Chapter Text
The cave is cold, Colette finds, and sleep doesn't come easily for her that night. It is somehow even colder than the dungeons. But Jinhai's animals seem to notice her discomfort, as all the animals with fluff to offer cuddle up to her, making it easy for her to fall asleep and face the next day.
And as soon as dawn rises, she and Jinhai take just a moment to talk about what their next step should be. He goes deeper into the cave and pulls out a folded, black cloak and a small pouch. "Here," he says, giving her the cloak. "This should hide your face. As long as you can manage that, we should be fine. These coins are few, but perhaps we can use them to get at least some rations." He hesitates, then sighs and shakes his head. "I know not what we can do once they run out, however..."
"I'd suggest we find somewhere to work," Colette says, "but somehow I think that'd be a little difficult."
"Indeed," Jinhai says, looking to the side. "Yourself a twin of the Witch Queen, and myself a general of hers. We will have difficulty finding a place that will let us peruse their wares, let alone sell them."
Colette sighs and begins to pull the cloak over herself, fastening the clasp and pulling the hood over her head. "Well, whether or not that's possible, we won't have to worry about it if the Witch Queen finds us. So..."
Jinhai hums his agreement. "Indeed. We should get moving." He just glances, then, at his animals, and each one of them stands or flaps into the air from where they were resting. His python slithers over to him and makes its way up Jinhai's body until it's once more draped over his neck and shoulders.
Now that they're all ready to go, Colette hops up, too, and beams hopefully at Jinhai. "Wanna lead the way? I feel like I'd get us lost or something."
"Not surprising if one does not know this land," Jinhai says. "Come along, then, dearest. We will want to head away from the nearest village..."
After murmuring to himself for a moment, he nods, and then walks out of the cave. Colette and the animals follow him easily and without question.
That said, walking around in the woods is tiring work. Colette sees now why she never took up hiking. It's hard on her legs, the uneven ground, and they must have been walking for hours, now.
But she can't say anything, can't ask for a break. Because there's a reason they got up this early, a reason they have to move through the woods without stopping for rest.
That said...
"Whoa!"
Colette watches with wide eyes as the wolf - either tired itself or sensing Colette's own exhaustion - grabs on to the back of Jinhai's shirt and forces him to stop. He turns, staring down at the wolf in bewilderment for a moment. He kneels down, cuping its head. "What is it, little one...?"
A moment later, understanding flashes over his face. "Ah. She worries for you, dear." He looks up to Colette, frowning. "My apologies, I did not realize you were so tired."
Colette shakes her head with a soft smile. She considers asking about how he knew that that was the case, but figures that she can wait on that. "I didn't want to speak up... I mean, it's not like there's anything for us to eat yet, so-"
"If you do not object to it, I am more than happy to forage for berries. It will not be much, but it will be something still," Jinhai says, bringing himself to stand once more. "I will leave the wolf here with you, so you can rest easy if... Someone comes by." He looks down at his wolf with a frown. "...Would you like the python to stay, as well?"
"...Yeah, if you don't mind?"
"Not at all. I will be but a moment."
As if it understood their conversation, the python slithers off of Jinhai and goes to Colette's side. She moves to sit under a tree, and smiles as the wolf trots over to her side, a valiant protector. Jinhai smiles in approval at the sight, and whistles for one of his birds to join him. "You will come with me," he tells it. "Your eyes will be of great use with this."
With a wave, Colette watches as Jinhai walks off with his bird perched on his shoulder. Many of the other animals make their choices - either following Jinhai or going to sit by her. She makes sure to pet and coo at the ones that stay - not wanting them to feel that their presence is unwelcome.
And now, with the sun slowly making its way to its highest point in the sky, she has nothing left to do but wait for Jinhai's return. It gets boring fast, but she busies herself by talking idly to the animals around her. They almost seem to listen with rapt attention - some of them lay down or come closer to her, listening to the silly stories she tells about Chicago.
And soon enough-
"Oh my. What a fascinating scene."
A voice that is not Jinhai's enters her ears. The animals surrounding her all go on guard, staring at the person it came from. Her eyes shoot up in the same direction.
It is indeed an elf, based on the ears, but that is all he has in common with Jinhai. "Here I am, just on a stroll through the forest, trying to relax," he says, eyes narrowed. "And what do I find, but the resurrected Witch Queen, surrounded by the Beast Master's companions?" He pulls out a bow, and nocks an arrow. Cold fear floods Colette. "Well, I would alert my companions, but-!"
"Stay away from her!"
Jinhai's voice echoes through the forest, and he comes running through, the group of animals he'd left with all in battle-mode as soon as they follow. The elf turns his attention away from Colette to Jinhai. "You!" he snaps. "Explain-"
"We do not need to explain ourselves to you," Jinhai snaps. "We have done nothing. She was just sitting there, and you take aim with your weapon! And yet you call us the villains?!"
The elf pauses, as if to consider Jinhai's words. "...True," he admits, but he doesn't put away his bow and arrow. "However, you cannot say that you have not more than earned the suspicion and ire of myself and my companions, Beast Master."
"I have never denied as such," Jinhai says with a scowl. "But you cannot place yourself on a pedastal all while acting the same as those you claim to be below you! Even I know this!"
"I do not wish to get lectured by-!"
"Iseul!"
Another unfamiliar voice rings through the trees, and the sound of footsteps on leaves and twigs comes through. And soon enough, another stranger appears. "Ugh, why must you make your way so far, so fast? This was supposed to be-"
The pink-haired girl cuts herself off swiftly, her mouth going into an 'o' as she takes stock of the scene. And then her gaze hardens. "...I will lecture you another time, I suppose." And with a wave of her hand, a staff appears within it. "What is Jinhai Jubal doing here? And... With the Witch Queen?!" Her eyes widen. "I- She-!"
Finally, Colette decides to speak up. "Yeah, I was gonna say something before your friend here pulled out his fucking bow and arrow," she snaps, "but I'm not the Witch Queen, thanks!"
The unnamed elf - Iseul, apparently - and his friend both stare disbelievingly at her. Jinhai sighs at them. "She tells the truth," he says. "Not that my word is worth anything to you lot, I suppose."
Iseul turns his glare back to Jinhai. "I have half a mind to-!"
"Iseul, enough," the pink-haired girl says. "If you react violently to everything he says, you are just as bad as he. You know this. Do not debase yourself in such a way - I won't see you having wounded yourself after you come back to yourself."
The words make Iseul pause, then sigh. And finally, he puts away his bow and arrow. "Fine. But you agree that we must take them in for questioning-"
And just like that, Jinhai's guard goes up - as do all of his animals' - once more. And Colette, it only takes her a moment to realize why.
"Bring his animals, too," she says.
Iseul and the pink-haired girl look to her in bewilderment.
"We'll go willingly if you let his animals come, I swear," Colette insists. She looks up to Jinhai hesitantly. "Right? If they treat them well, you'll go, right?"
Jinhai hesitates, his mind working over the possibilities. And eventually, he sighs and looks to the side. "...Yes. That is an acceptable agreement."
Iseul looks to the pink-haired girl. "Altea? What are your thoughts?"
Altea sighs. "I fear that he may exert his control on them and use them to escape, in all honesty," she admits. "But... If that is the only way for him to come along willingly, then we must chance it. Lord Reiner would not be pleased with us otherwise."
Iseul grunts at that, and looks to Jinhai. "You have heard my companion. We agree to your terms."