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Nothing existed in the unconsciousness of his mind, the world around him distant and faint in its touch as he recovered. Memories of the previous days flashed through his head, images of himself falling into a lake far below, quickly blotted out with a hit to his head. It had gone by so fast that when the water poured over his body as he plunged beneath, he scarcely had the strength to do anything. He thought of the form he shared with Vera, knowing that he failed her, bringing her down with him. And what of the wolves left behind in the chaos? He blocked it out, barely able to feel the pain from the strike of the rock against his temple before everything went black.

But as the coolness of life flowed through his lungs, his eyes fluttered open, pain rocking through his head as the light from the real world chose to grace his face for another day. He groaned out, the hard bed he was laying on holding him serenely, twitching his fingers as they brushed against the stone beneath him. He could feel them touch a large sheet covering his body, gasping as he raised a hand and rubbed his face, trying to clear his eyes as the darkness receded and reality opened its gates once more.

In the center of the roof above, all he could see was a hole of blinding light, the cascading rays of the sun piercing through the foliage above into the calm interior of the cavern. He covered his eyes as he tried to grow used to the glare, blinking as he slowly returned to himself, noticing the soft beige coloring of the interior of the home. He then leaned his head back further into the plush pillow beneath, in turn taking notice of thick branches streaming down from the opening above, guarding the cave with its roots. And atop the strong ledges lay books of all colors and sizes, plants in pots and trinkets laying on the upper reaches of the room.

He turned his head to the left, taking notice of a large stump in the center of the area surrounded by a ring of water, flowing softly with no destination in mind. He followed the trail of liquid up to what looked like a mural of four unique symbols laying around one another on a wall, surrounded by the flow of nature cresting around it. He tried to think if he'd seen the markings before, grimacing as it only made his head hurt, ignoring that thought as the filtering of light further to the left caught his eye.

As everything slowly came back, the soft splash of liquid poured down from somewhere outside, gazing out at the large opening in the room where a small waterfall poured down past the screen of the lush curtain. Birds called and tweeted calmly from beyond the green fronds of leaves hanging down from the balcony, clusters of rosy petals growing from above the arched frame of the exterior. But as he saw the dragon laying upon the smooth stone overlook, he couldn't help but smile.

She lay there under the outline of fauna above her, her blue form soft, and gentle like the streaks of the sun shining through her. Her vast wings lay at her sides, holding close to herself as her tail lay on the flat stone at her paws. Her purposeful markings were a stark contrast to the way she held herself at that moment, ears pulled back with her head lowered, staring at a closed book she held under her talons. She took deep, even breaths as her chest expanded thoughtfully, tail behind her laying still as it curled around her paws. The river in her eyes blinked, her back presented to Mono as a bird flew past the waterfall before her, singing a song of uncertainty that made her sigh in response.

He opened his mouth, stumbling over his words from the dryness of his throat, letting out a sigh of his own in relief, "V-vera?"

And like a flash of lightning in the dead of night, her ears perked at his voice, raising her head quickly before turning to him. When she met his gaze, her eyes were wet, the hope surging through them making her grin in a way he'd never seen before. Her voice was soaking with worry, her tone hiking up at the end as she jumped to her paws with her jaw agape. "Mono!"

She ran over to him, leaving her book behind without care, stopping at the side of his bed. Her eyes ran over him quickly, her tail flicking behind her as she let out a soft whimper. He blinked back, glancing over her face. "Are you alri-"

Before he could even finish his words, she did the most unexpected thing, shocking him as she leaned over his bed and lay her neck over his chest, curling her head around to his. He could feel the soft touch of her scales against his clothes, the warmth of her snout against his right cheek, only realizing now that she was shivering. She didn't say a word to him, simply hugging him deeply, Mono pausing for a moment before raising his hands to her neck and shoulders, rubbing her comfortingly. He could feel the warmth of her exhales against his ear, hearing a sniffle before she nuzzled against the side of his face tenderly.

