《 ➸ // a promise made with all my heart 》《 viscet #2458 》

[✦ nemuri]

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name. mayumi [ 麻弓 ; true bow ]
gender. cisfemale
kingdom. tsukata
s. orientation. bisexual
role. former ranger/archer, now a
traveling knight of tsukata

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❝ even as the archer
loves the arrow that
flies, she too loves
the bow that
remains constant in
her hands. ❞ xx ➸

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[✦ nemuri]

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indent"hey, mayumi, don't you think that you're a lot like heather? you're so independent, and you prefer being in solitude. i guess you're especially like white heather, because of how protective you are... those are just some traits i really like about you, i guess."

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indentan archer has no need for defense and armor. heavy metal plating will only serve to weigh them down, and as they leap effortlessly through trees or make their way across the plains on horseback, they are able to swiftly avoid direct contact with assailants. mayumi's personality and the way she deals with her emotions is akin to her fighting style; she hits hard from a distance, and the moment she lets someone come close to her heart, all will be lost. when an archer's meager defenses are penetrated, nothing much can be done. in mayumi's case, she chose to become a traveling knight, but the damage has already been done. even as she tries to patch up the empty holes in her heart with her thick armor, they don't do much to help, and the unfamiliar sword in her paws that cuts down her foes is far too brutal for her.


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indenta m i a b l exxxyetxxxa s o c i a l
indentas the guardian of the forest, mayumi needs to come off as amiable and caring to the viscets that she's supposed to protect. presenting herself in a friendly, casual air does wonders to raise one's reputation, and especially since she was tasked with being the guardian of the plains, it's important for mayumi to prove to the villagers of tsukata that she is not a threat, however strong she is. through occasional visits to the various villages scattered throughout tsukata, greeting travelers and accompanying them on their journeys, the viscet with the great antlers is shown to care deeply about the well-being of other viscets. others are drawn to mayumi for how friendly she can be, and the fact that she exhibits an aura of secrecy. words that have been exchanged are locked in the green-eyed viscet's mind, and in that sense, she has never told a secret unless it gravely impacts the population of tsukata in a negative light.

indenthowever, being friendly and upbeat is a very draining task for mayumi, and as she is used to minimal social contact from her days as a ranger. more often than not, the villagers would overwhelm her. she greatly values her time alone, and while she will tolerate traveling with other viscets or in smaller groups, she would prefer to talk as little as possible, or not at all for the duration of the journey. as much as being the guardian of the plains benefits mayumi, it also pushes her out of her comfort zone, as such an important protection figure can't always remain silent in the presence of regular viscets. once more, she has a status to uphold, and while she believes that social interaction is troublesome, it is necessary in order for the viscet with the great antlers to maintain her reputation. trust is a sensitive topic for mayumi, and as she believes trust stems from spending time with other viscets, she tries her best to not get attached.



indentc o m p a s s i o n a t exxxyetxxxe a s i l yxd i s c o u r a g e d
indentwhile it may be the norm for the guardian of the plains to be passionate about her role, and hold compassion to those who require her aid, mayumi truly does care. unlike her pretense to be a cheerful and friendly individual, she holds great sympathy for those who suffer, and as the guardian of the plains, mayumi has sworn to herself to protect and help the citizens of tsukata in any way she can. despite her tendencies to distrust most viscets upon first meeting, the viscet with the great antlers would still hold the citizens of tsukata in a positive light, and although mayumi is the guardian of the plains, she is mostly a symbol of peace for the viscets. through her actions and guidance, she strives to bring the kingdom closer while maintaining the peace and safety, under the orders of the head of the kingdom. knights don't tend to make small talk with the villagers, but mayumi is a special case, because she is simply the guardian of the plains.

indenteven though mayumi has compassion and the support of the viscets from tsukata, she can't help but feel discouraged, like any other normal viscet. the green-eyed viscet's negative emotions usually stem from the belief that she is unable to accomplish the tasks that were assigned to her, thus causing her to have a mini breakdown. she starts to argue with herself mentally and tends to remain unresponsive for long periods of time, and only several hours of peace and quiet would be able to bring mayumi back to her regular self. if her ideas were rejected, mayumi would most certainly be able to come up with another plan, but she would be hesitant to do so in fear of having her backup ideas rejected, as well. being unassertive is a normal thing for mayumi to do, as years of being a ranger has taught the viscet with the great antlers a good lot in terms of being independent, but not so much in terms of presenting her ideas and being confident about them.



indentd e d i c a t e dxxxyetxxxo b s e s s i v e
indentif being a ranger has ever taught mayumi anything at all, then her most valuable lesson learned would be to remain dedicated to one's goals and beliefs. while the sword-wielding viscet may lose sight of her own ideas if she were to share them with others, she would always strive to find a way to accomplish her goals. her goals range from simply escorting a viscet to a certain place or making a group of rogue bandits leave the lands of tsukata once and for all, to becoming a better sword user or making amends with her past mistakes. she shows most of her dedication to her job, however, in protecting the villages and the viscets she had eventually become acquainted with. being a ranger was a thankless job, but as more viscets recognize mayumi as the guardian of the plains, the green-eyed viscet draws her motivation and energy to preform her tasks from the viscets who depend on her on a day-to-day basis, and the viscets who stay by her side.

indentas mayumi's dedication towards her goals can be considered commendable, often times, they may cross the thin line between "dedicated" and "obsessive". the guardian of the plains doesn't like giving up if no one has straight out told her to stop, and most of the time, she is willing to destroy and ruin herself if it means achieving her goals that benefit the rest of the kingdom. unfortunately, her obsession carries over into her romantic feelings as well, and when looking at viscet who mayumi has strong emotional attachments to, she can't help but feel dissatisfied and crave more of that particular viscets' attention and time. as spending time with those mayumi is comfortable with is euphoric and pleasing to the cervine viscet, she can't help but feel disgusted at herself for being so obsessive, yet being unable to stop the feelings from welling up inside of her.



indenti n t e l l i g e n txxxyetxxxc a l c u l a t i n g
indenteven from when she was a young viscling, mayumi had proven herself to be incredibly smart. she is a quick learner, and above all, she's eager to learn and holds a thirst for more knowledge. she makes use of the facts that she had learned from listening to the words of the villagers to reading some informative books on the royal library, on her rare visits to the capital of the kingdom. as a result, the guardian of the plains is able to formulate effective and efficient battle plans with the generals and knights in the royal army. however, the battle plans that mayumi usually comes up with involve smaller groups of viscets rather than a large army, due to her past as a ranger. as such, the viscet with the great antlers is more suited for traveling by the countryside alone, where she is responsible for her own back in battles and skirmishes, rather than caring for her comrades as well. while mayumi is capable of coming up with battle plans that are suitable for the royal army, there are many tacticians who serve under the kingdom who are more than capable of coming up with the plans themselves, and mayumi knows that interfering with the flow of the royal army would only give them disturbances.

indenthowever, there is no doubt that mayumi can be a very cold and calculating opponent to face within the heat of battle. this fact becomes even more prominent if you're not the first viscet to fight against her in your group, as mayumi would have warmed up and learnt the fighting styes of most of the members by observing their movements and engaging each of them in short fights, as she tends to hop around and take turns swinging at different viscets at a time. although her prowess with the sword isn't nearly as frightening as compared to her skill with the bow, the knight with emerald eyes is definitely a force to be reckoned with, especially if you have angered her or if you've threatened the safety of the viscets that she had been tasked to protect. to those types of viscets, mayumi holds no mercy and will not stop until they've all learnt their lesson in a way that the assailants will not forget.



