A Baad Night For A Curse

[kilnarak]

Early evening found Ari following a 'hiking trail' through the woods - it looked like little more than a well-worn deer trail to him, it was hard to imagine hikers regularly choosing this path over another, more scenic one. It was a warm night, the sky clear of clouds, the moonlight strong and the stars visible now that they were farther from the city's lights. Ru hiked a few paces ahead of him, near scentless against the stronger smells of earth and foliage, and the human scent of Faolan behind him. The last member of the group, Ilchymis, also had a fainter scent - hard to pick out like Ru's, sun and sand, a faint hint of flowers.

They made an odd procession, picking their ways along the trail behind the vampire - especially odd, hiking after dark, but Ru's nature made it impossible to go out during the day. Ari's pack was heavy on his back - he'd brought some foodstuffs fit for a picnic and a decent assortment of canned drinks, bottled water, and even a few bottles from the club with dark glass to better mask the red hue of the liquid within. Hopefully it'd be enough, and if not... well maybe the others had brought some stuff too?

It had been Ru's idea mostly, he had wanted bring them up to a nice lake to meet a friend of his there. It was a bit of an odd place to meet up but the hike wasn't so bad, and it was nice out tonight - night-birds and insects chirping in the dark off from the path. This section of woodland wasn't especially familiar to him - it was outside of the range of his usual territory, but it seemed decent. Perhaps he would make some forays out this way, during the day...

Ari glanced back as they made their way, checking on how Faolan and Ilchymis were doing. When he had first seen Faolan's friend it had startled him to realize the pretty youth was familiar - familiar in the same way Faolan had been. It had sent a shiver up his spine to realize Ilchymis had been another victim of the last Nightmare. It had taken him a few moments to push back those memories, and it had made their introduction a bit awkward on his part.

"You two uh, you doing okay? I don't think it's too much further. I sm- I think I hear water up ahead, yeah?"

[Marshmallow]

It had been a fair while since Ilchymis had last gone hiking. The mountain trails had become a source of anxiety ever since the early winter, when he and Kit had last ventured into the wilderness. His memories of what precisely happened that day were foggy and fragmented at best, but full of terror and guilt. So when Faolan had contacted him to check in and invite him out on a trip, he had been reluctant at first. But Faolan had insisted, gently of course, that the trail would be quiet, would be safe, and there would be friends along too. A whole group picnic under the stars, and they wouldn't be going far up the mountain anyway. It would be good for him to get out, breathe some fresh air and see that there was really nothing to be afraid of. Faolan was someone he trusted, and if the doctor said it would be fine, then it would be fine. Ilchymis was admittedly beginning to feel stifled spending so much time in the city, and meeting new friends was always a treat, so he agreed to tag along. His caretakers were prone to worrying, so he had promised to be home no later than midnight.


So it was that Ilchymis was now picking his way up the narrow trail through the brush behind the others. He stuck close to Faolan, constantly within an arm's length. He was nervous being out here, but still smiled every time a bird call rang through the canopy. The weather was mild, and the breeze was calm, and aside from a few awkward moments when they all first gathered, everyone seemed quite friendly and kind. Ilchymis was just starting to relax.

He looked decidedly out of place for someone walking a nature trail, with his long, brightly-colored floral skirt and matching sweater. He carried an over-the-shoulder bag patterned with the smiling face of what people here called a "koala bear". Inside the bag he carried just a few things for their little trip: a blanket, a disposable camera (Kit's idea), a small container of quartz crystals Sohl had purchased for him to snack on, and a simple mobile phone in case of emergencies.

Ilchymis had just paused to admire a flowering bush when Ari called back to them. He perked a little and adjusted the strap of his bag. "I'm okay," he chimed as he trotted forward the few steps to put himself back in Faolan's shadow. "It's not far? Do you think there will be any animals there?"

[jarahamee]

Ru lead the way, far too stylish for a hike, but here he was none the less. He reflected that he probably should by casual clothes instead of two different kinds of fancy. Wearing his shiny beetle-back shoes in the underbrush and dirt was doing it few favors.

