forum Opportunistic Omnivore: Scavenging the Remains of the Divine || OxO || Closed || 18+

Started March 15, 2023 by @ElderGod-kirky group

tune

Had Eurion not been seething with anger that didn't look like it was going to settle anytime soon, he might have chuckled at the comment and the interaction between the twins. They were lucky to have each other and have a bond as they did. Not all siblings were the same, and he hadn't had any.

Sláine wasn't wrong, though. It was too early for this. The bickering and the glaring, but he doubted it would fade anytime soon. Eurion wasn't going to forgive so easily, and Aideen didn't seem the type to apologise, not when she stood by her words. It had been a total of five minutes into their trip headed out of the city and they had already caused chaos, well, Aideen had by provoking and pushing when she had no right to do so. He could understand pushing those who she cared about, but they were strangers, and she knew nothing of his life, and clearly nothing of the twin's past, either. She couldn't speak from experience like they could, and it made Eurion rage all the more.

However, Eurion did try and think about something other than the argument as they finally walked through the walls of the city and out into the open, cobbled paths turning into dirt roads as they walked. It had him thinking of Sláine's comment about Aideen being a bad idea to bed, and in turn, the two of them.

Eurion was just as much a criminal as Aideen had once been, probably even worse when you looked into what he had done in his life. So many lives were on his hands. Too many for one person and the list would continue to grow if the Gods had any say- which, they did. They had all the say, but regardless of that, was it smart for him and Sláine to continue their… thing? Would Sláine even want to properly figure it out if he knew just how terrible his list of crimes was? Would he want to get to know him? He wasn't anything special, fuck, he was an assassin and not the type of man anyone should want to be with, even if it was just a bit of fun. The thoughts had him putting space between them, even if unintentional.

Sláine simmered in his own anger and hurt, a silent wall of unbudging emotion as they walked. Caoimhe periodically opened his mouth as though about to start a conversation, then closed it once more and let his brother stew for a bit longer. Aideen and Sláine butting heads wasn't an uncommon occurrence. Hell, Caoimhe had hated her when they first met because of her attitude problem and penchant for blatantly disrespecting authority. It was her personality that had the younger brother warning the prince against getting involved with her, not necessarily her past occupation. He still sometimes questioned if it was a good idea when she got like this. Then again, she wasn't exactly his type.

Because of his frequent travels, either to other countries or kingdoms, or to entirely different worlds, while under Seiger's thumb, Sláine was known for befriending the least likely people. He lost count of the number of governing figures he had sweet-talked and analyzed with a pleasant smile; they didn't mean anything to him. But it was the servants sent to tend to him, or stable hands ducking out of the way, or the sweet old woman on the street offering good-luck flowers for a single coin. Sláine looked to the people often forgotten, because they were the ones that had the biggest hearts and personalities. They didn't hide behind diplomacy and fancy words that mean nothing more than air. He liked meeting the children who demanded an up-close look at his horns, or a ride on his shoulders. Aideen had been an interesting addition to their guard, but good at her job, so neither twin bat an eye at her life beforehand. Well, at least until she displayed it while stealing from Caoimhe.

After a while of walking, Caoimhe couldn't stand the silence. And coincidentally, Sláine's comment had him unknowingly thinking of a similar topic as Eurion. "Mum says there's a king inquiring about you," he said, glancing over at his twin with a suggestive tilt to his lips. "Says he keeps trying to court you, but you won't answer."

The younger prince curled his nose at the reminder. "Slave trader. And handsy. He never liked being told no, so I had to get creative with our negotiations." Sláine's eyes darted over to Eurion, but quickly redirected to his brother. "Even before then, I wasn't interested."

Caoimhe hummed, having already figured his brother had a reason to turn down a king of all people. "Then what makes you interested, brother dearest? I know you weren't fond of Aideen."

"Because she pissed me the fuck off constantly." He thought about it, having never really considered the things he sought out in a partner. "Honesty, I guess. Not, like, telling me everything they do and have done, but the kind where everything isn't a twisted truth. Nobility gets crossed off right there, feels like." His eyes strained to not look at Eurion again, even as he noticed the growing distance between them. Safety. Comfort. Easy role reversals. Understanding. "I don't know." Sláine really didn't want to talk about this with his brother.

"I have no doubt there will be another king that'll come along to sweep you off your feet." Eurion dared a glance towards the second prince, although it was fleeting, enough to convey what he was already thinking.

As much as Sláine may have said that nobility didn't possess the qualities he looked for in a partner, it would be hard to turn down someone like that, he figured. Eurion wasn't accustomed to or aware of what royal life was like outside the basic books he had read as a child, or the passing comments people made on the streets about them. Either way, Fae royalty was a whole different ball game, and far too confusing even for him. Regardless, what was and wasn't acceptable when it came to picking partners was a topic Eurion knew nothing about.

Aideen may have been a criminal in her past, but Eurion knew that the moment she became a knight, even more so the second she was tasked with guarding Caoimhe, her life would have changed. Him, on the other hand? There was no looking past his wrongs, and they definitely were not excusable, no matter the Old Gods involvement or not, because half of them he had sought out on his own. Yes, he could say that some of the blood on his hands was their fault, but the others? He tried not to grimace at the thought. A sick, twisted part of him enjoyed it, the other because he needed the money to live and get by, but that didn't hold up when he could have tried looking for another job. He could have returned to the Fae lands and sought out a position in their own royal guard considering his skills, but he didn't. He kept killing.

"Or at least someone acceptable for your standards."

Caoimhe grinned back at Eurion, slowing some so that he could talk to the assassin a little easier. Tensions were still there, but if the man had even an inkling of the twins' past, he found a little bit of comradery with him. Plus, this was the most opportune time to tease his brother with someone else. "Sláine, with standards? That kid will roll around in the dirt with a stable hand." He should know—he had the unfortunate experience of walking in on them once. It was a memory seared in his mind forever. "Though you can't say there haven't been possible suitors."