indentr e l i a b l exxxyetxxxs e l f - c r i t i c a l
indentin spite of many of the cervine viscet's talents and good traits, the sole trait to ensures that mayumi would continue to wake up each day as the guardian of the plains is the fact that she is reliable and open to viscets of her kingdom. she needs to be open and accept the requests from the viscets who need help from her, as well as preform efficiently and complete all her tasks before she runs out of time. as such, mayumi would also need to be trustworthy, as many of her requests involve delivering secret messages from spies to the nobles within the capital, and harbouring a secret from all the other viscets. the guardian of the plains doesn't have a mantra or a particular saying, but she strongly believes in the concept of reliability being interdependent with trust. one does not exist without the other, and mayumi strives to live up to her own standards, as well as the standards of the viscets residing within the premises of tsukata.

indentalong with mayumi's good traits, there are the traits that affect her in a negative light, and the fact that she's prone to criticize her own abilities is harmful for her confidence levels. the way she obsesses over her faults isn't the healthiest either, and if anything, it can frighten other viscets, as viscets who brood for hours are not common in tsukata. the villagers try their best to always look on the bright side of life, and when they see mayumi criticizing herself and pointing out her mistakes, they are often unsettled and don't know how to respond. however, the self-criticism isn't always bad; it gives mayumi a focus on the aspects that she needs to improve about herself and the ideas she creates, and by listening to the opinions of other viscets, combined with her own thoughts, it is possible for the knight with emerald eyes to achieve greater heights. that can only happen if her obsession to brood over things dies down, and while that may not happen anytime soon, it is yet another area that mayumi would want to improve, sooner or later.



indent[ 1949 words ]


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[✦ nemuri]

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indent"well, i guess you're alright. i'll come with you for a while, but when the time comes, there's no guarantee that i'll still be with you forever. keep that in mind, mayumi."


indentlike most viscets from the kingdom of tsukata, mayumi had a very humble upbringing. her earliest days were spent working on the farms, like many other viscets, but as she grew older, she discovered her passion and innate talent for archery. countless hours were spent honing her particular skill as mayumi moved up the social ladder and started to join older archers on hunts. however, mayumi's interest in hunting soon diminished, and shortly after she resigned, she left her home to become a ranger.

indentthe training was difficult, if one wished to become a ranger. although mayumi was gifted, there were still many skills that she had not learned or acquired during her lonely practices or time with the hunts. if she wanted to continue on her path, then the only thing she could do was persevere and become a better archer. in short moments between practicing and polishing her skills, she managed to handle her stress by reading simple picture books and admire the intricate pictures that decorated each page. mayumi was literate, but there was an alluring childishness to the picture books that mayumi couldn't get enough of.

indentonce mayumi finally became a ranger, she was assigned to stay at the rangers' headquarters until she was called to be on duty. however, that didn't sit well with the female viscet with antlers, and mayumi decided to leave the rangers' headquarters of her own accord. she got together with several acquaintances and friends that she had made during her training as a ranger and visits to the main village of tsukata, and she and her group left shortly after.




indentnot much information has been gathered on mayumi's journey as a ranger. documents have been ripped or burned, and her former companions refuse to retell the stories.




indentafter her argument with [ name redacted ], mayumi had turned tail and left. she went to the capital and decided to become a traveling knight, rather than stay a ranger. of course, everyone was disappointed that such a prodigy in archery had decided to turn her back on what her life had been built on, but the whispers of complaints had vanished once she became known as "the guardian of the plains", with a jeweled circlet to prove her worth resting on the top of her head. her prowess with the sword isn't nearly as impressive as her ability to manipulate and nock an arrow, but it is enough to still protect the citizens of tsukata.

indentmayumi had taken a picture book along with her travels with her old companions. most of the formerly colourful pages have been ripped out, and the pages left in the book has had their ink faded from the exposure to weather and pages wrinkled. the book was found in a trash heap, and the only indication that it ever belonged to the guardian of the plains was the small script inside the cover of the book. the words are nearly illegible now, and the only names that can be seen are "mayumi" and "aatu".



indent[ 538 words ]

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxart by Izzabella496 !


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[✦ nemuri]

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indenti didn't see the sword coming, and by the time i ducked, it was a little too late. the sword nicked at my ear and scratched at my antlers, and i bit my lip to prevent myself from crying out. she noticed that i was in trouble, and instantly came to my aid with her two daggers. i rolled over, got my bow ready, and nocked an arrow in one, fluid movement. the assailant paused, unsure of whether or not they should continue to attack. it was a good thing that they stopped, for aatu's daggers were at his throat, and my arrow was pointed directly at his chest, where their beating heart lay.

indentthe speckled viscet gave one more slash to the attacker's side, and they howled in pain. i felt bad for a brief moment, but when i raised my paw to touch the tender wound at my ear, all empathy vanished. she let the attacker run off with their tail between their legs, and she turned to face me triumphantly. however, any signs of triumph faded once she saw my battered state. i smiled weakly and got to my feet, brushing dust off my green cape. "well, that certainly did hurt. maybe i should stop rushing into the thick of the fight every time..."

indent"that would certainly be a wise decision, mayumi. i'm not always here to protect your back, and neither are any of your traveling companions. we are only temporary. take better care of yourself, and stay in the back lines, where you can actually be of use by shooting arrows into those viscets. you're not suited for close range fighting. or stay here, i guess. it doesn't matter to me; if you're dead, then you're dead." the speckled viscet paused, and her sharp orange eyes pierced into my green orbs. for a moment, i thought i saw her expression soften ever so slightly, but then she continued to rattle off. "i'm not responsible for your life, mayumi. do remember this."

indentmy own eyes glazed over slightly at the hidden facts behind her sharp tone. she was right, and i knew i was a fool for acting this way. i pursed my lips together and licked away some of the blood still on my bottom lip, before nodding my head. "right... i'll leave the front lines to you guys. in return, i'll be at the back, shooting at the enemies from afar and weakening them before they can get to you guys. it's the least i can do, after all."


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indentthe viscet with the great antlers awoke with a start, panting heavily and gasping for breath. she fumbled slightly in her bed, before she realized that she was still at the inn that she had checked in with kohaku. her green cloak was creased due to the fact that mayumi had been sleeping on it all night, but at least it was comfortable. she hadn't bothered to take off her armor before blacking out on the bed, and now that she was fully awake, mayumi was aware how sore her arms, legs, and tails were. stretching slightly to work out the kinks in her body, mayumi slid out of the bed and pressed a paw to her throat, relieved to find that her necklace was unharmed.

indentas mayumi remained standing in order to regain her bearings, there was a small knock on the door. when the viscet with the great antlers did not reply, the viscet standing behind the door pushed it open, and glanced towards her with an expression of worry. "are you okay? i thought i might've heard screaming from your room in the middle of the night, but when i stopped by your door, you were sleeping soundly."

indentmayumi simply blinked at her visitor in response. while she still wasn't completely used to kohaku's presence yet, she had only ever seen him in his blue dancer outfit. he must've been in a hurry, since he didn't even have his face mask on. the green eyed viscet couldn't help but marvel at the intricate runes that patterned her companion's fur, and she smiled slightly. "was there screaming? i apologize if i disturbed your rest. i can't remember what my dream might've been, so i really don't know if i was screaming in the middle of the night. if it was me, i assure you, it will not happen again."

indent"... why do you insist on doing everything alone? it doesn't have to be that way, you know. there are viscets who are worried about your well-being. i'm worried about your well-being, especially because we're traveling together. you can afford to trust me and lean on my shoulder for a little," the ocelot-patterned viscet murmured softly, as he gave mayumi a reassuring nod. his smile was small, but it spoke volumes to the viscet with the great antlers. he reminds me so much of her, even though they're practically polar opposites...

indent"thank you for your kindness. i'll be sure to keep that in mind," the green eyed viscet said, after a hesitant pause. kohaku seemed to deflate slightly at mayumi's usual formal and distant style of speech, and he only nodded his weakly as a response. "no, seriously, i appreciate the gesture. i'm not used to expressing myself so openly, so forgive me for my awkwardness and strange speaking style. with time, i can only hope that my speech will become more natural to the ears."

indentmayumi's added response seemed to bring a little more life back into kohaku. he smiled brightly at her, before clasping his paws together. "alright then, i'll leave you to your own devices for now. i'm going to check us out, as well as prepare our horses. today is probably going to be a long day, so prepare yourself. come find me whenever you're ready, mayumi!" at that, the viscet with ocelot patterns dashed out of the door, leaving the guardian of the plains to sigh in his wake.

indent"truly, the similarities are simply maddening... how much of this can i handle before i break down again? i can't let history repeat itself. i left in order to run from my mistake, but... i miss her so much. i miss them so much. i want to go back, but i can't, not now. it hurts me to think that i left without a good-bye, and that i will probably never see them again."


