[M] Gelid Seraph [Ashen & Argon Jaden]

[Ashen]

Iggy watched their new companion as they walked. He was an excitable thing, but to Iggy's surprise he was obedient as well. He knew the dog wasn't really listening to Shi's command--the thing would have no understanding of what the word heel meant--but Iggy liked to believe it was so. "Little early to start training, no?" he muttered, but he knew it would have lasting benefits. Iggy wasn't the most knowledgeable when it came to dogs, so he trusted his friend on this one. Besides laughing out loud when Shi referred to Igshi as his baby, Iggy left the two to their own devices.

The trio continued like that, collecting the stares of many different people along the way. Iggy was liking the attention, and Igshi was liking the small food offerings some people gave, but Shi didn't seem too thrilled about all the people. "Imagine how many people will look at him when he's all cleaned up," Iggy said. If so many were looking at the cute group, they'd be even more won over once they saw how adorable the dog would look without all the dirt around him. "Do you think he can run? Come on, the next town isn't far!"

Iggy broke off into a jog, then soon a run. He glanced back at Shi and the dog every few seconds, making sure they were able to keep up. It was Iggy who reached town first, who had lost sight of his pair of companions, and who had to wait by the river town alone. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked around. The two of them had been to this town before, though not often. It was known for its fish market, though many varieties of fish were brought to the market town nearer to their guild, and the more exotic fish this town offered were too expensive for Iggy's tastes. Also in this town was a giant well that Iggy had nearly fallen into several times, and a group of officers that had been wary of him since he'd first stepped foot in town, years ago. Now, they seemed to be preoccupied with some other matter, so Iggy had free reign. After a few seconds he grew tired of waiting for Shi and his pet, and so he started wandering around.

By the time he found Shi, Iggy had already obtained a bar of soap. He offered it to Shi with a smile. "Considering stuff like this is imported, it was very cheap." He knew Shi would know what he meant. "Ready to go to the river? Or do you still need a minute from the jog?"

[Argon Jaden]

"The earlier the better." He responded swiftly, keeping his eyes on the dog. Igshi trailed happily behind them, accepting treats from the passerbys while Shion shied away from the contact. He didn't like people getting too close to his personal space, so he slid a little closer to his best friend. Unfortunately, Iggy decided to sprint towards the next town, exciting the already excited pup. Ighsi bolted after him, until the dark haired youth got the pup in control with a sharp whistle, a click of his command and a firm command. "Heel."

They were able to keep up, mostly, until something distracted Igshi and sent the pup running towards one of the bushes. With a startled yelp, because he didn't expect that something so small was so full of energy. They ended up getting lost for a while, an opportunity Shion took to calm and refresh the dog's memory. By the time they found Iggy, Shion was dirty, with an equally dirty dog. Jogging up to his best friend, he huffed softly and clicked his tongue. "Stay."

There was a moment of recollection before Igshi tilted his head, but made no move as Shion sighed softly, eyeing the bar of soap. It smelled pleasant, but not too strong to make his nose run. "At this rate, they're going to chase you out of town again." He said with a small, exasperated sigh. Clicking his tongue, he called out to the pup, who seemed to know his name now. "Bath. Want me to give you one?" He asked, unpinning his hair and slipping out of his clothes. A furtive glance around him told him that there were no passerbys. Sliding into the water, he pulled Igshi into the water, watching the dirt wash off the fur as he ran his fingers through it.

"Hey." Pausing in his ministrations, he gestured towards the struggling dog. A tuft of dark maroon fur was visible now that the dirt was starting to wash off. "A little help please?" He asked, trying not to let go of the bar of soap as he struggled with the wriggling mutt.

[Ashen]

Iggy chuckled at Shi. He was determined about this training thing, and maybe it was just his imagination, but Iggy could have sworn the dog was listening to his master. He looked down at the soap with a shrug, not caring if he was thrown out of town for the umpteenth time. He shrugged it off with a, "Yeah, yeah," and followed Shi to the river, where the younger man and the dog jumped right into the water.