His brother shot him a dirty look, though there was a delicate dusting of red on his cheeks even as he lifted his chin. "I'd sooner cut myself down with my own blade than be a prized trophy and bed-warmer for some king." All said suitors were looking for one of two things—a pretty little prince to have at their command, or a political move. Having the power of Draíochta Síoraí as an ally would be any small ruler's wet dream, and that's what they all were: small rulers. Those that he had dealt with that had an equal foot on the playing field either fell in the trophy category, or wanted nothing from him at all. And Sláine refused to be a pawn in a game of power. He also refused to settle for being treated as less than.

And Caoimhe knew this. He had listened to the rant numerous times, and now it was just funny riling up his brother. The prince snickered. "Which just means he hasn't gotten laid in forever," he whispered to Eurion, but it was plenty loud enough for Sláine to hear it clearly. He flipped Caoimhe off again. "Everyone is too intimidated by the fearsome soldier prince. Though, I specifically remember the soldier part being an easy hook. Glad I don't have to play that game anymore."

Eurion let his frown lessen a fraction, it didn't quite turn into a smile, but at least he didn't look on the verge of yelling at the two of them anymore, which was better than nothing. He fell into step with the first prince. They may as well try and get along, and if Caoimhe was as tolerable and nice as his brother, then they would be fine. It was Aideen that Eurion was worried about. Well, not worried, most likely to be pissed off with all the time.

"From the sounds of it he seems to be travelling a lot," He looked to Sláine, and that spark of… something, was visible in the look, "Are you really that terrible at finding someone to bed with you, even in other realms?"

It was all teasing. His tone may have sounded like an insult to some, but the way that he looked at the prince showed he wasn't being rude, and he was sure that, considering how the princes joked with each other, it was hopefully clear to Caoimhe, too.

Of course, considering their complicated situation between the two, Eurion was aware that Sláine wasn't terrible, because quite frankly, this morning had his thoughts turning to places that hadn't been visited in a while, longer than the princes, he guessed, especially when he had been settled on top of the man and been a bit too comfortable in the position. He was charming, attractive, and a prince, he could have anyone he wanted if he tried hard enough. In fact, he doubted he even needed to try hard at all. Eurion had melted under his gaze in the night, and in the morning, and Sláine had done the same to him in the inn. No, they both didn't need to try hard on that front. It was just difficult considering the plan, the travelling, and who they were. Difficult that they couldn't speak clearly about them, because that invisible string that had Eurion wanting to be by the prince was growing stronger the longer he stayed in his presence, and the longer they were unable to work it out.

Sláine scowled at the both of them, especially when Caoimhe burst out laughing at Eurion's playful jab. "Oh piss off, the both of you," the second prince hissed, though whatever heat was in his tone had no meaning. As much as he despised being on the receiving end of the torment, Eurion ganging up on him with his brother was a good thing, in theory. In practice, that just meant that Caoimhe would use Eurion's limited comfort with Sláine as a weapon to tease him even more. He met Eurion's gaze, and something like a challenge sparked in the prince's eyes. "I'm excellent at finding someone to bed with me. I have no problems."

"Of course not," Caoimhe said, chipper and running high on the turn of events, "it would be rude of us to suggest such a thing. But it's also a bit of an insult to spread lies, and, well, I've heard from the grapevine that your string of lovers is a bit… underdeveloped. I mean no offense."

"That was full offense, and you know it." Sláine was a tinge redder, both from the topic and because of Eurion's involvement. The secret something between them burned beneath his skin. He definitely had no problem capturing the assassin's attention, at least a little bit. Eurion had been comfortably seated in his lap—clearly the prince wasn't entirely unskilled when it came to gaining the attention of people. But the thing was, he had never tried getting Eurion in bed with him. Those thoughts came up afterwards, when they had lowered a few walls during the night and explored boundaries in the morning. Eurion was unexpected, not an intended night of fun. But a part of him feared that Eurion would think otherwise, that Sláine was just playing around with the assassin for a bit of fun during a dry spell. His eyes darted back and forth, but under his brother's amused attention, he wasn't able to convey much with just a look without getting caught.

A part of Eurion did wonder as to whether the prince had simply been teasing for a little fun. Sláine comforting him during the night had been different, but the morning? The touching had been pointed, the movements had been pointed, even in the inn where he had wrapped his arms around his neck and held him there. Was it all a ruse?

Those fears were quickly discarded at the twins banter, and Eurion focused on that rather than anything else. Later. He would ask later, when they were alone again, where they had all night to work through it and talk- not something he was particularly fond of, but needed considering the redness in the prince’s cheeks and the spark on his gaze that flickered whenever they made eye contact. Would they end up in bed together at some point? Or would it end tonight after whatever they spoke about. Eurion couldn’t help but want to see where it led, despite the consequences that would arise if things got worse, if they got found out, if the complications got in the way of finding the Old Gods. What about them? What would they think if Eurion ended up in bed with one of the men he was sent to kill, and wasn’t even planning on killing him anymore?

“I have heard that royal staff tend to know the most gossip,” Eurion let his smirk flicker, “I feel that if that’s where the news has come from about your lack of lovers they won’t be entirely wrong.”

"Oh, I like you." Caoimhe was grinning as he looked between the two. Anyone that joined him in teasing his younger brother was approved of in his books, and besides the assassination attempt last night, Eurion hadn't done much besides drag him into an inn and return him unharmed. For now, he was happy to join forces and have a tentative truce with the man—which absolutely included terrorizing Sláine.

