The bow, and arrow accompanying it, split apart into a golden mist that vanished as quickly as it had come, the threat no longer present. Or was it that the threat was present everywhere in some form that defied simply being beaten up? A spirit of an entire forest wasn't the sort of enemy you could just fight normally unless it chose to show itself, and they rather lacked the numbers (or perhaps current power) to simply burn the entire place to the ground if it were to start anything.

Slipping around to guard Flora's other flank, Ashte considered their odds if they had to grab the girl and run. Alasayana ought to have no problems making a mad sprint for it in the dark, at least?

"I can't say it's a name I find familiar; wild places were never my forte..."

and the far less important, trivial aspects of travel and luck

Aureia continued rotating the meat over the spit, carefully husbanding the food so that it wouldn’t burn from the open-air flame. Conveniently, the length of her golden spit meant that she didn’t even have to get her hands all that dirty with soot. The spike did get hot, though—it was gold, after all. But the goddess of gold didn’t care about the temperature of her gold.

She did shoot a questioning look at the way Mori haphazardly roasted her own skewers, though.

Sadly, when the meat was done, she didn’t have any plates to serve it on. Frankly, that was simply barbaric and uncivilized, but she really didn’t feel like remolding her golden spoke into a plate just for the occasion.

Speaking of the occasion, something else besides them was speaking.

Very strange.

Well, if the others were hearing it was well, then she wasn’t going crazy from the smoke fumes, but she really didn’t know who this wild spirit was. She was the god of civilized things and concepts, after all, not of nature and barbarism. She shook her head at the water god’s question.

“Well,” she decided to muse aloud in response, “We need to pass through the forest, and there are mortals in our party that need food to stay alive,” she replied in a matter-of-fact manner. “It’s not hard to put two-and-two together…”

Alasayana

---

Out of all the things Alasayana expected to run into in the forest, it was not some sort of forest spirit. One of the goddess' tails twitched with curiosity as she'd attempt to pinpoint the exact location of the voice, if any, though she doubted it'd work. There was a decent chance this spirit had no physical form for the moment and was merely observing them as curious, perhaps dangerous intruders upon their territory.

"...A lowly spirit?" The Huntress hummed lightly. "No need to be sassy, Aureia. I know not of this name, but...Nakri, we have not come to desire violence or bloodshed, merely sustenance like any hunter may." The Huntress was not overly worried, assuming this spirit might be worried about over hunting, or violent gods seeking needless slaughter. "We have no intention of disturbing you or this forest I presume to be your domain. We simply seek passage so that I can properly reprimand this human from waking me from a nap." Of course, she wasn't going to not be on guard or wary of this spirit. No telling what it was capable of.

The tails behind her shifted slightly, glancing in multiple directions for any signs of ambush or movement.

For several moments, the voice from the forest did not speak. Flora, however, seemed rather anxious as she looked around. While she hadn't yet spoken up, it seemed she had some familiarity with what was occurring. Given that she had passed through this forest before, it was possible she had heard this voice prior.

... nakri will show. nakri will show the divine scent her face. then we will talk.

With that, a stream of green and red lights flowed from the darkness of the forest, gathering out of reach of the fire. Steadily, it build into the vague shape of a human, similar in proportions to Alasayana. Slowly, slowly, it became more solid, tangible, the red lights remaining in the position of its eyes.

The figure raised one arm, spreading its fingers, and the lights began to solidify.

Nature spirits were not divine. They were entities tied not to divinity, but instead to a location. A place. The embodiment of a specific facet of the natural world. A forest. Even a specific tree. A specific cave. But powerful ones could still possess a physical form. What stood before them was a girl with curling horns and the tail of a wolf, her crimson eyes regarding each of the gods carefully, tan skin illuminated by the firelight.

"Nakri knows her," she said, her voice no sounding more distinct, more like that of a god or a human then the whisper from every direction and no direction it had been before. She raised her hand, pointing towards Flora, who did not seem entirely frightened but was certainly nervous, "The white moon scent. She came with another human scent. The human scent told Nakri he would return and help her in exchange for safe passage."

Glancing towards the knight's dead body, the nature spirit frowned.

"The human scent is dead..." her words hung in the air for a few moments, "... But the white moon scent is not. Will the divine scent help Nakri?"

Her red eyes regarded each of the deities in turn.

"You have taken her. The bargain is not fulfilled. Will you help Nakri?"

@Rune_Alchemist@Martian@Raineh Daze@Pyromania99@Click This

Trineon
Lord of Rivers, Lakes, and Oceans

The water god continued to guard Flora as the other gods reacted to the voice. Ashte also took a position to defend Flora, saying that she didn’t recognize the spirit. Aureia also indicated that she didn’t know the spirit, before telling the spirit that the mortal that they were traveling with needed food, but doing it in a slightly disrespectful manner. While Trineon wondered if that would anger the spirit, he was completely sure that the assembled gods could take the spirit down if a fight started.

But then Alasayana spoke, Trineon thinking that she spoke much more eloquently. But it seemed that even the goddess of the hunt wasn’t sure of her explanation, Trineon noting that her many tails moved about, seemingly to prevent an ambush from any direction. But no such ambush happened, neither did any talking, as it became quiet for a little bit.

But then the silence was broken by the spirit, announcing that it was going to reveal itself. Red and green light began to appear from the darkness, eventually coalescing into a human shape. The light then faded, revealing a young looking woman with horns and a tail. Based on how actually physical her form was, Trineon could tell that Nakri was a powerful spirit.

The spirit then spoke, explaining that Flora and Sir Oren had made some kind of deal with her before as a means of passing through the forest. But now that Oren was dead, Nakri asked if the gods would help her with the agreement.

Trineon took a few seconds to muse over it. While he was in a rush to find out the truth about his resurrection, he also remembered that as a god he was supposed to help the lesser beings. Even a spirit like Nakri was considered one of Trineon’s flock, so he was duty bound to help her. Also this would be finishing a task for the late Sir Oren. Trineon had heard that mortal souls have an easier time getting to the afterlife if all their worldly tasks were complete. Trineon believed that the man who had protected Flora did deserve a good final rest.

“Alright Nakri, I find those terms acceptable,” stated Trineon, “But what kind of task did the fallen knight agree to? Whatever it is, it will be possible for us gods.”

It was only for a second that Trineon considered the fact that he was speaking for the other gods. But he felt a strong conviction over doing this, and they would just have to go along with it. The last time Trineon was alive, he had been known as an easy going, whatever sort of god. But in this new life, Trineon had decided to be more assertive, to lead others. With so few gods left, Trineon knew that they all needed to be strong.

"... maybe I should get to know the wilds a bit more. If every forest spirit is going to be so cute... ah, I can give you lots of help, Nakri~" Ashte said, stepping closer and closer. No doubt the help currently on the goddess's mind was quite different from whatever the forest spirit was actually after, or the help offered by Trineon.

Not that she had any reason to withhold their aid, it was hardly like fighting through an angry forest in their current state would be terribly effective. But how could she focus on that, with such an exciting-looking body to take interest in?