It's your turn

"What the heck were you thinking? You're supposed to be with her, not stay behind like this! What am I to do now, what are we to do?"

"I will be just fine, have faith."

"Pfft, faith. That's what caused this debacle to begin with."

"You know that's not entirely true, if it wasn't a belief it would be something simple. You should know better-"

"No, you should know better pulling a stunt like that. You could have been hurt, or killed, or they could have been killed... they could get hurt..."

"You're in pain, I feel it too."

"This is not going how I had hoped, I don't know what to do."

"I'm.. I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a plan in mind."

"I didn't tell you, you didn't ask."

"That, there it is again."

"Not-Not now, we have bigger things to worry about."

"..."

"..."

"... are you having doubts about this, about... that night..."

"I told you, there will be complications if we did this."

"And I told you then, I don't care and it was worth it."

"You really think that?"

"Ha, I didn't think you needed to ask. But... I can see why too. Isn't it lonely what you do? Being alone for so long, why didn't you stop?"

"No... I can't. I have a role to play, I'm needed with them."

"You were needed here too, with me. With us... but you never saw us that way did you?"

"It's not like that. I don't regret what happened but I would be lying to say I don't have doubts now."

"... you did what you could. You couldn't be with us, but you made sure to protect us in the end."

"It wasn't enough."

"Fufu, it never will be for you. Always so big and wanting for more. You always had a cute look on you when you had your serious stare. Such a strong man."

"..."

"Hey, don't think like that. We made it this far, I want to think we can do better."

"I think we could have, but now that you're here in chains I don't know how."

"Well, maybe I have a plan of my own, don't you think?"

"What plan, how does getting captured help us in the long run?"

She smiled sweetly in return, tilting her head in that cute manner she had to her since they first met. "Because now, it's your turn. You know better, so be better. Do better, and do what's right to you."

"You know why it's not so easy, I can't do that."

"I know. I know you, and I remember you do what feels right in your heart in the end. I know underneath that tough man, there's something sweet inside. Just, do what you can. Stop trying to save me, save them instead. They need you more than they need me."

He swallowed hard in a vain attempt to push the lump off his throat, his silver hair bouncing as he rode his horse far into the forest. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he shut his eyes hard to shake off that memory, to remove how cold the air felt that night. Despite seeing his breath each time he would breath, despite feeling the pale tint to his skin and the lack of sunlight beneath the misty fog, he felt hot inside. His palms grew sweaty, his eyes burned and his chest gave an awkward feeling of empty irritation inside as if he carried a hole on his body. The way it felt on him, he could close his eyes and swear that his hand would pass through his body under the right touch.

Very few birds remained, late for migrating season it looked. He had never paid much attention to that, or to much wildlife for that matter. Seemed more fitting for her though, in fact he almost recalled her silly face as she stared at a cocoon hatching with intrigue and a soft little subtle smile on her. The way she stared as a butterfly crawled out of its cocoon and spread its violet wings to flutter away, he couldn't help but laugh at her childish nature somewhat.

It's not the time to think about that, I need to think of what to do next. Everything seemed to be in disarray, he had hoped to find a way to please his contract without needing to turn them in indefinitely. Or perhaps turn them in only to help break them out after, but no. As soon as he commits an act against his contract. then his life would be over. Their would be no honor, no loyalty or wage for a hunter who rebelled against their command as such. He would be marked a traitor, his Order would cast him out, head hung, feet dragged. He would linger on, no more than a husk of what once was a noble hunter. How could he turn his back when all he had known since he was five was being a hunter?

It took him a while to realize he was no longer moving. His stallion was pouting, stomping its hoof refusing to walk any further. Or had he halted him to a stop without realizing, he felt like he was in two bodies with how his mind was going. Funny enough, he'd rather pick a contract for removing troublesome trolls from revisiting the village they would frequent to pillage and steal from, at least then he had been kept busy for several days on end hunting each one of them down. It was a pack of three, a trio really, and hunting each one was no easy feat. The shortest one was over a foot taller than he was, with the older one towering over him at what he would guess to be close to nine feet. No need for exercise when you're born a giant after all, the muscle growth was puberty to them. Still, that was when he learned his blade would become his best friend. Nothing else worked permanently in the end, after five days he felt relief once the final one no longer drew breath. His life ended then just for the hunter's own life to continue, he would be paid handsomely then and had covered food for several weeks to himself.

That was the life of a monster hunter, hunting endlessly to appease the people, his employers, and hunting to survive another day.

He glanced up just then to see a small bird, orange in color whistling as it stood at nest's edge. It was whistling a gentle tune, curious in nature as it gazed at a tree up high before cocking its head around. Once it's wings lifted the bird took flight, making quick haste to catch up with the others in time for the season. Even late, he felt it was amusing to watch the bird take off nonetheless.

"I wonder if they would wait for him." He heard himself ask, swinging his leg over and feeling his feet hit the frost coated dirt. "You can come out now, better to get this over with while it's early."

A familiar sighting took place when a leaf had slowly floated down, he could hear the grip of those claws dig its way down the bark of a tree before she landed several feet away from him. She turned her head and wiped her nose, it was getting awful chilly now and she was convinced to wear some clothing. Nothing too big, just a sweater with the sleeves cut off to her liking, and shorts that hugged the slim tone of her thighs.

Their eyes met as they had before, like history repeating itself once more. Those eyes looked yellow to him, as bright and full of life as the sun was at the start of every day according to her words. Yes, she did have a more lively personality to her. It did fill him with regret now, thinking back to what was and could have been.

"Nityri."

KuliKuli cocked her head, moving a few strands of hair out of the way.

"Leone."

The air had settled around them as he lifted his head to get a better look at her.

It won't be easy.

It's not, that's what I love about you. You never cared about the easy life, you cared more about being right in a world full of wrongs. I need you to be right this time Leone. Please, be right for them.