Her Reaction Was About The Opposite Of What He Expected, His Eyes Flicking To Her Ears As They Laid Back,

Her reaction was about the opposite of what he expected, his eyes flicking to her ears as they laid back, the motion of her tail out of the corner of his eyes, it all spoke to her...uncomfortableness. His eyes widened slightly, reeling back a step as he made a motion with his hands to apologize, realizing he might have encroached on her personal space without meaning to, his face coloring slightly as his face went from smiling, to wide eyed concern, and finally to an apologetic stare, as if trying to judge if he had offended her too much as she spoke. Thankfully, as he slowly let his hands drop slowly back to his side, her words didn't hint at too much discomfort, but her posture and reaction...the ears didn't come back up right away, and she still seemed a bit shy about having him along, her mentioning of a place earning a little "ooooo" from him.

"You have you're own place? Very nice! I'm living out of the inn in town. Always wanted my own place..." His gaze turned wistful for a moment, before refocusing on her, one ear flicking to face behind him, and stayed there as the other stayed swiveled towards her. A little smirk rose to his lips, something in her words making him smile, as he tilted his head slightly and purred out, "You assume that making sure you arrive safely at your house is not of utmost importance to me. After all, a group of distraught adventurers need your help!

"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to accompany you. I can hang back a few paces if you would prefer, or beside you." The ear facing back twitched slightly, and he shifted slightly, as if nervous, the tail feather waving in a slight breeze as Kaleh'a cleared his throat.

"Whatever you choose, I would suggest we do it quickly, because I think the brood is returning, and they don't sound pleased. I promise to not enter your house, now lets go!"

It wasn't a joke either, he could hear, just distantly, the sound of many clawed feet thudding into the ground, approaching at a pace that could only be described as rapid, and he had no intention of wasting arrows on six or seven Ziz with a vendetta against him, jumping up on the log and peering towards the noise, offering a hand to her to pull her up and over it, and hopefully away from the creatures.

Cyra had been unaware of her slight to the archer. Entirely unfamiliar with how Gridania had treated Moon Keepers, the healer was a complete stranger to it. Despite being one herself, she had no real connection to her heritage aside from dependency. Even so, her lack of experience with the real world didn't blind her from the way his voice softened afterward. She felt a sharp ache in her chest when she detected something was wrong. Her gross lack of understanding in social cues made it nigh impossible to catch her error. Perhaps this was something she needed to include in her next letter to Bryn. Most in Gridania were friendly to her, but that could have been due to the favors pulled to allow her residency and citizenship for the sake of keeping her past a secret.

Kaleh'a was quick to move between thoughts. From a slightly dejected demeanor, to an energy that lit up his very being was quite a change. The healer hadn't met someone yet who has quite such enthusiasm as he did, even between conflicting emotions. The way he stepped forward had her on edge. The friendly, yet energetic flick of his tail, had her ears angling back in discomfort. There was only one person she had ever really gotten that close with willingly, and getting comfortable around strangers would take a lot of time. Still, she knew she would need to bear it a little longer.

"I have no prior obligations to fulfill." She said slowly.

"I would need but a moment to return home to change into more appropriate attire for the services to be rendered. If you have nothing better to do, you're welcome to accompany me..." She paused, feeling a bit of shame before continuing. "Though, I must ask you to wait outside as I haven't quite finished polishing up the interior of my cabin. The walls are still in need of repair." Her face flushed.

Most of the work that needed to be done on her new home was something she fully intended to do herself. There was nothing wrong with having some help, but this was her safe place to get away from the constant din of the public space. Having little experience in social events almost always left her exhausted and in need of isolation. Despite how much she wanted to invest in the convention of having friendships with others, the uncertainty scared her. In the back of her mind, she half hoped he wouldn't want to join her on her way back to her cabin. But, as most had quite a few curious inquiries about her history, she knew it was unlikely. Besides, his excitement in her question was a good indicator of his motivations.

