Her eyes were to the path ahead of her; her mind set on melding back into the woodlands and returning home. The owl upon her shoulder though was not so content to discard the woman from his thoughts. He watched her, his eyes holding an unnatural gleam. His proud head literally on a swivel turned fully around to the assailant firmly within his sights. What would have become of his master had he not been with her?
The flash of movement tightened his talons upon the Nomad’s shoulder regarded with anger as he cried out his warning. “Wolf!” The woman whipped around in an instant nearly toppling her avian off her shoulder. Startled gaze met the glimmer of metal then a sudden searing pain across her muzzle. The woman gasped in pain, hastily grabbing her now bleeding maw. The stench of her own blood invaded her flared nostrils with nausea not too far on the rise in her gullet.
In that moment, she was on longer in the neutral plain, but among the Nomads forcibly dealing with X’yro once again. The fool didn’t know when to cease his actions either, and like him, this woman was not far behind him on the path to madness. But the female Nomad did not see this woman ascending to Shepard greatness after her ordeal through the path of darkness. She only saw further darkness in her future… and she genuinely pitied the fool.
“Watch her,” X’yrin uttered softly to her companion for his ears alone to comprehend. His clenching talons were nothing compared to the pain that not ailed her muzzle. She needed to find a water source quickly before the scent of the wound attracted unwanted attention. She offered not word to the girl and again turned her back on her, proceeding with the same purposeful stride as if unstirred by this underserved attack. They passed a wounded tree baring the weapon that struck her, but receive no mercy in removing the knife. The Nomad left it be, wanting more than a revenge counter to wash the blood of her hands and nose and return to her path to home.
[Exit X'ryin]