He let his hand wander her neck, rubbing back and forth, noticing only now how smooth her scales really were, slick like a snake. He pressed his head against hers, taking deep breaths as his last memory had left him terrified. There was no way they could have survived that fall, let alone escape without any scratches, and yet here they were somehow in a place he'd never seen. And indeed, her scales were without blemish, as pure and other-worldly as the adventure they were both taking.

When she eventually spoke, her voice was cracked, heaving with a pain that made the shell of her body quiver, "You're... You're okay. My god, you're fucking okay!"

He breathed out, the heaviness of her tone making his cheeks flush, wondering if he was only dreaming, "Yeah... I'm okay, Vera. We're okay." He couldn't understand it, why she was acting this way. It made his head spin a bit, his rested hands holding her as she continued.

"I... I thought you were..." She couldn't finish her words, gasping once again, feeling the rise and fall of her back against his fingers. She then raised her head a moment after, Mono pulling back his hands at her movement, watching as she gave a teary-eyed glare down at him, "You had me fucking worried!"

He couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, the warmth in his face nearly radiating as he slowly returned to his senses. He then apologized, glancing at her back before placing his hand on it once again, "I know... I was scared too..." He grimaced over the memory, giving a tilt of his neck to relieve some tension as it was a bit sore from the angle he was laying in.

Her eyes searched him in a way that made him feel vulnerable, not taking her gaze off him as she then raised a paw and placed it on his chest. "I'm just glad you're okay." He glanced down at her paw, staring up at her with a blink, a question rising in his mind that he pushed back for now.

Instead, he turned his head to the room once more, moving from the light shining down from the hole above to the waterfall outside the canopy of greenery, "Where... where are we?"

She followed his gaze, taking a deep breath before wiping her eyes with a paw, trying to calm her breathing, "Huh? Oh, we're with Brook. We made it."

They met gazes again a moment after, sharing a deep stare before Mono spoke up in confusion, "But... I thought we weren't close. How did we even survive?"

She glanced away, staring into the doorway shielded by verdant fronds, "We were lucky, honestly. But that's not important right now." She then focused on him once more, pulling back her paw from his chest, "Do you feel okay? Anything hurt?"

He examined himself from where he lay, flexing his fingers and moving his bare feet. He moved his arms, taking a moment to look over himself before pressing his head against the pillow a moment after. "N-no... But how... How is that possible? We fell so far- I got hit in the he-" Yet, as he raised his hand to his forehead, the gash that he swore had cut into his skin was... simply gone, soft as ever. He checked his fingers for blood, blinking. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Two days."

He gazed back over everything once more, his thoughts speaking aloud, "Two days... What about you? Are you okay?"

She nodded once, explaining, "Yeah, I'm fine. We're lucky Brook found us, I don't know what would have happened... if she didn't." She glanced away, grimacing.

He tilted his head, unable to hold back himself from asking as his curiosity took hold, "You seem... different."

"Huh?"

He couldn't get the thought out of his mind, noticing how close she stood to him, a look in her eyes that seemed void of anger and filled with concern. He opened his mouth to respond... but held himself back, shaking his head as he felt uncertain about their feelings toward one another. Instead, he glanced up at her before resting his head against the pillow and staring out at the waterfall. "It's nothing..." She shifted beside him, glancing at her blue scales out of the corner of his eye, before admiring the outside world. He then noticed the worn book resting on the stone where she'd left it, questioning her, "What are you reading over there?"

She stood there with confusion for a moment before realizing what he was mentioning, piping up and walking over to the book to retrieve it. "Oh, that! Yeah, I've been reading that while you were out of it today. Do you, uh, remember when I talked to you about Healing Magic when we first left the city?"

He thought over it, clarifying, "You mean at the river?"

"Just before that, yeah." She then walked back to his side, raising the book up with a paw to show him the cover. Only now did he notice the same four symbols on the front matching the ones on the wall of the cavern, storing that thought in the back of his mind. "Since you've been asleep, she's been teaching me how to heal again!" She then seemed to recollect herself, her wagging tail stilling as she shook herself, "Not that it, uh, matters to you or anything."