The prince rolled his eyes, even if Eurion's growing amusement was a sight to see. "Fine. Whatever. It's been a while." He pointed a finger at the both of them, eyes narrowed. "But that is entirely by choice."

Caoimhe nudged Eurion, snickering. "Uh huh, totally. Mr Player has all the people at his feet, and he chooses to ignore them. Sure. We'll go with that, and not because you suck." His face went a little disgusted, though, when Sláine made a little 'Well…' face. "No, nope, I'm not talking about that. Fuck no. I take that back. You're just a shitty pick-up, there."

"We're identical," Sláine reminded, more than pleased with himself for turning his brother's words against him, "you're not much of a catch, either."

Thing was, the younger prince was a perpetual bachelor for several reasons. Constantly being on the move was one. Playing coy with diplomatic opponents was another. The freedom of not worrying about what his partner might think of him being a third. And he hadn't taken many temporary lovers because they ultimately wanted more from him, and the things they wanted, he couldn't—or wouldn't—give. The pattern had repeated too many times, and he was simply tired. But his mother constantly urged him to settle down at some point, and he couldn't tell if it was to save everyone the headache of the rumors and courting requests, or to genuinely see him happy. The more time went on, the more he was thinking it was the former, and he hated the thought.

“I wonder just how many people you’ve turned away,” Eurion hummed, his gaze turning to the older prince, “So many people at his feet, as he says, and yet can’t even get a one night stand? Seems unlikely.”

At least the prince wasn’t subjected to Eurion’s fate, which was practically never even having the opportunity to take someone to bed. There was the rare occasion when someone caught his eye in an inn, when he wasn’t too tired and it would be quick and painless. It wasn’t great, it was far less than great, actually, and it was a shit position to be in when you needed someone and had no one. It didn’t even feel right when there was the chance the Gods could pop up anytime. It almost felt like when they knew Eurion wasn’t into it they made an appearance, and now that was an awkward conversation to have.

“You may be identical in looks, but maybe it’s got something to do with your personality then. Shouldn’t stop you from getting laid though.” He didn’t have a leg to stand on, really, but not that Eurion would admit or say it. He was well versed enough that it didn’t matter, but it had been a while, but there was no way he’d say it and get the attention turned onto him.

Caoimhe nodded sagely, as if the topic was a serious one that required the utmost attention and intelligence. "No, you're right. There just has to be something wrong with him, that's the only explanation. I manage to get anyone I want just fine, so it's definitely a you problem." The look he gave his brother was sympathetic. "It's okay, we can work on it. You'll get the person of your dreams soon enough."

And Sláine was back to being the target. He huffed in false annoyance. "I hate you both." Though, as Caoimhe cracked and started laughing again, he moved a little to the side to be closer to Eurion. Nothing too extreme or out of there, and the casual brush of his knuckles against the man's arm was just a simple knock of playful acknowledgement. It wasn't due to the fact that they were talking about his sex life, and he had someone that had caught his eye out of nowhere, and that someone was standing right there and going along with the teasing. And he absolutely wasn't dying from the urge to be closer to the assassin, or that he really wanted the day to be over so that they could have some uninterrupted time together. Totally.

"If we're done making fun of me for my personal choices with what I do with myself," the younger prince drawled, "can we please move on to something else? I'd rather not talk about this the entire walk." Gods, Sláine never wanted the sun to set so badly before.

Eurion let himself smile, small, but it was there. He looked towards the ground as he shook his head softly, dismissing the topic as Sláine had asked. He let his hand bump back against the prince’s in acknowledgement. He was feeling the same way. Sunset couldn’t come quick enough, but if they could get them to an inn faster then he might as well.

“I know a shortcut,” He said a moment later.

Eurion used his bow to point down a small path that curved off to the right. If you weren’t looking for it, you wouldn’t have seen it, and it led right into some woods that he knew became denser the further in you for. Easy to get lost, but not if you knew the way. Luckily, Eurion had got lost enough times to make the path so it wouldn’t happen again, “It cuts through the woods, leads us back to the main road but takes an hour or so off the walk.”

And he did know for a fact that if they kept following the main path they’d end up at an inn. He’s stumbled across it purely by accident years ago, and it had become a frequent stopping point whenever he was passing through this way. Easy to get to if you were aware of the area. Eurion had left marking in the trees, old Fae runes to mark his path, and it had come in handy more times than he could count. Only issue was finding Aideen. The trees were too dense to get a clear view of the path below from the sky above, it made the woods all the scarier when it came down to it. Little light, an unclear path. It may seem like a trap but for once it was purely convenience.

Caoimhe looked to where Eurion pointed, and tapped into his magic once more for good measure. To him, the lines of a map stretched across the land in dark blue whorls and lights. As he scanned the area, his magic stretched out, arching through the trees and skirting along the main road that the hidden path led to. It wrapped around everything it touched, and in turn made him instinctively aware of his surroundings. A handy gift for travel, and one used frequently enough that he was used to being the walking map. "So it does," he said, happy to carve off time any chance they had, "I can't see far enough to tell if there's a place to stay, as miss priss demands, but I'm all for shortcuts."

Sláine didn't bother arguing with the name-calling, as it would just open the can of worms once more. He pointedly stayed silent, even when he eyed the thick canopy they'd be heading under, and Caoimhe sighed when he got the hint. Tilting his head up, the older prince let out a high-pitched swooping whistle sound, like he was mimicking the swooping of a bird. He couldn't find Aideen for a moment, as she had flown off to who knew where, but trusted her to come back at the signal.

Sure enough, the sound of wing-beats came up behind them, and an annoyed looking magpie landed on Caoimhe's shoulder. Sláine ignored her in favor of inspecting the woods they were approaching. If she wasn't shifting back, then she was still pissed off at them, and he was perfectly fine with that. "We need light when we go in, or is there enough coming through the trees to not need it?" he asked Eurion instead, looking over at him.