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indent"ready to leave?" kohaku called out, smiling as he looked down on mayumi from his horse. he was now fully clothed in his outfit again, and every time he shifted slightly on his horse, the sunlight caught on the fabric of his clothing, creating a shimmering effect. it was hypnotic and peaceful at the same time, but the green eyed viscet shook her head. the feelings were slightly disconcerting, and mayumi knew that she couldn't dwell on the fact that she wanted this moment to freeze in place. sadly, there were things to be done, and the two should be on their way.

indentmayumi smiled back as she mounted her own horse. her green cloak floated behind her from the breeze, and her armor had been warmed by the sunlight. it was such a beautiful day to ride. it reminds me of that one day when i first met her. "yes, let's go and make haste, for there is much to do today."

indentkohaku let out a wry laugh, as he stroked the top of his horse fondly. "indeed, indeed. you need to travel all across the land owned by tsukata, while accompanying me to my rituals as well. thanks, mayumi. i don't remember if i've ever said it before, but i really appreciate the fact that you're here with me." cocking his head, he smiled gently and faced towards the sun. mayumi followed his actions, and soon enough, the viscet with the great antlers and the ocelot patterned viscet urged their horses in onto the worn trail.

indentnot many words were exchanged between the two viscets. mayumi was absorbed in her thoughts while admiring the scenic beauty of the nature in tsukata, while kohaku followed behind, thinking silently to himself. sunlight glinted off of mayumi's armor and the band of metal she sported in her head, and the emeralds set within the metal seemed to sparkle. she sat poised on her horse, emitting a wave of elegance and class, while the sword that hung by her side suggested potential doom to anyone who dared to attack her or kohaku.

indenteven if the sword was supposedly more convenient and a more conventional weapon for a knight, mayumi couldn't help but miss her old bow. of course, she herself had snapped it in half, along with all the arrows, when she became known as the guardian of the plains. what sort of guardian hid from afar and shot pitiful arrows towards her enemies? no, in order to adopt her new persona, mayumi has to change, and change she did.

indentthe viscet with the great antlers furrowed her eyebrows slightly as she gazed towards the distance. slowing her horse slightly so that the ocelot patterned viscet and his horse could catch up, mayumi then decided to speak. "judging by the pace we're moving at, it may take us two days and two nights to reach the next village. would you like to move at a faster speed? it would probably benefit both of us, as i have places to go and through this method, we can reach all the villages in time for their respective rituals. it wouldn't do for you to be late now, would it, kohaku?"

indentmayumi was just teasing the easily flustered viscet, and sure enough, kohaku's face burned up and he stammered our a reply. "o-of course not! we can definitely ride faster; i'm sorry for any inconveniences that i may cause!" he screeched out, and mayumi stared at him in disbelief. that disbelief soon turned into amusement, as the cloaked viscet aberted her gaze so that she could giggle. kohaku, worries that he had somehow offended the other viscet, started to panic immediately. "d-did i do something wrong? oh no, i've really messed up now, haven't i? i'm so sorry, mayumi!"

indent"nothing... nothing is wrong," mayumi chokes, as she tries and fails miserably to contain her laughter. another look at kohaku's pouting face resulted in another bout of giggles, and kohaku remained rigid on top of her horse, clearly unamused. "forgive me, i'm still adjusting to how apologetic and easily flustered you are. as the guardian of the plains, my actions were very inappropriate. this will not happen again, i swear it."

indent"doesn't sound all that convincing to me," kohaku grumbled lightheartedly, as the bright blush on his cheeks faded into a moderate rosy colour. he shook her head good-naturedly, and urged his horse to a quick trot. mayumi, who was still smiling, followed behind. oh, if only i had shared more moments like these with her... i would've been so happy then.



indent[ 1839 words ]


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[✦ nemuri]

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indentshe had managed to turn my head the moment i laid my eyes on her. her sleek coat had a shiny luster to it, and her beautiful orange eyes were so... full of personality. she was true to herself, even if she was harsh at times. i didn't know when i started to feel like this, but i was scared. scared because i didn't want to lose a friend, scared of my own feelings.

indenti met her on a beautiful, sunny day with few clouds floating across the picturesque, blue sky. she stood in a field of wheat, and the sun's rays reflected off her sharp orbs. there was something alluring about her fur, and i couldn't tear my eyes away. i had approached her and asked if she wanted to travel with me.

indentshe responded harshly. i was not expecting her words to be so sharp, but her eyes clearly reflected someone of a fierce personality, so i didn't know why i was so surprised. i offered protection and companionship, because she was alone, and eventually, after much bantering, she came to accept my offer.

indentshe called herself aatu. she seemed pleased to hear that i was a ranger, and that i had strong companions, but would she still be so pleased if she knew my true motives? i wanted to get to know her better. she seemed to be so perfect, so strong, and so out of this world. i was but a mere archer, a simple ranger. what did i have, that she didn't have already?

indentthe answer came to me slowly. i could share my picture books. the flowers on my antlers can serve as beautiful presents, when need be, even though i dislike the floral plants.


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indentas mayumi sat on top of her horse, she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to the old memories that she had tried to keep locked away. clearly, she wasn't doing a great job at forgetting the past and moving on, but those memories were deeply ingrained into her body, in her cloak, and even her antlers themselves. it would take a mage of some sort to cast a forgetting spell on the guardian of the plains to make her forget of those enjoyable, yet painful times. unknowingly, she started to grimace, and kohaku, had been riding quietly beside the cloaked viscet, raised his head in concern.

indent"mayumi, are you sure you're okay? you don't look well. ah, drat, maybe we should have stayed at that inn for a while longer... the only things we'd see for miles to come are probably fields of crops. i'm sorry for forcing you to accompany me to each of the dancing rituals throughout tsukata," kohaku called out, as he urged his horse closer towards the viscet with the great antlers. mayumi's grimace deepened slightly as kohaku made his observation, but as she lifted her head, she put on a small smile in order to reassure the other viscet. kohaku always worries so much about me. it's quite a change from her sharp, no-nonsense personality, but i suppose this is something that i can get used to, at least for a while.

indent"yes, kohaku, i'm sure i'm fine. i try to be as transparent as possible; if i wasn't feeling well, i would've already said so. besides, it's hard to feel down when the weather is this nice, don't you agree? i appreciate your concern, though," she said, nodding at the ocelot patterned viscet, before urging her horse to ride a little faster. the good weather was a good sign, but knowing how fickle weather can be, it can quickly change. the traveling knight was determined to cover as much distance as possible while the sun was still out. it was dangerous to traverse the land during the night; even the flat lands of tsukata has its own threats of nocturnal creatures.

