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deeranon · 1 month ago

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The Great Goodbye

Pt. 4 / final part

Pt. 1 | pt. 2 | pt. 3 | Masterlist

At the point between desert and forest, you said goodbye to Collei. There had been lots of crying and hugs involved. Surprising you with how much she currently abhorred physical contact. (Ok, you cried as well.)

Through the Sumeru desert you traveled with the sand lovers as your guards. Dehya sang old folk tales along with her crew and chatted it up with Candace when you passed through her home. The guardian slipped something small to Tighnari before you left. Sethos told jokes and stories throughout the adventure, though he lagged behind for most of the trip. Like it was prophesied, Tighnari was having some sort of midlife crisis while trekking through the stale desert. (Wanderer was laughing. Eventually he gave Tighnari some water)

Cyno stayed glued to Tighnari’s side, dragging him along when the foxian felt too faint to move.

On the other hand, you were having the time of your life. Partying it up with Dehya’s crew as you moved swiftly through the desert. The sun had hidden itself behind a wall of fluffy white clouds today, blessing your entourage with an easier trip now that heat stroke was only two percent less likely than it was before. You were unaffected. Dirt, Stick, and Leaf were of similar situations—but they were starting to lag. Your coat had started to shed again, leaving you light and breezy without having to worry too much about bursting into flames or worrying about dehydration. You couldn’t say the same of your mushroom companion.

The trip was long, and because some people (cough Tighnari cough) needed a bit more adjustment to the desert conditions than others, you reached the third quarter mark only an hour or two before the sun would set. Currently, the group had just passed through Wadi Al-Majuj.

“Alright! This is where Sethos and I gotta sign off.” Dehya sighed, ruffling your fur and making you laugh, which sounded more like pleased puffs of air. “It was good to see you again, little rascal! Though I guess you aren’t so little anymore.” She tossed something to Cyno with a grin. He caught it midair without even blinking.

“Agreed. It was a pleasure to travel with you again, Cyno. And with your partners, as well.” Sethos nodded, passing a piece of parchment to his cousin and grinning as you ran to him and pressed your nose against his cheek in goodbye. “Okay! I’ll miss you too!”

Tighnari wheezed something that made Cyno nod. “Right. Stay safe, all of you. May we meet at the tavern when all this is over for a good drink.”

“Got it!” Dehya and her crew cheered before waving goodbye and being swallowed by the desert dunes once more.

“Ha! I look forward to that! Make sure to visit the temple soon, Cyno! It’s can be so lonely without you!” Sethos laughed, already vanishing from sight.

In the blink of an eye, a good portion of your group was eaten by the sands. You weren’t worried though. These people were far from normal. They wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Your journey continued onwards.

You didn’t know where you were headed from Wadi Al-Majuj. As far as you could recall, there was nothing but empty desert up ahead. Yet Tighnari, Cyno, and Wanderer pressed onwards. Even if you were confused, you followed after them loyally. Dirt, Leaf, and Stick copying you.

The sky was turning pink by the time you had reached the giant wall of red stone blocking your path. You stared at the towering rock with awe, pace slowing as you craned your neck to see the top. You couldn’t. It was just that tall.

“Don’t fall behind now, slowpoke! We’re almost there.” Wander called out, snapping you from your stupor.

You felt like you were forgetting something. You pushed to the edges of your mind for what exactly as you shuffled single file through the small passage, tuning out Wanderer’s grumbling all the while.

Almost…where?

You were given no answer even as you quickened your pace to match Tighnari’s as he stumbled through a large fissure in the stone wall. He brushed a hand over your coat and gave you a smile.

The sand quickly gave way to dry grass where a broken set of flags were stabbed into the ground.

That wasn’t what made your breath catch, though.

Below the small cliff you stood upon was a wide riverbed so shallow you could step on the water and only find your ankles submerged in the beautiful cerulean water that shone brightly in the sunlight. Hundreds of flamingoes stood at the other bank, squawking at each other and gloating about their hot pink feathers. There weren’t only flamingoes, though.

Animals that were dinosaurs-like also stood scattered in the river cross. There were fluffy green ones on their hind legs with tails so large you could sit on them. Brown ones that looked to be made from the very earth you stood on. Some lizard-mantaray mixes lazed in the river, waxy skin shining in the water.

Then there were tall, bat-like creatures with small beaks and cloaks that perched on a cobble of rocks farther within the bank. Babies of pastel blue ran around their parent’s claws. In the sky were animals of far brighter pink than the flamingos, their large red and yellow wings beating to silent music. On the outskirts were beasts with bull horns larger than a human and tanky bodies covered in thick pale green skin.

Finally, on the cliffs above the river and the pathway leading further within the land, we’re hundreds of deer. Parcels and herds of deer so tall they could rival Kaveh or Diluc any day and still equal a draw.

What…what is this?! Where are you?!

“I suppose it’s time we reveal the truth.” Tighnari sighed. You turned to him in a flash, mind racing.

You desperately wished you could speak, now more than ever. You had thousands of questions for him.

They guided you down the small overhang to the river’s edge. You watched as the flamingos heads turned and the creature’s watched you curiously. Dirt was sniffing at the closest bird while Leaf and Stick prowled the line between water and land with barely contained curiosity.

“This isn’t a trip around Sumeru. It’s actually…a goodbye,” Tighnari started as Cyno set a hand on his shoulder and Wanderer sat himself on a rock, staring at you with a storm of emotions behind his eyes. “I could see how miserable you were in Ghandarva Ville. How the isolation was affecting you. You needed stable enrichment and interaction but I—well, we—couldn’t give it to you because of my work or everyone was simply too busy. And I simply can’t ignore the chance that it could happen again. No—it was likely to happen again.”

You hated how Tighnari was right. You hated how your heart started to thunder in your chest as he continued. You wanted him to stop. But at the same time, you didn’t. Your heart was aching and you were sure tears would have started to pool in your eyes if they could.

“So…I decided to put my foot down. I couldn’t let you live in misery when you could be so much happier, even if that means letting you go. You are meant to be free. You should be free. You shouldn’t have to be alone for hours just because you think you have to stay with us.” Tighnari’s voice had started to waver. If he hadn’t just traversed the entire Sumeru desert, you were sure his eyes would have lined with tears or at the very least become glossy. “I couldn’t give you what you needed, but I can lead you to a place that will.”

