Rhyldan had a difficult time relaxing and settling into his trance after Aithwen went to her quarters for the night. His trouble had little to do with bodily comfort, and while he was not offered an actual bed the cushions and furs the druidess had available for him were of high quality and very comfortable. It was more that he had spent the last month not only denying himself time to eat properly, but also adequate time to rest. Now that he was someplace relatively safe, his body and mind just couldn't relax enough to enter that state between waking and sleeping that was unique to elves.

When the druidess had retreated behind her paper door Rhyldan continued sitting where she left him, staring into the fire for a time. The woman was a puzzle and obviously saw him as one in return, unless her dinner menu was normal fare for this part of the world. Which he doubted. It was too… odd.

He could smell the overheated blood from her cooking before returning from his bath so it wasn't surprising that there was more than his requested pancakes on the table. What caught him completely by surprise was that the blood he scented was more than just the trace amount he expected. When he bit into her blood sausages - expecting something over spiced and cooked beyond recognition - only to taste blood, real blood, washing over his tongue it was all he could do to keep himself seated and not viciously attack the bloody fare on the table like some rabid beast.

He still couldn't decide if it was a fortunate or unfortunate turn of events in his poor excuse for an unlife that he was so used to being starved nearly to death on the sodding regular that he had the ability to restrain himself as he did. Long days of running and hiding from his bitch-maker would be for bloody nothing if he got himself killed by the druid for not being able to control his vampiric hunger. Especially since he still had no clue how the woman felt about vampires. Dinner and then her question game only served to confuse him more. He just couldn't figure her out.

Sighing heavily, he decided to just close his eyes and began trying an old trick his sister had taught him when he was little and struggled with relaxing enough to rest. Concentrating first on his feet, he flexed the tired muscles there for a few moments before letting them slowly relax. Next, he flexed the sore muscles of his calves, and relaxed. He moved up his body slowly, one aching muscle group at a time, taking long slow breaths as he did so to help his entire body relax and distract his mind.

It was working, albeit slowly. He could feel the tension leaving his limbs and his exhausted mind begin to clear of his cyclical worries and questions. He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he finally felt the mental threads he typically pictured weaving together to enter his trance appear. Just as he mentally reached out for them, a weight landed on his chest. An incredibly warm, surprisingly heavy weight.

"Oof!" Exhaling sharply, Rhyldan's eyes snapped open to find the druidess' odd little cat sitting primly on his breastbone. They blinked at each other. "Um, 'ello there, Binx, yeah?" The cat continued to sit, just staring with its unusual black eyes. "Don't mean to be rude here but a bloke's gotta have a chance for a rest, ya know, and kinda hard to do that with you on my chest here, puss." The animal began cleaning a paw, completely ignoring him. Rhyldan's head thumped heavily back to the soft down pillow he had found in the wardrobe, his red eyes closing in frustration. "Bugger. No, no. Go ahead, make yourself comfy. Not like I need myself a solid rest anyway…" Rhyldan felt the cat shift around to settle in a puddle of fur over his heart. An intense heat began to spread through his body as the cat began to purr softly. His neck lifted so he could properly stare at the little beastie again. "Oi, what're you… Whoa. You're really warm, puss. Feels nice… damn. Alright, stay then." He let his head flop back into the pillow. Closing his eyes again he could feel his body relaxing incredibly fast as the little elemental purred on his chest and pushed warmth into his cold body. Rhyldan began to feel a sense of complete satisfaction suffuse his being, the threads of his trance state appearing and weaving themselves together within moments.

Aithwen combed her fingers through her wavy waist length hair, carefully pulling bits of bark and pine needles from the strands and grimacing when she found dried specks of blood still lingering on some of the frostier colored tresses. Her face scrunched in a grimace at a particularly nasty snarled mess just near enough to her skull that she couldn't see it. Growling curses under her breath, she began working the hair out of its knotted mess, one bloodflaked strand at a time.

'Mistress, are you well?' A deep voice spoke from Aithwen's side after a particularly painful pull on the twisted snarl caused her to hiss in pain.

"I'm alright, Greil." The druid sighed and gave up on her hair. It was time to cut it again, anyway. She'd just have Sefa cut the damn knot out after she returned. "Stupid hair. Why can't I just have a nice fur coat instead of this ridiculous tangling stuff?" She glared at the strands that were actually her one true piece of vanity. "Damn dragon and his filthy little lizards…" She stood from her seat at the lacquered vanity she brought with her from her time traveling in Wa and walked to sit on her bedding, her gaze settling on the massive form of her dearest companion. "How is Isot tonight?"