“When we get to the other side the main road connects up, we keep following it along and there’s an inn if we just keep walking,” Eurion didn’t wait as to whether they would follow, setting off in the direction of his handy short cut, “There’s enough light that we’ll be okay.”

Regardless he could walk the route with his eyes closed. It wasn’t dangerous, per se, not in the way the Fae lands were deadly, just that the trees had a talent for capturing and redirecting if you didn’t stick to the paths that you were familiar with. It was why he had carved the symbols into the trees years ago. The woods didn’t seem scary from the outside, and realistically, they weren’t from the inside, either, but unfamiliar territory and trees that could wash you away if you looked in their direction for too long wasn’t ideal, and not when they wanted to get through quickly.

With the rising sun it would be a breeze if they stuck together. There was enough light that they needn’t worry about losing each other in the darkness, only if one of them decided to wander off. Eurion wasn’t going to interact with Aideen unless he had to, at least not for the next short while through the short cut. If one of them got lost then he has no doubt the blame would be on him, since it was his idea and his route.

“Just don’t wander off.” Caoimhe’s magic would be able to guide him out if they did end up loosing each other or splitting up if they had to, but ot wasn’t ideal. Eurion had only explored so much, and with his luck there was probably something lurking out there he had been able to avoid for so long, only because he never stopped longer than he needed.

The princes followed, more intrigued than worried about the thick section of trees. The few times they went out like this, mostly back in their younger years, they hadn't thought to cut through the trees and instead simply followed the road. Mostly because they had horses with them to carry their things, so practicality had won that round. But this time two out of the four travelers were desperate to get to an inn for undisclosed reasons, and no one was complaining about a shorter travel time, so they gave Eurion the lead no problem—even if one was sticking a little closer than the other.

Caoimhe glanced around the trees above them as they approached the woods, also a little wary of anything popping out to get them. His magic was more in tune with mapping the world, so he had no idea if it came across an animal or even another person. "Noted," he said to Eurion's warning. He had no intentions to leave for no reason, and he extended that warning to Aideen with a pointed look. She ruffled her feathers and stabbed at his neck, but didn't take off into the air, so he counted that as a win.

Sláine was looking around as well, just as he had been in the inn, but his thoughts were elsewhere. When they did get a place to stop, what would happen? Presumably, they'd get three rooms if they trusted Eurion enough. And as much as it would kill him, he'd be an advocate because he really did trust the assassin to not take off. But where did that leave them? If Eurion decided he liked having his space after all, he has all the power to simply not join Sláine or to turn him away from his door. And if they did meet up together… what would happen? The prince had seen Eurion drifting away from him, and his comment on him finding someone within his standards felt like a jab at whatever thing was going on between them. Even though he wanted nothing more than to slip away into Eurion's warmth after today, if the assassin decided to end it, he wouldn't force it. Maybe express his own side, but if Eurion truly felt like they shouldn't continue what they were doing, then he'd back off and respect that. It'd kill him, but he wasn't about to harass him into a situation he didn't want to be in.

The woods started out as sparse, the thick foliage snapping under their steps as Eurion led them through the bush but soon became dense that the sunlight started to fade away and cast them all in a soft shadow. The assassin wasn’t particularly worried. This was his element, and want he was good at. He knew the track, walked it far too many times and marked the path clearly for himself, and he was at home in the shadows the high trees cast. He was more worried about Aideen flying off than anything else, or making a wrong move towards Sláine that would have his brother questioning why they were sticking closer together than they probably should have been.

His own magic flickered at his fingers, around his bow. It was always strongest in places that were cast in the dark gloom that he had grown accustomed to, and the comforting presence he felt. Eurion hadn’t known another with his powers. Most Fae tended to be gifted with earth based abilities, the elemental kind that allowed them to live off the lands and protect them in return for prosperity for their homes. It had been a cause for concern in his younger years, but in the end, his gifts had paid off in his line of work. Another reason as to why he suspected the Gods chose him.

But, his mind was turned to the prince not far behind him, his thoughts of similar likeness to Sláine’s. He wanted to share a bed with the prince again, whether or not it was simply lying next to one another or otherwise. Eurion hadn’t known just how crap it was to be unable to speak freely around another person. The weeks, sometimes months, of never having a conversation with another hadn’t bothered him much. There had been times where he felt he may no longer have a voice and had lost the ability to speak, but he was always wrong. Now that he didn’t have the choice to talk, it felt like hell. It had always been a choice before. He could have spoken to Ren, the innkeeper, anyone on the street or even himself but he didn’t, and now he was stuck in his own thoughts and wondering what Sláine was thinking about. The hours weren’t going to go by fast enough for them both, and Eurion was probably more desperate than he should have been when it came to wanting to understand what was going on.

Eurion saw the first carving not long after the woods had started to become dense. A small, simple symbol that indicated direction. Fae runes weren’t common, and so it made it easy if others were to find the carvings as chances were they wouldn’t be able to read them, allowing his path to remain undetected by most.

Caoimhe dropped back a little to give Eurion the lead, while having a seemingly one-sided conversation with Aideen. She stayed settled on his shoulder and had her head turned away, a clear indication that she was upset with him for pulling rank and going against her, but the prince softly explained his reasoning and how she had been in the wrong this time. He knew her mannerisms, in both forms, so he didn't care that she couldn't verbally talk back. Besides, it was probably better in the long run so that she didn't say something loud enough that Eurion heard, and another argument blew up. The peace was nice.