He chuckled, smiling softly, "No, it does. That's why I asked. I'm... glad we're talking. Like, actually."

She returned his gaze with something of longing, words locked inside her head that she kept sealed, instead answering with a snort, "I guess. I just... I've always wanted this. It's so weird to actually be doing it, or at least trying, even if it'll take a while." She then glanced away, her long appendage behind her slowly moving once again, relaxing a bit as she continued, "I still need more time to learn and... I know we can't stay here, but..." She then raised her paw and placed it on his chest, "For the first time in three years, I finally actually feel alive." They shared the warm silence together for a few seconds, Mono placing his hand on her paw, finally able to take a moment of respite amongst the calmness of the home.

"I see he has awoken." As the soft voice spoke, the green fronds leading further into the cave parted around the lithe form of a kitsune. He stared past Vera's shoulder at the Healer, her light blue coat complemented by the white tufts of fur on her underside, her pink-nosed snout pointing in his direction as she padded calmly toward them from the other side of the room. Her ears were perked, the left adorned with a silver piercing, the two pointed toward them attentively as her ocean-blue gaze welcomed him. He then noticed the eye-catching blue streaks trailing down her back, glowing softly with what looked like streams of magic in her fur.

But then, as she fully entered the room, her tails came into full view, holding apart the leaves as Mono's eyes widened at the sight of them. All nine of them possessed a maw of sorts, their faces turned to soft grins as they saw their guests, the human gulping as he stared at them. It was so unexpected that he gasped, his hands clenching the sheets for a moment before giving his head a soft shake to relax. Brook tilted her head at his reaction before turning her gaze to her tails, humming in understanding, "Ah, I do apologize for startling you, I assumed Vera had told you." She dipped her head apologetically.

He grimaced, his head still aching a little as he spoke up, eyeing Vera with a glance, "No, she didn't. It's alright, I just didn't expect it was all."

She hummed once again, standing beside the stump in the center of the room, Vera stepping to the side so they could both face her. Mono pulled himself up to sit, moving his legs to rest on the edge of the bed, growing a bit apprehensive as the tails on her form drew close as she stood before him. The tails all seemed to move of their own accord, a multitude of questions flooding him as he instead tried to focus on her words. Her muzzle bore an expression of solitude and sincerity, her head at about the same height as his. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Brook, Healer of the Tribes of Talamaria. And you are, Mono, I believe?"

He nodded in response, "It's an honor to meet you." She then turned her eyes to his body, "How are you feeling? You both took quite the fall back there."

He ran his hands over his legs, stretching a little, pushing a hair behind his good ear as he turned it toward her to catch her soft-spoken words. "I think I'm alright. My head aches a little though."

"That's alright, it'll pass as the sun rises tomorrow." She then turned her attention to Vera, shifting her body so that a few of her tails were in reach of Mono. He gave a nervous smile as three of them turned to face him with their eyeless gaze, tilting and stretching out, raising to match his eye level. Brook then continued, seemingly unaware of the situation behind her, "And you, hun?"

The dragoness blinked for a moment at her, shaking her head before fixing her wings at her sides, "I'm fine, really. I ju-"

"I mean it." The Healer's voice grew sterner, eyeing her carefully, the tails on her rear turning to look at their master in reaction to her change of tone before prodding Mono's chest curiously. He tried not to say anything, holding his breath as the creatures simply opened their maws and breathed deeply. Brook added, "I'm your Healer. Be honest, he won't mind."

Her words prompted Vera to glance at him, the dragoness staring down at her paws a moment after with a chuff before admitting, "My... wings ache a bit... and my head. It's nothing really."

Brook nodded, eyeing her body with a smile. She then took notice of the situation behind her a moment after, turning around to face him, tilting her head back to her tails as she kept them in line, "All of you, behave yourselves." The appendages lowered down and closed their mouths at the scolding, the Healer adding on with a dip of her head, "I had forgotten your distaste for Vore, my apologies."

Mono grimaced a bit before inquiring further, brushing off his chest as he eyed them again, "What... what are they?"

