Danyll swung the axe again, the shapened edge biting in before he yanked it out again and, with a final solid kick the dead tree fell to the ground. It had been struck by lightning from the storm last night and split down the centre. Danyll decided he would comandeer half of it for firewood. The nights were getting chillier and he had to rely on the fire for warmth. For now it wasn't so bad, he had recovered his strength, but the full moon was returning and after that phase had gone he would be left weakened and susceptible to illness. The firelight would at least help.

Stripping it of it's branches and laying them across the strap he had fashioned he then set to chopping the trunk into more managable pieces, including a few larger ones designed to burn through the night without needing to be tended. Once this was done, he tied them all together and swung the bundle over his back, to head back home.

Slyth wandered happily through the forest, skipping and jumping around. He didn't much know why he was in such a good mood, but he was and he didn't care. He loved being in moods like this, it always made things seem brighter and not so bad. He stopped though, as his ears perked to the sounds of.. well something. He looked around, trying to figure out where the thudding sound was coming from. Eventually he discerned the generall direction and started off, still skipping and jumping like a hyper child.
When he go close, Slyth slowed down his pace and walked carefully but not silently. He didn't much care if whatever made the noise heard him, afterall he wasn't trying to be sneaky. He stopped and watched as the split tree fell and the man who had cut it down started hacking it into smaller chunks. "What are you doing?" He said only after the man started to walk away. Slyth came out from behind the tree and wandered on over with an overly curious expression on his face.

Danyll looked up a little warily at the voice; he had been absorbed in his work and heard him approach. Seeing that it was just a child did little to alleviate his uneasiness though. He knew children could be both more accepting of differences in others as well as contain more hatred than their small bodies should be able to hold. But... he didn't seem to be instantly afraid. That was at least a start.

"Chopping wood," he replied. "Winter's coming and I need fuel." He was unsure what to make of this little guy. Obviously some kind of hybrid but whether that was a good thing or not he couldn't decide.

"Do you need help or something?" he asked a little bewildered.

"Oh!" Slyth said as a smile came to his face, "Isn't that heavy though? That's alot of wood to be carrying." He said as he continued to get closer to the man. He paused momentarily, in the exact pose he was in, in which he was balanced on one foot. He looked as though he would fall over, but after a moment he put it down and smiled. "Oh! No, I don't need help. Why would I need help?" He asked with his head tilted lightly to the side questioningly. His tail started to swish behind him as his curiousity kept rising and rising.

Danyll smiled. He was begining to think he might like this person, he was definately cute. "Yes, it's heavy," he said, hefting it over his shoulder to rest on his back, the strap cutting into his shoulder slightly. "But it has to be done or it will be too cold tonight."

Watching him pause halfway between stepping, Danyll cocked his head to the side curiosly. He was definately an odd one. Though he sighed when the boy said he didn't need help. "I guess... I'm just not used to anyone approaching me unless they want something." Usually my death, he thought silently, but he didn't voice such thoughts; they would scare him and he didn't mind the company really.

He was about to leave then but looked over his shoulder. It was unusual for someone so young to be walking through the forest, but he obviously wasn't a normal human child, maybe he could look after himself. "How old are you?" he asked. "You look a little young to be wandering around on your own," he added.

Then, "Are you hungry? I have some food I could share with you if you like," he said as he started walking towards his home.

"I could help you with it!" He said as he picked up his pace and caught up to the man. "I'm really strong!" He smiled happily. But again, he stopped, though this time, he seriously had to think about how old he was. He never really thought about it since the incident so long ago. "I think i'm about fifteen?" He spoke as it if was a question to himself. He didn't honestly know but it did sound about right.
He started walking again, trying to keep up to the mans pace, "I am kinda hungry, but I don't think you and I eat the same things!" He laughed lightly, though it only lasted a moment before a serious look came to his face. "Really though, you should let me help you with that. It looks like its hurting your shoulder."

An eyebrow rose slightly when the boy said he was strong; he certainly didn't look strong. He shook his head, motioning that he's more than willing to carry it himself.

"You think?" he said, a little confused, a half smile on his face. But then again, he had lost track of the days over the last few years, only aware of the passing of the seasons telling another year had passed, so he guessed it was possible to lose track even of the amount of years past. "I guess I can see that," he eventually conceeded. He thought he was younger than that, but, looking closer, had to concede that he saw his age now, he was just acting more child-like than he expected a fifteen year old to act.

