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[center][i]The Western Woods[/i][/center]
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Across town and a few stone's throws past, a figure slunk along with ease. He climbed over intrusive boulders and slipped under fallen logs. Despite a tall build, he carried himself with a surprising amount of precision. A lifetime of weaving in and out of marketplaces and, later, university halls had left him quite agile even in his mid-thirties. It was hard to believe even with the amount of processing he had done recently that in a few short days he would be placed officially, irreversibly, against his personal wishes in the midst of his thirties. He wondered now if his impending birthday had been why he spent most of the past season wandering about the woods. There had been very few injuries or illnesses thus far. The only other options for him were to drink or be stuck alone with his thoughts, and neither seemed like a healthy way to cope - especially at his age.

A satchel slung over his shoulder held the spoils of this voyage - herbs that could be crushed into poultices and applied should the luck of Hillhaven's residents begin to wear out. Baylen had been gone for some time now - he'd left his front door just as the first rays of sun were filling the main street and leaking into the residences of his neighbors. Perhaps he ought to head back in case one of his fellow pioneers needed him at this hour, or maybe he had finally decided that this whole woodsman act would soon render him unapproachable and melancholy to his neighbors. Hefting the satchel further up on his shoulder for security, he turned himself around and began the voyage back to Hillhaven.

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[center][i]Hillhaven Main Road[/i][/center]
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He stepped up on his front porch and quickly looked about the main street of Hillhaven for any signs of activity before slipping through his front door and into the building he had made his home. By most standards, it was quite cozy. A front sitting area boasted a sturdy fireplace and hand-crafted wooden furniture. Quilts and cushions served as upholstery and made the room feel even warmer.

To the side of the room was his office, and off the back of the room was his kitchen which had a staircase that led to his private quarters. With quiet steps, he placed the satchel of herbs in his office before creeping towards the kitchen. For the past few days, a craven had been lurking about his lawn. As he worked preparing meals and potions and poultices, he would throw her a few scraps. Within the last day, she would poke at his kitchen window as though checking to see if he would pay attention to her. This morning, he'd left the window open for her, and to his joy, she'd climbed in and was eating his leftovers from breakfast which had been laid out on the counter for her before he had left.

He slowly crept into the room, and as his foot caught on a particularly creaky plank of wood in the floor, she looked up suddenly and flinched. Baylen and the craven held each other's gaze for a moment before she cried out and took flight. Baylen rushed forward as she struggled to find her way out of the room, knocking pots and pans and utensils out of her way as she screeched at him. With his hands in front of him to protect his face, he finally guided her out of the window where she cried out once more before taking flight.

[color=82ca9d]"Oh, dear,"[/color] he breathed, watching her fly off. With a sigh, he set about fixing the room. But the house felt stuffy and uncomfortable, and so he quickly grew frustrated and exited once more on to his porch. As he fixed his hair, he noticed that his mailbox had been tampered with. Securing his hair in his well-loved half-up, half-down manner, he gathered the note and opened it up. A quick read-through, and his day had been ever so slightly improved. He stuffed the letter in a breast pocket on his coat quickly as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

Vera had exited the inn at some point, but he found his gaze fixed on the Deputy and a...what was that? He caught the railing leading down from his porch as he watched the enormous lizard-like being move down the street. It was unlike anything he'd seen before, and as much as he refused to step forward and face it himself, he couldn't help but watch with fascination as the lizard-person interacted with Vera.