And Sláine was slowly withering away in silence the longer they walked without him being able to speak to Eurion. It grated on him, this inability to draw out smiles and laughter from the man like he had so effortlessly that morning. He wanted to stand close and steal Eurion's warmth to stow away that irritating buzz beneath his skin. He shouldn't have let Eurion encourage him to lean against the assassin for comfort, because now he wanted to do it again. It was driving him insane how he couldn't interact with Eurion. Surely, their insistence to not speak was more suspicious than if he went up to the assassin and gave his brother and friend some privacy? It made logical sense to talk to the only other companion when his twin was occupied.

By the time he made up his mind, the trees were quite a bit denser, and the light was nothing but speckles and light streams of sunlight that beamed down on them. He went up to Eurion and leaned in just a little, though didn't look directly at the assassin. "I did travel a lot," he said, referencing Eurion's earlier tease, "but I'm still not too good at tracking. That's Caoimhe. I'm just the talker, which is probably for the best considering what he's like." Sláine finally did look over at Eurion with a tiny smile. "That just means I'm bound to wander off." All the better an excuse to stick to the one person who knew the area well. Caoimhe could magic his way out of a predicament, but Sláine was prone to sticking his nose into something interesting and finding himself in unfamiliar territory. A thick woods wasn't a good combination.

A good thing that the assassin was there. A good thing he was sticking close, but a respectful close. A reasonable close. Gods, if things were okay with them, he'd be able to make the closeness unreasonable. For now, the prince had to take what he could get and be happy with it.

Eurion couldn't help the twitch of a smile that blossomed with Sláine's words. With the first prince and his lover falling behind them at a reasonable distance it meant they could talk. Well, not talk but Eurion was glad to be able to have any sort of conversation with the prince at all, "All the better to stick close, then," He looked at the other out of his peripheral, just for a moment before he turned his gaze back to the path, "If you were to wander I'd have to be the one to come find you, and we can't have that now, can we?"

There was a slight gleam in his eyes as he spoke. It was a bad idea to suggest, and to him, it was all teasing. Eurion had walked and found himself lost in the woods too many times. Yes, he didn't doubt he would be able to find Sláine if anything bad were to happen, but it wasn't a good idea. It was, frankly, a very bad idea. He had heard the whispers from the trees, how even the shadows were cautious when they needed to be, and they shouldn't have to be, not if the woods were safe. They weren't, the assassin knew, but he had never experienced it first-hand, he'd come close but was lucky enough to get the fuck out of there before he would have ended up mauled to death by something.

And there was the matter of Caoimhe and Aideen. Eurion wondered what they were talking about behind them, well, what Caoimhe was saying since Aideen could only chirp. Probably how it was a bad idea to initiate any conversation between him and the guard. Having an argument out here was cause for disaster. They had already pissed each other off enough in the short time they had been together and Eurion certainly was looking to avoid that again, at least for the time being.

Sláine tossed his head back with a dramatic groan. "Ugh, don't tempt me," he muttered, just loud enough for Eurion to hear. Would their entire journey be comprised of stolen moments? The prince had a little worm in his mind whispering to him that he should accidentally nose around and need Eurion to grab him back to the path, just so they could have a moment like in the inn. But he also had half a mind to not do that, because it would be stupidly dangerous, and because he'd be too tempted to stay there far longer than they should. Caoimhe could be oblivious sometimes, but he wasn't that stupid. He'd catch onto Sláine's frequent absences that correlate with Eurion's, and if he warmed up to the assassin, he'd start questioning why they were constantly together outside of caution.

Still, the younger prince was looking around the area with the same fascination that he had for any unfamiliar area. He was like a little kid sometimes, similar to how he had been with the foreign flower in his hand during the night. The prince was fascinated with new things. But even with Eurion being a new thing, a new person, the way he looked at him was different from the way he looked at his surroundings. No matter how much playful mischief sparked in Sláine's eye when he glanced over with a smile, there was that underlying look that mirrored the ones he's given the assassin in the quiet moments.

Sláine absently ran his fingers through his hair, disturbing the loose bun he had holding up half of the deep red curls. It was weird not having his horns in the way of it, or needing to style around them. He's had them for so long, he sometimes forgets what it's like to be 'normal.' Human-like. As he fixed his hair into something less haphazard, he hummed to himself. "I think a lot of people assume me being well-traveled means I'm good at it, or that my magic gives me an 'unfair advantage'. But no. I'm just good at being nosy and stumbling my way into a solution."

There was a part of Eurion that wanted to tell Sláine to do it. Go so he could go after him and they could have even just a minute with one another without the other two at their backs. He pushed those things aside quickly, because they couldn’t. Not because he didn’t want to, but because something felt wrong with the woods. His smile was quick to fade at the realisation, and he ignored Sláine’s words if only to try and figure what was making him so on edge, and it wasn’t Aideen.

It seemed darker. The woods seemed darker, tighter. They’d made it to his next marker so they weren’t on the wrong path which was a good sign, but it didn’t stop the assassin from growing worried. The connection he had with his magic allowed him to feel more, especially in areas like this. The sun was always an issue, especially in large, open areas, and usually woods were a great place to be in the exact opposite space. But these shadows felt wrong- the woods felt wrong, like they were being watched, or something was lurking just at their backs and ready to pounce.

Eurion stopped at the tree and was tempted to grab Sláine’s wrist, if only to pull him into his chest- to get him to stop walking, perhaps, or maybe because there was that urge to protect. The prince didn’t need protecting, and he was well aware of that, but the instinct didn’t fade even if he tried to focus on something else. Like turning his attention to Caoimhe and Aideen when they caught up, “Do any of you feel that?”

The lurking, the constricting, and invisible hand wrapping him up and trying to distract. He had known there was always something out there, but it wasn’t until Eurion had been with someone else that it had made its presence more visible. Was it because of the extra people he’d brought along his path? Was it something about them specifically that was causing an issue? Or was it just because his luck, however thin it already had been, had a finally run out? Whatever it was, it was bad timing.