"Alright," he eventually said, swinging the lot down. He pulled out a few branches and handed them over, hardly a heavy load and swung the rest back on to his shoulder.

He continued back to the hut, checking his stride to make sure that he wasn't going too fast. As they walked a small wooden house became visible through the trees. It was small and rustic but it had signs of a pleasant quiet life. There was a small flower patch out the front, pots of herbs lined along the window panes, and a thatch roof. Along the side under a rough roof, piled high, was stacks of firewood and it was here that Danyll went first.

"My name is Danyll, by the way," he said as he untied the wood and pulled out the largest pieces, sorting them from biggest to smallest and stacking them accordingly.

Slyth laughed lightly, "I don't pay much attention to the seasons or years passing to keep proper track." He shrugged lightly and watched as the man put down the load of firewood and only handed over a bit of it. But, that's what could be expected, he knew he didn't look to strong, but there was nothing he could do about that. He took the few branched willingly and continued on.
Once reaching the home, Slyth paused for a few moments, just to look at it and the flowers and everything else he could before he realized he would go put the branches with the others. So, he ran over and put the branches atop the pile of branches the man already had.
When the man spoke his name, Slyth smiled brightly and turned to him abruntly, "My name is Slyth." He held out his hand to the man, as he had seen humans do before. He didn't understand the meaning of the handshake, but humans always did it after they told one another their names.

Once more Danyll gave his half smile when Sylth extended his hand for a handshake. He paused only a moment, once more unused to the action. And surprised only noticing then Sylth's different hand. He extended his own, grasped his hand and shook lightly.

Turning back to the pile he selected a handful and carried it inside. "Come on in," he said. At first glance inside it would look poor and rustic, everything was of poor or home-made quality, mostly from wood or crude stone, copper pots hanging from the roof. But everything was clean and well maintained. The floor was freshly swept and the pots shiney, the single bed with its coarse woolen blankets neatly made.

Dannyl made his way over to the fireplace and knelt before it, poking it to ignight the coals once more before feeding the wood into it.

Feeling he should say something, especially since he was the one who invited Sylth in no matter how foolish such a thing may be, he said, "What brings you to this area of the forest. I haven't seen you here before." If I had you would probably be dead already, he thought darkly but he shook his head sharply, dismissing the thought.

Slyth smiled, happy that he was right in the fact that was the time to extend his hand for the handshake. Then, the man took some wood and invited him into the house. Slyth followed happily and entered just behind the man. His eyes widened as he looked around with a sort of excitement. "Wow." He simply said as he started roaming around the small building, looking at things and poking other things. His tail swishing happily behind him the entire tim. He even went to the bed and pushed his hands down on it, it was harder than expected, but still seemed as though it would be much more comfortable than the floor.
He stopped pushing down on the bed, which was for some reason amusing him, when the man asked what brought him here. Slyth shurgged a bit as he turned to face him. "I'm just passing through." Hes said, his smile somewhat sad now. "I can't stay in one place to long..."

Dannyl shifted a little uncomfortable with the way Sylth was acting around his house. "It's not that good," he said a little uneasily. His house was clean and, while he took pride in what he had, it was no means a palace. It was a small, humble, on room affair, nothing like the manor house he used to live in before he had been driven away.

Once the fire was going, he put a pot of water on the coals at the edge to boil before going to a barrel in the corner and pulling out two apples. "Would you like one?" he asked. Sylth looked like he had part cow in him, unusual though that was, so he guessed that since cows liked apples he would too. Or at least he thought cows ate apples. He had never tried to feed them one. But horses did.

A little embarrassed that his that his house was so small and only really cated for one, he sat on the house's only chair and motioned for Sylth to use the bed to sit on if he wanted to. "Why?" he asked eventually. Had something happened in the real world? He tended to avoid cities and towns unless he was really desperate for some tool or supply. And he was a little worried as to what could drive this boy to have to keep moving.