indentkohaku seemed hesitant to let the viscet with the great antlers continue on their trek, but he dipped his head in response and fell back slightly, giving the guardian of the plains some more space. "if you say so, mayumi. i'm trusting you to speak out if something is amiss. we need to get to the rituals in time, but it's meaningless if you fall sick along the way. man, now i wish i had left earlier... but because i didn't, i met you, so i suppose that's a good thing." the ocelet patterned viscet then let out a long sigh and continued to ride behind mayumi at a trot. the traveling knight remained wordless, as she lifted one paw to her neck, rummaging through the cloth of her cloak until she touched her cold necklace. the action brought a small sense of relief to mayumi, and shortly afterwards, the grimace faded away from her face.

indentthe twosome continued to ride in relative silence, aside from the few moments in which kohaku would attempt to speak up and make idle conversation with mayumi. through a series of trial and error, he soon got the idea that she didn't feel like conversing, and eventually stopped trying. the guardian of the plains was happy to hear that the other viscet was trying to reach out to her, but right now, it was too soon for mayumi to take off the armor from her heart. instead, she focused her gaze on the wildlife in the landscape.

indentthe colourful blossoms of the wildflowers swayed gently in the breeze, as well as the wheat crop that grew in the summer sun. it wasn't as hot as mayumi had expected it to be, and the occasional gusts of wind were soothing. to the guardian of the plains, it seemed like such a waste to be moody on such a lovely day. with a wider smile on her face, she turned to face kohaku, who was still riding rather sullenly behind her.

indent"hey, kohaku, want to have a race? we can start around here, and the finish line would be, let's say, at that large tree over there, near the area where the cows are grazing? we haven't had a whole lot of fun, since we're traveling and everything, but we might as well take this opportunity, since it presented itself to us."

indentkohaku's sandy coloured eyes widened slightly in surprise, but the surprise soon melted away and was replaced with a content and knowing smile. he made his way towards mayumi, who had stopped her horse and was looking towards the male viscet. the guardian of the plain's smile faded ever so slightly at the at kohaku's smile, but the change was near unnoticeable. i would've loved to ride and race her around the kingdom on horseback...

indent"i will gladly accept your challenge. let's go!" with those words and a loud whoop, the ocelet patterned male viscet then proceeded to push his horse into a gallop, and the viscet with the great antlers let out a bright smile, racing behind her companion as her cloak billowed out from behind her form. although mayumi would have preferred racing with someone else, for now, kohaku would simply do. she enjoyed his companionship almost as much as she liked her presence, admittedly.

indent"i won't let you beat me!" mayumi shouted out gleefully, as she spurred her horse on faster. as she caught up to kohaku and was now riding next to him, the landscape had turned into a blur of colours. as disorienting as it seemed, the guardian of the plains couldn't help but marvel at how pretty the colours looked when blended together, and if she looked straight ahead, the physical forms of the wildlife remained solid, but as soon as she turned her head, everything changed.

indentthe ocelet patterned viscet let out a laugh that was drowned out by the sound of the rushing wind, but his mirthful eyes said everything that mayumi needed to hear. "are you so sure about that? we've barely even started to race, and although i may not look like much, i'm actually quite the rider. i've ridden tons of horses back at home, before i started to travel as a dancer." throwing his head back in amusement, he slapped the side of the horse, and suddenly, kohaku started to draw ahead of mayumi again. the viscet with the great antlers gritted her teeth in mild annoyance, and she too urged her horse to run faster yet again.

indentby now, mayumi had no intentions of speaking to kohaku before the race was over. the male viscet, clearly amused by mayumi's actions, allowed his horse to slow down slightly, so that the female viscet and her horse would overtake him. the guardian of the plains hurtled ahead, not once looking back to see if the sandy eyed viscet was still following. the large tree was larger now, and there was only another mile or so before she would reach it before kohaku. stroking her horse softly and giving him extra reassurance and encouragement, mayumi leaned forward with a smile dancing on her lips. i truly haven't had this much fun in ages. she definitely would've refused and demanded for me to put up more targets so that she could practice throwing her daggers, and for me to practice hitting bullseye.

indentletting out an ecstatic shout that had been carried through the wind, mayumi urged her horse faster one last time, as the sight of the tree quickly sped into view. however, her excitement was short-lived, as another blur had made their way next to her. to the viscet with the great antlers' surprise, it was kohaku and his horse, who were riding as though this is nothing out of the ordinary. mayumi could only stare, shocked, as the ocelet patterned male viscet easily overtook her in swift, fluid movements. he reached the tree just seconds before mayumi, but the fact still stands that he won.

indent"w-what... how did you do that, kohaku?" mayumi called out, as she dismounted her horse upon reaching the tree. both horses were clearly tired, but both appeared to be satisfied that they had been given a chance to properly stretch their legs and race. kohaku was tying the reins to the trunk of the large tree when the guardian of the plains had made her way towards him, and he shrugged nonchalantly before finishing up the knot.

indent"like i said... i used to ride horses a lot back in the days. besides, i'm well acquainted with the horse i'm riding, and i trust her with my life," he responded cheerfully, and mayumi nodded her head slowly. trust... i believed in her. as a result, we did better together than alone, but did she reciprocate that trust? even to this day, i am not certain...

indentshaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts, mayumi hurried to tie up her horse as well. to her chagrin, the sun was starting to set, and there were no signs of shelter within the forests, other than beneath the larger trees. turning to face kohaku, she gestured towards the sun as it made its way across the sky. "i think we should set up camp here. it'll be dark soon, and won't be safe to travel. i'll go gather some logs and sticks if i can find any, and you can start preparing the food and keeping an eye on our things," mayumi murmured, and kohaku gave her a small nod in response. the two set off on their respective ways to prepare for the oncoming night, and even though they had a spend a night in the wilderness, mayumi knew that they would be able to reach the next village very soon.

indentfor now, she had given herself the task of collecting firewood, and she would make sure that the campfire that they would build would burn long and bright.



indent[ 1979 words ]


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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx art by Brightcrest on FR !

[✦ nemuri]

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indenti liked her. i knew i liked her. i knew that i had fallen hard, and for the wrong viscet. who was i to blame other than myself?

indentwe sat together, side by side, as we watched the dying embers fizzle out and give into the empty darkness of night. the others were sleeping already. i had too much on my mind, and i had asked her to stay with me and keep me company.

indenti shouldn't have done that. i was being selfish. but really, all i ever wanted was to be closer with her. aatu agreed to stay with me. i tried to make her promise to never leave my side. i shouldn't have done that. i really shouldn't have.

indentshe gazed at me with a pitying look that was mixed with slight remorse, but there was another emotion that swam alongside the other ones, within her dark orbs. "i can't promise anything," she had said, and i had to bite my tongue to prevent myself from screaming out.

indentwe read together and pored over the pages of my picture book before the light faded from the campfire. once the light and warmth had been diminished, she was no longer by my side. i couldn't see the captivating colours of my book anymore, and everything around me felt cold to the touch.

indentit was as though i had fallen into a pit of darkness. i knew that the emotional suffering would only increase if i tried to make her stay. in one way or another, one of us had to leave. for now...

indenti just wanted to treasure the few moments that we had together, before you yelled at me and i betrayed everyone. she had stuck an arrow into my heart, and in my vain efforts to remove it, i had only managed to deepen the gauge and create a larger hole.