The moment Eurion went on edge, Sláine was too. He stopped by Eurion and looked to him, trusting him to know what was amiss with the woods. The prince nearly asked what was going on, but waited on the assassin to figure out it and tell him, knowing that they wouldn't be left unaware if something was wrong. Aideen might think otherwise, being a criminal herself and seeing the worst intentions in others, but Sláine trusted him, and that look was all too familiar. Something wasn't right.

Caoimhe caught up to them easily now that they were standing still. He had a frown of confusion, but both princes went on the alert the second Eurion asked them his question. Caoimhe froze and scanned the area while keeping his hand close to the handle of his scythe, while Sláine pulled out one of his hidden daggers and folded it into a fist, the black weapon mostly concealed and ready to strike quickly. He had felt a sort of oppressive weight of something building as they walked, but didn't think much of it as just something that happened in a thicket of unfamiliar trees, especially ones on magical territory. But now that he was focusing, he could feel it. Eyes. Or something like eyes staring at them. Aideen didn't shift, a precaution more than anything, because it wouldn't take her long to do so if they needed her blade in the mix.

Sláine cast his magic out, slowly extending it out for a feeler. It wouldn't do much due to not being his expertise, and it might not pick up what Eurion was sensing, but it was the best way to find what they were looking for. He looked back over to Eurion. I feel it too, his expression read. There was something, but he couldn't tell what. Either he or his brother could put a blanket over them, mirror the rest of the woods and hide them from sight, but if the thing already knew they were there, it wouldn't matter. And a shield would only stall the inevitable if they had to fight.

The prince crept closer to Eurion, that same protective streak slicing through him and being infuriated that he didn't have easy ways to protect. "What do you sense?" he asked, voice low.

Eurion's ears twitched, his Fae hearing coming in handy. It was near silent, but there was the slightest, almost impossible to hear the noise of a crunch, and his head snapped towards it. Off to the left of the path, where the trees seemed to be closer together than the rest, darker than the rest, the sound stopped when Eurion looked.

The assassin drew his bow, slowly, carefully, just as he had done a thousand times over when it came to killing people, or prey out in the wild. But this time, they were the prey. There was another snap from behind them, and then another to the right. Three of whatever was hunting them. He could feel those eyes on them, he could feel the way the shadows warped around them to keep them hidden. Typical, but he was grateful that he was able to sense and feel better. He worked better in the dark, but even he was cautious.

"Three of them," He mumbled, "Not big, but…" Deadly. Surrounded. If they made a run for it they would die, if they stayed then chances were they would end up fighting. It was a lose-lose situation. Maybe if they were quiet they could move. Maybe they were just stalking and watching but not hunting. He doubted it. The way the magic of the begins pressed against them as if trying to corner and trap had him concerned. It was almost suffocating.

Eurion's own magic flickered around the arrow now sitting comfortably in the bow, ready to guide it through the bush and the trees into the dark in hopes of hitting its mark. One arrow wouldn't do it, but the four of them might be able to with the skills they all possessed. Even so, it wouldn't look good for him considering it may have looked like a trap. Leading them into the woods knowing that it was dangerous and ending up in the jaws of the beats that had them stuck.

Azriel's talents would've really come in handy right about then. Having a giant, deadly beast of his own at his side with a fierce protective streak, like a mother lion protecting her cub, their cousin would've been just fine. But Issi wasn't there, and Sláine wasn't keen on attempting to summon her for help. But, he could do a bit of summoning. Just not a beastie.

Caoimhe's fingers twitched around his weapon, impatient to draw and fight, but knowing it would put them all in danger. Even Aideen was quiet and as still as a statue. She couldn't risk flying away to investigate under the ruse of being a simple bird when that very movement could trigger an attack. Making sure to make as minimal movements as possible, Sláine crouched down to put a hand to the ground and felt for any openings he could exploit. Looking above would do them nothing, and he had no idea where the beasts were, besides most likely surrounding them. Eurion could do more with his shadow magic than they could when it came to being precise. But, sneak attacks didn't always need to be precise, just large enough to cover their asses.

His magic burrowed underground, spreading outwards just beneath the surface and forming a large enough radius that there was a good chance whatever they were facing was within the circle. Sláine remembered one place he had discovered, a world located just beneath them where the air was nothing but toxicity and death to those not built for those conditions. "It might not work," the prince murmured, dagger at the ready, "but I can open up a window and gas the shit out of them." He glanced at Caoimhe, who nodded, then over to Eurion. "It could give us an edge, but we'd also need to be shielded until I close the window." Which Caoimhe would do. The princes would be at a slight disadvantage for a moment, because Caoimhe would be focused on everyone, and Sláine had to open and reseal a connection between worlds. But if Eurion thought it would work, then they'd do it.

The grip Eurion had on his bow tightened, and he looked towards Sláine for a brief moment before he nodded, "Do it." With the twins preoccupied with protecting the group, he would make sure he had his magic at the ready. The shadows flickered around them, subtle enough to be not noticed unless you were in tune with your surroundings. They twitched around his bow, around their feet, as if ready to shoot out and provide an extra shield, some more cover.

He would do all he could to make sure the twins and Aideen didn't get hurt. It was his fault they were in this situation, and if he died or got injured it wouldn't matter as much. If the princes showed up back at the palaces covered in blood and muck along with their friend, without Eurion? It wouldn't look good, it would look far from good. Sure, without him they wouldn't be able to find Old Gods, but there would be other ways, he figured. Sláine knew about the markerstones, that the Gods had shown him that was clearly their next step, so it would be fine. They would be fine, even if Eurion wasn't.

There was shifting from behind them, the creatures moving, as if contemplating when to attack. It didn't take long, because no more than a moment later there was a horrific howl and one of them lurched forwards.