'Hmm. The pup grows strongly and takes much energy from my mate, but she is strong. Both will be well.' The winter wolf replied.

Aithwen nodded, "That's good. I know the beginning of the pregnancy was very difficult for her, with Auril's blessing the remaining time will go well."

'Frostmaiden willing, mistress." Greil padded over to sit at her knee, his cerulean blue eyes looking down into her pale blue eyes. 'Your scent is troubled. Your guest worries you. Why?'

A heavy sigh escaped the druidess as she reached out to affectionately stroke the immense wolf's cheek. "I don't know, Griel. There's something… something off. Something I'm just not seeing. I get the feeling he's hiding something that could be dangerous. Not the kind of danger that is any real threat to you and I, but more to the rest of the pack and the newest apprentices once they arrive with Sefa." She shook her head. "Or maybe my senses are just off…" Her hand slowed its movement, her fingers tangling in the white-gray fur of the wolf.

Greil lowered himself to the ground at her feet, placing his heavy chin in her lap. 'Will you tell me? Perhaps speaking it aloud will help you to work out your worries.'

Aithwen smiled and stroked the wolf's large head. "When did you get so smart?"

A chuckle rumbled through the wolf. 'When I began listening to and following this druid around.'

"Tsk. Suck up." Aithwen teased, earning another body rumbling chuckle from the wolf laying across her lap. "But you are right. Maybe we can work it out together." She took a deep breath and began to attempt to organize her thoughts. "My greatest confusion is around just what exactly our guest is, aside from a male elf. When I found him in that snare I assumed he was just some foolish city-born fop that had gotten himself so far beyond lost… but that assumption didn't really hold for long. His footfalls were far too silent and sure as he followed me. He obviously has skill in either forestry or stealth to move so quietly even I could not hear him. So I decided to lead him through and around a few obstacles to eliminate a few things. Direct sun, pure running water, wolfsbane patch, raw iron… but he gave no reaction to anything."

Her hands continued carding through the thick fur over Greil's neck. "The longer we traveled, the more his scent began to confuse me. He has this stale scent that I've only ever scented around Sefa and the vampires of her father's castle, which doesn't fit with the sun and the water. So I thought he could be a dhampir, so I attempted to feel out a trace of magic like what flows through Sefa's blood. I could feel vampiric magic, but…"

'Not the same?'

"No, not the same. Very different actually. Much stronger and more concentrated, darker. But it did not feel as dark or… hungry, as the other vampires I've encountered. It's quite confusing." The druid was silent for a few moments, her hand continuing its steady path through the winter wolf's thick fur. "So when he requested black pancakes I figured it was a good chance to test the theory of him having a vampiric nature, especially if he was truly as hungry as he hinted. I cooked blood sausages with a real blood gravy hoping to drive his thirst to a point where he would lose at least some control, but while he was indeed ravenous, he didn't. The only difference I noted was a little more color to his skin and a darkening of his eyes."

'I have not scented bloodtaint from him, nor anything else that would be dangerous. Sefa smells of such things from time to time.' Greil lifted his massive head. 'What about your books, mistress? You studied their affliction for many years, didn't you?'

Aithwen nodded. "I thought of that earlier, but there hasn't been a chance to go to the library and I can't remember anything useful other than there are a few vampiric bloodlines that are resistant to nearly all weaknesses whispered in stories. Of course, any vampire old enough can fortify themselves against the sun for a time with enough fresh blood. I learned that the hard way... Can you think of anything else he could be? Revenant? Specter? Fiend? Ghoul? Bruxa? Vorlog? Thrall? Cursed? Diseased?" Greil shook his head slowly at each suggestion. She sighed and lowered her head to rest on the wolf's. "That damn dragon just had to interfere today of all days, forcing yet another pointless confrontation. Now I must rest to replenish myself for the forest's sake and cannot take the time to search through my books before I have to clear the remains of that ridiculous battle come dawn."

'We could clear them for you, mistress.' Greil offered.

A fond smile bloomed on the druid's face. "I know you could, but it is my duty as this land's protector. Besides. The metal must be stripped away and you have no thumbs. Unless you have something to tell me." The wolf huffed at the druidess and closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle touch of his mistress. Silence enfolded the cozy cavern the druid used as her private space as both beings allowed the enjoyment of each other's company to wash over them.