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indent"... mayumi? mayumi. you're crying." kohaku's words were simple, and were spoken in a matter-of-fact tone, but his eyes betrayed his true emotions. mayumi pulled herself closer into a tight ball as she gazed into the crackling fire. this particular memory was one that she hated, but couldn't bear to part with, and the guardian of the plains despised herself for being so indecisive. as the plumes of smoke floated towards the stars above, one of the horses neighed, and the green eyed viscet raised a paw to her cheeks. her paws were icy cold, and there were indeed tears on her cheeks.

indentthe viscet with the great antlers let out a small sniffle as she hurriedly brushed the tears away. "you're right. how strange... i wonder why i started to cry...?" she shook her head before turning to face kohaku. his dancing outfit had been neatly folded and placed into one of his many packs, and he had a large blanket around himself. mayumi only had her armor and her large, green cloak. "it's not your fault, though. even if you don't say it outright, i know what you're thinking. you think that this is all your fault, for whatever reason, but it simply isn't. this... reminds me of a moment in the past that i both loved and hated. i enjoyed the race. i definitely wasn't expecting you and your horse to overtake me in the last moments. it was a great race."

indentthe ocelot patterned viscet remained quiet, while keeping his eyes on mayumi. she had turned her head away after her comments, and almost tentatively, kohaku extended a paw towards the female viscet. "well, i'm here if you ever want to talk about it, i suppose. you must be cold, want to share a blanket?" as if just understanding the implications that his question may pose, kohaku's cheeks flared into a brilliant shade of vermilion red, further bolstered by the light from the fire. "i-i mean, it's perfectly fine if you don't want to! no, of course you'd be cold, but i mean-! i didn't mean it like that! just sharing! just as friends! yeah!" he continued to blush and stammer, and mayumi smiled wryly at his reaction.

indent"i suppose i'll take you up on your offer, then, kohaku. don't worry, i'm not all that offended," mayumi reassured, as she inched closer towards the still-stuttering male viscet. the sandy eyed viscet draped the blanket around mayumi as well, and they sat in silence, staring at the flames that provided both heat and light. the guardian of the plains dipped her head, and as light from the fire reflected off the shiny steel that created her circlet, necklace and armor, she tried to succumb her mind to sleep. however, the thoughts kept bouncing around in her mind, and a frown soon formed on mayumi's forehead. finally unable to take it any longer, the female viscet let out a shaky sigh before turning around to face the ocelet patterned male viscet. "actually, kohaku... do you intend on sleeping anytime soon? i have a few thoughts and feelings on my mind, and it'd be nice if i were able to sort them out before the next day."

indentkohaku blinked, clearly startled at mayumi's sudden request. the viscet with the great antlers frowned and was about to reconsider, when the male gave her a small smile and nodded. "i'm not feeling all that tired, actually. you can tell me anything, mayumi; i'd be glad to listen, if it would help you at all." the dancer flicked the tip of his tail, before curling it neatly around his paws, in anticipation to mayumi's tale. the cloaked viscet nibbled on the inside of her cheek, attempting to sort out and piece together her thoughts in an orderly, chronological manner that made sense.

indenti'm not accustomed to spilling everything out at once, so this may take some time," mayumi commented, and her emerald green eyes shone from the reflecting light of the fire. "this will take some time, that's for sure." frowning and nibbling her the bottom of her lip again, the guardian of the plains tilted her head so that she was looking directly at the ocelet patterned viscet. the male viscet nodded his head firmly, and that was all mayumi needed to begin talking.


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indent"you probably know this already, but i wasn't always a traveling knight. i have the demeanor of a ranger, and that's what i used to be. i used to love archery with all my heart, and now, i can barely stand to look at someone who's holding a bow in their paws. i snapped mine in half," mayumi said quietly, as she lowered her head to bask in the radiating heat. although she couldn't see kohaku's expression, she knew that he was bound to be confused. after all, what sort of viscet would break an item that they treasured so much? "if i hadn't met the viscets i did, then i have no doubt that i would still be a ranger. however, because of her..." the guardian of the plain's tone turned wistful, and her voice cracked at the last syllable.

indent"who did you meet?" the ocelet patterned viscet asked, his tone hushed in apprehension. a plume of smoke floated towards the sandy eyed viscet's direction lazily, and he merely batted it away without another word, for all his attention was spent on the viscet with the great antlers. mayumi glanced at kohaku, before pursing her lips together tightly, as though she was afraid to say who. unknowingly, she had started to clench her paws into fists, and by the time mayumi had realized what she had done and relaxed her paws, they were sore had a slight red hue.

indent"her name... was aatu. she was a fearsome viscet who needed nobody in her life. for as long as i had known her, she had always been a loner. i made the mistake in thinking that just because i had known her for some time, i was able to win her over. i was sorely mistaken," mayumi admitted, as she rubbed the edge of her cloak between her paws. the fabric had also warmed from the fire, and the female viscet shifted slightly so that the cloak wasn't anywhere near the flames. she ignored kohaku's confused blinks, and continued to speak. "it's just that you remind me a lot of her, for whatever reason, even though the two of you are nothing alike. well, i do see one resemblance, and that's the urge you both have to protect those you cherish, i suppose."

indentat first, kohaku was quiet, and mayumi raised to her head to make sure that her traveling companion hadn't accidentally fallen asleep. to her surprise, the ocelet patterned viscet was wide-eyed, and upon closer inspection, he appeared to be trembling. the emerald eyed viscet frowned and was about to reach out her paw to nudge kohaku, but he averted his eyes slightly and twitched an ear. "so basically, you're saying that every time you look at me, you see this 'aatu' viscet. is that correct?"

indentmayumi tensed up upon hearing kohaku's words, and although she opened her mouth to speak, the sandy eyed male viscet leaned over. suddenly, the guardian of the plains was surrounded in a warm embrace, and though her mouth was open, no sound came out. kohaku's grip tightened slightly, as he let out a soft exhale. "you... probably know that i'm not aatu. based from what i've heard, i know that you want aatu here instead of me. however..." pausing slightly, kohaku shifted back slightly, and stared into mayumi's wavering eyes. she was uncomfortable, but did she want to tell the male viscet to back away? no, not really; on one paw, she enjoyed his attention, but there was aatu and mayumi knew that getting over her wasn't such a simple task. "please look at me for who i am, mayumi."

indentclosing her emerald eyes, mayumi gently pried herself from kohaku's grasp. guilt was written clearly through her face, and she looked away. "... i'm sorry. i suppose that's enough sharing for one night, we ought to sleep now." the flames were barely alive, crackling feebly, and mayumi threw down several rocks to stifle the fire. sliding the blanket towards kohaku, the guardian of the plains stood up and brushed the dirt and leaves off her cloak. "i'm going to take a short walk. i'll be back quickly, don't go anywhere." biting down on her lip, she cringed at the metallic tang of iron, indicating that she had drawn blood with her sharp teeth. swiveling around so that kohaku couldn't see her expression, mayumi headed towards the trees.

indentfor once, kohaku didn't call out after her.



indent[ 1779 words ]

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxart by Kabber !


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[✦ nemuri]

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indenti know i was in the wrong, but he didn't have to come and tell me as well. he was an interesting companion, but he was pushing things too far. he kept pushing my buttons and wouldn't stop. there was a fine line between expressing his views and forcing his views upon me, and he had crossed it.

indenti yelled at him to shut up. i told him that he didn't know me, and that i would deal with matters myself.

indenthe left the day after my outburst, and then she seemed to avoid me as well.

indenti felt less and less like a stranger. it was as though i was no longer welcome in my own group.

indenti had to leave.


