, "Just give me a few minutes to be appropriately sick before i try and explain anything."

His chest rose a little more with a quickened breath as he gave her a reassuring pat to the head, doing better than he thought he would. Letting himself disappear out of sight to do exactly what he had been wanting to do since this morning and vomit.
 
Keep it like this? Explain everything? Did this have anything to do with the subject they'd never actually discussed?

Wyn was thoroughly interested and confused now...and incredibly worried as she watched Danny disappear, biting her lip hard as she debated whether she should go after him and rub his back or something....or if she should respect his wishes and stay. Well....they'd both wished he'd respected hers with the moon cycle thing, so... The white-haired woman sat down near the fire and drew her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them and hands wrapped around her shins, concerned, but not sure how to help in the least. So she waited, teeth still gnawing slightly on her lip.

This...whatever was wrong with Danny...why did she feel like it was a bad thing? He'd been 'off' since the sirens and it had only gotten worse. What could be so bad - what had to be so bad - that he couldn't have told her sooner? That he'd wait until he was miserable to tell her?

Athwyn sighed and tried to will the knot in her gut to loosen a bit lest she be sick, too.
 
Leaning back panting more with himself gritting his teeth in between the breaths, he rocked back to perch on the balls of his heels. As much as he didn't want to deal with this right now it was evident the longer he decided to put it on the back burner, the worse he would get. This was still minor even though he hadn't ever let it get to this point.

The guise was fine most times, minor flaws here and there but it all came down to when the spell needed recasting and it caused more problems than solved them. Now he understood why it was described as keeping something contained for a longer period than it was recommended for, it would spoil. The natural spell was over used, strained and it was pulling what it needed from himself making him sick.

"Enough of this," he muttered through his clenched jaw. He'd have to just deal with it for the time being, and just figure things out as they went. A hard intake of air, retrieving the shirt from his frame honestly not wanting to destroy it due to the spines that developed; he had an all too pleasant reminder how painful the switch over was when it was past it's expiry date.

Stifling a bark of a agony that wanted to come from his throat, he cursed himself. He should have just slaughtered that damn siren and this could've been avoided for a bit longer.

Taking a bit more time to regain a lot of his own composure letting the twinges pulse along the drastically ashen skin, hands worked their familiar joints trying to shake off the pins and needles that came in turn of reverting back to his natural state. Gritting his teeth again letting the final stages take over, a press of his palm to the ground forcing his feet back under his larger frame; he cursed sourly openly. Eyes gazed backwards across his shoulder, stooping to grab the red shirt, he groaned at this whole thing. It was one thing being with your own kind in the normal state, but out in this world. It could be a challenge.

Brushing back the dark hair feeling the all familiar spiral of horns from his crown, his jaw worked trying to become accustom to the fangs that where oversized and sat out in plain view. How was he suppose to explain this!
 
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