No Waiting to Heal

by Iffondrel

Alfyn Greengrass has ambitions of his own and tries to do his best to heal the wounds of anyone who needs it. But the differences in ideals between him and Therion, his new unlikely companion, are a hard medicine to swallow, and Alfyn struggles with the knowledge that by accompanying this man he makes his own path more difficult.

This place felt nostalgic. The air was warm and everywhere he looked it was lush and green, with herbs that he recognized just begging to be picked. A good thing, too, because they're last few encounters had left his apothecary bag low and he hadn't been able to restock in some time. It would be nice if they could take a moment to rest and gather themselves before they found themselves wrapped up in another absurd incident that would leave them worse for wear. And the temperate forest they were traveling through now reminded him of home in Clearbrook. It was certainly far more welcoming than the rugged canyon that Alfyn had been staying in for the past few nights. He was relieved to be out of that area, in any case.

Of course, what he hadn't planned on was leaving the town of Boulderfall behind with such… unexpected company.

As Alfyn walked along the stone-paved trail, he couldn't help but notice his companion slinking through the shadows of the trees off the beaten path. He called it a "precautionary measure," saying that roads shouldn't be trusted because you could be robbed by some nefarious fellow.

Yeah, but that's what you do.

For better or worse, Alfyn had succeeded in stealing the admiration of the white-haired thief (and would be the last thing he'd ever steal; that wasn't his job). Anyone that would agree to help in a mad-man's ploy to rob a heavily guarded mansion and get wrapped up in a whole new escapade deserved some level of respect. Alfyn still couldn't help but marvel at how they were able to make it out of there in the first place! Although his companion wasn't nearly as fazed. If anything, it was clear to see that Therion was still very much bitter that he had been lured, tagged, and released by someone who'd successfully outsmarted him.

Alfyn really shouldn't have any part in the thief's mission – all he ever wanted was to travel to new places so that he could heal the wounds of those that needed it – but now that he was in this position… well, he couldn't deny that he felt at least somewhat responsible. In the end, Therion had relied on him for healing, and if this mission was going to become more dangerous the further they go, then Alfyn needed to be there. I'd feel bad if something were to happen to him now.

A plant growing beside the road caught his eye, and he crouched to pick it.

Therion was at his side in an instant. "Why'd you stop? You're holding us up…"

Alfyn sighed. Ever the impatient one. "I have to pick more addlewart. Those wounds you sustained last time depleted my whole stock of it, and you still haven't fully recovered from that skirmish with Sir Heathcote."

It was true. That butler, or whatever he claimed to be, had certainly done a number on them. But Therion had thrown himself at the opponent turn after turn, his knife flashing at every opportunity. It was like something he'd never seen before.

It was also stupidly reckless, and was the reason why they found themselves on this journey to find these fancy stones or whatever they were.

Therion scoffed and turned his head sheepishly. He was picking at the fool's band trapping his wrist again, to where bright red scratches were starting to form. As much as Alfyn could heal his wounds, there was nothing he could do to help the rash thief's injured pride. The steel bracelet was a permanent reminder that he had been careless, and now everyone who saw it would know exactly what kind of person he was.

Alfyn stored his new supply of herbs into his bag and stood up. At the same time, he produced a small container from his pocket and put it in Therion's hand. "Leave it alone. You won't do yourself any good scratching yourself like that. Lucky for you I still have some healing salve, but we'll have to stop early tonight so that I can make more."

Therion arched an eyebrow, thoroughly unimpressed. "You sure do like sticking your nose in other people's business," he drawled. But Alfyn noticed when he swiftly pocketed the container, and knew that he was thankful for it. That was enough for him. Therion was a difficult patient, but it felt important that he look after his well-being on their travels in whatever way he could.

The sound of hooves clinking against the road caught their attention. Therion dashed quickly off the road, concealing himself behind a tree. He hovered close, keeping a cautious eye on the road and Alfyn, who unlike him had no problem keeping to the well-worn path, especially if it meant engaging in conversation with a fellow traveler.

An aged hunter riding horseback was meandering in the opposite direction. Alfyn hailed him with a friendly wave. "Hullo! It's a beautiful day for hunting, isn't it? I hope your catches show just as much promise. Say, I don't suppose you've come from a nearby settlement! Do you know how long before we reach an inn on this road, good sir?"

