Toloch walked through the woods, feeling safer with each step. The plants and the birds sing to me. I am their friend. If he concentrated, he could hear the heartbeat of the woods - and could even feel the footsteps of nearby creatures. A small cat to his left, stalking a rabbit further ahead. An anthill to his right, full of fireants building a nest for their queen. And a short distance up ahead, a horse. A lone horse, roaming in woods like these? Toloch got intrigued. Maybe that was the source of the magic he had felt. He pressed on, his hulking form making nary a sound in the underbrush, like a snake the size of a bear.

On his way towards the footsteps, Toloch overheard a heated conversation in a language not native to Apoy. So there were other survivors. It didn't make any sense for one of them to have a horse, but Toloch decided to let his eyes do the telling, and his mind do the listening, instead of the other way around. It took him a while to realise that the other voice was in the treetops. Toloch waited where he was, but was too late to catch any of the conversation from before. But by the time he could make the decision to approach, Toloch heard hooves.

He saw a female figure head his way, grafted to the body of a horse. She was injured, but didn't seem to fazed by the fact. He watched her bend backwards and tear an arrow out of her flank, before spinning it in her hand as she kept walking. Toloch decided she didn't look too hostile, and he was confident he could outmaneuvre her in the woods if it came to violence. He stepped forward, revealing his hulking form, with arms in the air, a gesture of friendly intention.

"Jó napot, friend. What brings an injured centaur to these woods?" Toloch's greeting was, of course, in his own language, and his accent was thick and gruff, much like the man himself. His voice, however, stood in stark contrast by being soft and friendly, like a priest or healer. All in all, however, Toloch looked like what he was - a large but amicable savage. "My name is Toloch Leszvariin, of the viseli - meaning bear - bloodline, of the Haza people. If you wish, I can tend to your hurts."

Although Natsumi had cast off much of her heritage as a result of her exodus, one aspect she maintained was the belief that anger was destructive. 'To be angry,' the local monks in her homeland would say, 'is to drink your own poison while hoping someone else will die.' As a girl, she had seen this lesson play out. Those foreign nobles who could not control their internal struggle, who simmered strong enough for the child empath to feel from the next room where she was confined, often looked so sickly compared to those of her people. Their life spans may have been difficult to argue as being shorter, but their quality of life was certainly and obviously diminished.
 
Because of these experiences, Natsumi had trained herself in emotional control from a young age. Her meditations had made her quite resilient: strong enough, in fact, to resist the temptation to argue further with the memory-lapsing centaur. Paradox was taking all comments personally, even though Natsumi was actually just telling her own story and the experiences that shaped her actions. Her intent had been to provide understanding, but the centaur did not share this goal. Her aim was to sow discord while claiming "rightness," to the point where she ignored her own words just to maintain an argument.
 
The Ice Queen kept her composure despite these efforts on the part of her guest; speaking calmly while keeping a fair distance away from the hostile creature's intimidations. Even when she flew up into the trees, she did not display anger. Instead, she allowed her heartfelt cynicism to emerge, sprawling out onto the tree branch underfoot whilst finishing the lecture.
 
"Indeed, how dare I think humans are not a race anyone should emulate," the Ice Queen asked with dry wit? "Here I was with a positive opinion of centaurs, willing to accept the best of you considering that you are the first individual I have met from their fold. All you have given me, though, is a hypocrite who doesn't remember her own words from a moment ago – an easily offended one at that. I was referring to myself when I talked about deviant appearances; and you seem to think I was calling you deviant – probably because your world view right now is revolving around maintaining pride rather than being respectful to a stranger or staying to help people who are far weaker than you. You've said it yourself that you'll just swim back to the mainland in a typhoon; so I guess my first impression of your role in the centaur race is that you belong to the less savory half and I should try to find more amicable members before I make a value judgment."
 
Paradox would likely bristle at such a comment, given her current countenance. Yet Natsumi did not stay to observe it. Melding with the wind, she simply disappeared from sight and flowed further into the jungle. Eventually, she would rematerialize on a branch far to the east of the Bear and Horse, long out of earshot and definitely out of bow range from either of them. Unfortunately, this escapade did manage to land her right above some warriors from the nearest village: a whole contingent of them that was headed in the direction she had just come from.
 
"The chief says she has returned," muttered one as Natsumi melded with the tree above him to remain hidden.
 
"Who?"
 
"That fox girl who stole the sacrifice years ago. They say she's grown wings and turned white, but her magic is still the same. Used it to steal the chief's meal before our hunters could carve it up on the beach." Shuffling on, the men started dampening their arrows and spears in their favored poison: venom extracted from the native species of Pufferfish. Toxicity wise, it was less potent than that of most Pufferfish, and capable of paralyzing victims for 20 to 30 minutes without killing them. The poison was also fast acting, making it ideal for hunting or combat. It was the same toxin that Natsumi had worried about with Paradox, and now it would be used for all future engagements
 
Clearly, time had not been powerful enough to erase the hatred these islanders felt toward her: a fact that the winged fox was fine with. As far as she was concerned, they deserved the troubles they had suffered, and were about to suffer. Still, the young Natsumi did feel slightly distraught over the likely occurrence that would soon unfold. Paradox didn't concern her anymore, but the newcomer that was next to the centaur would likely be caught in the coming ambush as well.  There was no way to warn either of them at the present moment, at least not without giving up stealth. No, Natsumi's only recourse was to wait for the warriors to be distracted by the Bear and Horse duo, at least long enough for her to scout out the camp for other castaways that needed her help.

Paradox rolled her eyes at the Natsumi's argument. She had had enough of her. The beastly half always came forth during her times of anger or stress. And right now she was under pressure from both. So she didn't want to hear it. She valued her pride and self-reliance, she didn't need help. Her freedom and independence were too important to risk losing. She could take care of herself and is she found a survivor she would likely help them if needed. Without payment. 

She walked a short ways through the brush and heard the fox-girl take off and leave. Good riddance to you. She stepped over a log, careful to be as quiet as possible. These surroundings reminded her faintly of home, along with a tropical twist to their original design. She flicked the arrow around her hands, admiring the craftsmanship and effort it took to create. The flint head was still dripping blood off the end and was long and narrow. Similar to a knife. Tied to the stone was a lengthy wooden shaft, created it seemed of bamboo, or a similar branch. Knots appeared in the wood every palm length or so. The feathers on the tail were bright and colorful. Probably from the exotic birds she kept hearing as she went through the forest.

She had gone only a short distance away when she got the feeling that she was being watched. Her hackles bristled along her back, unsure of the creature was friend or foe. Cautiously, she reached back and grabbed her bardiche from its sheath along her back. She slid the bladed staff out of its covering and held in one of her hands. She tucked the arrow into one of her saddlebags and transferred the weighty weapon to both hands and held it across her chest. Her eyes scanned the brush around her. Whatever was coming, she was ready for it.

Suddenly a large blurry form approached her from out of the brush. She wheeled around her back feet, her injured haunch stinging. For a second she thought it was a bear, until she realized it was merely a very large man in furs. She still held her blade towards him, but lowered it slightly when she saw his hands in the air. She glared at him slightly, since running into Natsumi, she was a little distrustful of all but the savages on this island. He spoke to her, and she flipped an ear towards him, slightly curious. "Toloch." She said flatly, her voice hesitant and quiet. "My hurts can tend themselves. Thank you for the offer though." She nodded her head towards him and backed up a step.