Oh.

Had all those meetings with random people Tighnari had, been for your sake? They had to be, right?

It all makes sense now.

You just remembered what you had forgotten. The tugging in your mind had stopped the second your hoof set itself on the dry grass. The whispering in your ears was silent.

This was Natlan.

This felt like home.

You could hear the animals calling for you. Welcoming you. Accepting you.

“You’ve looked after Collei and everyone from the village for long enough.” Tighnari said, reaching out and brushing a gloved hand against your cheek. You leaned into his touch, heart beating with both sorrow and excitement. This would probably be the last time you saw him. “Take this to remember us.“ he wrapped a clothed box around your neck like a necklace before retracting his hand and nudging you to step into the stream. You could see how much this hurt him. “Go be happy for yourself, okay? Don’t let anyone push you around.”

You looked to Cyno, who stepped forward and took your head in his hands. You were his height now. Such a drastic difference from when you barely reached his hips when you first met in your new body. “Why did the deer go for a run?” Tighnari looked ready to kill. Wandered seemed ready to fly away. You waited for the punchline. “To doe off some steam…get it?”

You suppose you would miss Cyno’s jokes. Not much, but still. You let out a bleat of agreement.

“At least you appreciate my sense of humor,” Cyno huffed. “It will soon be the fawn of a new day. Make sure to stay safe. Remember those tactics I taught you, alright?”

You nodded, and Cyno gave you a scratch behind the ear before stepping back. There was only one person left: Wanderer.

Wanderer stayed rooted on his rock, glaring a hole into your forehead. “What? Just get out there and forget about us already, would you? All this sappy talk makes me sick.” You didn’t listen, walking over and leaning your head against his shoulder until he gave in to your adorable deer eyes. “Ugh,” he groaned dramatically before tapping you on your forehead three times. “Just know that I’m leaving you, not the other way around. Now will you leave—it’s not like you’re getting kidnapped. You can come and go as you wish, idiot.”

Letting out a sigh, you made your way back to the riverside. Your hooves just centimeters away from the water.

The sky was a vibrant red now, streaked with pinks and yellows like a sunsettia fruit had been sprawled across the entire sky. There wasn’t a cloud in sight as the sun started to dip behind the cliffs in the distance.

The water reflected the sky, instead of a vibrant cerulean it was now liquid fire. The creatures crowding the river called eagerly for you, a beautiful symphony of harmonic greeting as they opened their arms and wings to you wordlessly in invitation.

You were both eager and scared to respond to their welcome. It would mean leaving behind people who had taken care of you since you had arrived here, helpless and confused in the body of a deer. But if you didn’t go to them, you knew your body would forever itch to be with them in Natlan. It was clear to you the choice you would make. Tighnari had gone through so much to give you this opportunity. You could not back away from a chance to live freely, surrounded by creatures and people that would always be there to care for you and you them.

Leaf, Dirt, and Stick stood behind you, willing to follow you wherever you chose to go. Their silent courage filled you to take the first step forward.

With your heart racing with newfound excitement, tail wagging, ears twitching, you raised a hoof above the water—and paused.

You turned your head to look back at the three people who could make it to the final destination, carrying everyone’s wishes for your happiness and joy with them to this very moment.

Wanderer had gotten up from his rock and was already back on the cliff, looking down at you. Cyno stood loyally at the forest ranger’s side. Though you knew both did not express themselves truthfully very often, you could see how their eyes were glazed over with reminiscence and something bordering melancholia.

You looked into Tighnari’s vibrant eyes next, watching how they reflected the warm light of the setting sun as the wind brushed through his ears.

Tighnari had been one of the first to find you, weak and alone in the forest. He held a special in your heart. You searched his eyes, finding nothing but bittersweet acceptance and love in their endless depths.

He nodded at you, giving you a smile so reassuring you felt everything would be alright. “Go.” Was all he whispered.

It was all you needed to turn back and set your first hoof in the blazing fire water. You took a second step. A third. Fourth. Fith.

Then another.

And another.

You picked up your pace, turning your slow steps into a trot that accelerated into a run. Your rishboland tigers were not far behind, striding in leaps and bounds behind you with excitement that multiplied between you.

Something lit within you as the creatures followed your lead, welcoming you into a mess of hooves and claws as you looped a spiral—a sun. A light that refused to be put out lit along your back and antlers, thrumming through your muscles as the water beneath you burst into a rainbow of gentle fire with each step you took.

The creatures—saurians, your mind whispered, sang for you as the once dull patterns emblazoned in your fur burned brighter than they had ever been, like bright paints had been etched into your skin. You welcomed the warmth it brought you as you ran, as you called out with unimaginable joy and heard hundreds of others reply to you.

Fire in every color imaginable marked your trail, but it did not burn or scald the saurians nor your rishboland companions like you thought it might. It reached for the sky, parting for each being that passed through it and emboldening them to approach closer. The fire licked at the saurians pelts, setting them aglow in ways that only made them more beautiful. The glow matched your own, in a way. It delighted you greatly.

When you had reached the heart of the spiral, your veered for the hills in the distance. Water the color of fire splashed in every direction but you did not care if your fur grew damp. The euphoria of the moment enveloped you in a warm hug that you never wanted to leave.

The deer were quick to join your gentle stampede, blending in with the saurians as they brushed against your shoulders and pressed their heads against yours as you passed.

Your hooves thundered against the dry grass of the plains, leading you to turn the thrumming crowd so that you could stand on the hills and look back at your companions one last time.

They were much too far for you to see their faces, only colorful figures against the setting sun wrapped in the rainbow light still burning in the river. You saw as two of them waved widely from their place on the bank—Tighnari and Cyno.

Your heart swelled to three times it’s size as you watched them trek up the small cliff once again. They paused to wave at you a final time.

Oh, how you would miss them. You would miss Sumeru.

But now you felt at peace.

In Natlan.

Your new home.

You turned and led the herd—no. Your herd,deeper into your homeland.

Pt. 1 | pt. 2 | pt. 3 | Masterlist

Credit you to @strangergraphics-archive for making the red and green dividers, and @issysh3ll for the deer divider!