Iggy, however, did not join them, not even when prompted. It had been a secret he had been keeping for years, just how terrified he was of water. The two of them had been to the river before, sure, but Iggy had never willingly gone into it. He had always played it off somehow. The man bathed, of course, though perhaps less than he ought have, and he was okay when drinking water, but being surrounded by it... He could think of no worse fate. Iggy had never told anyone of his irrational fear, and he tried to keep it hidden as best he could. Though he had feared Shi had his suspicions, they had never talked about it, and he certainly didn't intend to now.

Iggy walked to the edge of the river and sat down. His feet brushed the surface of the water, making him want to reel away, run away. He took a deep breath and looked to Shi and Igshi. "I could help," he said, "but I think it's more fun watching you struggle." And that involved him not having to get wet. Iggy liked that idea a lot more. He brought his cupped hand into the water, then threw the water it had collected towards Igshi. The action had the dog struggling more. "Let him go. Think he can swim? The current's not strong, so you'd be able to catch up with him. Or... If you bring him here, it might be easier. Keeping him restrained will be safer when you're not in the middle of the river, right?" But when had Iggy ever showed interest in safety? His actions were uncharacteristic, but he spoke nothing of them. He could still feel the water on his feet, freezing. If he were to fall in... He couldn't bare the thought.

[Argon Jaden]

The stare Iggy received from Shion obviously said that he wasn't fooling the younger man any more than he was fooling himself. Shion kept his gaze for a few more seconds before he sighed and herded the dog closer to his friend. Igshi padded at the water stubbornly, but a quiet hiss from the dark haired youth had the dog quieting down considerably. Carding his fingers through the dark, maroon fur, he swam closer to the back, scrubbing the dog with soap and quickly rinsing him off.

"You should take a quick bath yourself." He repeated, once he was done with giving the dog a bath. Azure eyes stared at the mutt shaking himself dry on the banks before going over to sit beside Iggy. Shion watched quietly, lips pressed into a thin line. After a moment, he swam into deeper water and began his own bath, washing the grime out of his skin and carding his fingers through his hair.

Humming mutely to himself, he gave careful attention to washing the old scars littering his back, body almost completely submerged. He never wanted anyone to see his old wounds, no matter how old they were. In fact, he felt a little too conscious, despite knowing that Iggy was someone he shouldn't be ashamed of showing these scars to, but it was still a touchy subject. He shuffled closer to the deep end, feeling fish swim between his legs before he held his breath and ducked underwater, lightly running his hands against the uneven skin behind his legs.

Even until now, it brought pain and insecurities to him. He remembered the darkness. He remembered smoke lingering in the air, too heavy for his young lungs as he struggled to breathe. He could feel flames licking its way up his back, the heavy weight of burning wood pressed against the back of his thighs. Even until now, he could feel the fear coursing through him as he screamed in agony. Blue eyes opened in the murky water, thankfully washing away the tears that rarely slipped from his eyes. Gasping as he resurfaced, his face slipped back to its usual nonchalance. Sliding back to the banks, he repressed a shiver as he reached for his bag, managing to pull out a towel to dry his hair as he tugged on clothes over his damp skin, anxious to get the scars hidden and away from view.

Once he was done, he sat back and relaxed, Igshi padding over to him and settling its head on his stomach. "Do you want to hunt?" It'll be a little hard, given the fact that the dun was starting to set, but if they hurry, they could still catch some game.

[Ashen]

That look, it was the look Shi had given to Iggy many times before. There was a wisdom in those eyes, but Iggy didn't dare address it. He was too afraid of that confrontation, too afraid of talking about what he refused to bring to words. Iggy looked away, to the sparkling river beneath him. Maybe Shi wasn't as naive as Iggy would have liked to believe. He shook his head. Regardless, he was going to drop this. They were not going to talk about it.