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indentmayumi awoke to a slight drizzle. she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and as she surveyed her surroundings, her heart leapt into her chest when she couldn't see kohaku or their horses. then, she remembered that she was going to take a short walk after her exchange with the ocelot patterned male viscet. somehow, the short walk turned into a long one, as mayumi continued to wander throughout the trees. once the clouds revealed the beautiful stars, she had decided to just collapse underneath a tree instead of making her way back to camp. it was a foolish idea, and mayumi knew that avoiding kohaku was completely unreasonable.

indent"so, even the guardian of the plains recognizes that avoiding a companion is an unreasonable act, huh? didn't know that you had it in you to realize such a thing, mayumi," a strong, confident voice called out, and the green eyed viscet froze in her tracks. the lilt in the other viscet's voice was far too familiar, and the snarky jeer was unmistakable. he had come back, and he had known about how mayumi messed up, again.

indenteven though mayumi remained wordless and had lowered her head to conceal her expression, she could imagine yin's devious smile, clear as day. she heard footsteps draw closer, until she was aware of the fact that the other viscet was standing right in front of her. "so... time and time again, you try to pretend to be a strong stallion, to uphold your title as the guardian of the plains. that's what i really don't understand about you, mayumi. why bother trying so hard when it's not going to work out? obviously, being a ranger wasn't meant for you, so it's only natural to assume that attempting to become a traveling knight would hold similar results."

indent"shut up," mayumi muttered, as she lifted her head angrily and defiantly, to unleash her glare at the etheric revenant. "i will do what i desire with my life. you have meddled too much already; it's about time for you to leave, yin. if you don't leave the premises, i will have to use force."

indentthreatening the ghost was never a good idea, especially if you were unarmed. although yin continued to smile brightly, his eyes were shadowed by a darkness that spelled impending doom. he let out a breathy, amused chuckle and crossed his arms over his chest, and as he raised his arms, mayumi noticed that the bracelet that he usually wore was not there. yin's eyes flickered over to where the guardian of the plains was staring, and he shrugged. "it's quite bold of you to threaten someone, even if you're unarmed and clearly harmless. i noticed that you were staring at my arm, and yes, my bracelet isn't there anymore."

indentat first, she didn't feel anything. however, that nothing quickly became something, and before she knew it, the only emotion that she recognized and understood was pure, unadulterated rage. "you fool!" mayumi screamed out at the top of her lungs, and although the back of her mind kept telling her that kohaku would overhear and she didn't want him to hear, the green eyed viscet couldn't stop the flow of words from tumbling out of her mouth. she stalked up to the etheric revenant, and shoved him into a tree. "why are you... why are you even here right now?! why aren't you searching for your stupid bracelet? do you intend on putting every single viscet residing in tsukata at risk, just because you lost your bracelet?!"

indent"why do you think i came to you first?" yin snapped finally, as his patience started to run thin. the fur along mayumi's neck continued to bristle, but she didn't say anything in response. yin, taking the green eyed viscet's silence as a prompt to speak, rubbed his paws together in anticipation. "you're the only viscet that i could think of that's able to help me. i know you're traveling with that other viscet, and it'll sort of be like the old days, with you, me, and aat-"

indent"alright, first off, don't you dare say her name. second of all, why do you think i would help you, after everything you've done?" the viscet with the great antlers questioned, as she sat back on her haunches. her anger was starting to die down, but an air of wariness still hung around her. one could never be too careful with yin, and in response to mayumi's skepticism, he smiled softly.

indent"i forgot how much of a soft spot you had for aa- oops, her. anyways, you have no choice but to help me. after all, you're the guardian of the plains; it's your responsibility to help everyone in tsukata during their times of need. it's possible to search for my bracelet as you escort that ocelet patterned viscet to the places he needs to go." pausing for a moment to catch his breath again, yin tilted his head as he looked beyond mayumi, and a knowing smile took place on his lips again. "ah, look, speak of the devil and he shall arrive. what perfect timing, kohaku! we were just talking about you."

indentthe ocelet patterned viscet was in his blue dancing outfit, and he was staring intensely in mayumi's direction. no, mayumi decided, that staring wasn't the right word; kohaku was glaring at her. the disappointment and hurt were clearly visible in his eyes, and the guardian of the plains didn't need another reminder of their scuffle last night and how she had failed to return after her "short walk". however, the gods residing in the skies must've been feeling cruel, because the very words that mayumi didn't want to hear started to spill out of the sandy eyed viscet's mouth.

indent"you didn't come back after your walk." that was a statement, not a question, and mayumi felt herself cringe and nodded her head slowly. kohaku seemed dissatisfied with her silent responses, and his lips curled downwards. "if you wanted to leave, then you could've just told me instead. i wouldn't have cared if the guardian of the plains wanted to leave, but i do care about the fact that the guardian of the plains tried to leave behind my back."

indentmayumi was about to open her mouth to justify her actions, but when the etheric revenant snorted in disbelief, she swiveled around, anger lighting up her irises again. "you need to be quiet and keep to yourself!" she hissed, and as she turned around to face the ocelet patterned male, her expression instantly dissolved into guilt, remorse, and another emotion that she couldn't quite identify. was she annoyed that kohaku cared so much? a little, but she did truly feel bad about not returning back. "i'd highly prefer if you didn't use my title against me, thank you very much. besides, i'm sorry. i lost track of time, and lost my way in the darkness. i won't do that again."

indentkohaku didn't look completely convinced, but mayumi wasn't surprised at how things were turning out. if she was put in kohaku's situation, then the guardian of the plains would've definitely blown up several times in sheer rage. he shrugged his shoulders rather nonchalantly, but she could still see hints of anger within his eyes. "... it's okay. i'm not as mad as i seem; i slept it off last night when you didn't return. instead, are you going to tell me about this... erm... wonderful and translucent guest we have here right now?" gesturing towards yin's direction, kohaku's eyebrows furrowed together and he crossed his arms across his chest. "i missed the introductions because i was busy looking for you."

indentmayumi couldn't help but wince at kohaku's passive aggressive tone, and while it felt like a harsh slap to the face, she knew that she probably deserved it. she also knew that yin was most likely getting a kick at how much she was suffering, and the viscet with the great antlers glared towards the direction of the etheric revenant. gesturing to kohaku, she took a deep breath and started to explain. "this is yin, and he's dangerous. i'd tell you to get the hell away from him and do the same, but this dumb idiot here lost his stupid bracelet and now he wants me to help him." seeing kohaku's bewildered expression, mayumi started to backtrack a little, and she waved her arms as she was speaking. "ah- yin's bracelet is very special. since he's an etheric revenant that feeds off the life energy of living viscets, the bracelet was designed to keep his powers and hunger in check. he's managed to misplace it, and if i let him go and wander around the countryside, i can only imagine how many viscets will lose their lives because their life energy has been drained by this dolt."

indent"i've traveled with her before! for whatever reason, mayumi seems totally immune to the effects of my life-energy-sucking-powers. that's why i think she's the best candidate in terms of helping me." shooting kohaku a petulant look, yin crossed his arms and let out a small huff. mayumi glared at the etheric revenant, but didn't say anything in response. the slightly translucent viscet shrugged his shoulders and stood up, brushing dirt and leaves off his pelt. "what she just said was all true. now, i may or may not have overheard some parts of your discussion last night, but i understand that there's some sort of dancing ritual that involves kohaku over there? i was thinking that i could just tag alone for the ride, and while he attends to whatever he needs to do, mayumi and i can search for the bracelet. sounds good to you two?"

indent"i object," mayumi responded almost immediately, and both kohaku and yin turned their heads towards the viscet with the great antlers and stared at her in shock. "losing your bracelet is your own problem, yin. i'm not responsible for your carelessness, but i am responsible for the wellbeing of all the viscets residing in tsukata. i'm certain that your bracelet is not here. get out."

indent"mayumi, shouldn't you at least consider his plan? obviously, something needs to be done about his bracelet. i'm fine with attending the rituals by myself. there's no real need to escort me all the way," kohaku murmured, and mayumi raised an eyebrow, surprised at the ocelet patterned viscet's comment. she was about to open her mouth and protest, but the sandy eyed male cut her off and started to speak faster. "after all, you are the guardian of the plains. you need to care for the entire population, and with yin's bracelet missing, that population is at risk. i'm okay with being alone. after all, i've been doing these rituals for years, and without you."

indentkohaku's statement hurt, and while mayumi wanted to search for a reason to lash back, there was no reason for her to do so. in fact, lashing out would be completely unjustified on her part. the cloaked viscet averted her eyes slightly, and gave a single nod in response. "that's... true. alright, yin, it looks like you're going to come with us. however, make sure that you always stay within my sight. no wandering off, or i'll personally lop your head off with my sword."

indent"woah, i wasn't expecting you to give in so easily like that. are you alright?" yin asked, and although his tone sounded rather concern, mayumi knew that he didn't care, and that he was only asking so that he'd learn more information about her, and later use the information as blackmail or bargaining chips. mayumi shrugged halfheartedly in response, and without glancing in kohaku's direction even once, she started to retrace the trail that she had taken the previous night. she made it as far as a few feet before she turned around, and resignation was shown in her eyes.

indent"nothing is wrong. we should get going to the next village instead of staying here and talking. we can talk more about how we're going to plan this out as we're traveling, so we don't waste any more time than we've already had."



indent[ 2157 words ]


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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxart by Kabber !


