[The Everstone Forest] Hard Sunshine [Xnnn]

[Tarn]

"And... I guess that means that it's okay to eat." Tarn said with a shrug as he polished what he could of the apple's fresh skin on the fabric of his pants and took a bite of it. The last time that Tarn had eaten an apple was beyond his memories reach, and the sweet tartiness of the apple, coupled with the overflowing juice from that one bite made him smile as he looked down to where Xnnn had just been. He frowned as he saw the end of the cat's body disappear down some brush and then disappear completely. Maybe that was all the cat wanted to do for the human, to show him food and then bound back to where he belonged - in the middle of these windlands that would probably soon get the best of Tarn. He reached out and grabbed a few more of the apples from the trees low hanging branches, throwing away the few that looked like they had already invited bugs and other birds to dine on their succulent flesh. The one apple that he had in his mouth was gone within minutes and another took its place just as fast. Tarn wasn't aware of any creatures that were attracted to fires, so he thought it would be perfectly safe for him to start one with the few dead apple tree branches that he saw as he plucked apples from them. With enough to start a small fire, along with some dry grass and dead and crunchy leaves, Tarn set up pulling out the simple flint and steel from his pocket that he managed to keep of his personal belongings. The sharper and more deadly dagger that he had been forced to use on occasion was still safe in Sunberth, and it would have to remain there until Tarn could get back into the city and reclaim what little possessions were actually his, and not something that he had stolen. In the absence of the wounded cat, Tarn managed to start a little fire that he would soon need for warmth as the sun was starting to set in the distance. He looked around his surroundings and was more or less satisfied with where he would camp out, just disappointed that he had nothing to keep himself warm. Maybe if that cat came back it would somehow lend Tarn his warm fur coat... As he was setting more of the branches on the fire he saw the cougar return with a bloody muzzle and a rabbit in his jaws. It set it down by the fire and down by Tarn and he looked back to it curiously - the marks in his body, the dead expression of its face, and those deep brown eyes of the cat that were looking back to Tarn. "Look what you caught there, a good snack. Much better than apples. I don't think putting apples over the fire would make them taste any better." With the rabbit on the ground, Xnnn nudged it over with his wet muzzle and kept his eyes on Tarn as if expecting him to take it. "Mine?" Tarn said, a little surprised that the cougar actually took the time and effort to hunt for the human. He reached out for the rabbit and pulled out a tiny knife that he kept tied with the flint and steel - small enough to be of use, but not big enough to cause any damage if Tarn found himself in a fight. "Well thanks, cat. My stomach and I appreciate it." Tarn got to quick work with the rabbit and skinned it and gutted it, tossing them to the side over by Xnnn's face. He was too busy to notice that the cougar enjoyed the little snack as Tarn was busy getting the rabbit skewered on some thick and sturdy branches and making something so that it could cook over the heat of the fire without burning in the flame. "I take it as a cat you can't talk back to me, can you?" Tarn said as he looked over to Xnnn and noticed the feline laying on the ground, obviously exhausted from the day. He didn't notice any new wounds on his body and those that were there seemed to be holding in place just fine. "Well I guess it'll be a cold night for both of us when the time comes. At least you've got your fur." Tarn said with a smirk as he patted his bare and hairless chest. "I'd make for poor company in this forest if I stay here more than necessary. Unless I get some nice little roof over my head and a warm blanket for the night, be prepared for some shivering and human whining..."

[Xnnn]

As the man cooked the rabbit over the open flame, Xnnn lay quietly, listening to the guy talk. In his kelvic form, he could understand most of what the man intended, though not quite in the same way as one human listening to another. Perhaps its was a leftover from his time with the Zith, but Xnn was much more in tune with sounds and tones and pauses than he was with the common vocabulary. In any event, it mattered little enough. Whatever happened now, they weren’t really going anywhere that night. Xnnn was cognizant of the fact that a human out here in the wild lands was not going to have an easy time of it – not as unequipped as Tarn so obviously was. A fire, a little food, and that was about all he was going to have to get him through the night. When the marmot was cooked to Tarn’s satisfaction – or at least some semblance thereof – the man ate, offering a portion to the cougar. But Xnnn was quite used to surviving on very little at this point, and simply turned his head away. Full night had fallen, and with it the temperature. As Tarn finished up the little rodent, and sat hunched up close to the fire, with arms wrapped around legs, Xnnn finally approached. There was little he could do for the human, but he pawed at him gently, and pushed against him with his head. Soon enough, Tarn got the message and lay down on his side, curled up in a ball as much as he could. Xnnn then lay wrapped around him, his furry belly pressed to Tarn’s back. It didn’t take long for the man to turn over and bury his face against the cougar’s chest, his arms tucked up against that warmth. Lucky for Tarn, fall was still around the corner and frost was not a worry. Exhausted, Xnnn rested his chin on the top of the man’s head, and dozed off.

[Tarn]

The rabbit wasn't the best meat Tarn had in his life, but it sated the hunger that he felt in his belly and the fire managed to keep him warm. As the fire died in front of him, the cold around the fire started to creep up and settled in Tarn's bones and acting nothing more than on instinct Tarn curled himself up to try and save his body heat. He no longer had anything to say to the cougar as it was more than content by itself, refusing the food and just resting and trying to recuperate. Tarn couldn't blame it based on the battle with the cougar that had happened just that afternoon. He looked over to the cougar oddly as it got up and started to move him around. Tarn was not really in the mood to try and fight whatever the Kelvic beast had in mind and thus rolled with whatever he wanted to do. Tarn was surprised and very comforted by the feline's heat as he laid right up to it as if his life depended on it. As much as Tarn hated to admit it, it wasn't that comforting to have just his back warmed and he slowly and reluctantly turned to face the cougar's body, his face resting against the scruffy fur of his chest. The big cougar arms wrapped around him in response and he rested his head right over that of Tarn's. He gave a little chuckle as he pulled one of the arms away from his bare chest and patted the cougar's side. "Heh, good night Xnnn. Thanks for, uh, keeping me warm..." Tarn was struggling to keep himself from shivering, but he managed to keep his body curled up and pressed against the furry cougar's body. He never had a teddy bear as a kid, but he imagined that it would be something like this. As that thought crossed Tarn's mind he was reminded that the cougar around him was far from a friendly and harmless stuff animal as he felt the hint of sharp claws against part of his back as the cougar hugged him back. For the first time in a long time, Tarn felt absolutely safe as he fell asleep wrapped up against Xnnn's warm and furry body.