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A'Hallei scrubbed his dishes in silence, listening to the splashing as his companion bathed, and of the creek tumbling over the rocks. His long ears picked up the songs of the birds in the trees, of the skitterish noises of the leaves in the underbrush, and the groan of old trees in the wind. Underneath it all, he heard the subdued murmer of the voices in his mind, placated momentarily by the serenity and the task at hand. He was glad he tied up his hair earlier, as the bun kept the long strands free of his face and hands, something important while working. He'd nearly pulled his own scalp off numerous times after sitting up rapidly during the night to realise he'd been laying on his hair, or stepping on it, or god forbid, having it become snagged and hopelessly entangled.

A'Hallei tsked in irritation before he realized he hadn't been watching to make sure Catzi was all right, still cognant and concious despite her injuries. She had long hair as well, well kept hair. Luminous green eyes glanced up and caught her form and very little could prove to tear them away.

She was, he surmised, watching a fish. Her side to him, he could see the long waves of hair cascade like an auburn waterfall over her shoulders, brought to life by the droplets catching the light and bouncing it off, as if she had woven sequins in those locks. Motionless for a while, her eyes cast to the creek waters, he looked her over, examining her body for other wounds he had not detected before.
She facinated him.

The crooked fork dislodged from his hands and sunk to the violet creek bed, diverting his attention back to the task at hand. He had washed that morning, and his hair already was fully dried. He had little desire to repeat the experience so soon.
He whipped the dishes in the air to fling the water droplets from them and headed upstream to sit on the bank and wait for his companion to finish. His eyes were in the canopy, drawn to the shifting greens that molded light and shadows into different shapes. He could watch this for hours, just to lose himself in the shapes and leave everyone and everything else behind.

A'Hallei heard the laughter somewhere far away. It barely penetrated the haze of his thoughts, nor at first did it register in the eyes transfixed on the foliage above him. He sat on his knees, sunken into a rather diminuative posture. Dappled in the light here, he seemed smaller somehow, and incurably alone, even when in the company of another. Inside, the pale boy was lost, as though someone switched a fog machine on in his brain. Everything swam in and out of focus, and something like the dappled pattern of leaves ahead took on an entirely new meaning.

A cough, unlike the sharp rasp of before. Slowly, he turned to hear it better, eyes still focused far away. As she spoke, awareness crept in on him again, bringing back his luminous green gaze into sharp alert focus. He stared at her, resembling aphrodite with her hair about her.
"Do you happen to have something I could wear while my clothes dry?" She asked, and he wondered briefly if it was to spare him some decency, or if she was getting cold from the way it was heading into the evening.

The ghostly boy unfolded his long limbs from the position he was in and scooped up the nearby blanket in a single motion. He unfolded the legnth of it as he approached, before winging it around, letting it flare out like a matador's cape before settling it protectively over her shoulders. The blanket soaked the moisture beading off of her like a sponge. He gave her arms a light squeaze and the faintest of shy smiles before backing away respectfully.
"A'Hallei likes Catzi's voice." He said quietly, scooping up her wet clothes. It would be easier to hang them to dry on low lying tree branches here, but that would mean she would have to remain err...exposed away from the caves for a while. Not that A'Hallei expected any other visitors.

He nodded in agreement to her request and continued to back up, before turning to return to the quartz caves. He slowly wrung her clothes in his bare hands, tightening the white grip on the garments in much the same way his claws so easily closed over the necks of those who so unfortunately found cause to distress him. As this thought took him, another cropped up. Would A'Hallei have killed someone who had hurt Makenna? If his mind had not snapped back into focus, would he have strangled fully the man before the store? If the woman who fell into his cave had been any other, would he have ended her life as swiftly as she entered his? The answer came with frightening truth. Yes.

He stopped short, suddenly, limbs mysteriously unresponsive. Inside himself, a young child's voice wailed in distress, but the only outward sign was the complete paralyzation of his body that lasted but a single moment, almost too short to notice.

"Vulnerabilities." A'Hallei growled dangerously low, a warning to his body to keep moving. Death did not bother him. Or, it should not bother him. Everyone died, it was simply a matter of when. Only, the latter two deaths would hold no meaning for him, no purpose or reason. The first was sufficent reasoning, up until a few days ago. Would he have killed for Makenna? Yes. Would he do it for someone in the future? Perhaps. It all depended on who wanted him to, and whether or not it was an accident.
Like murder was ever an accident.

Any tighter a grip on the clothes and he would have twisted them so far as to rip.

He stopped to ensure Catzi was keeping up, his mind shifted to the present task at hand. He released the death grip on the garment and shook it out to hang in his hands. He waited for her to catch up before continuing. The trip back to the caves was uneventful afterward, and some innovative use of the shelves in the caves ensured his companion's clothes would hang in the wind that wisked in front of the cave. His fire was but embers now. He turned to the lovely woman who fell into his company earlier that day.

"As the dawn breaks, Catzi will be escorted to forest's edge or closest to residence." His duty would be obligated and he would return back to his quartz haven in the woods with no one the wiser to his whereabouts.

Nakshidil slid through the woods, sighing. It had been a long time since she'd had so much time to herself. It was pleasant to be able to relax. The teenager's hair was plaited neatly, falling down her body in ebony waves, and her eyes were shut. She moved slowly, feeling for each step before moving. She wanted to try and find her way back to her favorite spot, but she knew already that she was lost. Horribly lost.

A branch cracked underfoot, and she opened her eyes finally, giving up. Forest green eyes took in the area, trying to place everything. The sun could barely be seen through the thick canopy, so that the shadows played games with the mind. It was so dark.

And so alive. Everything around her had a life of its own that she missed. She moved deeper into the forest, in a direction that looked... well... like it went somewhere? She couldn't tell you which way she had come from. She was moving, and something caught her eye. A silver-white lump? She moved closer, curious, trying not to make too much noise.

Nakshidil made a soft noise. Tried to bring the lumps attention to her. It looked like a human, but she could hardly remember someone so pale... Well, Mekt, but he didn't have such long silver hair. She slipped to her knees, a bit away from the creature. "Hello?"

Nakshidil's green eyes went wide with awe as she saw him move. He moved like an animal, graceful. She kept still, unthreatening. The other's voice was soft. Low. "It is dangerous." she agreed. "I got lost. I'm trying to find my way out. I was being silly. Then I saw you. You weren't moving."

Eerie familiarity. She knew this man. -KNEW- him. A shadow from her childhood? "My name is Nakshidil. Nakkie. Who are you?"

Nakshidil stood slowly, becoming uncomfortable in her crouch. "A'Hallei." she repeated. She recognized the name. "You are one of Dian's adoptees?" she asked, curious. She'd heard stories of him. When she saw the cub, her eyes widened. "So cute!" she whispered. "Can I see?" she asked, holding out her arms. Caution was flung to the wind, the sight of the cub being her undoing. She didn't even hear his invitation to lead her out.

When the man-boy jumped from the trees, Nakshidil gasped in surprise. Her eyes landed on the kitten and she melted, holding out her hand carefully. Let the kitten come to her. "Yes." she said, looking up at the tall teenager. "Infi is my mother."