The old man gave him a crooked grin. "Guhahaw! Huntin' is great when yer've got a steed like mine. Yer've made it pretty far oot her' on yer own two feet, eh?"

The man turned in his saddle, squinting at the road he'd come down as though trying to figure how long it would take a person to walk. Alfyn was glad to have come across a friendly face. It felt like it'd been a while since he'd seen someone so naturally happy. But then his heart sank when he spotted a shadow out of the corner of his eye sneaking towards them from the woods. He dared not look and bring attention, but it took everything in him not to look suspicious as a third member joined their interaction.

The traveler faced him again, clueless of what was happening. "Yeah, yeah! Yeh should be able to reach the Littlebrick Inn before sun-down. It shouldn' be too much ferther for some-un young like yerself. Tell Roxanne that ol' Whickermoy sent yeh and she'll give yeh a discount!"

It was good news to hear, but Alfyn's smile was becoming strained by the presence of the person who had snuck up on the other side of the man. "T-thank you! That's quite reassuring. In that case, I should be off on my merry way. And I wish you the best, as well!" He feared what would happen if the man stuck around too much longer.

But this person was as oblivious as the moment he was targeted, and let out another gruff laugh, like there was nothing that could go wrong on a day like today. "Sounds good! And hey, I might just see yeh back there if you stick around until the mornin'. I'll have some fresh wares, too, so look forward to that!"

Then the man was off again, cantering down the road atop his horse. Only when he rounded a bend and the sound of hooves faded did Alfyn turn to his white-haired companion, who knelt behind a partial wall beside the road when the hunter had indicated that he was leaving.

"Therion!" Alfyn hissed quietly, as though afraid that someone might hear. "What do you think you were doing?!"

"Riffling through his stuff. What else would I be doing? Don't worry, though, he didn't have anything good on him anyway. Something tells me he's not very good at his job. Heh, unlike me."

Alfyn looked over the thief's shoulder to see that he was counting an assortment of seeds. "You did steal from him! Don't you know it's not fair to betray peoples' trust like that?"

"But I didn't get caught this time!" he protested. "Besides, you needed this sort of thing, right?" Sure enough, several soothing and even purifying seeds were sitting in the palm of his hand. But Alfyn shook his head.

"I can't accept those. Not the way you got them, anyway. When next we see him, I'll return them and say they fell from his saddlebag. But please, in the future be more considerate of other people. You don't know how much he might've needed these."

Therion looked at him in disappointment. And then he stood, placing the seeds on the wall. With an indignant huff, he returned to the edge of the forest line, where the shadows of the trees were able to just barely cover him.

Alfyn gathered up the seeds with a sigh, storing them away in a separate pocket of his bag so that they wouldn't get mixed in with his other medicinal components. So it's going to be one of those days, huh. He had to admit, Therion's eagerness to rob whoever showed an opening was deeply concerning. It didn't seem to matter who it was, either, so long as it benefited him in some way. Of course, he'd never stolen anything from him. All he had were herbs that only he knew how to use in order to heal the thief when he got injured. Stealing something like that would only hurt him further. Besides, now that they were traveling together he wanted to believe that there was a level of trust between them.

"I'm going to assume you heard our conversation. You're okay stopping at the inn up ahead, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. So long as I can get a cheap drink, it's all good for me," Therion said.

"And while you're sticking to the bushes, keep your eyes out for some of the herbs I use. I'm sure you've become quite familiar with a few of them, considering how often you need them."

"You don't have to put it like that," he complained. "I just need some better armor, is all. I still can't believe that after all the trouble I went through, I wasn't even able to make a decent wage. I'm not hurting for medical attention, I'm hurting for cash so don't be surprised if I'm off doing my own thing in the next town while you're busy striking up conversations."

"That's fine, just keep me out of it," Alfyn muttered. He wasn't sure if Therion had heard, though.

The sun had started to sink below the treeline, making the shadows long and casting everything in an orange glow, by the time a building appeared on the road up ahead. Just as promised, they'd reached a small wayside village.

"Hey Therion, I'm going to go get us a room over… oh, he's gone." Sure enough, his companion had taken a temporary leave without him noticing. He was a sly one like that. But it didn't bother him at this point. No matter how sneaky he tried to be, to Alfyn he stuck out like a sore thumb. He'd see him later on, that much was sure.

