Completed Warm Yourself By The Fire, Stranger [Ardan][abandoned]

[Engghaen]

She nodded. "My dad sent me to the market to get things, but I was a bit- well leave that out- clumsy. I kept forgetting what I needed." She stared into his eyes and said calmly: "and you stealed that golden statue."

[Ardan]

"Hey now, I paid for it. And that's not the point; you saw me murder. You watched me brutally kill three men." More than murder. Pure, unadulterated, slaughter. He tore those men apart without so much as a second thought and left without a word.

[Engghaen]

The girl sighed. "Yes, but it was not all your fault. Panthers are predators. It's your instinct to kill, Ardan. And... I guess I was part of the reason why you did that. I was okay, I didn't run away, screaming, nor I've been traumatised, -well maybe when I needed to fetch my arrow and pull it out of his leg- but I'm fine. You had resons to do it, then it's okay. I'm just a stupid, fluffy white cat and in a battle I'm nothing. I wanted to help you, but well, everything I'd achieve would be laughter."

[Ardan]

"There's more than that," he said, picking up his knife. "Those men... there are more like them. I don't know who they are or why they do it, but they want me and everyone I care about dead." Not just dead. Butchered after put through unimaginable tortures. He would be out through hell, and then killed in the most brutal, horrible way imaginable. Those people were animals, and would. It hesitate to murder any man, woman, or child that was close to one of Ardan's kin. "I'm sorry, but this has been... I don't think I can stay in Lhavit. It would be too painful, being near someone who was there when... it happened. "And I can feel the vultures circling in. These killers are getting close, and I do not want to out you in danger. You have potential, Engghaen, but we would not be able to fight off an army of trained assassins forever."

[Engghaen]

She shook her head. "Me and potential? Look at me! I'm just an ordinary girl and a cute, fluffy tiny little kitten! You can't go. You're just here yet. Me too. That you did something wrong doesn't mean that you need to depend your future on that. Do you really want to continue living those 40 years you still have this way? You are lucky. You life for 50 years. I only live as long as you are now." something changed in her voice, something worried. "You are a great thief and you can protect yourself. I can barely. You'll make it out of here alone. Why I'm here in Lhavit is to find something I can be sure of. And when I've found someone who doesn't want my money or my clothes or my bow... He wants to go again." the girl stared at Ardan, her eyes filling themselves with tears.

[Ardan]

It was true. He was abandoning a promise and leaving an innocent girl who had never done anything wrong to him. It pained him horribly to see her tears, but he simply couldn't stay. Danger followed him wherever he went, and Lhavit would be no different. Silently, he pondered every possible way to ensure her safety in the event that his pursuers found him in Lhavit. He could send her away. Pretend that she was a stranger. A trained eye could see through any lie he could possibly concoct. The only solution he could see was leaving, and he didn't want to drag another soul into his life. His enemy's rules had changed over the years. Family, friend, acquaintance, mortal enemy, it didn't matter who they were. If they knew Ardan's name, they were a target. "What should I do then?" he asked. "I see no other solution."

[Engghaen]

She sniffed softly. "You don't need to go away because of my fault. If I'm bringing myself into danger then that's my problem."

The cat jumped off the log and turned around. "I was there, I am the cause that you want to go. So if I go, you can stay... "

Then she walked to the entrance of the tent. "Your choice. But please don't leave me here alone."

OOCShe can't go, she has a thread on the 53th

[Ardan]

Ardan wanted to follow, but he held himself back. He needed to think, and understand. He went back to his human form and sat on the ground. He crossed his legs and relaxed. Kill her, take her things. No one will know; no one will care! She's alone, and a witness. No! You've just met this girl! She's given you no reason to- She's seen you kill! We don't leave witnesses! And we don't kill innocents! And if she's not innocent? Then we kill her. But are we not guilty? We are, but... But what? We must not die until those who pursue us are destroyed. And if she is one of them? She is not. How would you know? I just do. Now, silence. We will speak with her later. And so, Ardan returned to his cat form and slept on the cold ground, the warmth of the fire dying out.

[Engghaen]

Engghaen couldn't sleep. She got out of the tent and saw Ardan lying there on the cold leaves. She felt sorry for him. With a lot of effort she pushed him into the tent. Luckily he stayed asleep. She took her blanket and layed it over the both of them. Then she snuggled up against his side.

Sleep came slowly. Awfully slow. But eventually the cat felt her body fall in a deep sleep.

[Ardan]

A few chimes after he had fallen asleep, the thief awoke. He was not on the ground by the fire anymore. Instead, he was inside the tent. Unlike any night for the last three years, he was in a bed. Well, on a bedroll. In fact, he was under a blanket. Wait, was that to his side? He looked to his left, finding Engghaen, in her cat form, snuggling against him. Despite all of the conflicting thoughts that didn't rest with his body, he smiled.