Its form was far from pretty. Its body was as big as a large cat, although it was far from it. It walked on all fours, with three long fingers at the end of the front two and four on the back. It had a hunched back with pale white, almost grey skin that seemed to be a cross between scales and skin. The thing had four eyes, two on either side of its head. The front two were dark black, the others a milky white, as if blind. Its nostrils flared, and its mouth revealed sets of sharp, decaying teeth. Once one was revealed, the other two lurked out of the shadows, and Eurion shot before he could think about whether or not it was a good idea. His face showed little emotion, but the way he spoke conveyed a hint of fear, "Night Stalkers."

Sláine still had his dagger in hand, blade out to swipe if need be, but he focused on pulling at the other world and knitting it and theirs together. Caoimhe grabbed his scythe and got into a ready stance with it outstretched, primed to swing and cleave any of them in half. With the movement of the creatures, Aideen shifted and had her sword ready in no time. They both took up posts around Sláine to keep the prince mostly protected, though they'd be down one the moment Caoimhe had to blanket them in his magic to keep them safe from the gas.

Then the beings showed up, and the prince heard Eurion's fearful voice. "Fuck," Sláine cursed. Night Stalkers. He hurried his magic along, and the ground wavered some from the process as he forced an opening just beneath the surface. It was taking too long, the distance too great at the moment. He kept pulling and hissed in Gaelic to himself. The damn things were ugly as hell, but definitely deadly. If they could incapacitate them long enough to keep them stunned, they might all be lucky enough to get by with a fight. But that was all down to luck, and he didn't like how scared Eurion sounded, even if he didn't give much away. He might be in the most vulnerable position at the moment, but he wanted the assassin safe. "Middle, guide our hands to victory," he prayed in Gaelic, and yanked his magic. His vision blacked out for a few seconds as he took the impact of the two world colliding, but he refused to let that stop him.

"Now, Caoimhe," he called, voice strained. His brother responded instantly, wrapping them in an invisible blanket of protection just as the ground seeped with a burst of discolored air in a perfect circle. His magic was a physical weight on them, as if he were holding onto them himself, but not suppressive like how the creatures had been. They could breathe just fine, but so long as Caoimhe kept tabs on them and concentrated. Sláine held the window open as long as he could, his head bowed. Just until it did something, no longer than that. Then the window would slam shut.

The creatures hissed as they breathed in the gas. One of them stumbled back a step, reaching up with one of its front legs as if trying to shield its nose from the gas. It made some strange clicking noises in between the howling and the hissing as if trying to communicate with the two others of its kind that were also starting to stumble. Their heads shook as if trying to shake off the gas.

Eurion was almost relieved at the sight of the things stumbling backwards as he drew another arrow, but the feeling didn't last long when, after a few moments, the night stalkers appeared to just… stop breathing. He had only ever heard about the fuckers in stories and thought they had all died out centuries ago. Clearly, they had been wrong. Creatures that were neither dead nor alive, living in the space between life and death as if on the verge of both. Creatures that, in theory, were supposed to live in the depths of hell and torment those who were unlucky enough to find themselves there. The gas had only incapacitated them for a brief moment, but now? Now it seemed that it wasn't going to be doing much if they could just stop breathing it in.

"Let go of the window! It's not going to work!" Eurion shot an arrow, teeth barring as the arrow made its mark on the side of one of the beasts. Dark, almost black blood oozed out the side of its skin before the night stalker ripped it out. It appeared to only make them angrier. Caoimhe's shield would only last so long, and he could feel their own magic start to push back against the princes. That invisible hand trying to get through the barrier- weaken it, trying to get the prince to a point where he couldn't maintain the shield and it dropped, allowing them easy access to their prey.

Aideen and Caoimhe just started getting a little more confident in their chances when they noticed the same thing. Of course they could just not breathe, because they couldn't have an advantage. Their faces set in grim determination, and Caoimhe upheld his shield while assessing the best point of attack. Aideen slashed at the nearest one, nearly hitting before it reared back.

Sláine didn't need to be told twice. He let go of his hold, and the other world ripped itself away the second he stopped pulling. The strain left him dizzy with spotted vision, but he turned his magic's momentum towards doubling down on Caoimhe's shield. They'd be harder to injure, at the very least, but it wasn't a solution to their problem, especially when he felt the invisible fingers prying at their intertwined magic. His brother pulled him to his feet, and as Sláine got his footing, one of the beasts lunged at them. Caoimhe swung at it, the edge of his scythe burying into its side, but it howled at him in fury and tore itself away.

They were working on a guessing game, and they weren't guessing quick enough. Though he was still recovering, Sláine worked on muscle memory and sheathed the dagger, then pulled both swords and struck them together in a practiced spin. The metal sparked and hit the oiled blades. Flames erupted and licked eagerly at the air, like it was searching for blood to spill and flesh to burn. The prince swung at the nearest bit of movement, but hit nothing. Sneaky bastards. "I'm assuming we don't have a plan B," he called back. Instinct brought the brothers back to back, and Aideen covered the side Eurion wasn't on, batting away beasts and getting shallow cuts in and only managing to piss them off bit by bit. "Swing until they die?"

The howls and cries the stalkers made were ear-piercing, like metal scraping against one another and sending that shrieking echoing throughout the surrounding area. The shallow cuts were better than nothing, as much as they were becoming increasingly pissed off with the group, it held them back enough so they could think through what to do next.

Eurion let his shadows guide his arrows with little thought, moving on muscle memory so he could focus on thinking. Swing until they died was an option, but it left their chances of surviving slimming down the longer they waited. He tried to think about what he knew, what he could recall from the stories about the creatures, and the best way to kill them. Being living nor dead, made things tricky. Go for the legs? No, no that wasn't it. Another arrow released from his fingers and hit one of the creatures in the eye, sending it reeling backwards as it adjusted itself to try and see better.