@idkfitememate I did it! I finished! 🥳🎉

#deer anon #🦌deer anon <3 #genshin impact #by deer anon #deer! creator #deer!reader #tighnari #cynonari #cyno #X reader #genshin x reader #genshin natlan #natlan genshin #saurian #wanderer #genshin fanfic #genshin x you

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deeranon · 1 month ago

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The Great Goodbye

Pt. 3

Pt. 1 | pt. 2 | pt. 4 | Masterlist

In only a week’s time, a great number of things had happened. Some things, you did not know how to feel about.

The Traveler and Paimon had returned with a shocking amount of information on the withering zone problem. Like you had guessed, the problem laid with the unfinished Aranara World Quest. Your memories of the Aranara adventures were faint after so much time away from the life where you could simply look something up if you ever forgot, but one thing you retained was the knowledge that the quest was long. Very, very long. Agonizingly long, even.

It was weird, seeing how the Traveler, once a character you ran with all over the world from one quest to another, now fell into those stories all on their own without your divine “guidance”. At least you wouldn’t have to follow them through the entire story again now that they had their own lives outside of yours. That was forever new as well—seeing the realistic faces of people you once knew as characters everywhere you looked. Your life now the inside scoop of a never-ending live action movie.

Paimon decreed for the Traveler and herself that they would take care of the withering zone situation with the Aranara, freeing Cyno and Tighnari of their duty as well as their worry.

You were sure the sudden relief of duty felt more like getting dunked in a tub of ice. At first it was pure agony, but soon your body adjusts to accept the cold. You would know—there aren’t exactly many places a deer can wash other than the waterfalls(you had yet to give in to the ways of tongue-self cleaning).

It was a relief for you as well, in a way. Tighnari had more time to himself and Collei was finally catching up on homework and sleep. Cyno had gone back to the desert, but you could tell he was resting easier after he spent the remainder of his day in your presence.

You had thought everything would go back to normal after Tighnari’s worries about the withering zones had been put to rest. Only, things didn’t go back to what they once were.

Tighnari was talking with the lady that had arrived a week ago. Their conversations were hushed and held in the privacy of Tighnari’s personal hut. Two days after the Traveler had completely taken over the withering responsibility, another woman in odd clothing arrived in the forest.

This one wore a gentle green a skin fitting cropped shirt and shorts so short you wondered if the woman had ever heard of decency. Goggles sat tangled in her messy brown hair, drawing attention to the large brown ears on her head. It was hard to tell, but you were going to guess they were Hyena with the splotches of lighter brown dappling her hair and sun kissed skin. She too asked for Tighnari the moment she arrived, and this time Nasrin led her straight to him.

You had tried your best to listen in on their conversations, but Tighnari’s ears were far greater than yours. He warded you away from his hut with Collei acting as his escape goat who led you away with her eyes still full of unknown misery. The trainee ranger kept you distracted, both from the ringing in your ears and the thoughts of what Tighnari could possibly be talking about. Darn Collei and her adorable puppy dog eyes.

The only thing concerning you now were the whispers in your ear. Hopefully you weren’t going insane. You really hoped that wasn’t the case.

It was only after an entire month of distracting yourself in the forest with Dirt, Leaf, and Stick that you finally found out what was happening.

Games of chase had grown tiring the more you used it to escape from thinking about your problems. Loneliness creeped in the back of your mind despite your best efforts to keep the unwanted feeling at bay. Your heart ached for the ability to speak and do human things again. The voices had returned, sounding more eager than ever. They loved to spike whenever you were near the people with odd clothes, locking you in a mental battle and freezing your body in place. Like a deer caught in headlights. (Not funny?)

The day had started like any other. Tighnari was speaking with Collei near the edge of the village. Collei’s head was bowed and her hands gripped at the cloth pack with white knuckles. You could not see her face, but you did not need to see to know one of your favorite persons was distressed. You had known she was worried for a while, watching as she skulked off on her own at random hours of the day only to return with puffy red eyes.

Worried, you gently slipped from the cuddle pile of rishboland tigers and lazily stumbled to Collei’s side. You let out a bleat, trying your best to voice your question of “are you okay?” with your ever growing deer body.

Collei whirled around like she had been thrown by a tornado, lunging at you with such fierceness your mind lagged to process the fact that Collei was struggling to wrap her arms around your fuzzy shoulders. Her body trembled like a leaf against you.

Tighnari only watched, picking up the cloth sack from the ground but never moving closer. His eyes held a sadness you couldn’t comprehend even as he managed a weak smile. “We’ve got something big planned for today. Everyone you know is going to meet up with you, isn’t that exciting?” He said, causing your mind to race even faster. Where were you all going? Why was everyone coming to see you? Why was Collei crying?

“Everything is okay. We’re just going on an adventure. I thought it was finally time you get to see the rest of Sumeru instead of keeping you cooped up here forever.” He continued, and that glassy look switched to something bittersweet. “It’s going to be lots of fun, Collei is just a bit sad because she can’t go with us for the second half of the journey. She’ll meet us at the halfway point, though.” Oh, that was what it was? You…didn’t quite believe him.

Your ears flicked as Collei’s sniffles died down to little hiccups and she pulled away with a strong nod. “Yeah, it’s a shame. But…at least I can meet up with you before you head off into the desert! So I’ll do my best to keep heart until then, but don’t keep me waiting, okay?” Collei chirped with a wobbly smile. You nodded, ready for Collei to pull back from the touch only for her to grab at your face and trace a star into your forehead. Blinking rapidly, you could only stare at your dear little trainee forest ranger in confusion as she pulled back with an even smile. “It’s for good luck!” She said with a watery laugh.

Collei finally stepped away, letting Tighnari hand her the cloth pack with little fuss. The true forest ranger gave her a comforting look, never reaching out to squeeze her hand or pat her shoulder, but conveying his comfort all the same. Your best friend nodded meekly, shoulders slumping and breath evening out the longer she stared into Tighnari’s eyes. It was like they were having some sort of mental conversation without you. You didn’t mind much though, feeling happy that their bond was strong as ever.

Tighnari was the first to break eye contact with the now calmed Collei. He stepped closer to your side and gave your shoulder a firm pat that didn’t even tilt your balance. You had gotten better at moving your new body now that it had grown into that of a young adolescent. Your adorable baby deer days now behind you.

