The sun was setting by the time Mira finally let Faelyn leave the small healing dwelling, and honestly, Faelyn was grateful for the escape. The conversation about bond rejection sickness and slowly dying from refusing to have sex with someone she'd met approximately six hours ago was... a lot.
'Just when I thought this day couldn't get worse, I learn I have a magical STD except the cure is actually getting the D. This is my life now. This is fine.'
[You're handling this SO well!] Puffball chirped, appearing next to her shoulder in a little sparkle of light. [Very mature! Very calm!]
'I'm literally having a mental breakdown.'
[Exactly! INTERNALLY! That's growth!]
Faelyn stepped outside into the cooling evening air and immediately looked around for the two massive problems in her life.
Well, one massive problem was immediately visible.
Roshan was standing near the edge of the clearing, talking to a group of younger males who looked like they were receiving instructions. His golden hair caught the last rays of sunlight, and even from a distance, she could see the way his leopard ears twitched as he spoke.
No sign of Nyx.
'Where's the scary one?'
She scanned the area again, looking for distinctive black hair and red eyes that screamed "I could kill you seventeen different ways and I'm thinking about it."
Nothing.
Roshan must have sensed her looking because his head turned, and their eyes met across the clearing.
His face lit up like someone had just told him it was his birthday and Christmas combined.
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'She's looking for me! She came out and the first thing she did was look for me! Wait, no, she's still looking around. Is she looking for someone else? Is she looking for NYX? Why would she be looking for Nyx? Please don't be looking for Nyx. Please—'ฅᨐฅ
'Oh my god, he's spiraling already.'
Faelyn walked toward him, carefully navigating around small cooking fires and children playing what looked like tag but with more wrestling involved.
"Hey," she said when she reached him, tilting her head back to look up at his face.
'Jesus Christ, how tall IS he? I'm eye-level with his chest. He's got to be at least 6'8". Maybe taller. This is ridiculous.'
"Where's... um. Where's Nyx?"
Roshan's smile faltered. His ears didn't just droop—they flattened completely against his head like a scolded dog.
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'Of course. Of course she's asking about him. The first thing she says. Not "how are you, Roshan." Not "thank you for everything today, Roshan." Just... where's NYX. Where's the cool one. The mysterious one. The one who doesn't fumble over every word like an idiot—'ฅᨐฅ
"He had to return to his village," Roshan said, voice carefully neutral even though his ears betrayed him completely. They were still flat against his skull, and Faelyn could see the way his jaw tightened. "The Shadowclaw territory. He can't stay in the Sunpelt village overnight without causing... issues."
'Oh. Right. The fragile truce. The century-old rivalry. The political nightmare I'm apparently the center of.'
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'She looks disappointed. She's definitely disappointed that he's gone. Of course she is. Nyx is everything I'm not. Strong, confident, doesn't second-guess every single decision. Why would she want me when HE exists? This is fine. Everything is fine. I'm fine. I'm NOT fine—'ฅᨐฅ
"Oh," Faelyn said, genuinely not sure what else to say.
An awkward silence stretched between them, and she watched Roshan's ears twitch once, twice, like they wanted to perk up but couldn't quite manage it.
'Okay, redirect. Change the subject. Stop making him feel bad.'
"So, um," Faelyn started, "you mentioned earlier that you prepared a place for me to sleep?"
Roshan's expression brightened immediately, and his ears finally lifted from their flattened position.
"Yes! Yes, I did. It's not much, but it's clean and dry and safe and I made sure it has good ventilation and I gathered soft furs for bedding and there's a small fire pit if you get cold and—" He cut himself off, ears twitching nervously. "Sorry. I'm. I'm doing it again. The thing where I talk too much."
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'Shut up, Roshan. You're overwhelming her. She just wanted a yes or no answer and you gave her a whole speech about ventilation like she cares about air flow—'ฅᨐฅ
"It's fine," Faelyn said, and she meant it. There was something kind of endearing about his enthusiasm. "Can you show me?"
"Of course!" Roshan gestured toward a path leading away from the main clearing. "This way. It's not far. Actually, it's quite close to my dwelling so if you need anything I'll be right there. Not that I'm trying to be creepy or invasive! Just. Just for safety. In case something happens. Not that anything will happen! I'll make sure nothing happens—"
"Roshan," Faelyn interrupted gently. "It's okay. I appreciate it."