The suggestion of a bath was mostly ignored. Iggy brought cupped water to splash over his legs, and he rubbed some into his arms, but it hardly did anything to wipe away the dirt. Iggy looked over to his friend, as if to say, "Look, I did it," but Shi was washing himself. He was completely submerged shoulders-down, and Iggy knew it was more to shield himself than to wash himself. Through the running water Iggy could just see the uneven lines, the raw skin and ugly marks left long ago. Shi was still self-conscious about them. It was just another thing those villains had ruined in him. Iggy looked away, disgusted not at his friend's body but at the people who had left him like that. His hands clutched to fists by his side. He'd end them, all of them.

Shi went under the water, and at first Iggy didn't notice that. He was too caught up in thinking of those mages to notice much else. After a while, however, he saw that Shi was still underwater, and he paused. Was he... drowning? Panic washed over the boy as he tried to figure out what he would do. He couldn't just go in there. Would Igshi know how to fetch his master? Would any branches help? How fast could Iggy run to town and grab some help? As thoughts whirled in his head, Iggy got up and looked behind him. Did Shi have that much time? Just as he was preparing to book it, he heard the sound of his friend, finally, coming up for water. Iggy turned sharply to see Shi's wet head of hair. He let out a long sigh. The kid was okay.

Anger followed relief, and suddenly the boy felt his fists clenching again. He turned away from his friend, ashamed and angered. He was willing to let his friend drown instead of diving in after him. Maybe he didn't know how to swim, but he could have done something. And yet, Iggy had allowed his fears to control him. He was willing to put his best friend's life on the line in search of help. He was pathetic. Some friend he was. Couldn't even overcome some stupid fear of water for his own brother.

Iggy's face soon returned to normal, but there was a fire in his eyes. He looked over Shi, now on land, and shrugged. "You're the pro hunter," he said. His voice seemed normal, though there was an underlying tone of some negative emotion. He didn't notice. "You can decide whether we hunt. Actually, I think it would be a good challenge." He looked down to the dog, who was looking up at Shi expectantly. "You going to teach him how to hunt? I shouldn't be around for that. How about we split up? Meet back here, in... two hours, with or without some prey. It gives you a chance to be free of me a little while, how 'bout it?" It gave Iggy a chance to let off steam, too. He loved spending time with Shi, but he didn't know for how much longer he could keep up the act. He was beyond disappointed in himself, and he wanted to handle that like he handled all else: by bottling it up and isolating himself.

[Argon Jaden]

From the deadpan look Shion gave him it was obvious that he was unimpressed with the so-called bath. He made a mental note to get them an inn-room at least once a week so his best friend could have a shower, or something. He sighed and patted Igshi's head, glancing up at Iggy with a curious stare. He could read his friend well by now and at times, he really wasn't sure how to use his words.

Scrunching his nose, he shook his head and drew closer, frowning softly. "Okay." He said, before reaching up and pulling his friend in for a hug. He had a hunch, with the obvious adamant approach towards water, and he only gave Iggy a squeeze before patting him on the back and patting him on the head, similar with how he pets their dog. "S'long as you make the fire." He said, and turned around without another word, calling the pup over his shoulder.

Igshi bounded behind Shion, who had his bow slung over his shoulder and a few arrows in his quiver. Giving his friend one last look, he turned and disappeared into the thicket, dog at his heels. It wasn't that hard to hunt in these kinds of places, given Shion's experience. He knew what to look for, where to look. The hard part was keeping Igshi at bay. At first, he thought that deer would be good, but realized that it would be too much to eat. Next came wild boars, but they were scarce in this region, except for the hoarseboar. Aggressive little shits, barely reaching past his knee. He exhaled.

'Why not?' He thought to himself, and began his hunt. Igshi wasn't that well-behaved, but the pup was a good listener, and that's what mattered. An hour and a half later, they came across some hoarseboar tracks and the youth paused, observing his surroundings and following the trail. It lead to a small clearing, where the pig was scourging the ground for mushrooms, truffles probably, and he waited for a while. Male, a year or two old. Full grown. Good.