He had picked through this path before, and he could find it again, focusing on the trail to his friend. The presence drew him along familiar ways, and the scent, if he could even call it that, drew him by and made him feel alive. He knew, somewhere, in the back of his mind, these were his hunting instincts, allowing him to feel his prey by aura, until he had them alone and corned, but he chose to think of it as a way to find people he had decided to care for.

"He said he likes receiving company out here. He's... a water spirit. And his lake is beautiful, if a little lonely. "

Ru extended his strength to push the foliage apart to allow the others to continue onwards. There were some advantages to being a vampire, like not being hurt by poison ivy or prickly thorns anymore. An admittedly shoddy replacement for a normal human life, but it was something none the less.

The last time he had been here, he admittedly there was a lonely beauty to it that drew him as an artist. Or rather, a former artist. Or perhaps someone who wished he was an artist.

[qhostqrowls]

Faolan had been walking near the back of the group since the path had narrowed to single file, and was meandering along, enjoying the serenity of the night and the cool breeze on his face. It was so different to hiking in the day, and it could have been eerie if it wasn't for the others with him. They made a strange group, with Ari looking perfectly home in the wilderness, Ilchymis in his colorful skirt, and Ru with his trademark formal attire.

Ari spoke up and Faolan flashed him a thumbs up at the question.
“I'm good.” He also glanced back, smiling at Ilchymis as he rejoined the group. He’d been keeping a close eye on the construct, but he seemed only a little anxious and for the most part looked to be enjoying the hike. He was glad that he'd come - Ilchymis really needed a relaxed, uneventful evening after his previous woodland outing.

The doctor shifted his backpack, wondering if he'd brought the right stuff - his normal hiking gear consisted of bear spray and a first aid kit, but he'd bought food for the picnic, a map, and last but not least a blood bag. Just in case. Better to be over prepared for vampiric hunger then under prepared...not that he was worried about Ru at all, gentle and kind as he was. He trusted him. The thought had curled in the back of his mind regardless when he packed.

“Thanks.” he said as he passed Ru, smiling both at the gesture of holding foliage back, and once again the sight of his crisp shirt and shiny shoes. His own shoes were sneakers and his clothes were neat, but plain and practical for hiking. The difference was funny to him, but probably no one else.

Ari was treading along in front and seemed to know the way - the path was barley visible to him - so he fell into step behind the other man, checking to see that the other two were following as they got closer to the mystery lake and Ru’s nature spirit friend

[NightshadeVII]

Every now and again, it was nice with some peace and quiet, some time to reconnect with what had been lost. This wasn’t any different for the nøkk, even if he didn’t have emotions he could sort out, the peace and quiet allowed him to bring order to a mind that overwhelmed him at times, constantly processing and turning things over, trying to understand but falling short. He would never fully understand the world around him, the people in it, himself.
It was lonely.
And here, in an attempt to clear his mind, he sat by the lakebed, a figure of a man folded in over himself. Fingertips danced across the water, disturbing tranquility, breaking visual silence. It created something else. Between his fingers he shaped the most ephemeral figures, ghosts of the now that disappeared near instantly, dying and wasting away, but they were there long enough to distort the reflections in the lake, the reflection of the sky above, his own reflection, it bent away beneath such a gentle touch.
Fragile.

He had lost track of time, or perhaps he hadn’t cared to be aware of it to begin with. But he knew he was waiting. Waiting for a person he knew, a person who believed the web of lies Abby had spun around himself. Ru had believed that Aberdeen was nothing more than a water spirit. Something simple and harmless. And the nøkk couldn’t help but wonder how long that would last. How much time would he have before he himself fell into the deep end, getting lost in what he truly was and revealing himself. Revealing beauty and despair, horrid nature and the completely unapologetic truth of what he thought he was. A bad dream stepping into reality.
The storybook monster.
Who knew what would happen when the time came?
But tonight was different, something arguably more light-hearted. A few days ago, Ru had asked if Aberdeen was alright with visitors. Here. The one place where the truth of it all was so close.
Still, Aberdeen had accepted, not really knowing why. And that was why he waited now, pondering to waste time. Wondering just to wonder, having no purpose.

That’s when he heard the rustling, so loud compared to the silence that had covered everything like a second skin mere moments before. Like glass shattering in an empty room. Head snapping up, Aberdeen blinked, the turquoise of his eyes shrinking, confined now to iris alone.