Whatever the case was, he went ahead with his decision to get a room for the night. The inn was small but warm and comfortable. Sure enough, when he mentioned the old hunter, they were happy to give him a discount. By the light of the setting sun, he laid out all his medicinal ingredients, getting an idea of what he needed to gather and concoct before they headed out in the morning. I wonder if there's a good trade system here. It'd be nice to get some purifying seeds for myself here. And maybe there's some noxroot growing nearby.

If he wanted to do that, it'd have to be now while there was still light out. His feet hurt from walking all day, but this was just another thing he had to do. And if he could track down Therion while he was out there, then all the more reason.

Alfyn made his rounds through the small village, talking with every passerby, learning the history of the place and its people, and finding useful items scattered about. He still needed to find a trader, though.

Through word of mouth and after hearing yet more from the townspeople, he was finally able to locate a stall brimming with various goods just as the man behind it was starting to close up shop. "Good evening, Sir! I've heard nothing but praise about your many goods. Would you mind too terribly if I took a gander before you call it quits for the day?"

The burly shop owner, a full head taller than him and somewhat intimidating, looked him up and down with a skeptical glare before begrudgingly agreeing. "Sure, just make it quick," he grumbled. Alfyn appraised the assortment of healing items he had, chatting all the while about the weather and inquiring about how he was doing. The man only ever gave short brisk answers, watching him all the while like a hawk.

Alfyn glimpsed a flash of white coming from the woods behind them. Oh no. But he kept talking as though nothing was wrong, even as it became unmistakable what was about to go down. "So how long have you been around these parts?" Alfyn asked innocently.

"I come and go depending on the seasons," he grumbled. "Summers are the best time for me, and then I return during the winters when I know they appreciate having someone like me here. I guess you could say that this place is nice enough to keep me coming back. It's nice and peaceful, very little crime…" He grew strangely silent, and Alfyn wondered if he had gotten lost in thought.

But of course it couldn't have been just that.

With a lightning fast movement, the large man whipped around and grabbed the hand that had been in his pocket. "Thief! Get your filthy claws off of me!" he roared, yanking the arm of a surprised Therion into the air and exposing the fool's band. "And not even a very good one, at that. The nerve of you type, thinking you can get away with stealing from me!" His grip tightened, and he twisted the thief's arm.

"Ow, ow, let go of me, ya old crab!" Therion hissed, trying in vain to free his arm from the vice grip that held it.

"Please, sir, let him go!" Alfyn begged. "We didn't mean any harm by it–"

"So you were in on it, eh?!" the man accused, not without reason.

Even still, Alfyn was taken aback. "Wh-what? No, please don't misunderstand, that's my traveling companion and—"

"Oh, I get it now. You distract innocent people with your crummy inquiries and then have your buddy here rob them blind. Is that it?!" he roared. By now, they had already begun to draw a crowd. The people that Alfyn had been easily talking with not long ago were now glaring at him and whispering.

Therion pulled out his knife with his free arm. "I warned you, old man!" he snarled. He never got to use it, though, because the stall-keeper threw him aside, right into Alfyn so that he had to struggle to keep himself upright while the thief flailed his knife in surprise. He grunted in pain when he felt its poisoned tip bite into his flesh.

"How many other people were you able to trick in your time here! You'd best leave now with your tails between your legs. I don't want to see your sorry faces in this town again!"

Alfyn was holding up Therion as the thief struggled to his feet. "You bastard… outing me like that. I'll have you know I'm damn good at what I do, ya hear?!"

"Therion, just stop," Alfyn snapped, silencing his companion. He turned to the man who had apprehended them. "I'm so sorry, I never meant for this to happen."

"Doesn't matter what you meant," he growled. "Just leave. Now."

Therion stepped away from Alfyn, brushing off his tattered clothes indignantly. "I didn't want your crappy wares, anyway. None of your stuff is worth the price you slapped on it."

In what was now very much a public display, Therion turned on his heel and slinked away with his head bowed. The crowd jeered and heckled him as he fled the scene, throwing rocks in his wake that hastened his pace.

"Therion, wait! Just apologize!"

"You're as foolish as he is if you think that someone like that could feel any remorse," the man laughed bitterly. "Not that you're any better, taking advantage of peoples' friendliness like that, Silvertongue. You best catch up with your friend, otherwise I can't promise that anything good will befall you."

