[IC] When the Roar Falls ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

[Merule]

Autharyx is gladdened to find Viltez seems to have relaxed a lot. Plus, he doesn't appear to havenoticed Autharyx' momentary lapse in composure, so that's all fine as well. He smiles when the tail comes up to touch him again, seemingly to reassure itself that he's not going anywhere. He supposed it could be considered possesive, but in spiteof that he isn't bothered by the touch. In fact, it feels kind of niceto feel the soft fur settle against his skin.

Where the touchof the tail isn't enough to discomfort him, his host's next question is. Autharyx' first instinct is to freeze, but he forces himself to keep a relaxed posture, tilting his head as if in thought. This was exactly what he’d been trying to avoid, and he wasn’t about to get duped into showing what a poor hunter he was just because Viltez was trying to be polite.

"I suppose so..." he starts in a thoughtful tone, as if he hasn't already made up his mind. "Though I have to confess that at the moment I am more interestenin seeing what you can do..." He smilesat Viltez to ensure him that it really is fine with him, stepping a little closer in the hope that his tail will once again seek his proximity. It is a little low in terms of persuasion techniques, but if it means he wont have a chance of embarassing himself, he will take it.

"There is still plenty of food, right? There will always be plenty of oportunities for hunting, whereas this," the next time Viltez' tail drifts by close enough, Autharyx carefully strokes through the fur, fingers digging in in the manner that had his host so thouroughly distracted before.

"This is truely unique and utterly fascinating."

[PopeAlessandros]

Viltez sways a little at Aryx thinks, his tail skating around the ground to pick at rocks and branches where it can reach them. The man keeps his attention on the stranger even as his tail has it's own ideas. 'I really hope he no-' Aryx's reply makes his head tilt, a faint flush catching his cheeks at the clear interest the other has in his little secret. 'It's, I'm. . . Why? It's. Mean, yeah, it's something new and different I suppose, but, I ca-' Aryx moves in closer, making the beast man come out of his thoughts and turn his head curiously. The light flush is still in place as his tail sneaks in for another exploration session with Viltez's guest. Before it can do any exploring however Aryx shows that he has plans of his own. And seizes the appendage.

The grip is soft, not a binding one but one that definitely seems to have purpose. His cheeks turns scarlet as those strong fingers comb through his fur, drawing a small sound from him before he's able to bite his lip and look away. 'Have I, did I tell him how that makes me feel? Is he doing it on purpose? I can not believe that he's trying to, well, make me feel. . .' He shudders lightly, turning sideways so that his tail slips away from Aryx's grip and with a light cough Viltez even manages to squeak out a sentence or three. “Ah, well, whichever you prefer. I do have food, and we can always come back some other time to hunt. . .If this isn't the right time for you, and you are the hunter after all.”

Coughing again he turns completely away and begins gathering pine cones. “Yeah, the stationary ones first would be best.” As he talks be manages to calm down and smile over at his guest. 'He can't know. If he did then either he's coming on to me, or it's some nasty trick to manipulate me. I can't see him doing that. . .I mean, I've only known him a short time, and he's always been respectful, and I'm not. . .There's not way he would be. . .' He can't even finish the thought, knowing many on town find him desirable, however the thought of a stranger would come into town and enjoy the looks of one of the homely locals. 'And even if he is fascinated by it, there is no way the tail is attractive. . .' As if sensing his thoughts the appendage comes up and wraps around his neck before letting go to bat around a pine cone he's trying to grab. “Silly thing.” he murmurs as he outsmarts it and gets a hold of the cone.

[Merule]

Autharyx might have convinced himself he's doing this for a good reason, but he can't deny the small sound that seems to worm itself out of Viltez' throat catches his attention like a hook does a fish. He doesn't object when his host moves away with a slight shudder ( of disgust? He just can't tell), even though a part of him kind of wants to. He hasn't missed that he seems to have developed a tendency to find excuses to get physically close to the beast-man, even though the impulse baffles him. It baffles him how a small touch of fingers on fur makes his throat catch and stomach flutter or why such a little sound would make him want to do something that produces it again.

It is... disconcerting to have these thoughts and impulses come seemingly from nowhere. What is it about the man that keeps drawing Autharyx in like that? Sure, he's interesting, but that doesn't mean he has to be all... stupid about it. He stares at his host as he gathers pine cones, feeling strangely jittery without knowing why. It's only when he turns to smile at him, that Autharyx remembers to pull his face into at least a measure of composure. He manages a small smile back, but there's nothing he can do about the light flush or his blown pupils, especially since he has no idea why this stupid body is deciding to behave like that in the first place.