"'They'? They are my tails of course! But I assume you are curious about their nature?"

He thought about it for a moment, adding, "Maybe? I just... they were touching me. How do they see without eyes? Do you control them?"

She smiled at his questions, her tails each marked with that glowing string of magic down their necks and across her back, "I see you are full of questions. That is fair for one unfamiliar with our ways." She then eyed her tails as she spoke, glancing at him, "My tails are an extension of my soul. They all follow my command, but only when I choose to exercise it. They were prodding you before so they could smell you. They don't have eyes, so when something new enters the cave, they like to get a good sniff of it from their mouths."

He nodded along, eyeing the nine of them as they kept mostly still to obey Brook. He prodded her further, "Do you like, share one mind or something? Like a hivemind?"

She shook her head, "I admire your curiosity, it's a good quality to possess." She then moved on to answer him, "No, hun, they are not. They each have their own thoughts and minds, and they sometimes like to... express that in ways I do not approve of..." She gave a soft hum in their direction, "But even with their separation of thought, I can transfer my own commands to them through their head. Much like the bond you and Vera share when Soul-Linked, except I can exercise mine freely."

He pondered over it for a moment, rubbing a hand over his arm absentmindedly before noticing the lack of scars on it again from his fall. He then spoke up as she seemed to wait patiently as if sensing he had more questions, "Vera said you healed us. What happened? How did you find us?" He then gripped his head again, the headache pressing forth for only a moment before receding.

She smiled back, turning away from him to walk toward the balcony, her steps careful and soft, the fur on her body drinking in the warmth as the sun greeted her as she approached. She stood there, taking in a deep breath before answering, "I was out gathering herbs to restock my supplies here. There's a lush cluster of them out by the edge of the lake you two fell into. It was merely coincidence that I happened to be picking a new batch of them when the collapse of the mountain began."

She then went silent for a moment, turning her side to them, sitting down slowly with her tails raised up behind her, their motions serene, "Wherever there is someone in need, it is my duty to rescue them. After the crashing rubble subsided, I dove into the water and found you both. The two of you were in bad shape after such a fall, I couldn't understand what happened to cause such a catastrophic event." She then nodded to Vera, "She has filled me in on everything while you've slept."

She then stood once again, eyeing Mono sincerely, "You have done well, Mono, facing your fears thus far. It is rare for such a human to be thrown into such a quest, and yet you've taken it bravely." She then raised her head high, the tails behind her fanning out around her back like the feathers of a peacock, all grinning towards them happily. She then gave a small bow, one paw outstretching in the act, "For as long as your journey will be, you're always welcome here."

Vera cracked a smile at the corner of her jaw, "Thank you. We won't be in your hair for too long, we..." She then looked over at Mono, her eyes flickering in thought, "We still have a long way to go."

Brook hummed in response, padding around the stump to them again, "As long as you need, you will be welcome."

The three of them remained silent for a moment, Brook noticing the book laying by the bed, "I see you've been studying?"

And like that, Vera's ears lifted, taking a few steps towards her with a giddiness in her voice, "I have, yeah! It's crazy, I didn't realize how much you could really do as a Healer. I read this one thing about how you can channel the water around you and use it to protect yourself! And then there was this thing about creating barriers with water..."

She chuckled at her response, the kitsune admiring her eagerness with a motherly love as she added on, "I've always wanted to teach you these things. It's only a shame your tribe saw it the way they did." Her expression then turned sour, something so unexpected that it shocked him a bit, giving a low growl and a shake of her head as she spoke, "Sometimes the world I live to protect feels like it's grown hollow, a shell of what was once a perfect land. I don't understand it, but my duty remains."

Mono recalled some of Vera's history from when they had first entered The Wilds, how she was refused to become a Healer, how she was 'born' a Warrior with the Warrior's Mark on her scales. In a way, he found himself oddly envious that she had a place where she fit in, or at least a family that loved her. He never experienced that sort of belonging before and his chest tightened at the thought of it all, grimacing before trying to shake away the feeling once more. He then glanced over to the markings on the wall surrounded by the slow, flowing water, asking her about them as he sat on the large stone, "I was curious if you don't mind me asking..." He waited for a moment for her to acknowledge him, the kitsune taking a deep breath to calm herself before nodding, ears pointed toward him, "What are those markings on the wall for?"