“Let’s get ready. It is almost time we get going.” He turned to give Collei one last nod, “We’ll see you at the checkpoint, Collei. Stay safe.”

Collei gave a salute. “Right! I’ll see you soon, master Tighnari!” Then, she turned on her heel and sped off in the direction of the desert.

Just like that, one of the first people you had ever met in this world was but a cloud of dust in the distance.

Tighnari heaved a thousand pound sigh, leading you further into the village. You followed after him obediently, letting out a call to catch the snoozing rishboland tiger’s attention. Dirt awoke first, smacking their siblings awake until all three were trodding after you half-asleep.

Whatever this was, you didn’t know how to feel about it.

Tighnari’s words rang true. With the forest ranger at your side, you trekked through the Avidya Forest, farther than you’ve ever gone alone. The trees bowed to the sun hanging overhead, encouraging the birds to chorus and flit from branch to branch. Seeing it all in real life was breath taking, better than any graphics from behind a screen. Trees trunks thicker than houses surround you with the emerald foliage brushing against your fur like hands grazing your shoulders before sweeping away. The smell of water and fresh earth filled your nose, relaxing you as you traveled through the well worn path leading to Sumeru City.

Tighnari kept to your right, scribbling madly in a leather journal yet never tripping on a single root or pebble. Maybe he had eaten another strange mushroom before embarking on the walk. You wouldn’t be surprised with how often he consumed questionable fungi. (You were surprised he hadn’t been poisoned yet)

You had reached the city gates just before noon. Tighnari nodded casually to the guards before strolling through, ignoring the baffled looks they gave you when you passed.

Immediately you were greeted by Nilou and Kaveh, both running up to you with large smiles.

“Hey, you made it!” Nilou squealed, wrapping her arms around your neck in a tight hug. You let out a happy cry, nuzzling your nose into her silky white headpiece in greeting. It had been quite a while since you had last seen Nilou, after all. How could you not be excited?

“It’s good to see you again, Tighnari! I heard about the withering incident, are you sure you’re alright?” Kaveh greeted, caring as ever. Tighnari nodded, eyes softening as he pat Kaveh on the arm in reassurance.

“I’m perfectly fine, thank you. Work has been hectic, but that never stops adventurers from eating random plants they see on the side of the road. But enough about work, how have you been doing Kaveh?” Tighnari sparked, starting a long winded rant from your favorite architect about snobby customers and a particular acting grand sage.

You all walked and talked through the city streets, listening to vendors call out their wares and the blacksmith send his hammer down in a timed beat against a forming sword. It was a comfortable feeling surrounded by the people you loved while doing something so mundane. At some point, you saw Kaveh exchanging something with Tighnari, and could only hope your dear blond alcoholic hadn’t walked into another scam.

Eventually, you had to part with the two artists in place of meeting up with the people practically married to the Akidemiya. Layla and Faruzan greeted you both at the ramps. Lady Faruzan talked all of your ears off about the puzzles of ruins and just how well respected she was. Layla looked like she had one foot in the grave with the dark circles hanging from her eyes and far off look on her face. You could tell Tighnari was looking for a means of escaping Faruzan’s impending lecture, eyes darting every which way. He eventually gave up and muttered something to Layla, who blinked out of her exhausted stupor and managed to remind Faruzan of her upcoming class. Faruzan being Faruzan, she vehemently denied forgetting about teaching her disciples and rushed off to prepare. (You wondered if she was lying. Layla had given her some kind of look, you were sure of it.)

After that, Tighnari ushered you to meet with Al Haitham and Wanderer on the upper levels whilst Layla went off to work on some project or another. (Not before giving you a quick hug and handing Tighnari some paper item)

Wanderer was glaring daggers into Al Haitham’s toned back, who was simply reading a book without a care in the world. The library was buzzing with finicky scholars at the edges, zipping from one shelf to another before drowning their brains in overly long worded topics.

You didn’t spend much time with them, but Wanderer had switched his attention to you for the time being, making you ecstatic. He wasn’t a very touchy person, but you could tell he treated you like an equal even if you had the body of a deer.(this included being insulted, but you knew he was simply a very thorny person that cared) Al Haitham didn’t look up from his book, but he pressed a hand bound journal into Tighnari’s hands and muttered both a greeting and goodbye to you, an accomplishment in itself.

Wanderer trailed after you and Tighnari to Nahida’s chambers where he perched himself on a chair and brooded quietly.

“Tighnari! It’s good to see you! And you as well, dear friend!” Nahida chirped from behind her desk. You nodded at her, feeling as the wood beneath your feet warmed in the gentle afternoon rays. The office was large and filled to the brim with plants, books, and pillows. It felt more like a cozy place to hang out rather than an office room. Very much like Nahida. You couldn’t blame her after being locked in a bland hamster ball for hundreds of years.

“Greetings, Lord Kusanali. I have come with our guest just as you asked.” Tighnari nodded politely, giving you a firm pat on the neck before stepping away to watch Nahida approach.

“I’ve heard about Tighnari’s efforts, and wholeheartedly agree that this is a good opportunity for both sides. I know you understand us, and all I wish to tell you is to remember everything up until this point wasn’t for nothing.” Nahida declared, reaching out her hands and tracing the faded patterns in your fur. You bowed your head, feeling as her child sized fingers brushed along your growing antlers, welcoming the flowers that bloomed along them. “I give you my blessing! When the sun sets on today, walk forward into the night knowing a new dawn will welcome you with open arms!”

“On behalf of my friend, I thank you, Lord Kusanali.” Tighnari bowed only for Nahida to shake him off.

“There’s no need! Our friend here is destined for great things, I can feel it. All I can do is show them what I know.” Nahida giggled, pressing a kiss to your forehead as you basked in her affection. This felt like both hello and goodbye at the same time. It made your heart ache, yet you kept her words close. “Now go, your adventure has just begun!”

You turned to Wanderer before you left, begging silently for a hug. At first he rejected your request, unmoving from his chair until you pushed your cold nose into his cheek long enough that he begrudgingly looped his mechanical arms around your neck in a tight hug. “Don’t be an idiot. I’ll be escorting your little foxian pal through the desert, so you can’t get rid of me just yet. Nahida didn’t give me much choice.” He grumbled, giving Nahida a pointed look before shoving your head away. “Now go make people cry elsewhere. I have to make sure your mushroom fanatic doesn’t die pathetically in the sand because he can’t handle a little measly dehydration.”

