Welcome to Gaia! ::

Jhin found himself twisting his head back and forth, his neck popping with the movement. The wind earthling’s whole body ached but thankfully nothing major had been injured during yesterday’s fight. After helping the sleeping hybrid into his own bed, Jhin had spent the night in his Aunt’s room since she was away on business and as soon as he hit the mattress the man passed out. Thankfully he managed to wake up with the sun and after peeking into the other bedroom, Jhin found his guest still sleeping peacefully. The ranger paused for a second, his aqua gaze lingering over the hybrid with concern. At least she seemed to be sleeping without pain, an improvement from yesterday evening when he had been helping the healer wipe down her forehead with a damp cloth to fight the fever and helping to get medicine into her system. For someone who had been so full of gusto yesterday when fighting alongside of him she seemed so delicate now. Jhin’s expression softened at the thought before he realized he was staring and with a flush the wind earthling had darted away towards the kitchen.

The healer said she would need this set of herbs to help with the leg. Jhin reflected on everything he had gone through yesterday as he shifted through the cabinets and came out with a ceramic mug and hot water. Thankfully the rest of the rangers had managed to drive away the bandits and the merchants had recovered what they could before getting new wagons and safely returning to their journey. The hybrid woman in his room had been a passenger so Jhin had offered to take care of her while the rest continued on with their trip. There was no patience with merchants most days after all, especially not with winter looming on the horizon. Now he found himself almost in disbelief at the whole situation even as he turned the corner and slowly approached the room with a tray of tea and some breakfast for them both. “I see you’re awake.” He began quietly as he lifted the tray as an offering. “Feeling hungry?”

[Jhin 1]

Jhin smiled as he watched her take the tea. “I slept fine. This isn’t the only bed in the house so you don’t have to worry.” He promised as he shifted a few steps closer and glanced towards the edge of the bed. “Do you mind if I take a seat?” He asked finally as he brought over a small table and propped the wooden tray on top of it. It was far easier to eat in here than worry about how to get her into the kitchen. The healer had instructed him to try and keep her off of the foot for a full week or so before trying anything. She had shattered it when she helped distract the bandits from hitting the merchants, something which should have been his responsibility and yet she had gotten injured aiding him during the fight. Needless to say, Jhin felt guilty and did not hesitate to volunteer to help take care of the artisan while she recovered in their village.

[Jhin 2]

“Fair.” Jhin had to raise a hand to cover his grin at the expression the hybrid made whenever she tasted the medicine. If it was anything like his own herbal tea this morning then it was surely bitter with some strange citric tang added to the mix. The ranger carefully walked around so that he could sit at the edge of the bed, his attention turning to the bread and fruits on the tray. “I cut the apples so that they would be easier to eat. They’re crisp and native to the forest, one of the best orchards hidden from the rest of the world.” Jhin admitted as he offered a piece towards the hybrid with a small smile, “And if anything I’m the one who should apologize because if I had handled things better then you should have never gotten hurt. It’s only right that I offer shelter for someone who took a blow for me.”

[Jhin 3]

Amusement danced across Jhin’s expression at the stubbornness of the hybrid woman. “I suppose you could at least tell me your name then.” He teased as he plucked a piece of the apple for himself. “You probably heard that mine is Jhin, but I never got the chance to actually introduce myself. I’m a ranger here at Valhein, the ranger’s village.” It was the name of the encampment hidden deep within the ancient forest where they had settled to guard nature and man alike. The trees reached high to the heavens and even their homes had been built into the bases and up in the limbs of the twisting giants, rope bridges connecting the community living in the upper foliage with ladders leading to those nestled below in the roots. Jhin’s own home shared with his Aunt had two levels as it stretched upwards into the tree and it was why he had opted to give the hybrid his room as it was on the lower level instead of the upper area where he had spent the night.

His amused expression shifted as the woman asked about the fight but despite his sorrow Jhin nodded his head. “This time everyone made it out safely. Not so much the bandits but the rangers took care of everyone. The merchants left yesterday afternoon as soon as they received new wagons, most of the injured opted to travel along with them towards the next city since they weren’t as injured as you.” Not a surprise considering how most had fled from the scene or hid nearby during the skirmish with only a couple, including the hybrid fighting alongside the rangers.

[Jhin 4]

“Good to know.” Replied Jhin with a small smile of his own. “I would be ashamed to not know a fellow ranger, especially someone that stood out like you.” Jhin caught his own words with a slight cough, his gaze brightening as he quickly added. “After all, who else could swing a plank of wood around like that? It’s a very unique weapon choice.” Despite all of the pain and frustrations from yesterday there were some amusing aspects to the whole situation. At least now they could laugh about it, something which honestly surprised Jhin when lately he had been more somber than anything else.

[Jhin 5]

Amusement crossed Jhin’s expression but he didn’t protest as the last of the food was taken away. “If you need more I can always return to the kitchen.” He commented with a small smile, “I don’t mind especially since you’ll probably be stuck here for another day or two while that ankle heals up.” Just speaking about her injury made his expression shift again. Why hadn’t he protected her better? Even if everyone had managed to escape with their lives so many had been injured and the ranger couldn’t help the frustration that knotted his heart. So many lives forfeit because of the greed of men. The rangers would accept those in need but the bandits simply wanted gold without morals. His distracted gaze flickered back towards the hybrid and he found himself nodding. “Yes. The forest is so old that we don’t know when the first rangers came here, but the locals rely on us to help keep thieves and the like from stopping merchants that are trying to bring supplies to town.”

A sigh left his lips. “Unfortunately for you the caravan that you joined didn’t want to wait for a band of us to scout the main road first.” Jhin gave a shrug even though his frustrations were obvious. “Yet because of their haste now they are a whole day delayed and you’re even worse off with a shattered ankle that will take a week or more to heal depending on how your body reacts to the healer’s treatments. Fools will be fools.”

[Jhin 6]

“Oh? I suppose I’ll keep that in mind then when you can walk later.” Replied Jhin without missing a beat. He had seen the ocean and desert when he was traveling with his father before becoming a ranger and there was a pang of nostalgia as he imagined seeing them again. Had he simply been in the forest for too long or was there something else making him think about enjoying such sights?

Jhin almost felt deflated as Kyril dismissed the caravan so easily. If only he could be that forgiving, but such things were beyond him after the loss of several rangers. “If others could learn from it for the future then I’ll gladly be angry.” He admitted before her hiss of pain had him moving forward, his hands hovering above her leg that was wrapped in bandages and resting on top of the heavy quilts. The colorfully patterned quilts were half folded to give her some height revealing the plain sheets beneath, the piles of pillows taken from his aunt’s bed to give her even more support. “May I help?” He asked while glancing towards Kyril and waiting on her permission.

[Jhin 7]