He kind of feels like he should say something, but by the time he realises that too much time has passed and he just moves to picking up pine cones as well, his eyes flicking to Viltez every once in a while seemingly of their own volition. He replays the incident in his mind, particularly the part where Viltez immediately jerks away, and once again finds himself feeling uncharacteristically... guilty? He knew Viltez didn't like being touched and he'd gone and done it anyway.

"I apologise," he finally says out of the blue when they've gathered a small pile of pine cones. "I shouldn't have... reached out. I should have remembered you didn't like it." He doesn't meet Viltez' eyes as he speaks, realising that by bringing it up again he was inadvertently admitting it had still been on his mind. Too late to do anything about that now, though.

[PopeAlessandros]

'I wonder if he's doing well. He looked a little flushed when I smiled at him, perhaps he is developing a fever. It did rain yesterday' Ignoring the obvious possibility of the reason behind his guest's behavior he goes over many more unlikely options until at last they have a good pile of cones and he's ready to find a place to set them up. As he looks around for a good spot Aryx speaks up and what he says makes Viltez smile. It is a genuine smile and when he looks over at the man he chuckles lightly. His tail wriggles around behind him, tapping the pine cones curiously. “I don't mind Mister Aryx, and I was not offended. I was a bit surprised, but nothing more. After all, these new sensations of having someone else touch it are very new. Like a baby truly seeing it's mother's face for the first time, I imagine it is quite shocking, which is why their eyes are so wide.”

He giggles at this, the dismissing of the underlying feelings going unnoticed in his effort to make his guest more comfortable. Overhead a bird calls out, it's cry making Viltez look up, raising a hand to shade his eyes as a small sliver of sunlight is let in from the beast taking off. He follows it with his eyes for a while before turning his attention back to the matter at hand. 'Yes, I was not offended, it just felt odd. . .' He huffs lightly and begins scanning the area. “We just need a good spot. . .” His tail once more snakes over towards Aryx to play while he hunts. With a clap he spots a fallen log about a dozen paces away. Pointing at it he smile sat Aryx, ignoring his tail. “There, that's a good spot. If we line them up, I think I can start trying to tell it what to do in a more natural way. You could chuck a few at me randomly as well to see if it responds the same as before!”

The best man is clearly excited to get started, to move on to something new so he doesn't have to reflect as much. Scooping up several from the pile he smiles warmly at Aryx and walks happily over to the log and sets strait to work. He doesn't notice his tail as it begins to curl and coil happily, almost like a cat's while at play. He even begins to hum softly, his mood from before but a distant memory.

[Merule]

Autharyx stays quiet as Viltez blatantly dismisses the issue. He finds it hard to believe the beast-man as he speaks. After all, he hadn't looked 'a bit surprised' when he'd flinched back earlier, and neither had he when he'd run away after his tail had pulled Autharyx close. Sure, he spins a tale about not wanting to 'take liberties' or something, but to be honest Autharyx still isn't sure what he means by that. But hey, if his host is weary of him, he is allowed to spin that any way he wants. He might even sense that Autharyx isn't what he seems, and he can hardly fault a mortal for being intimidated by a dragon, can he?

Eventually he decides to just go along with Viltez, pasting a smile on his face and ignoring the tail when it ventures near him again. It turns a little more genuine as Viltez works to set up some pine cones, clearly excited about the whole operation. Autharyx gathers himself a pile of ammunition as well and settles in some small distance away to observe. When his host's back is turned, he quickly chucks a coffee at the back of his head, to see how good hours reflexes are. He won't be able to see it, but should be able to hear it. In the rest of the practice he aims his pine comes high and low, aiming to test the boundaries of Viltez' reach and reflexes.

[PopeAlessandros]

As he sets the last couple cones Viltez stiffens as he feels his tail jerk, he whips around just in time to see the two halves of the pine cone his guest threw rolling away in the leaf litter. 'What the. . . .But I wasn't even ready, and still it. . .' He smiles happily at Aryx before turning almost all the way back around. He can just see the other male out of the corner of his eye as he begins trying to hit the pine cones on the log. At first it just snakes over to them, tipping a few over like a curious puppy sniffing around. “No, you silly thing, you’re suppose t-” Suddenly then furry appendage whips around and knocks another thrown cone away. This time instead of cutting it the side of the blade strikes it in such a way that it goes flying back at Aryx. Viltez glances over, muttering an apology, but seeing as the cone was not hit all that accurately so it never actually was in danger of hitting the man, he goes on with the training swiftly.