Alfyn gave a pained expression, distraught at how this had turned out. And ran after Therion to the sound of boos from the people he had been so innocently chatting to mere moments ago. When he finally caught up, they were next to the inn. "Therion, please, just hold up. I have a room waiting for us and everything."

"Don't even bother. I messed up, alright? I thought I could… but that doesn't matter now. Word spreads quickly. I'm not welcome anymore. You probably aren't either. Whoops." He didn't sound very apologetic. More than anything, he was just annoyed. "You can try to get back into the inn, but I'm not sticking around any longer. I'll be sleeping in the woods if you need me."

He went off on his own path without wasting another second, leaving Alfyn feeling utterly alone. "Dammit, you were supposed to wait…" He breathed a weary sigh, clutching at the scratch on his arm that continued to sting. But instead of pursuing him, he walked into the inn. He was greeted instantly by the kind innkeeper Roxanne, who rounded on him without hesitation. "Thought you could sneak your way into here, huh? Well, I'm sorry sir but I can't be having any troublemakers in this place." She really did sound sorry, unlike Therion, but she also seemed firmly set in her decisions.

"Ma'am, please, I'm a traveling doctor, not a thief. At least allow me to gather up my materials in my room."

She shook her head. "Sorry, but now is the worst time for that. I can't trust you not to run off with goods stolen from my other customers. I'll give you a refund for now, but I can't let you step further into my establishment. You'd best come back in the morning once things here have settled down so that you can reclaim your stuff then."

Alfyn wanted to object, but he knew that it was a fair decision. It was his fault for not stopping Therion sooner, after all. He left quietly after that, not wanting to make a fuss over something that would have to wait until tomorrow to fix. She was right. It was in his best interest to give it some time. But he still lamented the fact that she couldn't give his possessions back. His arm was really starting to hurt from where Therion had nicked it with his knife.

Alfyn wandered into the woods where he was pretty certain he'd seen the thief disappear, and once he was out of sight of the village he began to call out to him.

With a rustle of leaves, he was at his side once more. "That didn't take you very long," he said, stepping out from the shadows. His eyes narrowed sharply, ever the perceptive one. "Where's your apothecary bag?"

"They wouldn't give it back to me. I have to reclaim it in the morning once everything settles down. But I don't even care about that." Alfyn pointed an accusing finger at him. "Why'd you have to go around like that? All you did was cause trouble for the both of us when I thought I made it clear that it really wasn't necessary! You may not care, but do you have any idea how much it hurts me to ruin my reputation in these places? I'm supposed to heal them, for gods sake! I'm no help to anyone if I'm here like this."

"I already admitted that I made a mistake, alright? No need to rub my face into this failure." He shrugged. "I just have to do better next time to not be caught. Then everything will be fine. Until then, we've slept in the woods before, so why would now be any different? And don't worry so much about your "reputation." You of all people should have no trouble winning that back, with the way you are."

"Therion, you say that like it's easy. But you don't know what it's like to be relied on by other people. All you've ever done your whole life is take and take and never give back!"

Therion bristled, looking like you wanted to protest. Instead he averted his gaze.

"Look, I'm glad I was able to find you, and I'm more than happy to help you with any number of things, but I'd really appreciate it if you could just… try not to get into any more trouble tonight. I really hope I'm not asking for too much here. I don't want to see you get hauled off the prison. I know you're not going to change the way you are, but please, be careful." Alfyn sat down heavily against the soft forest floor and leaned against a tree. "Now if you don't mind, I'm exhausted."

Therion mulled over his words quietly to himself. He paced the ground, never making a sound. Then he dipped into the forest, and Alfyn wasn't sure if he'd see him again. Maybe I was too harsh. I really don't know him well enough to cast judgment like that, after all. He closed his eyes while those thoughts plagued him, and weariness began to overtake him. He must've drifted off at some point, because when he woke up Therion was back and was in the middle of building a fire. Using his magic, it lit quickly, and the thief seated himself on the side opposite Alfyn.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I made my business your problem. I knew that man wouldn't be an easy target, but I thought I could do it because you were talking to him. I never should've made you an accomplice like that. That's what you wanted to hear from me, right? …Hey are you even listening?!"

Alfyn could feel himself nodding off again, his vision blurry and his mind swimming. He was having trouble processing Therion's words. "Hang on. I'm just… a bit tired. It can… wait until morning… I think."