Eventually, Aithwen sighed and sat up. "You should return to Isot, Greil. We will have time tomorrow to sort out the nature of our guest." She planted a kiss on the wolf's large head and gave the fur of his face a good ruffle.

The large wolf gave a deep, rumbling chuckle. 'Very well, mistress. Rest well.'

"You too, Greil. Sweet dreams."

The massive winter wolf walked through what seemed to be a solid portion of the wall and disappeared from sight. Aithwen smiled fondly after the wolf who had been at her side as her companion for the last century. She had found him as a pup, badly injured and abandoned by his pack. After returning him to health, the pup began following her everywhere - eventually becoming her best friend and protector. Upon her ascension to the ranks of the twelve Frost Keepers Auril blessed Greil with increased speed, exceptional dexterity and an extended life to match her faithful druid.

She was very happy when Griel bonded with and mated Isot two winters past since he both shunned and was shunned by his own kind ever since choosing to remain at her side; he seemed genuinely happier since they found her injured in the mountains. She had been badly wounded by greedy adventurers out to poach her hide to the highest bidder when Griel and Aithwen came to her rescue, all of winter's fury at their heels. Much like Griel, Isot proved to be different from others of their kind, more intelligent. Grateful and awed with the pair, Isot chose to stay with them after fully recovering, quickly bonding with Griel. The pair became mates not long after. The pair were now awaiting their first pup and the excitement among the pack was palpable. It was adorable, really. But despite her happiness for the pair their joy over the pup-to-come made her a little, sad, too.

The dawn came, bright sun glaring off the remnant of the night's unseasonal blizzard. Summer snows were not unusual for northern countries so it wasn't an exceptionally odd morning occurrence.

Rhyldan blinked blearily at the intense sunlight reflecting off the well polished wooden walls of the druid's home. He groaned and sat up, noticing that at some point while he rested the little elemental had disappeared.

"Good morning. Rest well?" Aithwen's voice came from the the benches near the door.

Rhyldan's head turned slowly toward the druidess, his eyes feeling dry as he blinked and did his best to focus across the room. "Best in tendays." His voice croaked out, raspy from sleep.

Aithwen chuckled. "Feeling a little dry this morning? Sorry about that, tends to happen when Binx decides to cuddle. I hope he didn't make you uncomfortable."

Rhyldan rose from his nest of cushions, stretching leisurely, his spine popping satisfactorily. "A bit and nah, puss was quite the bedfellow. Cozy little thing."

"That he is." Aithwen finished tying the laces on her tall grey boots and leaned her elbows on her knees, her eyes watching her guest as he stretched the sleep from his limbs. "If you're hungry you may help yourself to whatever you find in the cabinets and there is fruit aplenty outside. The water in the barrel next to the cookstove is fresh this morning." She braced her hands over he knees and pushed herself to standing, the movement drawing Rhyldan's attention as she began to walk toward him. "I must give you my apologies again, Rhyldan, there are tasks I must see to immediately so I will be gone until midday and so I must leave you alone." At that moment, the foxes Rhyldan remembered from the night before came tumbling in through a small swinging door in the wall that was previously unnoticeable. "Or mostly alone, anyway." She smiled and shook her head as the foxes continued their little scuffle across the floor.

"So it seems." Rhyldan's eyebrow rose in amusement at the creatures. "You sure it's safe out there, pet? A dragon's temper is something not to be underestimated, yeah?" He took slow steps toward his host who had come to a stop just a few feet from where she started.

Aithwen shook her head. "Thank you, Rhyldan, but what I must do is part of my duty as caretaker and protector."

"Druid stuff?" Rhyldan interjected.

"Yeah." Aithwen smiled shyly, "Druid stuff. And don't worry about the great beastie's temper - it isn't the first tantrum he's thrown and cold doesn't bother me, afterall." She shrugged and crouched down to separate the foxes whose tussle had finally bumped them into her feet.

Rhyldan noticed then that the druidess seemed improperly dressed for going out in the remnants of a snowstorm. Her boots were study, tall and solid things of a darker grey that laced up to just below her knees. She wore leggings again, though today's pair looked to be undyed hide with no extra insulation against the elements. Her tunic was an incredibly pale grey with a simple cerulean blue threading outlining the edges. It was pretty and simple, and completely sleeveless. The item hugged her body, not tightly, but just enough to not hinder her movement. She had on the same bracers on her arms that she had worn in his presence since meeting her and he could still see the barest swirl of a tattoo peeking out from both. Her hair hung in a heavy braid over her shoulder and a thin band of silver rested at her hairline, he couldn't tell if it was meant as a decoration or to hold back her hair as it seemed to be both.