'Now don't do that. I don't want him getting hurt in this. I've already been enough of a fool in this, I don't need to add being a horrible host to the list of offenses. . .' With a huff he watches his tail go back to it's old habit of just pushing them and in a moment of frustration he stomps his foot. His eyes go wide as it responds to his frustration by snapping out and knocking a handful of them aside. He smiles, watching it respond by wagging in front of him. “I need to feel, not think. . .” he muses aloud. Another cone is whipped his way and this time he catches sight of it out of the corner of his eye. Slightly startled because of how deep in thought he was he actually jumps. However, just like each time before, his tail takes care of it, splitting it in two. He chuckles, and goes back to attacking the still cones.

It isn't until one flies nearly out of reach that something different happens. Viltez just catches sight of it and wonders if it's too far for him, and like lightning his tail snaps out and. . .Grabs it. His eyes go wide as he stares at the object caught in the coils of his tail. “Umm. . . .Here.” On impulse he hols out his hand and waits. The tail hesitates for a second, but eventually it moves in close, dropping it's prize in his open palm. “Good tail. . .” he murmurs. Looking over to Aryx his face is lit up with enthusiasm. “I guess it can also grab things for me when I'm not in danger as well!” He throws the cone back and motions for Aryx to throw more, the stationary targets behind him now seemingly forgotten.

[Merule]

The fake smile on his face slowly moves into a genuine one with every cone that he throws. The game is a fun one, and not only because he gets to chuck objects at the person that alternately delights and baffles him. It looks kind of funny how Viltez becomes aware of what his tail is doing a split second after it actually happens, and Autharyx finds himself wondering what would happen if he kept aiming the pine cones a little bit farther away with every throw. He doubts it will end with his host being led around by his tail, but it's a funny image to consider regardless.

"You've got really good reflexes." Autharyx admits. Even he was kind of impressed at the way it had snatched the cone straight out of the air. That took a lot of coordination, and was a lot harder to do than simply slicing things up. Viltez still seemed to have little to no control about the appendage though, and wasn't that why they had come here?

"If you can't try to tell it what to so, perhaps it would be easier to come at it from the other side?" he suggested, thinking back to his own learning process when he had first started to walk around in his human body. It was hard to tell individual muscles what to do, but by doing things on instinct it was possible to get a feel for how the body worked and how he could influence it. Perhaps the same could be true for Viltez?

"Instead of trying to tell it what to do, see if you can feel the muscles move when it moves on its own. Perhaps if you get a bit more of a feel for it, it will be easier to move it by yourself? We know you can feel a touch on the skin, so you should be able to feel the movements as well, right?"

[PopeAlessandros]

Viltez hops from foot to foot with a goofy grin on his face at the compliment, however he regains his composure as Aryx goes on to instruct him. Planting his feet he cocks his head and listens, nodding in response. His tail comes up to rest on his shoulder, the blade settling against his chest while the bulk of it wriggles back and forth behind his back. 'I can feel when it moves, it's not li8ke it's some alien thing attached to me. . .But I get what he means. It does what it does, and because I have ignored it so long I think such little details about the feel of it have become unrecognizable to me' Holding his hand before his face the halfbreed opens and closes his hand.

'I don't think about wanting my fingers to flex and move, they just do it. I need to pick something up, so my body complies. My tail has only ever had the order to sit still and do what it wants, spending all it's time out of my conscious mind. As a child, you have to think hard to get your body to do what it wants, and with my tail, it's like I’m a child again' Closing his eyes he concentrates on the appendage. “I recognized something earlier. When I got upset, my tail struck out. When the cones were in danger of hitting me, it attacked them or knocked them away. When I was curious about my reach, it reached out and grabbed one.” He speaks in a soft voice, his breathing even and his tail falling still as he focuses on it. “It reacts, to how I feel.” A faint flush finds it way to his cheeks but he ignores it in hopes that his guest will as well.