“Hello?” He called out, almost too quiet for it to classify as such, but not quite, “Ru?”
As always, his voice was careful, melodically nervous, as he feel back into character. It was just like... diving below the surface. He began to hold his breath, sinking further and further below, disappearing. The surface calm so ideally peaceful, not a single ripple to hint at anything, no trace of the creature lurking below. And like this, Aberdeen could observe from below the surface, from behind the safety of a mask, he could tweak behavior and adapt, like he always did.
Slowly, the nøkk rose from the ground, brushing off his clothes without needing to.
If it was indeed Ru and the friends he had wanted to bring along, who were a far better alternative than some of the other creatures that dwelled in the mountains and forests, Aberdeen couldn’t help but be impressed that the young man had remembered the path to this place. Often times, the aura around this place tended to disorient people, nudging them around the clearing itself so subtly that not many could tell that it was happening. Of course this didn’t apply to everyone, but Aberdeen knew it kept away some, bought him time.
The nøkk shuffled, getting comfortable in small, human movements. Even if he didn’t have to pretend to be human, he couldn’t be who he really was. It wouldn’t be accepted, wouldn’t be understood.
So now, he waited, finding himself looking forward to seeing Ru again and meeting his friends. It was so normal.

[kilnarak]

"Good, good. Um. Maybe? I've never been up this way, but some animals are more active at night, yeah? Like foxes and owls, sometimes deer. Maybe we'll see something?" Ari offered Ilchymis a quick smile, then glanced to Faolan to catch the other's thumbs-up gesture. He nodded quickly, then turned his attention back to Ru and the path ahead of them.

It wasn't much farther at all, and as they drew closer a voice called out in the direction of the sound and smell of water. Ari glanced toward Ru, and kept behind the vampire as they approached. It wasn't long before they pushed out of the deer path between the trees into the more open area where the lake lay.

Ari stepped to the side and held back some of the branches for Faolan and Ilchymis, then let them drop and turned his attention to Ru's water-elemental friend. There was something vaguely familiar about the man, but Ari couldn't quite place it. He smiled a little nervously, glancing to Ru again, then to the man. "Hey. You uh, you must be Ru's friend. It's um, it's a nice lake you have here? I'm uh, I'm Ari. It's nice to meet you."

Ari waited until introductions were finished all around before he took his pack from his shoulder and set it on the ground, kneeling to dig through it and take out the things he had brought. The food - mostly sandwich-stuff and crackers - and the variety of drinks. He had forgotten to bring a cloth to lay out - maybe someone else had remembered? But it wouldn't be too bad, just sitting on the ground...

A faint rustling in the brush off to the side almost saw him turn his head. Something was moving over there, but it wasn't large - Ru might notice it, but it wasn't something a human should notice so he tried not to look toward it, remembering what he was supposed to be. It was probably just some mice, maybe a weasel or a racoon. Perhaps once they laid things out, he could toss some crumbs that way to lure it out - Ilchymis had seemed excited by the prospect of seeing wildlife, after all...

[Marshmallow]

Ilchymis kept himself to the back of their little procession through the trees, murmuring thanks to Ru and Ari in turn for holding aside the branches. He instantly perked up again once their destination at last came into view. First he glanced to Faolan, silently begging permission from the one perceived authority, then darted to the water's edge with a girlish giggle. He stopped short, the reeds and cattails just brushing his knees, and looked out over the moonlit lake. He didn't look down, avoided his reflection and the distorted shape that loomed behind it, avoided the pale mask and empty eyes that stared back from the ripples. And he certainly did not peer deeper into the dark water - it was rude to stare, after all.

"Hi!" Ilchymis chimed after a moment of taking in the serene beauty of the lake, and turned to their gracious host. He skipped back to the others and politely curtsied. "My name is Ilchymis, it's nice to meet you. Thank you for inviting us, it's very pretty here!"

He politely waited until introductions finished before reaching for his koala bag and pulling out the folded blanket. It wasn't quite large enough to seat them all, unfortunately, for it was a child's thing. Naturally it was brightly colored, and patterned with overly cute birds and smiling flowers. Ilchymis sat himself down on one corner and smoothed out the wrinkles in his skirt.