"Its wonderful!" Slyth said as his happy smile returned. He walked on over to the fire and sat down on the ground beside Danyll, obviously uncaring about where he sat. "I haven't been inside a building for a long time. Its so nice and warm and you have so many cool things." He smiled happily as he looked to the fire and watched the water boil gently. He didn't even notice the man get up and bring some apples from a barrel off in the corner. He looked up to him with wide, happy eyes. "I havent' had an apple for a long time." He happily took the apple and started to much on it straight away. Only pausing to answer the mans quiestion.

When the man asked why, slyth was confused for a moment before realizing what he was asking about. Slyth sighed lightly, "A long time ago, my family and everyone I knew were killed. If I stay somewhere to long, the one who killed them will find me and finnish the job." He was no longer munching happily on the apple, but was now staring at it with his sad blue eyes.

Dannyl smiled a little fondly at Sylth as he went on. He shouldn't be feeling like this he should politely but firmly turn Sylth on his way, there would only be trouble. But he craved any kind of company and companionship. His whole life up until recently there had been people, first his family and then his clan, always someone around. That was probably what he missed most, even more than the general comforts of privalaged living.

When he spoke of his family being killed though and he being hunted his face fell a little. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said sincerely, his gold-flecked eyes showing sympathy and understanding, knowing personally what it was like to lose one's family.

He fell silent, thinking seriously about an idea that came to him. In the end he decided that maybe, just maybe, the company could be worth the risks. "If you like, you can stay here with me. You will be safe here. I... would have to make you another bed but you can use mine until it's finished," he added, realizing this. He would have to make more of everything and, while this wasn't really a problem - his father had been a carpenter - but it would eat up his supplies. It would have to wait until after the full moon though. If he wanted to. And if he was able to keep his... 'condition' a secret.

As the man spoke of Slyth staying there with him, Slyth instantly looked at the man with fear in his eyes. Fear for both himself and the man, "No!" He said, quite a bit louder than he had intended. "He will kill you just as easy as he could kill me. Just as easy as he killed everyone I know! I don't want to put you in danger." He looked almost desperate. He didn't want to bring this man to Danger, it was bad enough he had been staying here for this long already. At some point, while he was speaking, Slyth had dropped his apple and it rolled its way towards the fire, stopping just short of it. "I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me.." He sighed as he looked down to the floor, then to the apple as it lay by the fire.
"I.. I should get going." Slyth said as he stood up from the floor and forced a small smile to his face. He picked up the apple and would take it with him, "Thank you for letting me see your home." He then turned, and almost ran for the door.

Dannyl winced a little when Sylth shouted no. And there was the usual fear. He should have known it would never last. It had barely lasted half an hour. "He wont kill me, I'm stronger than I look," he said softly, repeating what Sylth had said, his gaze downcast and voice sad. He tried to think of some kind of way to convince him to stay but he could think of nothing that wouldn't give away his secret.

But he seemed so determined. "Well, alright," he eventually relented. "But if you ever want somewhere to stay, or if you run into trouble you're welcome to come back here, alright?" he said. He could hardly force him to stay.

Slyth paused at the door to look back at the man, "He's killed everyone I cared for. Even if your stronger than you look.. He's ten times stronger." Slyth shook his head lightly and turned away. "Just don't worry about me. If I keep moving he won't be able to get me." and with that, Slyth opened the door and left, closing it carefully behind him. At first, slyth walked away, downhearted. He would have really liked to stay, the man seemed so kind. But that was the exact reason he had to leave. Soon, he was eventually running through the forest.

He didn't get to far though before he stopped and leaned himself against a tree a good five minute run away. Danyll seemed so sad when he said he couldn't stay. He kicked the tree as hard as he possibly could, which wasn't something he should have done.

The tree had been struck by lightning during the storm, and was so very close to falling over, that even a bird landing on it could have caused it to topple. It had slowly been making its way down ever since struck and the kick simply helped it on its way. The tree fell with a loud whoosh and crash. Slyth had attempted to avoid the falling thing, but it fell to fast and he was struck down by one of the larger branches located at the bottom of the tree. He fell to the ground, pinned under the tree's large branch.

He almost fell unconsious, but fought to stay awake. A groan of pain escaped him as he attempted to pull himself out. It was no use. He lay down and close his eyes, trying to drown out the pain.

((*start Dannyl's theme music* tada! To the rescue!))