His tail slides off his shoulder, slipping all the way to the ground where it lays limply as he calms himself down, his body relaxing and his feeling serene. 'If he takes that statement for the full extent of it's implications, he may understand why I was so embarrassed before about my tail. I know I am desperate to keep him around. Someone, anyone, whom I can be myself around is someone I feel loath to part with. And the way he teases my tail, and the way it makes me feel. . .' He cuts those thoughts off, his cheek reddening a touch more while his tail twitches. When he relaxes once more, his whole body still, he opens his eyes and smiles at Aryx. His tail comes up, slowly slithering back and forth in the air. Suddenly, out of nowhere he says, “I want to play. Let's play catch!” His tail comes up to arch over his head. “If it works off my feelings, like I think it does, we should be able to play with it acting like a third arm. He spreads his feet a little wider and holds his hands up, waiting to see if his guest will comply.

[Merule]

In his true form, Autharyx had always been aware of the impression he was making on the mortals he dealt with, and had done everything he could to shape that impression into what he wanted it to be. In this human body, however, it is getting more and more clear that it likes to act directly on his feelings, with no input from his conscious mind at all. If this is how humans do it, it is probably a good idea to let it happen, lest he be seen as 'inhuman' when he's just trying to fit in. At least, that is the excuse he gives himself when he lets a smile flit over his face with every bit of excitement Viltez shows so easily. Even when the beast man closes his eyes, the dragon still regards him with a smile that could only be described as fond.

Loath to admit it as he might be, he is rapidly getting attached to the mortal. He might be able to write it off as 'fascination', but what good is lying to yourself if you are very much aware that you are doing it? It's not like it actually matters, he tells himself as he listens idly to Viltez' musings about the workings of his tail. It's just some fleeting human emotion that comes with inhabiting such a weak form. If anything, it will help him be more convincing when he needs to be, and when it gets too tedious he'll just leave and shed the mortal coil that causes the weakness. It's not like this entire expedition will actually mean anything to him in a few decade's time, and while he's here he might as well immerse himself in his role fully, so to speak.Whatever he might feel around the half-breed, it's just his body being pesky and mortal, not something he actually needs to analyse and think about. Why bother to put thoughts into something that is probably both irrelevant and irrational?

Decision made, it is very easy for him to smile back at Viltez when he invites him to join in something he calls 'catch'. He doubts it can be more complicated than throwing and catching stuff, so he doesn't bother to ask for the specifics.

"Don't you sound confident all of a sudden?" Viltez asks, not bothering to hide the slight smirk that seems to want to be on his face. "Well, far be it from me to deny you what you want," he says, keeping his pose relaxed before suddenly aiming a pinecone at his forehead. Dragons are nothing if not competitive, and this is all still in the guise of 'training' in the end. Let's see if he can't trick that tail into slicing up some cones it ought to be catching.

[PopeAlessandros]

When Aryx mentions his sudden confidence Viltez' tail begins lashing back and forth playfully behind him as his smile widens with a nod. 'I do suddenly feel quite confident. I think figuring out this about my tail has made me want to move forward with it. I want to get better, and I'm no longer afraid. . .At least, not of my tail. . .' The half-breed is definitely curious about the sudden change, however he has little time to think about it as his guest complies with his wishes, with enthusiasm. The first cone comes at him fast but almost as if he could sense the playfulness in the stranger, Viltez is prepared for it.

Catching it with one hand he whips it back at Aryx who whips another one. This time his tail snags it before it hits him. Somewhere in the back of the mind he knows the man is aiming at him on purpose, but rather than being upset, it feels somehow comforting. 'He's testing me, my reactions. I've already shown that it will attack threats, and responds to how I feel, and I may be playful right now, but it would be nice to know it will defend me even when I'm not really sure there is danger' Just as he thinks this a cone gets split in half with a loud crack as his thoughts distract him from the actual game. With a laugh his tail slips out to pick up another cone and like a bullwhip snaps it at Aryx.

The game takes them a ways from where they started, Viltez ducking behind trees and climbing rocks to check the rang and angles. He notices that when climbing his tail moves to steady him and when his footing is unsure it acts almost like a third leg. 'It seems when I let it act naturally, and I act with it, we work together towards the ends I'm aiming for. I like that idea. . . .' Viltez laughs lightly, climbing on to a rise before returning the cone he just caught. He seems almost perfectly at ease now, no fear or nervousness behind his gaze. He doesn't know that it is the forest itself that is part of why he feels better, or that it was Aryx that facilitated it. All he knows is he feels alright, and this man is okay with him, just as he is. It is a good feeling.

[Merule]

Autharyx is... slightly miffed to find the game does not come as easy to him as it seems to do to Viltez. Where the other darts around the forest floor as if he was born to it, whipping cones back as fast as he can throw them, the dragon-turned-man actually has to pay attention where he's going. He even manages to miss a couple of cones before he is properly tunes in to the whizz of air just before they close in on him. With only two limbs at his disposal he has to work double time to keep up with Viltez' efforts.