"Well, pet, I certainly hope so dressed as you are." Rhyldan commented, a flirty smile spreading across his face.

Aithwen laughed lightly and stood, a fox held securly in each hand. "This is quite warm compared to my midwinter vestments. Snow aside, it is summer here." She smiled at the shocked confusion that flashed across Rhyldan's face - he was obviously curious. "I'll be just fine. Anyway, these two rascals are Frost and Flurry. Fox twins from the Feywild. They're annoyingly smart and clever but they are friendly and entertaining companions." She closed the distance between herself and Rhyldan. "They know the grove perfectly, every branch and stone. They'll keep you company while I am gone. And keep you entertained." Aithwen smiled widely and Rhyldan noticed again, clearer now she had relaxed somewhat, how her smile wasn't quite natural - she had not only had fangs but the four teeth between them were angled to slight points as well. A subtle but certain hint of just what the female was capable of, of the predator her very soul resonated with.

One of the foxes, Frost perhaps, wiggled free of the druidess' grasp and swung itself across the short dividing distance into Rhyldan's arms. "Oi, now! Be quite the tumble if you're not careful there now, innit? Not a cat, afterall, barmy thing…" The oddly colored fox seemed to care not a whit about what the slightly larger elf was saying and used it's claws to climb up his torso to perch on his shoulder in a very cat-like manner, pride on its vulpine features.

Aithwen laughed lightly, "Not a normal fox, either, mind you." Her blue eyes fixed the fox on Rhyldan's shoulder into stillness. "Behave yourself, Frost. Keep away from the garden, Flurry, or I'll polymorph you again." Her eyes were like daggers of ice as her gaze traveled between the two slightly subdued creatures before returning to Rhyldan's. "Feel free to explore the grove. These two know to keep you in sight, but do not be tempted to cross the treeline. The treants and wakened ones would be quite cross at your tresspass."

Rhyldan smiled and shook his head. "Should I worry that all that sounds quite natural and not as barmy as I really think it should?"

Aithwen leaned down to place Flurry on the floor before returning Rhyldan's smile. "Maybe, maybe not. I seem to remember being told once that a little madness in our lives makes each day worth living just as much as the mundane does. Anyway, this isn't a grove of the Emerald Enclave - there will never be numbers of that sort to take up all the tasks of protection that are necessary here, and much of this land is soaked in ancient magics long forgotten." She shrugged. "Makes just as much sense for the trees and shrubs to take part in protecting their lives and homes as much as the beasts do."

Rhyldan nodded slowly, there was an odd logic to her words and he found himself agreeing completely. "Right you are, luv. Now, before you run off, mind terribly if I take a gander at your library? Haven't had a good book in my hands in what feels like a sodding lifetime…"

Aithwen startled slightly at the unexpectedly sheepish tone in her guest's voice as he made his request. "Of course not. I would just ask you to be careful - there are quite a few unique volumes that I would be unable to replace for one reason or another. And do stay away from anything kept in a case. Some of my books are more dangerous than a dragon's temper." Rhyldan's eyes widened as she smiled. "Other than those tomes, enjoy yourself. Frost and Flurry will make sure you don't loose your way." Her attention returned to the foxes. "Won't you?" Both creatures made a chirping noise and moved toward the sliding doors Rhyldan walked through the night before, Frost leaping from his shoulder to nearly knock Flurry over.

Rhyldan shook his head slowly in response to the foxes' actions. "Handful there, eh?"

"You have no idea." Aithwen's fond smile faded as she turned on her heel to leave. "Enjoy your morning." The druid strode from the cottage without another word or glance, the heavy wooden door opening and closing silently at her departure.

Rhyldan watched her leave. "Strange bird, your mistress." His attention turned to the two waiting foxes. "Well then. Time to get to it, innit? Lead the way!" He made a shooing gesture toward the mischievous creatures who seemed to grin wickedly in response before darting around and behind the sliding door, without opening it. Rhyldan rolled his eyes and opened the door, following quickly. 'Gods I hope they don't lead me somewhere I'm not supposed to go, little devils…'