His ears perked up fully now, and that golden retriever smile was back.
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'She appreciates it. She said she appreciates it. That's good. That's something. Stop overthinking this. Just walk. Put one foot in front of the other and WALK—'ฅᨐฅ
They started walking, and Faelyn became acutely aware of the height difference. She had to crane her neck just to see his face properly when he looked down at her.
'He's MASSIVE. Like, I knew he was tall, but walking next to him really puts it in perspective. I'm practically a hobbit.'
They walked in silence for a moment, the sounds of the village fading behind them as they moved into a quieter area with smaller dwellings built into the bases of massive trees.
Roshan kept glancing at her, then looking away, then glancing again like he wanted to say something but couldn't figure out how.
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'I should ask her things. Get to know her. That's what you do, right? You ask questions. You learn about your—about the person you hope will choose you. But what do I ask? I don't even know her NAME. Wait. I DON'T KNOW HER NAME. How have I gone this entire day without asking her NAME?!'ฅᨐฅ
He stopped walking abruptly, and Faelyn nearly bumped into him.
"I just realized something," Roshan said, turning to face her with an expression of complete mortification. His ears had flattened again, and his face had gone slightly pink. "I've been calling you 'she' and 'her' and 'the female' and 'the blessed one' all day in my head, and I never actually asked your name."
He looked genuinely distressed about this.
"That's so rude. I'm the worst. Here you are, in my village, with strange people, and I didn't even have the basic decency to ask your NAME—"
"Faelyn," she interrupted before he could spiral into complete self-flagellation. "My name is Faelyn."
"Faelyn," Roshan repeated, testing it out. A slow smile spread across his face. "That's... that's beautiful. Strange, but beautiful. I've never heard a name like that before."
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'Faelyn. Faelyn. Her name is Faelyn. It suits her. It's different, unique, just like she is. Faelyn. I need to remember that. Faelyn—'ฅᨐฅ
"What does it mean?" he asked, his ears perking up with genuine curiosity. "In our clans, names usually have meanings. They're tied to nature, or strength, or blessings from the gods."
'Sigh. Do I tell him the truth? That it means "fairy" or "enchanted one"? That my mom picked it because she thought it sounded pretty and had no idea I'd end up in a world where I'm literally called the "honored one of the gods"? This is so stupid. This is the most ironic thing ever.'
"It means... fairy. Or enchanted one," Faelyn said slowly. "Where I'm from, it's sometimes interpreted as 'fairy of the lake' or 'beautiful fairy.'"
Roshan stopped walking completely and stared at her.
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'Fairy. Enchanted one. She's named after something BLESSED and DIVINE and she shows up with white hair and divine favor and—the gods have a sense of humor. Or this is fate. This has to be fate. Her NAME literally means what she IS. Fairy of the LAKE and we're fighting over a WATERFALL. This can't be coincidence—'ฅᨐฅ
"That's..." Roshan's voice came out slightly awed. "That's remarkable. Your name suits you perfectly. It's like... like the gods knew. Even before you arrived here."
'Does it? Does it really? Or is it just cosmically mocking me at this point?'
[It's HILARIOUS is what it is!] Puffball cackled. [Fairy of the lake! And look where you ended up! At a WATERFALL between two clans! The universe has JOKES!]
'I hate everything.'
Roshan started walking again, and Faelyn noticed his ears were doing that happy twitching thing, like he'd just learned some wonderful secret.
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'Faelyn. Her name is Faelyn and it means enchanted one and she's here and maybe, just maybe, if I don't mess this up completely, she'll choose me. Please let her choose me. I'll do anything. I'll be whatever she needs—'ฅᨐฅ
They reached a dwelling that looked slightly larger than the others nearby. "It's right here."
He pushed aside a woven curtain that served as a door, revealing a surprisingly cozy interior. Soft furs were piled in one corner as bedding, a small fire pit sat in the center with ventilation holes in the roof, and various supplies were neatly stacked along the walls.
But what caught Faelyn's attention was the neatly folded stack of leather and fabric sitting on a flat stone near the bedding.
"I, um," Roshan gestured to the clothes, ears twitching nervously. "I had fresh clothing prepared for you. Your current..." He looked at her zoo uniform—dirt-stained, torn, covered in blood and bear fur. "Your clothing is very strange. And it's... it's seen better days. Quite a mess, actually. These should fit, I think. I estimated based on—" His face went slightly pink. "Based on observation. Not that I was staring. Just. Just noticing. For practical purposes."