All in all it is pretty good training, and not just for the half-breed. In order to both stay on his feet and actually catch something, Autharyx has to trust his body to get him around so he can focus his mind on anticipating the pine cones. It is not something he is accustomed to, but after a few missed catches he eases into it almost automatically. His legs seek out the best path with very little input from his conscious mind, and after a while his natural grace starts to show through in his movements. It's different from being a creature made up mostly from raw power and will, but even in this shape his core remains the same and it shines through in the sinuous movements his limbs make as they whip out to catch a cone and throw it back.

Of course, pride becomes before the fall, and it takes only a small lapse of attention for him to miss a branch half-buried in the fallen leaves. It is still slippery from the night's rain, and he regrets putting his foot down the moment his leg slides out from under him. The regret comes too late to save him, though, and Autharyx falls over with an undignified yelp, cones scattering to the forest floor as he tumbles and slides off the incline he was about to chase Viltez down.

[PopeAlessandros]

Amidst his play Viltez can not help but examine his partner. At first it is a little confusing to see him stumbling and awkwardly trying to keep his footing. 'He is a hunter. How can he be so unsure of himself? Well, I suppose he may have learned to hunt on different terrain. It is quite slippery around here. . .And I do have a couple advantages. I grew up around here, and I do have a tail that's working with me' He smiles and laughs, doing his best to not laugh directly at the fumbles. However as they continue to play, things begins changing.

Something about the way the man moves shifts and smooths out. The half-breed can not help but admire how he adapts so quickly to the new environment. There is something so strange about it at the same time however and Viltez can't quite put his finger on it. All around the birds and animals actually come to watch rather than fleeing. Almost as if they sense these two are not a threat right now. Viltez doesn't notice this of course, too intent on the game. With a chuckle he slips down the little hill he was on and whips around, ready for another cone.

However instead of a cone he instictually drops to his knees to catch the tumbling body of the man as he comes rolling down the hill. With a little “Oof!” he catches the taller male and drops onto his backside. The cones he was carrying joins Aryx's and without warning he begins laughing happily. Trying to stifle them a bit he helps his guest sit up and smiles at him in a way he's never been able to smile at anyone. Still half laughing his tail snakes out and wraps around the man's forearm as he says brightly. “Well, that was fun. Most fun I've every had really. . .” His voice trails off a bit. The thought of a simple game of catch being the most fun ever is a bit depressing, but he doesn't let it get it him, instead he looks to Aryx expectantly, wondering if he had fun too.

[Merule]

To make matters worse, Viltez actually catches him instead of jumping out of the way, and by the time Autharyx is sitting up his cheeks are stubbornly colouring pink even as his lips are drawn together in a tight line. Viltez starts laughing the moment he catches his expression, and even through the embarrassment Autharyx has to concede that he prefers that over the way the half-breed had flinched away from him earlier. His tail even sneaks around his arm, leaving the dragon unable to pull away in case he might spook his host again. At least, that's the reason he gives himself to explain why he's not immediately getting up again. At the half-breed's words, he even finds himself breaking into a small but genuine smile of his own.

"Yeah, me too," he says, sounding a bit surprised at the admission himself. "I've never really spent time with..." humans? "... other people." Of course he had always enjoyed himself well enough, not that 'fun' was a concept he was particularly acquainted with. Somehow the time he spent twisting in and out of thunderstorms wasn't quite comparable to the time he spent with Viltez. It wasn't better or worse per se, just... new. He hadn't thought there was a lot of new things for him to discover, but it turned out there was more to being human than he'd initially imagined.

He smiles at Viltez again, surprised to find the embarrassment he felt earlier had simply drained away.Perhaps this is something he can get used to. He can feel the forest around him clearer that he'd bothered to in perhaps decades, and he can feel Viltex as a warm presence against him. Did he ever feel so,,, alive in his real form? Maybe in the beginning when everything had been new to him, but the world had changed so much since then. This whole exercise in mortality had been a bit of a whim from the beginning, but it seemed to be turning out pretty well.

[PopeAlessandros]

Warming at the sight of his smile returned Viltez chuckles a little more, his own smile becoming a grin. It takes him a few seconds to realize that the man sitting between his knees is flushed, though once he does a flush comes to his own cheeks. 'He's probably embarrassed about falling and needing to be caught. He seems like a very proud man, and tumbling during a simple game must be embarrassing' Instead of pulling away though the half-breed stills and simply listens, letting his tail coil and squeeze the other's arm.