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[✦ nemuri]

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indenta week after my fight with him, we were attacked. i should've been able to fend them off.

indentexcept i couldn't.

indenti'm still ashamed of myself. she was disappointed, as well.

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indentall was silent, save for the constant clicking of horse hooves against the rocky road. the atmosphere around the three travelers were tense, and the fact that they had been traveling for hours on the end only made matters worse. mayumi was uncomfortable with the terse air hanging over the trio, and she suspected that while yin didn't look like he was having fun, he was secretly having a chuckle to himself. that was the sort of sadistic ghost he was, and the guardian of the plains didn't put it past the etheric revenant to laugh at her misfortune.

indentas such, the viscet with the great antlers swallowed back a lump of unease, and opened her mouth to speak. she had to do something to break the awkward silence, but she also had to watch what she was saying, because she and kohaku were no longer alone. "so... since we're nearing the village, should we go over our plans one more time? we're staying the night together at some inn we can book into, and once day comes again, kohaku will participate in his ritual while yin and i will be off, searching for his bracelet."

indent"that sounds just about right to me," kohaku murmured, as he rode next to mayumi. yin was walking in an easygoing gait, but when the amber eyed viscet's words left his mouth, the ghost froze in place, trying to sniff the air. the dancer halted his horse when he realized that yin wasn't following them anymore, and the guardian of the plains stopped her horse's movements as well at kohaku's sudden actions. "what in the world are you doing, yin? we need to get going; the sun will set in a few hours and our destination is still many miles away. we don't have any time to spare. if you're tired, just let mayumi or me know, and we'll let you hop onto either one of our horses for a short break."

indent"stop talking," yin demanded, as the fur on the back of his neck started to bristle. mayumi's eyes widened slightly, as she turned her horse around and move towards the etheric revenant, but she didn't get very far before she heard a yell from kohaku and a dull pain in between her shoulder blades that quickly intensified. someone pulled the foreign object out of her body, and the viscet with the great antlers let out a hiss of pain before toppling off her horse. the frightened horse neighed loudly before darting off, and yin reached for the daggers he kept in his satchel. "this reminds me a lot of that particular day... what the hell do you want with us, scoundrels?" the etheric revenant snapped, readying himself for a fight. mayumi reached for her sword, but the pain spreading through her body was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. she heard another pair of frantic footsteps, and when she realized what kohaku was going to do, mayumi twisted her body around and grimaced.

indent"kohaku, don't you dare do what i think you're about to do. get away from here, as fast as you can!" mayumi managed to spit out, before craning her neck to look at assailant that stood over her. the sun had cast a dark shadow over the other viscet's features, and at first glance, it was difficult to identify any notable traits about the other viscet. however, a pair of spiral cobalt-blue horns grew from their head, and their piercing red eyes seemed to be always glaring. "get away from me before i introduce your neck to my sword, fool. i'm not known as the guardian of the plains for nothing."

indent"oh dear, this is not going to end well," yin muttered softly, before sticking out his tongue and prepared to throw one of his daggers at the viscet who had pinned mayumi down. he let out a small exhale before he let the dagger fly, and the blade managed to graze the horned viscet's ear and draw some blood. "well, i suppose i have no choice but to help you, mayumi. you can thank me later."

indent"h-hey...! mayumi, you can't just do that! i'm staying, whether you like it or not!" kohaku protested, as the horned viscet raised her head. the eyebrows on the blue viscet had started to furrow together even deeper upon hearing the guardian of the plains' name, and the viscet took a step back. kohaku bared his teeth into a snarl, as he readied himself for a fight that probably wouldn't ever happen.

indent"mayumi... it appears that i've attacked the wrong viscet. my apologies, but do you group of travelers know of a viscet named yin? i have some business with him, and i could've sworn that he was around here," the horned viscet commented offhandedly, and out from the corner of mayumi's eye, yin stiffened and cringed visibly. the viscet with the great antlers let out another hiss of pain as she forced herself into a sitting position, and kohaku rushed over to help mayumi sit up. "well, do you two know of him?"

indent"i believe i've heard his name before. however, i don't think he's here. as you can clearly see, it's only me and kohaku and you in this area at the moment." letting out a small cough and cringing at the small droplets of blood that had landed on the ground, mayumi turned her head to stare at the horned viscet directly in the eye. the other viscet was still frowning, but at least they looked somewhat apologetic, now. "i don't believe i caught your name. that was... quite an attack there. i don't suppose you have any bandages to soak up this blood for the time being, do you?"

indentat this point, kohaku was bewildered at how mayumi was avoiding the talk of yin, who was still standing in front of mayumi and him. however, it appeared that the horned viscet wasn't able to see the etheric revenant, and as the ocelet patterned viscet was about to open his mouth to speak of yin's presence, the guardian of the plains shot him a look that he was familiar with. do not say anything about yin. pretend that he is not here. i will explain everything later. in response to mayumi's silent message, he merely nodded his head. "it's okay if you don't. mayumi and i must be on our way now."

indentthe horned viscet blinked in confusion, before shrugging her shoulders. "unfortunately, i don't have any bandages on me. i can see that you two are probably itching to get away from me, and honestly, i'm not surprised. run along now, and the next i bump into you two, hopefully i won't end up throwing a knife into your backs again." inclining her head towards mayumi and kohaku, the other female viscet stepped to the side and crossed her arms across her chest. while the other viscet was still frowning, the creases in her brow weren't as noticeable as before. "by the way, my name is willow. in case we ever meet again, i'll be sure to stock up on more bandages."

indent"willow, huh... no offense, but you don't seem like a native viscet from tsukata. a word of advice from me to you; don't go around knifing people, even if you think they're the viscet you're looking for. just don't, unless you want to have a little chat with the guardian of the plains," mayumi suggested, as she started to adjust her green cloak around her wound. the little movements made her cringe in pain, but the viscet with the great antlers shrugged it off, as she had gotten somewhat used to the pain. kohaku seemed worried about mayumi's state, but he didn't comment on it. instead, he resorted to staring willow down, in which the horned viscet shifted uncomfortably.

indent"i'll be sure to keep that in mind. thank you mayumi. i must inquire, who is the guardian of the plains. i've never heard of such a being during my stays in tsukata," willow admitted, as kohaku snorted incredulously. even mayumi seemed a little surprised, and although the horned viscet couldn't see him, yin shook his head and slapped his forehead in exasperation. the blue furred viscet seemed to pick up that something as amiss, and tilted her head, while flicking an ear. "did i say something funny? is it all that surprising that i don't know who the guardian of the plains is, if they even exist at all?"