The thought hit him harder than he had been expecting, and he turned to Aideen, "Go for the head, I'll go for the chest." It was a risky theory to test in the middle of a fight, and getting close to the things would leave them vulnerable, especially out of the shield. One of the stories he could recall stated that to fully kill them, you had to take out the head and the heart - the connections to the living and the spiritual worlds that they could access. Two blows. One to the chest to weaken the heart, and decapitating the head to serve the link between the physical world. if it worked, they would be able to take them on with ease, he hoped. Eurion had never thought he would ever have to come across creatures he believed to be fairy tales, but here they were. Sláine's fire diminished his shadows ever so slightly, and Eurion felt them slink away from the light, but he didn't comment on it, it wasn't needed. Eurion hoped his shadows would be fine.

Caoimhe stabbed down at one of the stalkers, impaling it. It should've worked with the force of the blow, but the beasts screamed at him and yanked his scythe away, causing him to rear back to rebalance the heavy weapon. "I already hate these things," he muttered, and readjusted to go at it again. His own rage was leaving him taking more risks, hedging the edge of their shield to catch the beasts with his swings, even if it proved useless time and time again. They just weren't dying, or even being fazed by the injuries they were collecting, but the prince kept going.

Behind him, Sláine's swords seared the skin of the stalkers whenever they got too close to him, but just as his brother was finding, they didn't care and kept going back. Their intertwined magic was still holding on, protecting them, but between the fight, the opposing magic, and the concentration needed to keep tabs on everyone to keep them within the bubble, it wouldn't last forever. The prince gritted his teeth and kicked one square in the face when it got too close for comfort; it screamed and stumbled, then rounded to another spot to attack. They needed a plan. This wasn't working. But then Eurion shouted out an order.

They didn't have time to argue, and this solution was better than nothing, so Aideen didn't hesitate to react to Eurion's demand. She darted towards the stalker Eurion aimed at, her sword at the ready. It reached out for her, creepy eyes gleaming when she stepped out of its path, and she skidded back to avoid getting hit. Luckily, she predicted it going in for another swipe, and she slashed on an upswing, going right for the neck with the intention and strength to decapitate. This better work, or they were screwed.

Just as Aideen swung for the neck, Eurion slid underneath, pulling out the dagger that Sláine had given him before impaling it right into the centre of the chest of the stalker. It shrieked, swinging its claws at Eurion who, as much as he was unhappy being the subject of the creature's claws, provided enough of a distraction for Aideen's sword to go right through its neck, effectively severing the head. It hit the ground with a thud, and the body of the thing wiggled as if trying to get away before it slumped on top of the assassin. It twitched a couple more times before finally, it stopped moving. The eyes stopped blinking, the body didn't move, and Eurion couldn't feel its twisted magic slinking and trying to capture his own.

He pushed the body off of him with a grunt and a hiss at the newfound wound in his side. It wasn't deadly enough to have him bleeding out, but enough of an inconvenience that he swore and held his side to apply pressure. But there wasn't enough time to think through or register any pain as the third beast howled, eyes looking straight at them. At least that was one down and his theory had been correct. They really would have been fucked, and Eurion would have been dead if it hadn't. He thanked his late mother for all the stupid stories she had told him because they had just saved his gods damned life, and would save the lives of all of them.

But as its brother had died, the night stalkers were angry, and their sharp claws shimmered in the light of Sláine's blades. Not enough time, not enough time. Eurion could feel the magic growing, fighting against the twins, against his own. Getting close to them was a bad idea, as was clear considering the blood starting to trickle down his side, and so Eurion opted for his magic. His arm extended towards the beasts and a wave of shadow wrapped around their legs in an attempt to restrain them enough for the others to kill them. It wouldn't last long, they were strong, and fucking pissed.

Finally, finally, they had an edge. The strategy worked, one was dead, and now it was four versus two. Aideen whirled around to face the howling stalker and put herself between it and Eurion. They may not like each other at the moment, but he was her ally for the time being, and she didn't leave others vulnerable. "Come and get me, you slimy bastard," she taunted, sword at the ready and dripping with the blood of its fallen brother. The beast snarled and fought against Eurion's shadows, hindered for the moment.

But it was Sláine that fell into a fury at the sight of Eurion injured. The prince's magic boiled beneath his skin and pushed itself to its already worn-thin limits, swirling around them all to grab onto the two remaining beasts, to pull them away from Eurion and to the twins. It manifested in transparent and shimmering burnt orange claws that grappled for the throats of the stalkers, as if he could tear off their heads with nothing but magic alone. Had he been less exhausted, he might've. But that combined with Eurion's shadows slowed them down long enough that the twins could dive in and go for the kill.

Sláine charged for the closest one, heedless of its thrashing claws tearing at him, and impaled his sword into its heart before dropping down to his knees. Caoimhe's scythe swung in less than a second later to cleave off the beast's head. Aideen called out to them when the last beast ripped free of its magic shackles in a last-ditch fury. Sláine spun around, swords raised in defense, but ended up being the one pinned to the tree as the stalker slammed into him. He blindly hooked a leg around its one limb to throw it off balance, then used that tiny bit of leverage to go for its head. Caoimhe used the pointed edge of his scythe to impale the heart, far too close to his twin than either of them were comfortable with but without any other choice, right as Sláine used both hands to push his burning blade through the beast's neck—he didn't have the momentum for a swing. His other sword was lost during the struggle, discarded on the forest floor.

Caoimhe flicked the body off his scythe and away from his brother, chest heaving from adrenaline. "That was eventful." Somewhere along the way, they both had lost their hold on the shield. And Sláine's magic was gone from sight, finally dissipating after constant usage.