You nodded, shoulders feeling lighter as you stepped back and bowed best you could to Nahida and the still grouchy Wanderer before having Tighnari push through the wooden doors. They closed with a groan behind the both of you.

Pt. 1 | pt. 2 | pt. 4 | Masterlist

Credit you to @strangergraphics-archive for making the red and green dividers, and @issysh3ll for the deer divider!

@idkfitememate >:)

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deeranon · 1 month ago

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The Great Goodbye

Pt. 2

Pt. 1 | pt. 3 | pt. 4 | Masterlist

Another week had passed, marking off another month on the Teyvat calendar and bringing in the next.

Stick, Leaf, and Dirt had been unusually clingy recently. They pawed at you to play with them when you stood inactive for too long. When you stared into the forest, caught in a battle against the string tied around your head, Dirt knocked you out of it by literally pushing you onto your side and pressing his weight against yours until Leaf and Stick joined in.

Tag was now a common game between the four of you, making you reminisce about your childhood days on the playground with other children. It filled you with joy to stumble through the foliage after your inhuman friends who had protected you from your first days on Teyvat. It made you temporarily forget about the days you would spend alone with nothing to do and nothing to enrich you as you butted heads with Dirt and Leaf while Stick gave chase. You laughed to yourself because you had no voice, but the forest laughed for you when the forest rangers freaked out at the sight of tag between prey and three predators.

Your days moping and standing in the shadows of humanity were filled with the thrill of being an animal of nature. Exploring the riverbank at dawn and only returning to the village when one of the rangers was calling your name at the top of their lungs. They were lucky your ears were so great.

Dirt and Stick trailed behind you as you weaved through the small walking course you made out of the naturally uneven landscape and fallen trees to start making your way back to Ghandarva Ville.

Leaf was off hunting for game in the deepest parts of the forest, but you knew he would be back before midnight even without words. You had gotten very good at non verbal communication since your stay in the Genshin impact world.

Breaking through the brush with your heart still beating rapidly, it soared higher when you saw the group gathered on the bridge. Tighnari was finally back from his latest shift with Collei, both had dark crescents under their eyes but still seemed to be functioning well enough. At the ranger’s sides was your favorite general mahamatra: Cyno. Stoic as ever, the man was talking about something with his foxian (boy)friend.

That wasn’t the only surprise though. As you approached with the ranger, Nasrin, that had been hollering for you, you saw a familiar head of golden hair approaching the village with their silver haired companion.

Picking up your pace, and in turn making Dirt and Stick trot alongside you like bodyguards, you let out a call and rushed to nuzzle into Cyno’s broad shoulder. The man, now equal height with you had to dig his feet into the ground so that he would not stumble. Though his facial expression did not shift in the slightest, Cyno turned and carded his calloused hands through your luscious fur in greeting.

“Hello to you, too.” Cyno said. His hands ruffled your well kept fur, mindlessly tracing the dull color pattern along your shoulders.

You let out a sound that was best described as a mix between a dying kazoo and a wheezing goat. Deer vocals weren’t exactly…good. They were soft, which wasn’t surprising since deer are built for silence and stealth. Still, you threw deer biology(ie: against the laws of nature) to the wind most times and occasionally managed to make a haunting sound similar to elk when you truly tried your best. (Practice once caused nightmares in passing travelers, who thought they were being hunted by a wendigo)

Cyno nodded as if he understood your words completely. “Indeed. It has been quite a while since we last met. Work is never over, as I’m sure you know.” He paused at the look you gave him. “I’ll try to come visit more often.”

Nodding in satisfaction, you pulled away from Cyno’s half-hug and turned to nuzzle Tighnari in the cheek while greeting Collei with a happy bleat. During that time, the Traveler had finally reached your group with Paimon in tow.

“Collei! Tighnari! Cyno! Long time no see!” Paimon cheered with a bright grin. The traveler nodded in agreement, greeting everyone with a wave of their hand.

“Traveler, Paimon! It’s so good to see you again!” Collei chirped. Her tired eyes lit up like fireworks as she enthusiastically waved back to her two friends.

The two travelers approached with large smiles on their faces that were reciprocated by the two forest rangers while Cyno nodded stoically.

“Traveler. You seem to be doing well. That’s good.” Cyno greeted along with a second nod of recognition. You hoped he wasn’t getting dizzy.

“Yeah! Paimon has been getting ready to head off for Fontaine by trying all of Sumeru’s specialties before we leave. Things have been going surprisingly well for us!” Paimon said with the brightest smile you had ever seen, only for it to falter when she let her gaze fall on the general mahamatra. “Uuuh, Cyno, why do you have antlers? Is this another one of your jokes? Paimon doesn’t understand it.”

“Antlers?” Cyno repeated quizzically.

Tighnari snickered at his friend for a good minute, only causing more confusion within the group. Collei wasn’t far behind her teacher with a smile she couldn’t seem to wipe off her face. The traveler, while momentarily confused, let out a soft ‘ooh.’ of realization that caused a teasing grin to spread on their face.

“It seems someone hasn’t read any of my latest letters.” Tighnari sighed when his snickering died down to amused huffs. Paimon turned to him with pure vexation clearly marked on her face. The ranger merely let out a final puff of laughter before beckoning you to the front of the group. “Paimon, this is a…good friend of mine who lives in Ghandarva Ville whith Collei and I. I have talked about them in my letters on multiple occasions. I guess adventuring simply takes up too much time to stop and read through your mail.”

Deciding that the joke was over, you walked out from behind Cyno with a proud trot. You stomped a hoof in greeting to the gawking fairy and a cordial nod to their blond haired companion. Tighnari walked to your side and gave your shoulder a firm pat as he gave Paimon the stink eye. The fairy chuckled nervously.

“Oops.”

“Oops indeed.” The Traveler mimicked. Paimon harrumphed. You snickered to yourself at her embarrassment.

“Now that greetings are out of the way, I want us to move on to business. I called you all here for a reason: that being the withering zones acting up. I believe it is time we discuss what to do about them.” And like that, Tighnari’s words had flipped a switch in the conversation. The Traveler’s teasing smile dropped to a tight lipped grimace and Cyno’s back straightened even further.