"Ah, I suppose you wouldn't know of these markings since you didn't grow up in The Wilds." She then walked around the stump to the mural on the wall, her tails turning to eye the carvings in the stone, "These markings are all part of Nature's Purpose. They are divine blessings passed down through the generations from the very Spirits who once created this world. Each symbol represents a Purpose, a role one is designated at birth." She then motioned to each marking in turn, starting from the bottom and then counter-clockwise. "Marks such as Hunter, Caster, Healer..." She then turned to glance at Vera, "And Warrior." She then gazed back at the stone, "These roles are part of our way of life, one of The Ways of The Spirits that we uphold."

She then took a step back, her tone lowering as if uncertain, "Yet, over the thousands of years since the creation of the world, the markings passed down onto creatures like Vera have dwindled in their original intent. After the many years I've lived, I've seen animals choose to deviate from their Purpose, and yet, despite this, many find success and flourish. The bloodline of a Spirit has long since been diminished since The Great Betrayal. Yet, even with this knowledge, certain tribes ignore the change and blindly follow the True Purpose."

Vera spoke up, staring at the floor as if speaking more to herself than them, "Dragons are prideful and insensible. No matter what anyone says, whether it's true or not, they just ignore it. My kind is arrogant and just..." She then cut herself off, Brook giving her a look of sympathy before she calmed down, "Out of all the tribes, they refuse to change in their ways. It's made living with them agonizing at times, especially since I'm one of them myself... but that's life I guess. Dealing with the shit people throw your way to try and make the best out of it."

Brook listened intently to her words, waiting patiently until she was finished before continuing, "I believe Vera's desire to be Healer is genuine and true. I intended to foster it, but as time would tell, the world doesn't take kindly to those who are brave enough to face it. And yet she has, and even with such a daunting journey ahead of her, she still pushes on. If that doesn't show her conviction in her beliefs, then my role as a Healer may as well mean nothing." She then paused, Mono noticing her eyes glance away for a moment. "Anyways, I hope that answers your question?"

He responded, "Yeah, it does. I agree with all that, more than you know. It sucks, life. But I'm glad to see things are going well for you. You seem happy with your, uh, True Purpose after all."

She gave a hum of longing, turning back to them both, "If only that were so, young one. I have followed my role merely because my kind is fading and I am the only kitsune in this region of the world to keep the peace."

Mono then broke in, "But, can anybody other than a kitsune be a Healer? If animals are born with those markings, surely some of them must be Healers. Why would you have to take that role?"

Vera answered him instead, causing him to turn his head to face her, "Any creature could be born with the marking of a Healer, but even then, they are only meant to heal those in their own tribes. Kitsunes descend from the very race of the Spirits that created everything, so they were treated with the respect that no other creature could earn."

Brook continued after her, "And that is why I must do my duty, for no one else can. I am one of the last of my kind and I can't just forget who we once were."

The moment dragged on as the silence waned, Mono closing his eyes and gulping before opening them a second after, "I'm sorry, Brook. I wasn't aware."

"It's okay. Honestly, I'm fairly happy now. I've found ways to enjoy what I love and the world is better off because of it."

Another thought then flashed through Mono's head, piping in quickly, "But what about your family? If they had you I'm sure there must be, you know, others out there as well?"

She froze, the tails on her back quickly growing motionless as if they'd turned into stone. She remained quiet, the only movement coming from her chest fur as she breathed, eventually responding in a tone that felt devoid of meaning, unable to read her reaction, "The world I once loved is gone, and my family is dead. I live only to honor their existence and bring happiness to others." The way she spoke felt like she was rehearsing a promise she had made in the past, finding himself more and more curious about her as they spoke. The motion in her form returned after what felt like minutes, her tail maws growling softly at one another, angered by something before eventually quelling. "Our history of the Spirits is dying, things that were once true facts, now becoming muddled and rewritten by others. I find myself sometimes unsure of what's really true. In the end though, I'm following the path they'd want for me, and that'll have to be enough."