"I haven't had a picnic in the dark in a long time," the construct mused, speaking to no one in particular. He cupped his hands, and between his palms tiny motes of light sparked into existence. "The princes liked to hunt for glowflies in the garden when they were small, so we built a camp between the trees to wait for them. Do you have glowflies here? What do you all like to do on your picnics?"

[jarahamee]

Ru looked rather like an elegant ghost as he walked to meet Abby at the edge of the lake, not seeming to mind the muddy ground. His moonlit skin and pale hair seemed especially bright in the moonlight, and his finery seemed a particularly black dark. He was lighter than he looked, and his footprints barely made any impressions in the mud. The better to stalk human prey, probably he was reminded. He didn't like focusing on it.

"...Abby... These are my friends. They wanted to see your lake, and maybe have a picnic..."

He had brought some food for his mortal friend Faolan, including some drinks. He wasn't really sure what his preferences were, but asked beforehand to make sure he didn't have any allergies, and wasn't Kosher, Halal or vegetarian. He had decided on a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, carefully packaged so it would not be crushed. He also brought a drink that he thought might suit him: cold tea black tea in a thermos. He himself had fed beforehand and was not hungry. Somehow it made him feel stronger and more fit, and he felt the vague temptation to use his powers.

He felt like he could even transform tonight (but did not, and for good reason). Instead, keeping the lantern raised to allow the others to see well. This also illuminated the slowly rising figure of Abby, who moved to approach them. It was strangely normal, though he did think there was something just a little bit sinister about Abby in this light. Then again, he imagined he also received no flattery from this kind of lighting. Vampires were by nature, disturbing, and he was already of a sinister clan.

[qhostqrowls]

Faolan hung at the back of the group, slightly unsure of how to proceed. Ru and Aberdeen would have been almost undistinguishable, with their lean figures, pale skin and dark clothing, if it had not been for Ru’s pale hair and the lantern he held. Considering he already knew the water spirit, he waited for the others to introduce themselves before greeting the other.

“Oh hey, Aberdeen! Good to see you again, and thanks for having us over.” He smiled politely at the super, pleased to see the familiar face. He knew the other from a few brief meetings, and hadn't known that this was the water spirit Ru had been talking about. It was a nice coincidence. He then turned his attention to Ilchymis, who spoke up from his seat on the ground.


“We do, but I don't know if they're around at this time of the year.” He smiled somewhat apologetically at the construct, watching the specks of light between his palms. He hoped some wildlife - something harmless like a deer or a squirrel - might turn up, for Ilchymis's sake. Maybe the lake had fish in it. “Not anything much, just...eating? I suppose.” He slid his backpack from his shoulders as he spoke, placing it on the ground next to Ari’s own pack.

The other splicer had bought quite the selection, and he dug through his own pack and bought out more sandwiches, and a tupperware container with glass shards, for Ilchymis. He knew it was what the construct ate, but he'd still winced when packing it. His fingers brushed against the blood bag, and he hesitated. In the end he did bring it out, but felt self conscious for having bought it in the first place. He just hadn't wanted Ru to feel left out when everyone else was eating...or to get hungry.

“At least we won't run out of sandwiches, right?” he grinned sideways at Ari, motioning to the spread, watching Ru and the water spirit out of the corner of his eye

[NightshadeVII]

As Aberdeen saw Ru, illuminated buy the light of the lamp, entering the clearing along with his friends, he breathed a sigh of relief. Recognition was a funny thing after all, it could make a person comfortable in situations they maybe shouldn’t be comfortable in. Even so, despite Aberdeen’s inability to actually feel any of the emotional relief connected with recognition, he had trained himself to portray it anyway, relying on a patchwork reaction, created by all the times he had seen those emotions in others. In the dim evening light, Ru almost looked like a ghost, a moving figure of marble, gilding elegantly over the ground. Stil, Aberdeen smiled at him as a greeting, to prove that he was happy to see the blonde again.
It was strange, to observe as the clearing filled with life, for it was the exact opposite of what Aberdeen knew it as. It changed the place, at least on the surface, fortifying the skin-deep sense of calm, of peace that Aberdeen did his best to maintain. As they all settled, looking around, taking in the look and feel of the hidden clearing, Aberdeen allowed his eyes to light up, with a human kind of joy that softened his features. Subtly, he adjusted his posture a little, relaxing, opening up through body language so as to appear approachable, welcoming, hiding the monster he was beneath his mask, beneath a veil of casual, practiced smiles.