“What? Shouldn’t they have died down now that Nahida is around?” Paimon squawked, and you wondered just how much she really knew about what was going on.

The Traveler shook their head, frowning deeply. “They’ve stopped appearing, but the ones still around aren’t weakening like everyone thought they would. Right, Tighnari?”

He nodded. “Right. If anything, the survivors are fluctuating sporadically. One moment the area looks to be healing, the next everything is just…decayed. It is highly unusual.” Tighnari stared into the foliage like it had all of the answers in the world before snapping back to attention. “That is why I think there is something else at play. I just can’t tell what exactly.” He was frustrated, you could tell by the look in his eyes. He hated that he could not find a permanent solution to the withering problem. Rightfully so, but it wasn’t his fault.

You shuffled closer to Tighnari’s side, resting your head on his to tell him even without a voice that you were here. You were here for him. The exhaustion from the late nights and days temporarily clearing withering zones only for them to resurge must be catching up to him and Collei by now.

Tighnari let out a heavy sigh, leaning a portion of his weight against you in relief. You were concerned for your friends health. This was no longer a game. If he did not rest soon, you would force him to. You couldn’t risk him becoming an insomniac like you once were as a human. In a way, becoming a deer had cleansed you of the junk that came with technology and mental stressors attached to being human. The fact that there were no phones in this world probably helped a lot, even with occasional withdrawals when you missed chatting with friends or playing games as an easy fix to boredom.

Tighnari gave you a comforting pat on the neck. “I’m okay. Just a bit tired.” He reassured. Though you noted he hadn’t stopped leaning on you even the slightest bit. Great, now he was lying as well.

“While discussing the withering zones is a good start, I assume you already have a plan in mind?” Cyno interjected, drawing the attention back to the problem at hand.

Paimon perked up at that. “Oh! Is that why you called us here? Whatever it is, Paimon can help!”

“Tell us what you need us to do.” The Traveler agreed instantly. Their determined amber eyes like a burning flame locked with Tighnari’s exhausted ones. The foxian gave a weak smile at the immediate agreement of his companions, his heart swelling with joy.

“I don’t have anything exact as of now, but I do have ideas on where we can start.” Tighnari shifted an arm as you readjusted your stance nervously, turning to his long time friend. “Cyno, I want you to inform Lord Kusanali about the withering and gather any information you can from Akademiya scholars.”

“Alright.” Cyno agreed with a firm nod. You could tell he was plotting something just by looking into his eyes. Plotting what, you did not know.

“Traveler, Paimon. I want you to investigate the withering in the forest and deal with any active patches you find.”

“Got it!”

The Traveler paused. “Actually, that just reminded me of something. I recently came into contact with a creature called an Aranara.”

Tighnari and Cyno stood befuddled. “The children’s tales?”

“Oh yeah! Paimon forgot all about that while we were getting ready to leave! Do you think we should ask them if they know anything?” Paimon gasped. The blonde nodded, eyes still thoughtful and hazy with a different kind of distance that was not physical.

Collei also perked at the word aranara, though she was practically asleep standing up at this point. The late nights couldn’t be good for her mental or physical health. You knew exactly why such recognition flashed in her eyes, but you could not and would not tell anyone why.

“Hmm, I think you could be on to something if your words are true. The aranara are said to be connected to the forest. If anything is happening, they would know about it.” Tighnari hummed thoughtfully with a hand pressed against his chin in thought. He eventually gave a confirming shake of his head to Paimon and the Traveler. “Alright, you should look into that lead when you can. In the meantime, Collei and I will look into the withering zones that have temporarily been neutralized by the vision bearers in the village.”

“Actually, I think it would be best if you and Collei sat this one out for now.” Cyno denied. Tighnari frowned and Collei woke from her odd slumber with a jump at the sound of her name. The Traveler nodded in agreement instantly.

“But why?” Collei murmured sluggishly. Her body tilting from side to side a concerning amount. You were certain even a small gust of wind would knock her over.

“You’re both exhausted. If you try to neutralize withering zones in your current states you could end up seriously injuring yourselves instead. Get some rest while the Traveler and I handle things.” Was Cyno’s firm declaration, and you couldn’t help but agree. If your forest ranger friends collapsed from sleep deprivation while in the middle of battle, it could very well end in their death. You couldn’t let that happen.

Stomping your hooves and pushing Tighnari closer to his hut seemed to get your message across quite well. Dirt and Stick followed your lead and poked at Tighnari’s legs with their noses.

“I think your friend agrees with Cyno. Oh, and I agree with him as well.” The Traveler chuckled. “Rest for a couple of days and then you can join in on the plan.”

Tighnari stared at his friends before looking down at you, who was nudging your soft nose into his back and slowly forcing him to walk towards his cabin. Collei was too tired to argue and simply followed after like a living zombie.

He sighed. “Alright. Let’s meet up in a week’s time to discuss any progress or breakthroughs.”

“Right.”

“Mhm.”

“Got it!”

With that, you successfully led Tighnari off into his mess of a cabin. Papers littered his desk haphazardly, some even falling to the floor and creating a paper fairy circle of doom.

Tighnari pushed himself away from you and slowly,reluctantly, climbed into his bed. So exhausted he didn’t even bother with his tail routine or a change of clothing. You pulled the covers up to his shoulders before slowly stepping away and leading Collei to her own hut and comforting bed.

Stepping away once you knew Collei was fast asleep, you settled into your own bed on the floor of Collei’s room. Dirt and Stick stationed themselves at the entrance to the hut like guardian statues as you closed your eyes and simply listened to the whispers of the forest along with the beckoning cries muffled underneath your sheer power of will.

That was how Tighnari and Collei ended up sleeping for twelve hours, undisturbed by anyone and anything.

You had taken over some parts of Tighnari’s day job. Flinging handbooks filled with what mushrooms were edible and those that weren’t at the newbie adventurers. Shaming a group of travelers who had gotten too close to a pod of rishboland tigers after they saw your small pack hanging around you(they sat on their knees and bowed their heads, like they were truly being scolded by a mother hen). Checking in on a Rtawahist student meditating in the forest once or twice.