Mono hadn't realized he was holding his breath, exhaling a moment after, the care in her eyes slowly returning as he apologized, "I'm sorry, again. What-" He then broke off his words, thinking better of it, not wanting to prod further as he could tell she was affected by thinking about it, and he barely even knew her anyways. He then changed the subject, raising his eyes to look at the shelves around them filled with various books and trinkets, "So, how did you actually heal us? You said you used magic? I've, uh... never actually seen anyone heal that way before but, I've always been curious."

She turned to face them as he finished, the soft pouring of the waterfall outside filling his ears as she answered, "Ah. Well, typically I'll either use healing salves made from the herbs I collect or the Pure Magic I possess. But those are for small wounds." She grimaced, glancing at her tails, "You were both quickly fading when I found you, so I had to take desperate measures to heal you quickly. And that's where my girls come in."

The fluffy lengths smiled proudly, craning up and over her back. "One of the gifts passed down from the Kitsune Spirits of the past was the ability to heal one's body from the maw of their tail. It uses the same Pure Magic that runs through my blood, but it's able to amplify that power and hasten the process. It does greatly drain me though, so I only use it when most necessary." She spoke up again as Mono eyed the tails with unease, "I wasn't aware you were afraid of Vore at the time, but it was the only way to reverse the effects before it was too late. I do hope you understand."

He bit his lip, watching them, imagining being shoved inside them. He took in a deep breath, a wash of uncertainty making his hands fidget. But a second after he realized something was shifting in his underwear, blushing before grumbling to himself. 'What? Why do I feel like this?' He knew how wrong it was, he always thought about the horrible things it did to Flare. But then... why was... 'No, stop thinking that.' He blocked it out, taking a moment to remember her question before responding. "Yeah, I get it. I uh... I've lost a friend to Vore in the past, so... it's hard to think about." He then threw an annoyed glance at Vera, "But she doesn't make it any easier."

Vera took a step back, not expecting to be singled out, her tail giving a quick lash as she huffed, "Excuse me? I... I have no idea what you're talking about..." She then turned her snout away, catching the way her ears pulled back, tail flicking behind her.

Brook watched them both, her gaze somber and curious. She then began, taking a step forward to address them both. "I find it most peculiar that a dragoness who loves Vore has been interwoven with the lives of a human who despises it. Yet you've gotten this far, so I don't suspect much more will hold you back."

Mono rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, to be fair, we've really only gotten digested by the creatures back where I live. This, out here... it's all new territory to me." Another thought then passed through his mind, jumping in, "Wait, so you know all about me and Vera... Soul-Linking? How she's a Familiar now?"

"I do. She explained everything. I'm aware of what you've already done, and, from the list she's given me on the remaining enzymes required to break her free, I've put some thought into how to best proceed. That is, if you are willing to take my advice." She turned her gaze from Mono's to Vera's, the pitch of her voice growing lower as she spoke, "There are reasons why such a spell to break you free uses Dark Magic, and many of the predators remaining will damage you and your bodies if you aren't prepared."

The two of them glanced at each other, Mono answering, "What did you have in mind?"

She then took a few steps toward the balcony, gazing at the waterfall and beyond it as she spoke, "Further out on the edges of the mountains lies a deep cave leading to a long-forgotten garden now corrupted by the Dark Magic that flows there. There are plants there that can be used to help ward off such effects, so I suggest venturing there before continuing your journey." She then sat down once again, her tails laying themselves over one another like dragons cuddling with each other in a pile, "The rest of your adventure will lead you deep into the Dark Forest so resistance against its power is the only true way you'll be able to withstand its effects."