Dannyl was feeling a little down by how quickly his little relief from loneliness had left him but he shook his head, annoyed with himself, and pushed the thought far from his mind. This was the life that was left to him now and no amount of sulking would change that fact. It was probably better anyway, less people were harmed by his hand. Or muzzle as the case may be.

He kept himself busy, finishing his apple, making himself a cup of tea and drinking that, tending the fire but he knew he wouldn't get much sleep that night. He sighed. He may as well make himself busy. He probably should make another chair incase he has visitors again. It was embaressing having him sit on the floor.

Figuring that was as good a task as any to occupy his mind, he stood and first making sure that the grate was safely across the front of the fireplace, pulled the door behind him and picked up his axe to head out into the forest again. Evening was approaching and as the moon rose a few innevitable changes took place, the most noticable being his eyes turning a complete golden. Tomorrow night he would grow a tail. The night after that he would change completely. The night was chilly but he knew he wouldn't feel it soon, soon he would be sweating with exertian. Maybe he should gather a few apples too.

There was a tree he had in mind, another that had been struck by the rather violent storm and he headed that way. Reaching it he saw that nature had beaten him too it and it had already fallen to the ground. Shrugging he moved to remove one of the larger branches but frowned when he saw a familiar figure trapped under it.

Instantly he dropped the axe and went to Slyth's side. He was still breathing and alive. Good. "Hold still," he said. He wasn't sure if he was concious or not but that hardly mattered. Aware that this was probably not a good time for him to turn up but not about to leave the boy there, he lifted the branch and tree off him, tossing it to the side, showing his more than human strength. Knealing down beside him again, he gently ran his hand down his back. "Don't move," he said. He had to check to see if his back was broken. It didn't seem to be so, gently, he lifted the boy and started to carry him back to his house.

Slyth hadn't even noticed there was anyone around him untill he heard the voice. It seemed so far away, as if whomever was talking was a long ways from him. He blinked open his eyes slightly, it was getting dark.. or Maybe it was just his near unconsiuos state. He didn't know. But he saw someone there. He tried to say something, but his voice wouldn't come, though he did make as pained 'moo'ing sound. Before he looked away. The weight had suddenly vanish. He tried to focus on what happened to it, but there was no chance of that as everything went dark.

Consiousness vaguely came and went while he was being carried, at some point he realized it must have been Danyll carrying him back to his home. Another point, he awoke just as they entered the house, he stayed consious for a few seconds, long enough to try and ask what happened, but all that escaped him was once again a small 'moo'ing noise. Then the darkness came again.

"Shh," Dannyl said softly when Slyth mooed softly, trying to calm him. He had to remain still incase there were internal injuries he hadn't detected. Inside his eyes seemed to glow so it was probably best that he was unconcious or it could scare him.

Entering, looking at the bed he pondered how to get him in. Shrugging, still holding Slyth, he stood on one foot and used the other to move the blankets down before gently laying him down on the bed. Lighting an oil lamp and bringing it close, he looked over the boy's body. The most obvious damage was to his leg so, feeling a little embaressed, he undid the boy's pants and pulled them down, laying them on the end of the bed and, to make sure there wasn't anything else, took his shirt off as well before pulling the blanket up so he wouldn't be cold. He was a little interested to find that the pattening on his skin covered him all over but after that he was all business, getting some warm water, good strong sticks for a splint and some bandages. He set to tending the leg, first straightening and realigning the bone, a rather painful process, before splinting it and bandaging it so that it would be kept still and straight long enough to heal then lowered the blanket once more. Looking over his chest, he could see bruising that might suggest broken ribs but he couldn't do anything about that while Slyth was unconcious since he couldn't both hold him upright or strap his ribs at the same time.

Slyth swam in empty darkness for what seemed like quite awhile before he felt the distant pain of his leg being put back into place. His body tensed slightly from the sudden distant pain, but other than that, Slyth stayed in unconsiousness.

A few hours went by, by the time he slowly drifted to consiousness. He blinked slightly, it was so dark. Slowly, he turned his head, to try and figure out where he was. Last he remembered the tree was falling. Now, he was in a nice warm place. He moved his arm slowly up to his chest, there was so much pain while he breathed. "Wha...?" He asked the darkness. He wanted to know where he was and what had happened to cause so much pain to be present in his body.