Though the weirdest part about your day was when a lady, in an earthy gold and brown dress and lion-like ears atop a head of short sandy hair approached Ghandarva Ville and asked where Tighnari was. She held a large leather pouch in one hand, keeping it close to her chest. The woman looked confident, yet on edge with every step she took.

Nasrin was the one who told her Tighnari was currently resting. The lady nodded, quick to accept the answer, and asked if there was a place that she could wait until he could see her.

You were confused. Really confused. Who was the woman, and why did her clothes seem to unfamiliar? Why was she even here? And what did she have to talk about with Tighnari?

Your mind spiraled to other questions. Why was something, or someone, whispering for you to come to Natlan? Was there something wrong with you? Why couldn’t you seem to feel like you fit in to life in Sumeru?

Why were you dragged into Genshin impact?

If only you knew you would get your answers to a select few of those questions only a week later.

Pt. 1 | pt. 3 | pt. 4 | Masterlist

Credit you to @strangergraphics-archive for making the red and green dividers, and @issysh3ll the deer divider!

@idkfitememate you’re gonna be mentioned in each chapter :)

#deer anon #🦌deer anon <3 #genshin impact #by deer anon #deer #deer creator #deer! creator #deer!reader #sumeru #genshin natlan #tighnari #cynonari #cyno #collei #the traveler #paimon #reader #x reader

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deeranon · 1 month ago

Text

The Great Goodbye

Author’s note: probably ooc characters(I didn’t do much research I’m sorry I am very tired), too little dialogue in my opinion, badly written(this has been sitting in my drafts for a while)

Pt. 2 | pt. 3 | pt. 4 | Masterlist

Pt. 1

It had been a good while since you had been snatched from the real world and dragged into the universe known as Genshin Impact in the body of a deer.

Life was odd when you walked on four legs instead of two, but like all things you learned to adapt and eventually came to accept the possibility that you would never return to the real world. A bitter pill to swallow.

But in the trade of the real world, you had been brought to the world of Genshin Impact. A game you had played from nearly the very day it released, maybe a few months after. You had heard rumors and seen trailers and teasers for Natlan when you were dragged into what was once just a simple game you loved to play in your free time.

You had theories that time worked differently in Genshin Impact and the real world. How different? You couldn’t exactly tell, but you were guessing off of the Lantern Rites in your Genshin world that the events of each archon quest were more spaced out. Or maybe closer together?

It was hard to tell when you weren’t exploring the world with the Traveler and Paimon like in all of the stories your friends back home had made you read.

Where you were in the timeline of Genshin was an easier question. Mostly thanks to Tighnari and Cyno, who kept you updated on the Traveler since they were pen-pals. So you knew that the Traveler was setting off for Fontaine soon. Meaning you were before Natlan but after Sumeru. (And that my favorite Fontainian character was still crying her heart out and Focalors how dare you do that to—)

You hadn’t met the Traveler in person before because they were always zipping around Sumeru like it would blow up at any second and they wanted to see everything before it imploded, but Tighnari had told you once that they wanted to visit Ghandarva Ville before they set off for the nation of tears. So it was likely you would meet them sometime soon.

With your heart at ease, you did your best to settle into life in Sumeru. But it just never seemed to click. You hated it.

Yes, the people you met in Sumeru were wonderful and loving and kind. Tighnari and Collei even saved you from treasure hoarders when you still couldn’t walk, and you loved them like family. Cyno let you go on a mission with him into the desert, where you saved his life and he saved yours, strengthening your bond tenfold.

Kaveh visited Ghandarva Ville every now and then, and even though you knew he was broke and stressed and a million other things he spent time with you and gave you fruit as a snack while you both sat silently in each others company.

The desert lovers; Sethos, Candace, and Dehya rarely visited so you always went to visit them. (Tighnari has had several heart attacks because of this)

The Wanderer had saved you from a grumpy crocodile hidden in a river once. Ever since, you’ve done your best to wiggle your way into his heart. You were pretty sure you had made it.

Everyone in Sumeru was wonderful and awesome. But there was always a feeling in the back of your mind that never let you rest when you thought of settling in Sumeru for a good.

Over time, your mind grew restless with questions and uncertainty. You found yourself exploring deeper into Avidya Forest each time you went out for a stroll when none of your Sumeru friends were around, busy with their own lives. The sunlight followed after you, always lighting your path. Your mind wandered to the unsettled feeling in your fluffy chest, the feeling that told you you were a puzzle piece that had forced itself into connecting with the wrong part.

This went on for days. Everyone was either busy or outside of Ghandarva Ville, and you found yourself walking by yourself through the forest longer and longer each time. By the end of the week, you hadn’t even realized you were away from the village for almost an entire day.

Yet you let the walks continue. You let your body fall to autopilot and gave your mind a rest from its constant turmoil. You had no fear of being attacked. The forest was your friend even if it did not feel like home, it would not dare hurt you. Because of that you let your body brush against the dewy foliage and allowed pollen to stick to your fur if it so wished. Your mind resting, letting time flow around you like a blanket.

You never even noticed when you stepped into a withering zone. You never noticed how the forest rangers were slowly becoming uneasy within the village when you left for another walk with each passing day.

You stared out the leafy window of an empty forest ranger house with a sigh. The decay zones in the forest had been growing at a faster rate than the rangers were comfortable with recently. Almost everyone was out patrolling the forest and constantly checking the perimeters of the decay zones by the hour.

You had tried to follow Collei or Tighnari on their patrols, but being a deer had its downsides. They refused to let you accompany them to the zones no matter how much you tried to trail after them. You had no vision, you knew it would be dangerous but you wanted to make sure they stayed safe.

Tighnari had put his foot down. “It’s not safe. There’s no telling what could happen to you if you were to be affected by the withering.” He previously said, gently cradling your fluffy face in his hands when you called for him. Collei stood a ways away, shifting on her feet nervously as she waited for Tighnari at the edge of the path leading deeper into the forest.

You let out another sad bleat, nuzzling your nose into the foxian man’s cheek as you tried to persuade him even though you knew he couldn’t really understand you. Please don’t go.

Tighnari pressed a palm lightly to your nose and moved your head away, a sad frown on his face. He stepped back and gave you a pat on the neck, jerking his head over to his hut, saying “We won’t be gone long. I’m putting you in charge of protecting Ghandarva Ville while I’m away. We’ll be back soon. I promise.” Then he had turned around and walked away with Collei glancing back at you once or twice before they disappeared around the bend.