Therion was back on his feet and at his side in a heartbeat. "Hey what's the matter with you. I didn't hurt your pride that much, did I?" he asked, laughing. But his expression was wrought with concern. He reached out and shook Alfyn's arm, earning a groan from the pained companion. Therion finally noticed where Alfyn's shirt had been ripped, and his eyes focused in on the crusted blood of a new scar. "Shit. Why didn't you tell me that I stabbed you?! You let the poison set in for too long! I thought you were supposed to be a doctor?!" Therion stepped back, his movements fueled by his panic. "You sit tight and I'll be back. So don't disappear on me!"

And then he was gone, before Alfyn could even think to stop him. "Just… don't steal from anyone for my sake." But his words went unheard as he knew they would, and he felt his eyelids start to flutter again. This time he struggled to keep them open, not wanting to know what would happen if they closed. It wasn't a very potent poison, or so Therion had assured him in the past. He had reason to expect that that was another one of his lies, though. Then again, Alfyn could barely remember what it was like to feel this way. His blood felt like it was on fire and yet he was so cold. It'd been so long since he'd been in a position like this. The fire Therion had built was the only comfort, and even that was doing relatively little.

Therion came back before long, bursting through the bushes with various plants in his arms. He was out of breath, and his clothes were covered in dirt from rooting around in the foliage. "This is what you need to feel better, right? Hey, Alfyn, you need to help me with this one!" He dumped the freshly picked plants in front of the apothecary and began to sort through them. "You were just showing me this one today. What was it, applewart? That heals right? But that doesn't cure the poison. It was a root that does that, right? I got a bunch of them here, just tell me what you need!"

He was starting to sound desperate, knowing that he was responsible for this but not knowing what to do. It was infuriating. But more than anything it was worrying. Even in his muddled state, Alfyn could tell just how distressed his typically foolhardy companion was. He made it sound like the situation was bad.

Alfyn struggled to sit up better against the tree and felt his head ache something wicked. But he cleared his thoughts enough to appraise what Therion had brought. Certainly, the collection was quite impressive, and it showed that despite the thief's aloof behavior, he was still paying attention. Of course he was; he wasn't the kind to let details escape him so easily. That being said, most of these would only make my condition worse… Sure enough, though, the plant he'd been looking for earlier was mixed in with the assortment that had been delivered to him.

"Noxroot… that one," Alfyn said in a hoarse voice, pointing weakly to the familiar healing component. "But you need a soothing seed to make a concoction… that'll work."

Therion hesitated for a moment, going quiet, and Alfyn could swear that in the flickering light of the fire that his expression had turned apologetic. But that wasn't the main point of interest, here. He watched as the thief very deliberately reached into his pocket. "You said that it was wrong for me to steal because I don't know how much that person will need it. I know it's not fair to steal from well-meaning people. But dammit, what if I need it more? I knew you'd want to return those seeds, you goody two-shoes, but I couldn't accept that. So don't be mad…" Therion produced a soothing seed that he'd lifted off the wayward hunter earlier that day. This didn't surprise Alfyn, and given the situation he wasn't exactly willing to reprimand his actions. "I hope… this is okay."

Therion retrieved a flat stone from beside the firepit and laid the components on top of it. He was no apothecary, but he'd watched Alfyn create remedies in a pinch for his sake time and time again in the short time since they'd known each other. With some fumbling and cursing, he grinded the ingrediants together between two stones that produced a healing salve. It wasn't nearly as refined as something Alfyn would make in half the time, and part of it was lost in the process, but he was still able to release the healing capabilities of the seed and blend it with the noxroot to create something to combat the poison and heal any damage.

With surprisingly gentle hands, he took Alfyn's arm and ripped away the ruined sleeve to reveal the knife wound. Therion cringed away from it guiltily, seeing for the first time just how bad it had become, the poison seeping in and beginning to fester. For all the times that he'd used his knife to cut down foes, he'd never stuck around long enough to see their lasting effects. He was used to getting his hands dirty to meet certain ends, but having to treat this injury he'd inflicted was new territory. It made Alfyn wonder how he'd ever managed to look out for his own injuries in the past, or if that had ever even been a concern for him. That was supposed to be my responsibility now. Can't believe I mixed up the roles so quickly.

Alfyn laughed, and pain shot up his arm, making him instantly regret his decision.

