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[biteoffherhead]

[During the drafts and the flooding, Moro simply evacuated. As a result, the den she had taken residence in has since become uninhabitable. Any possessions of San remain in the cave, soggy and growing mold; Moro has no interest in material possessions.

She does, however, have an interest in finding a new den. Which, given her size, is not an easy thing to do. Now that she's back and close to the village, those who wander even a short ways into the forest may find Moro pawing at holes to see if she can dig them wider, or even trying to squeeze into larger pits.

She is not making much success, mind.]

Comments

[echotaker]

[He closes his eyes, exhaling sharply in fear for his life for just a moment, actually dropping to one knee... but then he remembers, he wouldn't die. It doesn't ease the pounding of his muted heart, however. His breath coming in smaller takes, he zeroes in one one particular thing Moro has said...

When he finally speaks, his voice is soft, not to mention a touch unsure. There is hope there as well, for it is a way to view himself that he did not before.]

...a warrior...?

[biteoffherhead]

Yes. Before the humans killed the forest's guardian, I was a warrior. It was my duty to patrol, and to slaughter that which upset balance. Such is the duty of any god. I had to set that duty second when I had to replace Nago, who was killed for protecting the forests from man.

[echotaker]

...it must have been very difficult for you, if your job is anything remotely similar to my own.

[He remains on one knee, looking to the ground. She'd told him he had to have a warrior's pride. Perhaps he'd been looking at his job the wrong way. He was protecting the living from the Echoes of the dead leaking over. It was a very serious task, even if there were more than one Night Arrow to perform the duty. His sector was his task. He was the Night Arrow of that sector and, as such, perhaps... he was a warrior.]

Did you ever feel even once that you wanted a break?

[biteoffherhead]

Never. I am not weak-willed or selfish as a human!

[The gods just think in a radically different way, anyway.]

I would sooner die than leave the world to crumble. Or worse, to leave my role to a human.

[echotaker]

Not all of us are so lucky to be that strong all the time. That's the thing... with my job, I've seen...

[He sighs, sitting back on his rump.]

I once saw a seven year old girl's murdered Spirit arrive in the Land of the Dead. When she realized she was dead, she couldn't handle what had happened to her. Even when I tried to calm her, nothing worked... and she became a twisted, mutated beast known as an Echo. I had to destroy that thing even as it cried out in her miserable voice.

...even if that doesn't reach you... we're bound by our hearts, even when they're muted to prevent Echoes from detecting us.

I always feel so much pain when I find myself fighting what were once innocent children.

[biteoffherhead]

It is not luck. I was meant for a great purpose.

[Moro curls her lip.]

Living humans are no less revolting. In their desperate attempts to flee death, they do truly horrible things. A woman threw her baby at my feet, so that she could flee and survive.

I do not believe in humans having such a binding.

[echotaker]

...she threw her baby at you?

[Michael stares, shock and disbelief in his face.]

What did you do with it? That's---that's horrible...

[biteoffherhead]

I could have eaten her. But I had to sate my hatred, my anger, or else it would have made me all too eager to devour every human I ever found. Before the humans made guns, I was not to kill too many, only those that had immediately trespassed my lands.

So instead of killing her... I took her. She became my daughter, San.

[echotaker]

...you raised a human as your daughter... w-where is she now? Did she come with you to this place? Are you alone here?

[He's suddenly more than aware of something that makes them very similar if his inklings are right on: neither of them had family here.]