indent"you don't know...? willow, the guardian of the plains is mayumi," kohaku deadpanned, and the guardian of the plains shot an amused look in willow's direction, as the horned viscet merely blinked in surprise. for a moment, everything was awkwardly silent; only the sound of the wind sifting through the leaves on a tree could be heard, but even still, it was easy for mayumi to forget about her surroundings as she trained her gaze on the red eyed viscet. willow continued to blink rapidly, and when she opened her mouth to speak, jumbled words and stutters fell out of her mouth.

indent"o-oh...! my apologies, i wasn't aware that i had stabbed someone of importance. next time we meet, i will definitely have bandages on me, should you ever need them," willow promised shakily, after she had managed to stop stuttering and regain some of her composure. mayumi simply chuckled at the blue furred viscet's reaction, while kohaku laughed nervously at willow's astonished response. the horned viscet directed her annoyed gaze at the ocelet patterned viscet, and when kohaku had stopped his laughter, the other female viscet began to speak again. "it appears that you two are quite busy, and i'd hate to keep the two of you waiting. besides, i have tasks of my own to take care of. until next time, i suppose."

indent"alright, travel safely! it was nice meeting you, even if you did... stab me by accident." the guardian of the plains continued to chuckle as the horned viscet started to blush in embarrassment, and as willow started to walk away, mayumi leaned back onto her haunches. by now, the pain had subsided into a dull ache, and while there was still blood welling out of the wound, it didn't hurt as much as before. the viscet with the great antlers assumed that willow hadn't actually stabbed her that deeply, and it was a good thing that willow had taken out her dagger quickly. once the blue furred viscet was out of earshot, mayumi turned to face kohaku. "alright, i know you have some questions. i'll answer them as we're traveling in order to save time. yin, i think it's okay to reveal yourself now; willow has left the premises."

indent"it was about time that she left, geez! she stuck around for way too long for my liking; i wasn't sure if i was able to mask my presence from her the entire time, but thankfully it was within my ability to do so," yin sighed, as he stretched his arms over his head. the etheric revenant let out a great yawn, and glanced at kohaku with a questioning gaze. "also, i thought mayumi told you to run or something. why didn't you do that? even if we didn't get massacred, it's still a good idea to save your own life over the lives of other people, you know."

indentthe ocelet patterned male viscet nodded in acknowledgement towards the guardian of the plains, and much to her displeasure, he soon turned his attention towards yin. kohaku frowned and ran a paw through his mane, as he chose the words to say. "it's... hard to explain for me. i've lived my entire life helping other people, so it wouldn't seem right if i suddenly ran away, especially when my friends were in trouble. i have no doubts that you would do that, yin, but i'm not you. i have morals and standards to live up to." with that, kohaku mounted his horse again, and gently squeezed the sides of his horse into a slow trot. "come on, we don't have daylight to waste, as mayumi has said many times."

indent"what an interesting fellow," yin murmured softly, out of kohaku's earshot, but mayumi perked her ears slightly at the etheric revenant's comment. upon noticing the guardian of the plain's interest, the ghost smiled mysteriously, before following behind kohaku. pursing her lips together, the cloaked viscet decided to not say anything else, and instead followed behind her other two companions.

indent... friends, huh? well, i'd like that, i suppose.



indent[ 2133 words ]


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[✦ nemuri]

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indenti had decided to leave that night. i took a bag with my simple possessions, as well as my bow and quiver of arrows. she asked where i was going.

indenti gave her a vague answer. i said that i was taking a stroll.

indenti found it strange how she didn't ask about my bag. nevertheless, i left and never returned. i didn't look back, not even once.

indenti felt free, yet i was disappointed. i hated feeling so indecisive.


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indent"wait, so... let me just rephrase what you've just told me. you're saying that as an etheric revenant, yin is able to hide his entire presence from the viscets that he hasn't yet made eye contact with?" kohaku questioned, as he rode in tandem alongside mayumi. she nodded her head briefly, as she turned her gaze towards yin, who was walking sullenly behind them. the ocelet patterned male followed the direction of her eyes, and a small smile spread across his lips. "that's cool, i suppose. it all makes more sense after you've answered my questions. thanks, mayumi."

indent"no problem; it's my job to do so and inform the citizens of tsukata of information that they wish to receive," the guardian of the plains said softly, as she turned her gaze back towards the distant, setting sun. squinting slightly and using one of her paws to shield her eyes from the sun, mayumi tilted her head before letting out a small sigh. "we should be nearing the village. who knew that such a journey would take that long...? next time we do this, we'll certainly be more prepared. we need to get a good night's sleep tonight so kohaku can preform without any errors, and so that yin and i will be bright-eyed as we search for his bracelet."

indent"i guess that's reasonable enough of a plain. i'll probably end up complying with it," the etheric revenant commented, as he quickened his pace so that he wasn't walking behind mayumi. the viscet with the great antlers pursed her lips and continued to urge her horse to continue walking, and kohaku let out an audible exhale. yin snorted at the expressions of his traveling companions, as he placed a paw against his hip. "i guess it's no surprise that the two of you aren't excited. should we get three rooms when we check in at the nearest possible inn?"

indent"that would be the best course of action, i suppose. well, until then, the most we can do right now is to continue riding and conserve what little energy we have left. it simply wouldn't do to pass out on the side of the streets," the green-eyed viscet remarked after a short moment of silence. kohaku and yin nodded their heads in response, and no other words were exchanged as they drew closer to the village.

indenthowever, as mayumi occasionally directed her green eyes towards her traveling companions, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart whenever she made contact with the viscet with ocelot-patterned fur. kohaku would hold her gaze for a brief second before averting his eyes, and the action was so uncharacteristic of him that the cervine viscet couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. kohaku... is he avoiding me? i mean, we still talk in some circumstances, but things seem so much more awkward now... nibbling on the bottom of her lip, the female viscet let out a small sigh as she turned her head to find the setting sun.

indenttimes have clearly changed. however, it would be nice if kohaku and i could at least depart as friends. although i know that i've made many mistakes, i believe i can fix them if i try hard enough...!"

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indentas mayumi laid on her bed, she let out a small yawn and turned to her side, blinking blearily. the day had been long, and her group had managed to reach the village and check into an inn a little after the sun had completely set. during that period of time, the viscet with the great antlers had tried her best to avoid looking at kohaku for too long; it didn't feel right to talk about their problems while the etheric revenant was still hanging around, and mayumi wasn't the type to initiate conversation either. the awkward silence continued to persist even after the trio went to their separate rooms, and as the female viscet mulled over her thoughts, a few, soft knocks brought her back to the real world.

indentpushing herself into a sitting position, mayumi frowned silghtly at the closed door in front of her. who would possibly visit her at this hour of the night? nonetheless, she left her bed and padded silently the door. as she was about to open it, she paused slightly. she had no way of determining whether or not the viscet behind the doors was yin or kohaku, and although the guardian of the forests would've preferred to speak as little as possible, the situation called for mayumi to use her voice. "who's there?"

indentfor a moment, all was silent. as the viscet on the other side of the door mulled over their words, mayumi crossed her arms over her chest, patiently waiting for a reply. soon, a hesitant voice managed to utter out a quiet "it's me", and the knight with emerald eyes snorted incredulously at the vague response that she had been given. the other viscet had managed to hear mayumi's small snort, and they let out a small sigh afterwards, before elaborating on their words. "it's kohaku, mayumi. i'd like to discuss something with you."

indentonce again, no words were exchanged for a moment. however, mayumi closed her eyes slightly and opened the door, revealing the ocelot patterned male viscet that stood in front of her. "what is it, kohaku? we have a busy day tomorrow, and it should be in your best interests to get as much rest as possible."


indent[ 993 words ]

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[✦ nemuri]

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indentmlemity mlem



indent[ ??? words ]


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