Therion turned on him sharply. "It's not funny!" he hissed, taking the matter seriously for once. Taking a deep breath, he poured some water from the canteen tied to his waste over the wound and dabbed away some of the crusted blood with his tattered scarf. Alfyn gritted his teeth in pain. He didn't even want to think of how dirty that scarf was, but he'd left all his clean bandages in the inn room, so whatever Therion had would have to suffice.

Therion kept looking between his strained face and the wound. When it looked like he'd done a decent enough job of cleaning it, he applied the salve over it and ripped off part of his cloak to securely bandage it. Immediately Alfyn could feel its healing effects, and with a sigh of relief he leaned back against the tree, his breath growing steady. "Thanks… Therion," he murmured.

Therion glared at him like he didn't quite trust what was going on. "So then… was that the right thing to do? Did I do it? Hurry up and tell me that you're going to be okay so that I can stop worrying so damn much! It's exhausting."

Alfyn hummed in response, his body depleted of energy after the day's events. Before he could even think of reassuring his companion, he drifted off into a much easier sleep, one that Therion wouldn't dare to wake him from.

When Alfyn was finally able to open his eyes again, he didn't know where he was. There was a ceiling over his head, and the smell of warm fire and herbs filled the air. The bed he laid on was soft and comfortable, and birdsong drifted through the window. It all felt so familiar, and he could've sworn that he was a child in Clearbrook again, being treated by that wandering apothecary that had inspired him by treating his illness all those years ago.

Alfyn pushed himself off the bed, only to lie back down when he felt his arm hurt again. No, this is the present. That's right, I was traveling with Therion. And then there was last night.

He looked around the room, recognizing it as the one he had rented from the inn. Sure enough, he could spot his open apothecary bag on the table, its contents lined up before it. He'd been in the middle or rearranging it when he'd gone out to gather more materials. Now he could only berate himself for not having the sense to keep it on him at all times. This hassle could've been avoided if I'd been able to treat myself sooner. Then I wouldn't have even needed to bring Therion's attention to it.

But that begged the question: how did he get here? He had an idea, of course, but his white-haired companion was nowhere to be seen.

The door opened, and through it walked the innkeeper, Roxanne, with a tray of food and water. "Oh, good. I was hoping you'd be awake by now," she said, setting the tray on the bedside table.

Alfyn tried to speak, but could only cough, and realized that his throat was horribly dry. She handed him the water, which he quickly drained while she talked.

"Pace yourself, dear. You must be awfully tired. I find it regretful that I turned you away last night, so I hope that I can make up for that some. It was reasonable at the time, but then what was I supposed to think when that thief came back here, lugging you like dead weight, and begged to have a room? I can't understand what goes through that boy's head. You did me an awful scare, that's for sure, but by that time you'd already received some decent medical attention and just needed a bed to rest on. You've been asleep for quite some time."

Alfyn handed back the empty glass and rested his head back on the pillow with a sigh. "Therion did that," he rasped, finding his voice. "Where is he now?"

The innkeeper looked out the window. "He's nearby, but he's still staying away from the inside of buildings and the townspeople. He upset quite a few people, after all, and that isn't so easily forgiven. I want to think that it's all but blown over by now, by he's been smart to not show his face around here for a little while yet. It's not very good to have that sort of attention, as I'm sure you must know. For all it's worth, we don't mean to be hostile. Please feel free to stay here as long as you need."

Alfyn struggled to get up, and the woman helped him into a sitting position. "I appreciate the offer, ma'am, but we really need to get back on the road as soon as possible. I need to be able to help him in all this, and I can't do that if I'm like this."

She sighed as Alfyn made his way to his apothecary bag and seated himself heavily in the chair there. "Well, doctor, I would certainly hope that you know how to take care of yourself, too."

Alfyn started sorting through his collection, and noticed that there were some new components added to it – fresh herbs and seeds that looked like they'd just been plucked from the forest. He hazily remembered that Therion had gone out of his way to gather whatever might've helped him. The thief must've figured that these could be of use to him even after his own status effect had been cured, and had left them behind for him to sort through. Alfyn found it a bit worrisome that he'd found some injurious seeds and placed them amongst his supply of purifying seeds, and set about sorting them out accordingly.

"I'm fine. I just need to pay more attention and take precautions to ensure that I don't let him down like that again." Alfyn paused, considering what he just said. "T-that is to say, I have people that depend on me, so I have to do my job as best I can. I guess that means looking after my own health too, haha."