Igshi bounded beside him and let out a happy bark, before charging the hoarseboar. It let out a surprised squeal before backing up, charging Igshi with its head lowered, tiny tusks ready to pierce the dog's underbelly. As soon as it got close enough, Shion let his arrow fly, the pointed tip embedding itself in the animal's eye as the dog pounced on the boar's exposed neck. chomping down on its throat until it stopped struggling. Shion sighed and stood up, making sure to shower Igshi with praise as he picked the the carcass up and settled it on his shoulders.

he glanced at the river, before shrugging. Might as well add some fish to the meal. They could sell it if he got the good ones anyway. Shedding off his clothes, and leaving his underwear on, he glanced around, hoping no one was looking and stepped in the banks, eyes narrowing as he notched an arrow. Ten fishes would be good. They could sell the rest tomorrow. He nodded to himself, arrowtip spearing a large salmon to the riverbed.

[Ashen]

The hug caught him by surprise, but Iggy hugged his friend back all the same, only after slight hesitation. He watched Shi and Igshi off, and when he was finally alone, he let out a sigh. Iggy had little intention of finding something for them to eat. He knew Shi would find something far superior anyway. Iggy needed his alone time, and now, he finally had it. He took off at a run, traversing through a forest and getting farther and farther from the river.

Iggy was sporting several new injuries when he returned to the river, an hour and a half later. He paused to listen, but he could hear nothing but the run of the river and the bustle of the nearby town. Good, Shi was still out. So, Iggy knelt down a good distance away from the water, and he got started on a fire. It was up in seconds, a ferocious little thing that seemed awfully big for the sticks Iggy had gathered. It was something of a specialty of his; with Shi always deflecting the fire-making duties to him, Iggy had grown very good at making and maintaining fires. He didn't mind it, either. Shi was probably nearly as afraid of fire as Iggy was of water. Iggy would gladly take up the fire duties if it meant his friend would be comfortable.

A few minutes passed. There was still no sign of Shi, so Iggy lay down and stretched out on the earth. He watched the clouds, thinking still of all he had done to hurt Shi. If he'd just been a better person, if he'd just overcome his fears... He shook his head. Next thing he knew, he was passed out.

When he woke, he heard the sound of splashing water. Iggy was sitting up in seconds, looking around for the water he heard. Memories flooded back to him, and he let out a sigh. He wasn't in the water. He was near a river. His friend was hand fishing. They were safe. Iggy got up and walked over to the river. "Shi?" he called gently, not wanting to startle the kid. The dog was barking at Iggy happily. Behind him was the carcass of a boar, their dinner. "Looks like you had more luck than I did! I got a fire started for us. You can stay there for a bit. I'll get started on the cooking." He was calmer now, thankful for the two hours--had it been two hours?--alone.

In just a few minutes Iggy had the boar in pieces, and he began cooking them over the open fire. He was paying attention to his task, for once, allowing Shi the opportunity to get out of the water without his scars being seen. Alone and cooking, with Igshi watching their dinner hungrily, Iggy started singing a jolly tune. He took a piece of meat off the fire and examined it, then set it aside. "No, boy," he said, when the dog went for it. "You have to wait until I finish. That piece is for Shi." But the dog didn't seem to care, and he tried to snap at it again. "Shi!" Iggy called. "Your dog's eager! Better get over here before he finishes off your meal."

[Argon Jaden]

Glancing over his shoulder, he gave a look to say that he acknowledge his friend and was back to the task at hand. So far, he had been far luckier than he expected, with their catch being rather big fishes that were hard to catch if you were to use a rod. It was a lot simpler to stick an arrow through them after all. Picking up his thirteenth catch of the day, the dark haired male looked up when he heard his name being called. He whistled to get the dog's attention before shyly stepping back out into the banks, making quick work of pulling his clothes over his head.

"Down." He commanded, voice soft, but enough for Igshi to hear and back off slightly. Settling down beside Iggy, he tried to wring the water out of his hair, subtly splashing some drops on the older boy before getting started on his meal, sneaking the dog a few bites. He was relatively silent the rest of the meal, 'sides the silent chewing, before sprawling flat on his back, licking his fingers to get the taste of meat that still lingered on his fingertips.