Dannyl was sitting in the seat while Slyth slept. He allowed himself to doze lightly, waking with every small movement and sound, checking on Slyth and checking his temperature, his eyes glowing slightly in the darkness. He had turned the lamp down so now its low light and the firelight were the light in the room.

When he stirred, waking, Dannyl woke himself and turned the lamplight up, so that his eyes wouldn't be so noticable, or scary then said, "It's alright, you're safe," wanting to reassure him most of all. "You've broken your leg but I've realigned the bone and splinted it, though you'll have to stay put for a while till it heals. Do your ribs hurt at all? Does it hurt when you breath?" he asked.

Slyth had to squeez his eyes shut as the lamplight was turned up. He kept them closed for a awhile, while he listened to the familiar voice of Danyll. He slowly let his eyes open, as if to make sure it really was the man. He tried to look at himself, but moving was to strenious at the moment so he stopped and just contented himself with looking at the man he had met just earlier today. Well, he still though it was the same day.
It took him awhile to respond to the mans questions, as his mind couldn't quite focus all the words at the moment, he got the jist of it though. "Hurts..." He finally said as he closed his eyes again. Tears were slowly running down his face, seeing as everybreath he took in caused pain to shook through him.

Dannyl didn't really need the boy's answer to see that he was in immense pain. He nodded and moved forward, standing. "I need to strap your rib. It will hurt but it should ease your pain a little. Then I'll give you a drink that will ease your pain and help you sleep. But first I need you to sit up for me so I can reach all around you," he said, his voice was a little huskier, an inevitable effect of his partial transformation.

He slipped a strong arm under Slyth's shoulders and assisted him to a sitting position before wrapping bandages around his bruised middle, tightening them but not too tight, rather so that they held the ribs still while he breathed, thus easing some of the pain before easing him back down and pulling the blanket to his shoulders once more.

He turned away then and made up the drink he said he would, making a mix from some of the herbs. It would taste like a bitter tea that would ease his muscles, thus relaxing him, and was also a mild sedative, at least in this minimal amount. It should help him sleep and rid some pain.

Going back to the boy, he held the cup to his lips and said gently, "Drink," before tipping it slightly to help.

Slyth complied with what the man said and did. He found it very tiring to keep himself in a sitting position while the man wrapped the bandages around him. He found this very disconcerning, he's only ever felt this weak once, and that was when he came apon the horrible scene of his family and friends death. He took in a deeper breath than he could before, but had to keep it smaller than he wished due to the pain. But The bandages really helped.
When he was laid back down, he closed his eyes again. He was tired but his mind was to busy at the moment for him to be able to simply fall asleep on his own. And again, he didn't notice the man leave his side, only noticed when he came back with some sort of drink. Slyth willing accepted the drink, and didn't much mind the bitter taste of it. He drank as much as his body would allow, which wasn't much but enough to help him fall into a dreamless sleep.



The next morning, just before dawn, Slyth awoke slowly. The pain was still aching through his body, but he found it a bit more bareable than it had been last night while Danyll strapped his ribs and helped rest. He didn't want to try to sit up, so Slyth simply looked around as best he could by propping himself up just enough to not cause much pain. He looked about as best he could, but he still didn't have a very good view of anything. "Danyll?" He said in a hoarse voice. His throat and mouth were incredibly dry, which was probably why he awoke so early.

Dannyl slept fitfully in the chair, propped in a corner. It was far from the most comfortable sleep but he didn't mind so much; Slyth needed the bed. He would have went for the more comfortable position on the floor but he didn't want to sleep too soundly incase Slyth needed him through the night. He slept rather peacefully though so Dannyl was allowed to do so as well.

He awoke at first light, as was his custom and checked on the sleeping Slyth. Normally he would have hunted for the but he had no wish to leave Slyth just now. He would settle for fruit for breakfast.

Hearing Slyth call his name and hearing how husky his voice was, he filled a cup with water. It wasn't cold but it was fresh and clean. He also took an apple and dragged the chair over. His eyes were still golden, they would remain thus until the change had completed its cycle and he was human again. He was taking a huge risk by having Slyth here but he could hardly abandon the boy when he was so injured. Especially if someone or something was hunting him.

"Here," he said, handing him the cup of water and placing the apple within easy reach for him too. "How do you feel?" he asked, sitting down in the chair once more. "In a lot of pain still?"