The innkeeper watched as he began to concoct more medicines on the spot, his mind set on stocking for the upcoming travels. Figuring that whatever cautions she had to say would fall on stubbornly deaf ears, she smiled to herself and exited the room.

Alfyn worked in diligent silence, with thoughts of what was to come floating through his head. Whenever his arm would start to hurt, he'd lean back and wait for the pain to stop before pressing on. It felt important that he finish up here as soon as possible, and was annoyed when he was forced to stop. They should've been able to head out of here sooner, and he was holding them back. Alfyn wondered if Therion was truly nearby, or if perhaps he'd decided to go back to his lone adventuring after all the trouble this was. The thief had always complained that he wasn't used to dealing with others, and would much rather work alone.

As he was finishing up and putting away his new supply of tinctures and salves, the sound of shuffling from outside caught his attention. Alfyn stood and inspected what was outside the window. At first there was nothing, but then he looked down to see mess of tattered clothes and white hair that was his companion. Therion was sound asleep under his window, probably tired from the night's events. How long he had been awake during the night ensuring that he was okay couldn't be so easily decided, but it looked like he'd been there for quite some time.

Alfyn opened his window further so that he could stick his head out. "Therion…?" he whispered, wondering if that would be enough to get the thief's attention.

Therion's eyes snapped open, and his face was on of annoyance while he tried to figure out who it was that had disturbed him. Upon realizing who it was that had called his name, that changed briefly to visible relief. "So you're finally awake, huh?" he said, despite the fact that he was the last to awaken. He rose to his feet without delay, and he looked Alfyn over to gauge what sort of condition he was in. Deciding that his companion was well rested and healing just fine, he relaxed. "I hope you're still up for travels in spite of everything," Therion said, casually brushing leaves and pine needles from himself.

"Actually…" Alfyn began slowly, causing Therion to freeze and look up at him sharply. "I just finished making the medicines we need, so if you're up for it we can head out now."

Therion scoffed and turned away, trying to hide the smile that had crept across his face. "I was waiting on you, you idiot. Of course I'm ready to go; that's the whole point of all this!"

Alfyn laughed at that, a gentle sound that spoke of the warmth he held, and went back to his satchel to hastily finish packing everything. Grabbing the food that had been left on the tray and leaving a few gold coins on the desk, he returned to the window. Alfyn opened the window up all the way and handed his satchel over for Therion to hold while he climbed out of the inn. He staggered as he hit the ground, and Therion watched him closely to make sure he wasn't about to collapse. But Alfyn showed that he was doing just fine, finding his feet and stretching his arms to welcome whatever adventures awaited them.

Therion handed the satchel back carefully. "I'm surprised you're still up for the task," he muttered, almost embarrassed.

"What kind of friend would I be if I left you now? If anything, this is just more proof that I can't let you go off on your own with how much trouble you tend to get into," Alfyn declared, looping his medicine bag over his shoulder and situating it securely at his side. "Now let's get out of this place. We need to keep going forward. Do you know what path we need to take from here?"

Therion pulled out a map, tracing his finger along the various trails. "Noblecourt is further to the northeast, so we'll have to keep going along here. It will take a few days, though."

Alfyn peered over his shoulder. "In that case, do you think we can stop in Flamesgrace for a night? It would be a good place to recuperate in that snowy terrain."

Therion rolled the map back up and put it away. "I don't… have a lot of luck with towns, but I see no problem with stopping there. As for right now, half the day is already gone, so if you really want to leave here then we need to get going now if we're to make any distance."

Alfyn smiled. "Yeah, I figured as much. I'll try not to get left behind!"

"Much as I hate to admit it, that's hardly an option now. I have my pride in all this too, ya know," Therion said, already walking off during their next destination. But Alfyn was already set determinedly at his side, keeping pace with him. He smirked, thinking his companion must surely be foolish to so willingly come along with him. "In any case, I'm glad to have you along."

Alfyn turned to him, a glimmer of happiness in his eyes. "Really?! Heh, I bet you're just too nice to tell me to leave. I know you don't usually like traveling with others, but I'm glad you don't mind having me here for the ride!"

Therion's face had become unreadable, like he was remembering something distant. But then he acknowledged his smiling companion, so full of energy as though he hadn't just injured him last night. And Therion decided that he wasn't willing to betray his trust if it could be helped. "…Yeah. Something like that." And he left it like that as they continued forth, not knowing what it was that they would encounter next.