Mono then took a deep breath and forced himself up onto his feet, Brook glancing over her shoulder at him before turning around to watch his movement as he finished, "If that's our best bet, I guess we could head out now. I- Ah..." He gripped his head with a hand as the blood rushed to it as he stood, the headache growing stronger as he sat back down and groaned.

Vera took a step toward him, Mono giving a shy smile to her before the kitsune attempted to convince them, "Your bodies are still recovering from the fall. It would be better for you both to wait until sunrise tomorrow before leaving. Plus, you'll need to be clear of mind when entering the Dark Forest, so those headaches of yours will only dampen your control."

The human then turned his gaze to Vera once more before back to the nine-tailed creature, "We'll be okay, we-"

"No! Let's, uh... let's wait." And then, most unexpectedly, Vera broke in, her tone quieting down a moment after as she added on. "I... I think that makes sense. I've uh, seen the power of the Dark Forest... It could be good to wait." She then added on again, Mono noticing how she refused to look at him, tail twitching behind her, "This could also give me time to learn more about healing! You know?" But when she did look at him, he felt confused. He felt odd, so used to her insisting that they continue that her sudden agreement on their delay made him feel uneasy. But then, why was she acting like this?

He shook the thought from his head, telling himself he was just overthinking it, assuming her body must be feeling worse than she was truly admitting to while around him. Brook continued after she finished speaking, drawing Mono out of his thoughts, "Your journey will require clarity of mind, and Vera learning how to heal could prove beneficial in the future. I will not always be there to save you both." She then turned to him, meeting his gaze, "The world outside The Tamed Lands is much different than where you grew up. Allow yourself this moment and take respite. While you are here, I promise no harm will come to you."

For some reason, he felt his body awash with apprehension, not because of the task ahead but because of something else he couldn't identify. Vera had seemed so different since he woke up that he found it hard to wrap his head around it. But even her responses seemed to have shifted from eager to uncertain, harsh to... caring? He blinked, eventually looking up to the Healer and giving a soft nod, "Thank you. I suppose, if Vera agrees, then taking a day to rest could be good. The last week has been a lot for me."

Brook smiled along with her tails, Vera adding to his words, "We'll stay for today then. It'll give me- us... some time to think." The dragoness's ears pulled back, wings held at her sides. She then shook herself a bit, raising her head higher before starting, "Why don't you show Mono around? I'm sure he'd be fascinated by it all." And just like that, her mood began to brighten once more, stepping toward her teacher.

"I'd be happy."

Over the next hour, Brook then began telling them about the cave they woke up in, taking her time in explaining how the Healer's Den had passed down through generations, how it had been carved out by the water itself. She spoke about the stump in the middle of the room, how the first Healer from long ago had planted a tree here to represent the life that would flourish in this den as a result. Since then, it had been harvested and used to create potions, dens for other tribes, and books. In that way, the essence of the Spirits from long ago helped to make the future better with what they left behind. It was one of The Ways of The Spirits, to plant a tree and let it grow so that future generations can use its wood to improve the lives of generations to come. And now, the large hole in the cavern above was left from where the tree once was, a shining beacon of life filling the cavern as it had many years ago just as the seed had first been planted.

She then pushed aside the fronds and led them into the sections of her den, revealing a large cavern, bigger than the one they were in, containing shelves upon shelves of plants, books, and potions of all kinds, all vibrant and lively in their colors. He noticed a pool in the center of the room carved out from the stone floor, the water resting calmly as if waiting to be used. He saw a collection of comfy-looking pillows laid out upon a blanket on one side of the cave, a lantern left flickering beside it inside an iron casing, smiling at the cozy abode. He also took notice of a few small creatures flying in and out of the cave, a songbird with a yellow belly fluttering in and resting on one of the branches of a tree planted inside a pot. In here, all life seemed to flourish, as if the very presence of Brook brought the blooming of life with her.