"...Abby... These are my friends. They wanted to see your lake, and maybe have a picnic...", Ru explained, cautious as always, the behavior the nøkk had learned to recognize and sometimes even expect from the blonde.
“They seem really nice. I’m glad you chose this place for a picnic” Aberdeen replied the smile remaining on his lips, “Thank you for coming all this way, Ru...”

Introductions were simple enough, a thing he had practiced all his life, and something that was made easier by his adaptable nature. Outwardly, he appeared pleasant, happy to meet new people, but perhaps a little self conscious. It seemed effortless. Natural. The first one, who introduced himself as Ari, while smiling nervously, allowed Aberdeen to quickly choose his approach.
“Hello Ari,” Aberdeen smiled calmly at the other man, absentmindedly tucking a strand of hair behind his ear as he spoke, “and yes, I am Ru’s friend. My name is Aberdeen.”
Then, when the silver-haired construct curtsied in greeting, Aberdeen let out a good natured chuckle, sounding flattered by the other’s manners.
“Ilchymis? That’s a very beautiful name” he said, speaking in a light, friendly tone as he looked at the construct, “and thank you, I’m so glad to hear that you think it’s pretty.”
Then the last person introduced himself, blonde hair the colour of corn before a harvest, eyes golden, feline, the pupils rounded in the dark. And vaguely familiar to Aberdeen, sparking the cinders of memories, but nothing more. Then the blonde introduced himself as Faolan, and things clicked into place, but he didn’t let it show. The nøkk definitely had me this young man before, under less pleasant circumstances. If he remembered correctly, the blonde doctor had saved Aberdeen from getting killed multiple times within the span of a few hours. 
“Hello Faolan, it’s good to see you again too. I hope you’re doing well...”, he chuckled a little, “and of course, I like the company.”
For a moment, he just smiled to himself, as the watched the others settle down, amazed at how quickly they managed to get comfortable here.

“I hope this place wasn’t too difficult to find?” He asked while looking at Ru, the turquoise eyed male sounded a little embarrassed as he spoke.

[kilnarak]

"Nice to meet you, uh, Aberdeen," Ari repeated himself, still smiling nervously at the man. Oh no, he was hot. Why did everyone have to be so attractive? He glanced away quickly, not wanting to get caught staring, and fiddled with the contents of his pack.

Faolan thankfully distracted him from his dilemma, commenting on the sandwiches. He glanced up at the doctor, flashing a more comfortable grin, and answered: "I don't know, I don't think we have enough! Maybe I should've packed a full duffel more?" He took a few moments to arrange what he had brought: sandwiches here, a box of crackers and a couple tubs of hummus stuff over there, a single packet of choco-chip cookies right there, bottles of water here, and then canned drinks split regular and diet there. The dark tinted bottles he kept with his pack, glancing up toward Ru.

"Hey uh," he began a bit nervously, glad that no one would see him blush in the dark. "I brought these for you. They should be okay? I mean, uh, like... They're uh, fresh, they serve them at work, so they should be fine..."

It was at about that time that the thing he had heard rustling in the brush became decidedly louder - certainly loud enough for a normal human to hear. Ari's head jerked that way, his eyes widening and pupils dilating to better see. It rustled more and more loudly and then a goat abruptly bolted out of the brush and into the clearing around the lake. It froze abruptly as it saw them, lifting its horned head and staring a long moment. There was something clutched in its mouth, a thick branch perhaps? Its goaty-gaze flicked from one individual to the next, and then with a muffled bleat it rushed toward Ilchymis.

The goat stopped about a pace away and stretched out its neck, bleating again as it held out its branch to the construct. Upon closer inspection, the 'branch' appeared to be a slender case, the sort that might be used to carry messages or keep stored parchment dry. A chunk of wax seemed to be holding the case closed, and it appeared there was writing on it, though it was difficult to make out exactly what it said, as it was being held in the goat's mouth.

