The sudden tap on his shoulder jolted Alexi from the near trance of his thoughts, as he suddenly became aware of the lingering sensations across his back. Pleasant reminders of ministrations he couldn't seem to remember receiving. The salve sank into his skin with a slight, somehow welcome sensation of burning, the pressures and knots where Katherine had used just a little more pressure standing out all the more... and only in a good way. It made him both welcome and regret not asking her to do more, too prudish, again? He could almost hear Charles' laughter from here, the thought causing him to shake his own head in amused self-pity.

"Thank you, I'll do just that."

Donning his shirt again, Alexi moved to grab the jar start moving for his pack... to find his mind wandering yet again. This time in concern, over a previous thought that only now struck him as odd. He didn't recall Katherine applying the lotion to his back? How could he not? Strange, strange, what had he been thinking about, to have completely missed that? Not his work, unfortunately, so then, what h... wait...

He paused at his pack, fingers poised to reach for his tablet, but gaze drifting elsewhere. Away from the work he had been planning to do, away from the thoughts he had been focusing on, attention and eyes found themselves pulled away from the camp entirely. Away from the warming glow of the firelight, away from Katherine as she tended to her armor, away from their tents and the clearing and everything that might keep him safe. He was drawn away from it all, towards the dancing, flickering emerald firelights that had returned, peeking from behind the trees. They shivered in his sight, darting away, yet creeping back as soon as he began to look away. 

It was an endearing sight, shy little flames that seemed to beckon him closer. Strange sights, but seeming only friendly to his entranced eyes. It might take his mind of the troubles of this journey, if he got to watch the firelights dance...

So Alexi placed the jar carefully down by the entrance to his tent, and wandered quietly away. In his eyes there reflected nothing but green, unnatural fire, as his every step moved him closer to the dancing wisps that had ensnared him.