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[sub][color=8E939E]✧     Location: Snakeburrow Woods     ✧     Purse: 12 copper     ✧      [@Achronum]     ✧[/color][/sub][/center]
Cerric’s response was… strange. Or rather, perhaps it was how Kyreth took it that was strange. It started out comforting; he wasn’t burdening Cerric with his presence on this trip, that was good, right? But as he went on, Kyreth’s gaze grew harder, his old shell crawling back up over him as Cerric criticized him for his efforts at politeness. 

It wasn’t much of a slight, but Kyreth felt that familiar flame of anger rise in him at Cerric’s words nonetheless. Was that really necessary? It seemed there was no pleasing these people; he did his best to conform to the world outside of his little Tainted bubble, worked so hard to be polite, considerate, not to frighten or make anyone uncomfortable, and Cerric called those efforts ‘sniveling’? Was there nothing that would make these people happy? Why even fucking bother then? 

His fingers tingled, and a flicker of the fire behind Cerric brought Kyreth back to his senses, the very flammable trees surrounding them and the very malleable fire in the camp replacing Kyreth’s anger with a touch of healthy fear. Right, he was making mountains out of mole hills anyway - no need to go seeing conflict where none existed. Surely Cerric meant well. He was hard to read, but Lord Mystralath was genuine and he trusted the man, so Kyreth would trust in his new master’s judgement, if not Cerric himself just yet. 

[color=8E939E]“...Right, good to know,”[/color] Kyreth finally replied, consciously stopping himself from apologizing again. He opened his mouth to add something more, but was stopped in his tracks by a whisper in his ear. This time, at least, he didn’t jump. 

[color=aa4a44][i]‘Hello again. Storyborn claims she’s seen the beast, following Cerric’s directions. He may be setting us up, but that’s just speculation. Stay on your guard anyway and keep your conversations about this out of earshot - or don’t, but don’t expect me to save you. Oh, and apparently it’s got a hide like armor, so plan accordingly.’[/i][/color]

He glanced around the camp at the message’s end, seeing Lilann and Ceolfric emerge from the woods behind Cerric, apparently having gone off somewhere while he was talking. Fortunately, Ceolfric wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know; Lilann must have taken him into the woods to tell him the same story she shared last night. If the brigand had any more insight on the matter, he didn’t share it. A shame; he seemed worldly, and Kyreth had been naively hoping he’d be a little more prepared to deal with a monster than the rest of them were. 

[color=8E939E]“Okay, well… I think I’ll go practice, then,”[/color] he decided, giving Cerric a nod before disengaging. Might as well do what he came here for; he didn’t have the brain or the constitution for unraveling the mysteries of fairytale beasts. 

He found a spot just past the edge of the clearing, out of sight of the fire pit but still cleared away enough that Kyreth didn’t worry about his candle catching the brush on fire. On its own, anyway - the undergrowth was already damp with dew, and if something went [i]really[/i] wrong, he was close enough for Cerric to notice. It was just nice to be away from prying eyes, not to mention the fire.