Feeling the other man's pulse beneath his fingers Viltez carefully removes his hands from his shoulders, settling them on the ground off to the sides to support their position. While he knows it should feel quite odd to have someone pressed so close, his panic stays far far away and his smile widens at his guest's words. “I guess we have that in common then. . .I may live in a village, but, I am mostly alone. . .I could never spend too much time around anyone without freaking out. . .” Stretching his shoulders Viltez looks to the sky, what little he can see of it. The place where the two of them have come to rest is clearer than most places in the forest, only a few paces away from a patch of flowers that can only grow in sunlight.

For a moment he is lost in thought. Not anything specific, just a sense of well being he's never experienced before and he mind and heart try desperately to figure out what it means, and how to keep it around. Speaking softly he says without thinking, “I wish this world were a place where children like me were able to life freely and openly. Where such stigmas did not drive us to hide ourselves. . .I wish my life on no other child, and I pray that the world will one day change.” Realizing that he's talking about his life as if it is the worse thing in to world the half-breed coughs lightly, coming to his senses. In a slightly more timid voice he adds, “Not that I hate the villagers or anything, but I have no doubts how they would react if they knew. . .Like you do. . . .”

His flush finally gets the better of him and with another cough he coaxes his tail to let go as he stands up slowly. Offering a hand to the other male he smiles warmly and tilts his head. “You have given me a great gift. I thank you for that. . . .” in the distance the wind blows, becoming only a faint rustling by the time it reaches the clearing. Fresh scents are carried on the wind and one in particular makes Viltez freeze. Like a deflating balloon the man seems to curl in on himself, his tail coiling automatically out of sight, his sharp eyes locked in the direction of the village. Taking a deeper breath he whispers, “Travelers, moving towards town through the woods. Passed not three hundred yards from here. . . .Gods I hope they didn't see me. . .” His breathing speeds up and a full blown panic seems to be building, his mind going over all the old attacks on himself when he feels that he has been foolish.

[Merule]

After the surprise wears off, Autharyx finds it easier and easier to simply relax in his host's presence. The other seems to be blushing as well, even though Autharyx can think of nothing that might be embarassing him. It might have something to do with the tail that is coiling around his arm, but Autharyx hardly minds that so he says nothing. It is... strange to hear a mortal speak about loneliness like that, as they always seemed to bunch together seen from the distance. As for himself, Autharyx has never been bothered by a lack of company. In fact, he had always preferred to have less disruptions to his existence rather than more. He supposes it is different, though, when you keep to yourself out of fear rather than out of your own descision. At least Autharyx could be relatively sure he would be able to either fight or shake off anyone that might mean him harm, but if a village were ever to turn against Viltez... Best not to think about it, really, since he seemed to be taking pretty good care of himself so far. When his host speaks again, it is with a wistful voice that has Autharyx lean in slightly without planning to. From what he had seen so far, Viltez seemed to be both liked and respected in town. If he really thought that could all change on a whim just because of the was he was born... It can't be a very comforting idea. "I understand the need to be careful, " he says as he tries to ignore the sense of loss when he pulls his tail away, "but in my experience at least, humans can be very versatile. It might be surprising just how much can be 'normal' in- What's wrong? " he cuts himself off as Viltez' whole body suddenly seems hunch in on itself. Within moments he is on his feet as well, scanning the surroundings for anything that might be a source of danger. At Viltez' words he realises the danger is not immediate, and he makes sure to let his body fall into a relaxed, none-threatening stance before turning closer to the half-breed. "Viltez," he says tentatively, unsure how to approach this. On the one hand he had chased him off before, but on the other hand the man did seem to find comfort in his touch occasionally. In the end he slowly reaches out to cup the side of his neck with a hand, mimicking the touch that he had earlier used to ground him. "Viltez, look at me, there is no one here now. It's okay. " It will be anyway. Autharyx makes sure to keep his attention on the woods around them, feeling out the air currents for any sign of an approach. If anyone is out to get Viltez, they will need to go through him first.