[Marshmallow]

Introductions settled, the clearing was soon filled with the chatter of friendly conversation. Ilchymis felt at ease, even among these newer faces, and smiled to himself as he set his flickering magelights softly hovering over the reeds. They bobbed and drifted across the lake shore, not unlike the glowflies of his memory, and cast a warm glow as they went. He watched the others unpack containers of food and drink, idly wondering what each thing tasted like. His eyes subconsciously slid away from the sight of the blood bag Faolan laid out, a nearly imperceptible tremor rolling through his thin frame. Instead he directed his focus to the little container of glass bits, and a sheepish smile crept across his face.

"Thank you, Mr. Faolan," he chimed as he leaned over to pick up the tupperware. His hand lingered on it for a moment, awaiting permission, then he pulled the small container into his lap once Faolan had given the okay. Soon the lid was set carefully aside, and Ilchymis plucked out a shard to nibble on while the others made themselves comfortable.


He glanced back up at Aberdeen, curious as he always was. His mouth opened, a question about water spirits on his tongue, but the words vanished with a squeak of surprise instead when there came a sudden rustling at the clearing's edge.
Something moved in the forest undergrowth, and Ilchymis turned in the direction of the sound just in time to see an animal - a goat - leap from the bushes.


Ilchymis' face lit up immediately. "A goat!" he exclaimed, grinning like a child. He turned briefly to the others, as if to confirm he had identified the animal correctly, before grabbing his bag. He wanted to take a picture of the goat so he could show it to Kit later. But just as he was rummaging for the little plastic device, the goat bounded across the clearing and ran right up to him. It bleated for his attention, and Ilchymis let out a cute little giggle of delight. He loved animals, and friendly ones were always such a treat.


"Hello!" Ilchymis greeted it as he leaned forward, hand outstretched to pet the creature. He giggled as he gave the goat's head and ears an affectionate scritch. It was then that he noticed it appeared to be carrying something in its mouth. He gave it a puzzling look, then took hold of the strange case the goat seemed to be offering. The construct eyed the sealed case curiously, then turned and held it out toward the others. "It was holding this," he stated, before turning back to the animal in question. He scratched it under the chin. "Is that for us? Are you lost?"

[jarahamee]

Ru watched the introductions with pride. As far as he could tell, everything was going well, and all of their friends were being quite friendly towards one another. Exactly as he could have hoped. And they had all brought more than enough food for the picnic. It was picturesque, even at night with the reflection of the moon on the lake, and he wondered why this wasn't a more popular hiking spot. He turned to Aberdeen. 

"No, it wasn't hard at all, it's weird because I only came here once before..I guess my senses knew the way." 

He felt a little shy considering it, but his thoughts shifted when he noticed Ari was talking to him. 

Ari brought food for him? He hadn't even thought about bringing blood provisions with him. He thought it would be too unnerving, so someone bringing drinks for him was an unexpected pleasure. While he had just fed, he could always drink more; it created a healthy sort of glow that gave him the strength to do anything. At least that was what he felt like.

"..Ari, thank you. That would be just fine, even if it's old."

Ru looked nearly translucent as he laid down the sandwiches and drinks he brought for Faolan, and then he saw the bloodbags. Everyone was bringing food for him? It was a bit of a waste, but he was always excited about drinking a little more than he usually had, especially if it was something he didn't ask for. 

"...So much food for me... I ate before but..I can always eat more." 

A vampire's hunger was insatiable, like a bottomless pit, and he hated that, but maybe drinking more now meant he could go longer without feeding. 

He placed his lantern down close to the blankets, and then started to set up the food when suddenly the goat appeared! And what was this with the message? He noticed how happy Ilchymis looked cuddling with the animal. Maybe they could delay a little longer and let him enjoy it. 

"I didn't send for one. Is this for you, Aberdeen?"

He looked at the others, as if to procure more answers, and carefully sat himself down on one of the squares of their picnic blanket that was arrayed around them. It was a quiet, still and beautiful night, and he loved that about it.