Straightening, a small turn of his lips upwards giving him a friendly smirk, he purred out in genuine mirth, "Very nice to meet you Cyra! You have a pretty, and fitting name." He rolled his shoulders, reseating his quiver on his back as he glanced around, eyes falling on the Ziz at their feet before he stepped towards it, crouching down. "Hmm, I need to bring something back as proof of the kill... Ah! That will do!"

He shimmied around the large beast on his haunches, reaching to his left hip with his right hand and pulling out a long bladed dagger, spinning it in his hand before gripping it in a straight grip, his left hand reaching out and grabbing the blue-back's tail and lifting it slightly. His knife came down on the tail, or really its tail's feathers, before beginning to saw at it as he glanced up at her. "You know, I don't have much else going on today. I'd be happy to hang around, help you gather whatever you need and keep a lookout for more monsters. I don't want a kind White Mage to fall victim to a wound she can't heal. Aha--got it!"

It didn't take him long to saw through the longest, and largest, feather on the bird-raptor's tail, snapping it off and holding up the Ziz's most prized possession, it's longest, and widest feather. The hierarchy among the raptor-birds and especially the alphas were decided by the length of their tail and back feathers. Holding it up triumphantly, he pulled out a bandage from his other pocket and wrapped the bloody stump up before lifting it and sticking it into his quiver, the long feather not too out of place as he rose back to his feet and turned to Cyra again.

"I don't want to intrude, of course, but if you want a little extra assurance, I could help with that." His blue eyes met hers, holding her gaze as he extended the offer, the feather in his quiver, slowly starting to tilt forward...and making itself known by flopping over his hat and into his vision, the archer letting out a little noise of surprise and batting it back of his head and shoulder, pushing it until it bent the other way and he ordered it, "Stay!"

Realizing she had probably seen all of that, he cleared his throat and offered weakly, "I promise I am not always carrying around a giant feather and getting distracted by it..."

"It's just as well." She answered.

Cyra wasn't much of a professional hunter, nor did she have the skill with a knife for breaking down a carcass, but she at least knew how to pluck feathers for quills. With some metal tips still waiting in her writing set at her new home, she could do with a few feathers to help liven the place with some color. Her distraction of thinking of her needs almost caused her to miss the next bit of conversation. Her gaze snapped back up from the corpse to her company at the mention of this creature's victims.

"Thankfully, no more will come to harm from the beast." She agreed. His laugh certainly caught her attention. One ear had been consistently trained on him regardless of what direction she turned her head. "Well they've already done a number to the skin on my arms. Comes as no surprise should my fingers be next, as most plants would view my hands as weapons lately. Thankfully, the Elementals were kind enough to grant me permission as long as I take no more than I need." She had a habit of chatting nervously when it came to conversation. Sometimes she was quiet, but others she could chatter on about anything that crossed her mind.

Socializing would be good for me...at least, that's what he would want me to do. I see no point in it. She thought.

The mention of her sudden appearance in the Shroud caught her off guard. It's true that she had spent more time in study in the last year or two in an effort to make herself useful. This was the first time she had actually ventured out on her own without her usual trappings. Normally her head would have been covered by a hood. Unsure of what company she might come across she deemed it best to hide as much of her face as she could. The clear brand across her eyes was bound to be recognized by some. Yet, as of late, more have mistaken it as a mark of a Moon Keeper tribe they had yet to encounter.

"I don't know what gave you that impression." She chuckled. It was light, and airy. "The Shroud is dangerous territory to be wandering in unprepared, of course I'd carry a blade."

The gesture was something she recognized. Dipping her head gently in response to his offer of introduction was customary, at least from what she observed from others. Her eyes scanned him once more, noting the way he held himself at a more relaxed posture than before. The gentle flick of his tail giving her a sign that he meant for this to be friendly. Hers remained still in response.

"Kaleh'a, was it?" She rolled his name over in hear head. Familiarizing herself with it's sound before returning the favor.

"Cyra Lunastra. White Mage, at your service." She blinked slowly as she replied with a bow of her own.