[PopeAlessandros]

At his side the stranger snaps to attention. A part of him deep inside wonders if he too could sense the human's presence in the distance however he dismisses this thought quickly. 'How could he know, he just another human. He doesn't have senses like mine. . . .' His breathing continues to quicken and he knows if he does not calm down, and soon, he may actually become ill. However he can not stop the images. All the horrors running through his head of what could happen to him. Travelers would often tell stories, and with his interest in places other than his little village Viltez would always listen. Unfortunately that had also given him the fuel he needed for all his nightmares. They would speak at length of some beast man or another coming into town and stealing food or something and go on to say how the people reacted. He'd even heard a few tales of half-breeds like himself who had tried to hide among humans. 'Humans feel so betrayed to find that their neighbor is not what they thought they were. I've heard of whole families burned in their homes in some of the smaller towns. The people here, in my own village, snorting with disgust over beings like me doing such things' The strangers words about how accepting people can be were not completely lost on him, but even his confidence is not enough to shake Viltez's belief that revealing himself would be the worst thing he could possibly do. He feels a small wave of shame as he hears Aryx trying to comfort him. 'Here I am suppose to be the host, but he's spent more time caring for me than I for him. . .He is such a sweet man. . .I wish the world were populated by men like him. . .' The sudden touch surprises him and he jerks slightly but he settles an instant later and looks to Aryx with wide, frightened eyes. His tongue feels like lead as he drags a reply out of his throat. “I-I know, they are far away, the forest is dense, they couldn't have seen me, not at this distance, I just. . .” His gaze drops to the ground. “I've never felt so foolish for being afraid. It's always been just my natural state. I'm always afraid, but now I. . .” He lets out a soft sigh, his tail coming up to wrap around the wrist of the hand on his neck. It squeezes tight before letting the other go and sliding over Viltez' shoulder on the other side, the blade pressing gently to his cheek. It takes a moment for the young man to realize that his tail is back out and when he does notice he looks at it with a frown. “How come you're out already?” He says softly. Then flushes as he realizes he talking to his own body part. The blade presses more firmly to his cheek before simply resting against his chest, dangling playfully from his shoulder. 'Seems my mood is improving. . .' he muses before a very small smile finds it's way to his lips and he looks back to his guest. “Sorry, I overreact sometimes. . .” His hand comes up to touch the back of Aryx's hand with his fingertips. “Thank you. . .” he murmurs softly, his eyes earnest.

[Merule]

When Viltez slowly relaxes, Autharyx feels a tension slip away from his own shoulders that he hadn't noticed until it was gone. It was a slightly disconcerting to find himself caring this much for the state of mind of another, let alone a mortal. He supposes it's just a part of pretending to be mortal, to have this body of his behave in ways that are strange and alien to his more reasonable self. It's probably perfectly normal for squishy mortal bodies to care about what happens to other squishy mortal bodies, lest they are left behind without the protection of numbers. Well, if this is to be an experiment in being a mortal, he should probably just follow along with it, right?

So he smiles when Viltez does and leaves his hand resting in the crook of his host's neck just because he enjoys the feeling of warm skin against his own. Viltez' tail comes up to curl around his shoulders, seemingly to mimic the point of contact he had created himself. Autharyx feels his smile widen on its own accord as the lethal blade presses against his cheek. See, perfectly normal contact that normal mortals shared. Well, at least if you ignore the part where apparently the tail has a mind of his own.

"There is no need to be thankful- or feel foolish for that matter. There is always sense in being cautious, and also in being fearful where it is needed." The humans that weren't at least a little fearful in his presence were always the one that ended up doing foolish things. Like trying to help themselves to his treasure or attacking him in his rest in the hope of gaining fame or fortune. Needless to say, it hadn't ended well for them. Viltez, however, has little to fear from common peasants. Even less so now that Autharyx is by his side.

"Only the foolish pride themselves on being without fear or caution. But I think that in this case it is clear that you have the advantage over farmers and traders," he says earnestly, trying to make Viltez feel better in his own, slightly misguided, way. "I have no doubts you could slay a score of them in combat should they ever be foolish enough to attack you." It feels a bit weird to compliment a mere mortal in this way, but Autharyx had seen him slice clean through pine cones as if they were made of butter. A few layers of cloth or leather will not protect their flesh for even a moment. If he were inclined to do so, Autharyx is sure Viltez would be able to defend a sizeable piece of territory.

[PopeAlessandros]

Viltez flushes, perhaps a little too much so, at the man's kind words. 'He really is such a kind person. Brushing aside my foolishness as if it is something normal, something to be expected. . .' He sighs, watching his tail play about the mans neck and shoulders like a happy snake or something. He tries to imagine how his “friends” from town to react to such a thing and shudders slightly, biting his lip. However looking back to Aryx brings back his warm smile and he gives the man a sharp nod. He feels more relaxed now and a touch of his playfulness comes back. Just as he's about to suggest they head home for dinner, perhaps making a race out of it, Aryx goes on to say a few things that make him uneasy, and a little sad.

