It’s exactly what it looks like.
“The salt circles are important for keeping bad things out.” He was so slow to come forward, stepping closer while crouching and using one hand to balance himself. “You shouldn’t disrupt them so carelessly.”
Her brows twitched to frown with surprise since he didn’t seem angry with her. She scuttled back on her arse when she realised it wasn’t him at all!
It was a different Duskwalker. The same one from the previous week. She should have known it wasn’t him since his glowing orbs were green. Orpheus’ had never changed to that colour in front of her before.
“What are you doing here? What do you want?” she continued to crab walk backwards as he drew closer and stepped out of the shadow of the tree line.
He came to the salt circle and allowed her to see him fully. He tilted his head sharply, making a rattling noise that was far more distinct than Orpheus’.
“I have been watching you since he left.”
“How did you know he was gone?”
She got to her feet and prepared herself to run if she needed to. She’d also grabbed her sword from the ground just in case she needed to fight.
“I was near the border when I saw him climbing the walls.”
“Stay the fuck back!” she yelled when one of his hands came forward, and he entered the circle!
She pointed the tip of the blade at him. He twisted his head one way and then the other, as he crept even closer, and brought his entire crouched body inside.
“Do not run. You will make me chase and hurt you.”
I like the hunt. Orpheus’ words echoed in her memory, reminding her of the danger she faced.
She inched backwards, trying to move slowly as not to incite any kind of hunger in him.
“H-how did you get inside?”
He turned his fox-head skull to the salt line, his large forking antlers casting a shadow on the ground.
“It keeps out those who intend harm.” Then he turned back and pointed at the house with a curved claw. “Those keep out those who do not live there.” She figured he was pointing to the protection trinkets. “I cannot make them. The ingredients do not grow.”
“You don’t intend to harm me?”
He came forward on his feet and one hand while shaking his head.
“No. Not harm.” He scratched at the back of his shoulder like he was itchy, ruffling the fur and feathers he had there. “Why is it you swing that pointy thing?”
She dared to look over her shoulder to see that the house felt miles away as she inched closer to it. Still won’t make it in time if he’s as fast as Orpheus.
“So I can kill anything that tries to eat me,” she answered, turning back to him to find he’d darted closer while she wasn’t looking. “Or hurt me.”
He was right in front of her now, just beyond her sword. He sniffed the bloodied tip of it.
“But I have told you I do not intend you harm. Why do you still point it at me?” He gave it a growl before he huffed in displeasure. “They hurt my flesh. I do not like when the humans have them.”
“Because I don’t trust you.”
He brought the hand he’d been scratching himself with to his snout to tap it in thought.
“But you trust Mavka. You live with us.”
“No,” she corrected. “I trust Orpheus.”
His head twisted until it was almost upside down.
“Who?”
“Orpheus.” Her brows drew together. “He’s the Duskwalker who lives here.”
Even though they were aching from holding the sword up for so long, she refused to drop her shaking arms.
“But he is Mavka. That is what we are called.”
“That’s his name.”
“Name?” He twisted his head once more to make it upside, but the other way. “What is a name?”
“He is Dusk… Mavka,” she told him. “But that is what he is called. If I called out Mavka, you both would turn to me. But if I only call out his name, Orpheus, only he would turn to me. It’s special. Like I am human, but my name is Reia, and only I would turn to the name when called.”
“Special?” His glowing orbs changed from green, what she thought they might always be, to bright yellow. “I want a name! I want to be called something special.” He stood, showing her his towering height while reaching out over her sword. “How does one get a name, little human?”
She quickly pointed it at his face, finding he was quite a few inches taller than Orpheus. She hadn’t thought anything could possibly be bigger than him.
“It’s something you’re given.”
“Can you give names?”
“You want me to give you a name?”
He nodded.
“Yes. Will you give me something special to be called?”
She gave a small laugh, finding that both creepy and endearing.
“Ah, no. I’m not very good with being creative. I don’t think I’m the right person to give you a name.”
His eyes faded to blue, much like how Orpheus’ orbs darkened when he was saddened.
“Look, I don’t know what you want from me, but I’d like you to leave. Please.”
His eyes went back to green. “But I want to speak with you. Mavka told me humans are difficult to keep, but you are here. I wish to understand.”
“If Orpheus comes, he’ll be mad.”
“I will hear and smell him.”
He stepped closer, and Reia tried to match the length of his stride backwards.
“I said stay back!”
He stopped and crouched down once more to make himself smaller.
“I have upset you. I did not mean to upset you. Please speak with me, Reia human person.”
She stopped retreating and blew a few strands of her hair that had fallen over her face. He’d asked nicely, and it did seem like he wasn’t actually going to hurt her.
“Fine.” Reia groaned. The sword fell and the tip thudded against the ground. Her arms were too tired to hold it up any longer anyway. “What do you want to know?”
“Why is it you stay with him?”
“Because he’s my friend. I trust him, and I’m staying because I just am.”
“He said that you came here with him willingly. Why are you not afraid of us?”
Reia shrugged her shoulders, eyeing him carefully in case he moved suddenly.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been that afraid of much. I was scared at first, but not enough that he ate me. Like I said, I came to trust him.”
“And you are not afraid of me? You smell different from before, better, but I cannot smell fear.”
“He-he gives me a bath to get rid of my human smell. That’s why I smell different, because he isn’t here to give me one,” she explained. “And I’m used to your kind now because of him. You aren’t monsters.”
His eyes sparked with yellow at that. “Monsters, no. Perhaps, maybe, but I do not want to be a monster. I want a human who will let me hold them.”
Well, this is embarrassing. Her cheeks warmed slightly.
His eyes faded back to green, and he unfurled himself just enough to approach. He didn’t step forward, but he leaned closer.
“He said it is difficult to find a human that will stay with us.” He rested on his hand while sniffing up at her face. “You are not scared. Will you come with me?”