Bear with me as I learn how posts work. Thanks @voidtouched-blue for the help, as always.

13th-dragon-prince -- [Prior]

[...]Other beings never really sat close like this for him to touch, or at least they would be in such a way to pull away in some preset warning from the Ashfoot had given. She knew he would not cause harm on purpose, she trusted him that much; but even he had to admit the skin of Eorzeans was much more frail than those from Eljth’s home. “Bryn has broken before?” It was a half question, half statement, leaning back again to look up to his handler with a turn to watch the way that strong jaw tensed at the motion, for what reason the gecko didn’t place, but he listened nonetheless to his query, as if waiting for a story.

︻デ═一・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

Riding a chocobo was practically second nature to Bryn, both from cavalry charges, he had supported and his own personal training on one, to learn how to shoot accurately on top of a moving mount. The up and down gait the beast had was matched by simple shifts in his legs, his core, and rising with the motion rather than against it. What he was not used to was having a co-rider. It wasn't as easy as one might think, but it wasn't exactly difficult either. Whillow was well and truly anchored to the bird via tail around Bryn and weight via gravity, the appendage wrapped fully around the soldier and reaching up to his shoulder, a shiver shooting through him at the feeling. It was oddly interesting to see all of Whill's arms and legs and yet still feel him there too. It took him a few minutes to get used to it, the way it shifted and tightened with the bounces, keeping its owner steady, as Bryn steered the chocobo onwards.

There was, at first, a bit of an amused smile on Bryn's lips as the half-lizard's head darted around, ears flicking back and forth at sounds, and clearly engrossed in listening for anything that could be of interest. Bryn left him to it, relying more on his sight than the enhanced senses Whill clearly had with pointed ears and scaled body, eyes narrowing at one point as he saw a large toad, but it paid them no mind as they rode past and he noticed Whill growing bored.

It was...unique, the way the soldier knew when Whill's attention changed. The slouch of his shoulders, the leaning back into him becoming more pronounced, and those silver eyes no longer looking out, but down. All of it was felt, not seen, as his eyes remained on the path they took, his mind idly wondering what the gecko was so interested in--ah, that's what.

The touch along his hands gripping the rings, soft but scaled, sent a shiver through his body as his lift hand instinctively released the reigns, his palm resting face up on Whill's thigh as he explored it, letting him trace, poke, prod as he tried not to think too hard on it. Personal space or no, this was...different, and he was not going to react to it and give that away. His hand closed lightly around Whill's at one point, feeling those claws dig slightly at his skin, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to feel it prickle as he tugged the chocobo's reigns and set it on the last turn of the journey, heading slightly down hill and towards a wide body of water, a tower sticking up from the middle of it.

He recognized curiosity in the Au Ra, and he was fine to satisfy it. So Bryn let him poke and prod, a soft grunt at the feeling of the claw pushing dangerously close to breaking skin, and focused on the ride until a head of soft hair leaned back against him and silver eyes looked up expectantly with a question.

So many different meanings from such a simply worded question, and it actually had Bryn looking down in surprise. What had he meant by that? Could he somehow tell, from just poking and prodding at his hand, that bones had broken at some point in his body? Did he mean it in a more emotional sense, rumors about Au Ra's ability to read aetheric currents coming to mind? Or did he mean...could he tell...

His hand closed around Whill's again, giving it a firm, strong squeeze, as he rumbled out with each bounce, "Yes. I have broken. Bones have broken. Skin has broken. Rubbed raw, damaged, scarred. But each time I got stronger. Each time I added armor. Not to my body...but to my mind, my heart, my soul." His silver gaze flared as something rose and flashed through the window of his eyes, his mouth opening as if to say more, before snapping closed and looking up, nodding to the lake.

"We are here." He tugged at Featherflame's reigns, the bird slowing and stopping just before the water's edge, the lake stretching out before them with a small, rapidly constructed bridge stretching out towards the spire sticking out of its middle, Bryn going to dismount and realizing he couldn't, not without unseating Whillow in the process, choosing to instead wait for him to get down first, meeting his gaze for a moment with calmer eyes. "Has anyone ever told you, Whillow, that you have an uncanny sense of perception?"