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'Stop talking. Stop. Talking. You sound like a creep. "Based on observation"?! What is wrong with you—'ฅᨐฅ
"Thank you," Faelyn said quickly, saving him from his spiral. "That's really thoughtful."
"And there's a bathing area," Roshan continued, pointing toward the back. "Just outside, there's a small clearing with a dug-up basin. It's makeshift, but it should work for washing up before you sleep. The water is cold, but I can heat some if you'd prefer—"
"Cold is fine," Faelyn interrupted. "Really. This is... this is more than enough. Thank you, Roshan."
His entire face lit up at hearing his name again.
Roshan's mind: ฅᨐฅ'She said my name. Twice now. Faelyn said "Roshan" and it sounds so perfect when she says it. Focus. Don't be weird. Just be helpful and supportive and maybe, just maybe, she'll choose me before the three moon cycles are up because if she picks Nyx I don't know what I'll—'ฅᨐฅ
"You're welcome, Faelyn," he said softly, savoring her name like it was something precious. Then, hesitating: "My dwelling is right over there." He pointed to a structure about twenty feet away. "Close enough to hear if you need anything, but far enough to give you privacy. I promise I won't... I won't intrude."
'Because super hearing. Right. Enhanced senses. He could probably hear a pin drop from fifty feet away.'
[Or hear you KISSING someone!] Puffball added. [Just saying! If you decided to, you know, MAKE OUT with him to strengthen the bond, he'd definitely hear his own heartbeat going crazy!]
'PUFFBALL.'
[What?! I'm being helpful! You're at 99.7%! Just a little physical intimacy and you could hit 100%! Unlock those bonus abilities! Unless you LIKE being stuck with just mind-reading?]
'I am not kissing someone I met SIX HOURS AGO.'
[The bond doesn't care about TIME! The bond cares about COMPATIBILITY! And you're VERY compatible!]
Faelyn realized she'd been standing there in silence for too long, and Roshan was looking at her with concern.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You look... flushed again. Are you sure you're not ill? Should I—"
"I'm fine!" Faelyn said too quickly. "Just. Just tired. It's been a really long day."
"Of course. Of course, I'm sorry." Roshan backed toward the doorway. "I'll leave you to rest. Goodnight, Faelyn."
He said her name like it was something sacred.
"Goodnight, Roshan."
He ducked through the curtain, and she heard his footsteps retreating toward his dwelling.
The moment he was gone, Faelyn collapsed onto the pile of furs.
'Okay. Okay. Let's review. Today I: died, transmigrated, met two century-old cat men who both want me, discovered I can read minds, got attacked by a bear, had a breakdown, triggered a mate bond that's apparently almost complete, learned I'll die if I don't have sex within a month, found out I'm part of some prophecy, and discovered my name is cosmically mocking me.'
[Don't forget the tree climbing!] Puffball added.
'Yes. I also climbed a tree.'
[BEST. FIRST. DAY. EVER!]
Faelyn grabbed the clothing Roshan had left and examined it. Soft leather pants, a tunic that looked like it would actually fit, and some kind of wrapped top that seemed designed for... support? It was all surprisingly well-made.
'He really did estimate based on observation. That's either really thoughtful or really creepy and I'm too tired to figure out which.'
She made her way to the bathing area Roshan had mentioned—a small clearing with a carved-out stone basin filled with clear water. Someone had even left soap (or what passed for soap here) and drying cloths.
The water was freezing, but after the day she'd had, it felt amazing to wash off the dirt, blood, and general trauma.
By the time she'd changed into the new clothes and made her way back to the dwelling, she was exhausted.
The furs were softer than expected, and despite everything, despite the insanity of her situation, Faelyn felt herself drifting off almost immediately.
ฅᨐฅ ⚞ • ⚟ ฅᨐฅ
[HOST! HOST WAKE UP!]
Puffball's voice cut through the fog of sleep, high-pitched and urgent.
[HOST! COME ON! WAKE UP! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!]
'Mmph. Five more minutes...'
[NO! NOT FIVE MORE MINUTES! WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!]
'Go away, Puffball. 'M sleeping...'
[SOMEONE IS IN YOUR ROOM!]
That cut through the exhaustion like ice water.
Faelyn's eyes snapped open.
'Huh?!'