Glancing at the maroon haired male, he lightly poked his cheek with a spit-coated finger. "You've got new bruises." He said blandly, wiping the finger he used to poke Iggy with on the front of his pants. Igshi settled beside him, having run around quite a lot today and was more than willing to lay down and curl up by the fire. "Something on your mind?" He asked softly, a tone of concern in his usually deadpan voice.

While they were never ones for sharing feelings, especially Shion, it never hurt to let the other know that it was alright. It was a lot lighter that way, to be able to be fine because you know that there's someone watching your back. He curiously tilted his head. "Don't hurt yourself too much." He added, before poking at his side, wondering if he'll startle the other enough to make him jump. Thankfully, it wouldn't end up in a tickle fight because that was a loosing battle for him, but it was fun to simply poke at the older boy.

It was his form of trying to comfort his friend, anyway, especially when he did not know how to get his point and feelings across.

[Ashen]

Perceptive as always, Shi knew something was up. Iggy finished cooking the last pieces of meat they'd be eating before turning to his friend. The boy and his dog, it was a cute sight, and the older man had to smile at them. He batted Shi's hand away, not particularly wanting to be poked but also not wanting to be rude. "I'm alright," he said, already moving to hide his hands. There were burns at his fingertips, cuts on his arms. "I was just out in the forest, looking for something. You know how forests are. You trip over everything, every bush tries to maul you, et cetera. The fire had some resistance too, but don't you worry. I'm right as a whistle. Ah, is that how that saying goes...? Never mind."

Iggy wasn't one for talking about his feelings. He didn't like that the conversation was on him, and he didn't like that he was so unlike himself presently. Yes, he'd made a mistake, but it was over with now, and he would learn from it. Hopefully next time he would act less foolishly, but for now the two of them--or three of them, he thought, as he heard the soft snores of their dog--were alright.

Dismissing the negative emotions that came to him, Iggy concentrated instead on their meal. He wasn't very hungry anymore, but he still ate the entire piece he'd cut himself. "Tastes really good," he commented. "Between your hunting and my cooking, we'd probably make it big, don't you think? Imagine if we owned a restaurant or something. We'd start out as something small, and gradually keep growing until everyone in the world knew of our business. People would flock from the farthest lands to come to us, and it would be brilliant. Except... I guess that requires some money, doesn't it? Damn. What in life doesn't?"

He was joking again, sharing his big imagination with his best friend. Speaking about nonsense was getting his mind off of things, too. When he finished he shrugged and turned to look at the forest. "After this whole vengeance business is done, what do you think we'll do anyway? Think we'll go back to the guild? I think it'd seem smaller, once we're heroes and everything."

[Argon Jaden]

He didn't flinch when his hand was batted away, but did offer a wry half-smile, before poking him again, aiming for his sides. Well, he won't push it. If Iggy didn't want to talk, then Shion wouldn't force him to. It was the same for him. He cleared his throat, before poking him again, a little harder this time, and nudging Iggy's shoulder with his head, before keeping distance in case the other young man decides to get revenge.

"If we owned a restaurant?" He pondered, the thought causing him to snort softly and shake his head. "You need to work on your cooking skills." The dark haired youth commented, reaching beside him to stroke the pup's fur. His gunmetal-blue eyes glittered fondly at the sight of the pup. He was weak, and a runt at that, but given some time, he'd grow strong and sharp. And fast too.

Hearing the words from his friend, he stopped stroking, hand retreating to his side as he pondered on it. What would he do after? What would they do. He worried his lip in thought. "I don't know. We might get cuffed at the back of our heads for going against the elders once we get back. Hero or not." He said after a short while of pondering, knowing that it would be most likely. He glanced at Iggy. "What do you want to do after this is over?" He asked, voice soft. After getting his revenge, Shion knew that he wanted to live in the forests, probably own a hut made from his own hands, only to come into the market to buy and sell his killings. But that seemed a little lonely, even for himself.