She then eventually finished the tour and began teaching Vera from where they had seemingly last left off in her lessons. Mono decided to stay and watch as he didn't feel very tired after being unconscious for multiple days, Brook offering him her bed while she taught her. He eventually obliged and watched curiously as the Healer flipped through a book and began explaining a basic healing spell to the dragoness. She mentioned that, much like other spells, the focus was on their intent, to use the Pure Magic within themselves and channel it into their will. He was surprised to see how Vera mimicked the green flow of life coming from her paw as Brook had done just before her, but her concentration and mastery were much smaller, the little flicker of life in her claws breaking apart in the air just as soon as it had appeared. Still, they kept at it for a while before Brook began watering the plants in her home.

Mono marveled as he watched her do her magic, the kitsune approaching the pool in the center before closing her eyes. Then, the markings on her back glowed brightly, pulsing softly from the back of her neck to the heads of her tails. It was then that her tails spread out, their focus all on the water as it began to shift. It was then that strands of the crystal-pure liquid rose up into the air like pillars, the tails all moving and guiding the strings individually from the pool below, taking care of each plant in turn. Brook merely stood there and focused on channeling her intent, her appendages doing the work as she breathed in deeply and let the Pure Magic from within herself feed the plants around. Mono did find it surprising how such a shallow pond was able to produce such an endless amount of water, assuming it must have been enchanted in some way to do such a thing. Then, after a few moments, the tails brought back the strands of life, leaving the surface of the water still once more as if it had never been touched.

She then continued teaching Vera for the next long while, noticing once again the peculiar excitement in the once stubborn dragoness's body. She seemed so focused on her words, jumping up to try and learn new things. He saw the waggle of her tail, the occasional flare of her wings in joy as she got something right. He even noticed that Vera seemed to know a lot about plants, mentioning how she'd tried to practice healing herself with certain herbs she'd seen the healers in her camp use. She sounded surprisingly knowledgeable in the names and purposes for it all, but he supposed if she was studying them on her own in secret that it made sense, he just wouldn't have thought of her as that type. Brook took her interest in stride, letting that passion flow as she happily shared all she could in the little time they had.

It was in moments like this he felt like he barely knew Vera despite how much he'd thought he understood her. Over the time he'd known her, she'd come across as distant and rude at times, even if he didn't like to admit it to himself. He still could envision her scowling at him, walling off her thoughts to him, and yet here she was, seemingly free as could be. He felt bad for her, pondering on her background, at least what he knew of it, thinking of his own in the process before forcing himself to block it out. It only made him wonder though how much of her he still had yet to learn, considering if maybe knowing less would make parting ways after their journey easier.

After a while Vera brought up how Mono had tried to fly when they escaped the wolves, only to fail and fall into the lake where she'd found them. This brought up the idea of teaching him more about flying now while they had the time, as it could be useful in the future along their path. He was certainly scared of the idea, one because he was afraid of heights but two because of what had happened recently. But she prodded him further nonetheless. She also spoke about how freeing it was, that even if she hadn't flown herself that she had experience teaching others and would be glad to pass that down to him. It only brought more questions into his head about how she knew all these things, but he eventually agreed, pulling himself up from the comfy pillows, grabbing his shoes from the other room, and putting them on before walking outside into the bright of day alongside them both.

He hadn't thought of it, but now that he was outside, he realized the waterfall here was much different than the place they had fallen down from before, Brook's home built into the side of the mountain much like the wolves had been. He then reminded himself to ask her more about it, wondering if they all died. That thought made his heart clench, his head starting to spin as a thought resonated above it all. 'You did it.' He stopped for a moment in his tracks, thinking about how big the disaster had seemed, how the mountain crumbled from behind. He didn't mean to do anything wrong, he was just trying to escape. They were trying to kill him, he had no choice! Yet his lungs felt heavy and he gulped, closing his eyes for a moment before Vera called him onward.

Perhaps he was worrying about it too much, he was safe no anyways and that was behind him. But as he tried to ignore it, it was like brambles of those intrusive dark thoughts dug their thorns into his mind, clinging onto his regret to constantly remind him of it. But now wasn't the time to ask them about it, he didn't want to think about it, so he pushed on and followed them both into the forest. After all, he was a good person, a good person wouldn't do something like that. But then, why did it hurt so much?