[qhostqrowls]

Faolan smiled at Ru and crouched next to him, helping him take the last of the food out of the packs. The vampire seemed surprised but pleased at the amount of blood bags he had been given.The light cast by the lantern flickered as the last of the sandwiches and drinks were set out. It was more than enough for everyone.

He’d been taking a breath to reply to Ari when there was a sudden rustling in the undergrowth. His gaze shot to the spot, the leaves shaking and the crunch of leaf litter growing louder and louder. Everyone else had noticed too, and there was a tense second as they waited for whatever it was to reveal itself.

A goat shot into the moonlit clearing, carrying something in its mouth. The doctor was glad it wasn’t a more predatory animal, but still...he looked at the goat with something edging towards suspicion. The animal alone wouldn't have been that strange, but the fact it was carrying what looked like a scroll was a little weird.

Ilchymis's joy over the goat lessened his wariness slightly. He smiled, faintly, and gave Ari a sideways look, shrugging, before glancing back to the construct.

“What does it say, Ilchmyis?” He promoted gently, nodding at the scroll. Nobody seemed to have called for the goat. He wondered if anyone in the clearing could speak to animals and ask it what it was doing.

[NightshadeVII]

For a moment, everything was peaceful, idyllic almost as everyone made themselves comfortable, falling into their places, chatting idly, making themselves at home adding and rearranging objects how they saw fit, temporarily changing this small area in the forest. Making it their own, just for tonight. Even if the nøkk indulged in human life, it was still so rare for him to be so involved in a little event like this, more than just a casual observer, not longer standing on the periphery. He smiled to himself as everyone went about their way, getting comfortable, unfazed by everything that hid beneath the surface of this place.
 
Then Aberdeen heard the bushes rustle. Immediately, his head snapped in the direction of the sound, his smile dying from one second to the next, as if it had never been there. Eyes narrowed slightly, on the verge of darkening, yet he hid that behind practiced worry. Thoughts immediately began to race through his mind, considering who or what it could be that was approaching, whether it was hostile or not, and if he could drive it away. For a moment, his blood ran cold, as he realized who it might be. Who it could be. If that thing had found this place-
A familiar itch ran through Aberdeen’s arm, through his veins and bones, and he knew exactly what he meant. The urge to change, to reveal a part of his true self, to let branches grow out through skin, allowing bones to bend and change, not resisting the discolouring of skin. All so he could defend himself, in case it became necessary. Yet he knew it would expose him. Painfully aware of how he would bare his own inhumanity. And even if the people present probably knew that he wasn’t human, they didn’t know him as the inhuman thing he truly was. So he did nothing, revealed nothing of what he had considered. Instead, he seemed uneasy outwardly, body tensing, his gaze following the direction of the sound, waiting as anxiously as everyone else. The itch remained, fading slowly and allowed him to keep entertaining the idea, but never acting on it.

It was just a goat. That was almost a disappointment.
As the small animal burst out through the trees, everyone, including Aberdeen, seemed to relax, now that nothing inherently dangerous had surprised them. Still seeing such an animal here wasn’t something the nøkk had expected in the least, knowing the effect this plac had on some people. Still the goat trotted over the Ilchymis, holding something in its mouth, the silver-haired young man didn’t seem particularly interested in this though. Then Aberdeen heard Ru asking if he had called for it.
“No… I didn’t”, Aberdeen replied, looking back at Ru, an eyebrow raised in confusion “I’m surprised it even managed to get here…”
 
Seeing how Ilchymis was preoccupied by the goat, enjoying its company and talking softly to it, Aberdeen carefully approached. Gently, he took the scroll, looking at the sliver-haired young man for permission and thanking him, giving a small smile.
Carefully he opened the case and the scroll inside, working slowly, so as not to tear the delicate paper.
Whatever language it was that was written on the scroll, it was gibberish to the nøkk, appearing more like graceless scribbles than anything remotely decipherable. Perhaps it wasn’t even a language. The nøkk’s brows furrowed with confusion, creasing fair skin and his lips pressed together, giving him an almost stubbornly determined look.
“I don’t... know this language...”, was what Aberdeen muttered after a few seconds. He sighed, a soft, but not disappointed sound.
“Maybe one of you do?”, he then asked, looking from person to person as he spread out the letter on the blanket that everyone had settled down by.