“But, I don't want to do such things. The very idea of attacking anyone, even if they attacked me first. . .” He shakes his head, eyes dropping to the ground as his hands come up to clasp the sides of his head. His tail wilts slightly, laying dead across Aryx's shoulder like a limp rag. After a few deep breaths he looks up at the man with a strained smile. “I'm sorry Mister Aryx, I just, I don't see myself as a fighter, let alone better than everyone else. I'm a cross breed that no one wanted, and despite my skill with my hands I'm little more than a hired hand. I. . . I have no standing, anywhere. No, I'm not better. . .”

Shaking his head once again his smile becomes a little more genuine and motions off towards the general direction of his home. “Shall we go? It's getting late and I still need to grab a few things for dinner since today's hunt did not quite turn out.” He smiles, no blame on his face when it comes to the failed hunt. His tail curls carefully away from the halfbreed's guest and takes it's place once more around his waist. He knows it's a little early to put it away seeing as no one's around, but with the way it's been coming out so quickly during this trip he'd rather not take any chances.

[Merule]

Autharyx’ expression falls slightly when his host discounts his compliments out of hand. He feels as if he has committed some kind of social faux pas, but how could he have when all he did was compliment Viltez on his strength? The man said he didn’t ‘see himself as a fighter’, but would that really mean he wasn’t planning to fight if anyone were to mean him harm? The very idea seems inconceivable to Autharyx, but it does make him a bit uneasy. With all this talk about ‘not being better than anyone’, he was starting to think that Viltez might not place his own life above that of some foolish mortals who might attack him.

Luckily for him, Autharyx knows that Viltez is far more interesting than the scores of humans he’d met in his long existence. Of the two of them, surely the dragon is more qualified to judge the worth of his existence against that of another? He can’t very well tell the human that, though, so he supposed he should let it rest for now.

“I apologise if my comments caused you… discomfort,” he says as they start to walk, swallowing his pride. “I only meant to say you have shown yourself to be strong and fast, and good company besides that.” He doesn’t mention the failed hunt, as Viltez seems perfectly content to skim over it as well. It wasn’t as if her would have failed if he’d actually put some effort into it, after all.

He keeps the conversation light as they head back, talking about what to get for dinner and other unimportant mortal tidbits. It’s not as nice as running around in the forest had been, but he likes it anyway. In spite of his earlier reassurances, he notices he gets a bit more on guard as they near the village. Surely no one had seen them, but if they did it would be good to be prepared. He was paying attention to Viltez, but made sure to keep an eye on their surroundings as well, both with his natural and supernatural senses.

[PopeAlessandros]

Chuckling slightly Viltez shakes his head slightly at the dragon's words. “No, no, I. . .It's alright, I understand your sentiment, and I'm. . .I'm honored you think so much of me, especially since we've just barely met, however. . . .Perhaps I just do not see myself the same way you see me.” He smiles brightly at his companion, patting his tail to make sure it's firmly in place as they approach civilization. He enjoys the little back and forth with the man, smiling readily and for all appearances very calm. However as they cross the threshold into town his voice becomes softer, his eyes sharper, and his smile a little more guarded.

He remains visibly lighthearted as he talks to the vendors, getting a decent bit of fresh meat and a selection of sweet fruits to go with dinner. He smiles sideways at Aryx as he picks out a particularly succulent bit of fruit and tosses it to the man. Once the shopping is over he walks back to his house, his purchases held carefully in his arms. He insisted on carrying it all seeing as he's the host, and waves off any attempt to help. “Dinner will take a little while so you should eat that while it's fresh.” he murmurs, pointing at the fruit with his chin. His sense of being watched has been on high alert since they came within range of people however he manages to stay calm, concluding that his presence with someone else, someone who caused a ruckus no less, is the reason for all the staring.

Despite that he does not relax until they are back in his home, the sounds of the night closing in on the sleepy little town and the warm breeze of spring days gives way to the cool air of the night. Once inside he sets right into making the meal, his stomach almost aching at the thought of food. Looking over his shoulder he chuckles as his stomach growls audibly. “Looks like all that running around out there has worked up quite an appetite huh?” He sounds a little embarrassed at this, however moments later his tail slides out and pats his shoulder before wriggling in the direction of his guest. He chuckles again and goes back to cooking.