He waited a moment longer, and then deciding he hadn't really answered the question, held up his left hand, palm facing Whill, for him to look at as he said with a hint of amusement, "Featherflame broke this hand." The chocobo chirped in agreement, like she didn't regret it in the slightest, as Bryn snorted back at her. "I doubt she meant to, but I was young. Dumb. Wrapped my non-dominant hand in the leather and she bolted. Dragged me along, broke two fingers, and fractured my wrist. I was lucky." He paused again, letting him look as he turned his wrist, rotated it, showing there was still full range of motion, until he sighed and muttered, "But that isn't what you meant, was it?"

Abusive plots;

13th-dragon-prince -- [Prior]

[...]But there was still a sense of trust within it. Punctuated by the way Whillow smiling unapologetically to the man as he rested his head back, throat bared to the moment. “Bryn shall go!” He promised to himself to do what he could to play nice in conversation in good behaviour for the mystery, his understanding of words much better than his ability to pronounce them.

︻デ═一・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

When Bryn saw Whillow take a step back and crouch, his eyes widened, brows furrowed, and mouth opened, about to tell him to wait a moment, to not try and leap onto the chocobo, but he didn't get the chance.

The gecko leapt, grabbed the rider's coat, and hauled himself up, scrambling over his thighs as Bryn let out a little astonished sound, the claws raised at least, not even snagging as the soldier clenched his legs around Featherflame a little tighter, ensuring he wouldn't be unseated again by his rambunctious charge, finding him in his lap again sitting cross legged, the tail that wrapped around him for balance causing him to look down at it as he lifted his arms and made sure it was in a good spot. Slowly, he dropped his arms with a bewildered grunt and shook his head slowly, realizing it would be pointless to explain to Whill that he would bounce with each step the chocobo took, bounce back against Bryn, the grinning face looking up at him from chest height met amused silver as he leaned forward.

His arms slipped around Whillow, his hands taking the reigns and resting at the saddle horn, or really on scaled legs since they were crossed over it, the comment about no claws earning a snort from rider and shake of the head from mount, a slight ruffle of feathers as Bryn translated, "Featherflame appreciates that."

He didn't correct his pronunciation, the word clear enough, and for Bryn, in a non-combat situation, that was plenty. Now if Whill ever fought beside him... Sergeant Brynhorn Fiske would make sure he could at least pronounce yes, Sir, enemy, and the cardinal directions. Maybe even the hand motions for them.

His arms, wanting to go to the normal riding position he took, brushed lightly against the sides of Whill, left hand releasing the reigns and for a moment dropping down, finding just scaled leg there and remembering he had strapped his rifle to the side, before retaking it and resting both fists on Whill's calves. Or where he guessed they should be. Hard to tell with scales instead of just skin and muscle.

Bryn's breath stuttered for a second again as Whill wiggled back against him, the tightening of his tail around his waist felt just as acutely, his breath drawn slowly through his nose before he let it out in a huff that inadvertently mussed the long, dark hair of his riding companion.

A part of him recognized the trust Whillow showed him, the tilt of his neck, the way he wasn't as guarded around him, the comfortableness he showed. It was so...jarring. Not in a bad way but for Bryn...

Trust didn't come easy. Sympathy, or understanding, yes. Trust was built. Trust was earned. Even if it meant ignoring that instinct within him that said he could trust the obviously excited warrior.

The air pat let him focus, fully, and his left leg nudged Featherflame with the heel of his boot, his tongue clicking against his teeth twice, and his mount let out a happy noise and began to move, an easy jogging gait that had them moving at the equivalent of a run towards their destination, Bryn's arms and Whill's tail keeping them both in place as simple tugs at the reigns had his trusty chocobo turning this way or that, each step bouncing the two rider's slightly as Featherflame didn't seem to care in the slightest about the extra weight.

As soon as it began, he knew it was going to be an interesting ride.