If you were a dog, your ears would have drooped and you would give a sad whine as they left you alone. But you were a deer, so all you could do was stand still as a statue while you watched them leave you alone for the twelfth time that week.

Now here you lay, lonely and depressed as you waited for your friends to come back. The moon had started to rise, painting everything a dark blue with splashes of purple and gold that managed to peek through the canopy and brush the leaf huts of Ghandarva Ville.

The village dogs were piled around you for warmth, sound asleep as you kept watch. Despite their warmth, you felt alone as you waited for your friends. Maybe it’s because you couldn’t speak to dogs like you did humans, and missed being able to talk and have intellectual conversations with others.

The strange feeling you’ve had in the back of your mind for ages buzzed and writhed, filling you with pent up energy that you couldn’t ignore. Like a fire set under your fur.

You looked down at the dogs nuzzled comfortably into your sides and back outside to the blue shadowed trees beckoning you to take a walk and work off the restless feeling that would keep you awake otherwise. You knew the smarter option was to stay put and wait for Tighnari and the others to return, but your mind felt as if it was attached to a string constantly tugging at the back of your head—begging for you to stand up and move.

Against your better judgment, you slowly slid out of the sleep pile and stood up on your wobbly legs. The string tugged harder, so you followed it off of the beaten paths into the nocturnal world of the forest.

It would just be a little walk. You reassured to yourself as the lamplight of Ghandarva Ville grew into a small speck in the distance. You’d be back before midnight.

You came back just before sunrise. The tugging had slowed the farther you went into the forest, only to increase in strength whenever you wanted to turn back to Ghandarva Ville. Time had blurred together as you played tug of war with the buzzing feeling of restlessness in the back of your head, only able to return back to the village when you stood your ground and pushed the feeling deep underneath. Burying it so deep you were sure it wouldn’t bother you for a good while.

You returned to the settlement and saw Tighnari and Collei approaching in the distance, but you were too exhausted to fully comprehend. The fluffy canine companions you had left behind were still sound asleep, so you flopped back into your spot and fell asleep almost immediately.

When you were thrust into the world of Genshin Impact, you usually did not dream. Or if you did, you didn’t remember anything about them. You would have joked that Wanderer was stealing your dreams to become a god if you had landed in Sumeru before the Traveler EffectTM took action. Truthfully you wouldn’t have joked about it at all, because that would be mean and Wanderer was your friend who was doing his best to repent.

Though you did not dream, you heard voices off all kinds whispering to you. Drawing you in like the tide calling for dry sand.

Natlan is ready for you, divine one.

Won’t you come to us, divine one?

The saurians miss you dearly.

The land aches for you.

We all miss you.

Come.

Come to Natlan.

You woke up. The words without pictures lingered in your mind before they too grew hazy, and you eventually wondered what you had dreamt of at all. You couldn’t quite remember.

Bright sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, touching the grassy ground and making the earth sing but hitting you with a wave of exhaustion when the little sleep you had gotten caught up to you. Even deer suffered from sleep loss, it seemed. Now you wished you had just gone to sleep instead of wandering the forest in the dead of night.

Along with the new day came the switch of the rangers shifts as they watched the withering zones twenty-four seven. Tighnari and Collei along with a few other rangers, had returned from the grueling night shift. All looked exhausted yet full of energy and accomplishment at the same time.

Pride swelled within you as you watched Collei slowly read through one of her favorite Mondstatian books—dozing off a few minutes later as Tighnari scribbled away in his journal nearby.

Yet you also felt sad that neither had come over to spend time with you after they returned, but you quickly buried the selfish feeling away. They had no obligation to spend time with you every day, and they must be tired after working so hard to keep the danger in the forest at bay. After all, very few forest rangers had visions to keep themselves safe from the withering. So the job of managing the monsters within the decay zones while others surveyed and recorded from afar rested solely on them.

You laid your snout down on the ground with a sad huff through your nose. Without human companionship, life as a deer living among humans could become boring very quickly. You missed having electronics and watching adorable cat videos on your phone to pass the time. You missed books as well. It was hard to flip needle thin pages when you had hooves for hands.

So you did the only thing you could, which was get some much needed sleep.

Tighnari liked to pride himself on noticing little things that normal people generally don’t see at first glance. Like how the forest ranger dogs preferred to sleep in piles rather than alone in their beds, or when Collei was becoming anxious when a large group of travelers passed through for a night or two. Even other things, like which rangers preferred fruit over fish or meat and vice versa.

It was no surprise to Tighnari when the resident deer he and Collei had rescued a good while ago was becoming restless and always staring into the distance. He felt bad, really. The deer was a sweet and gentle companion to have around; everyone loved spending time with them. But at the end of the day they were still a wild animal. Never a pet.

Tighnari and Collei had saved you from traveling treasure hoarders when you weren’t even a year old, when you were small and adorable. Tighnari did his best to find your mother or even a parcel that looked similar to you, but this was a jungle where deer were uncommon and predators commoner. His search had come up desert dry, so with no other choice he picked you up and took you back to a human settlement. Ghandarva Ville. It was your only chance for survival.

You were an odd deer. You couldn’t seem to stand up even though you looked more than a few weeks old, which was a bad sign. Baby deer could usually stand on their own a mere twenty minutes after birth, and your inability to stand had worried him greatly. At first, he had thought of worse case scenarios where you simply couldn’t move or your legs were broken. And the reality of what he might have to do if it was one of those cases made his heart hurt.

But it turns out you could move. For some reason, you were just bad at it. It was better than not being able to move at all, so Tighnari was thankful.

Over time, with the help of Tighnari, you learned to stand and walk. Eventually moving on to running and jogging. His heart swelled exponentially each time you stood back up after stumbling or falling over. And with that time, you grew larger as well. Taller. Elegant. Agile. Strong.

Strong enough that you could likely survive on your own.

Really, the only problem was your scent and how you were basically raised in ‘captivity’. You might not be accepted into a herd if you smell like humans, and it’d be easy for you to be hunted down by predators. But with time, Tighnari was sure that the smell would wash away and be replaced with nature. The same went for your ability to forage and find meals on your own. You weren’t debilitated like other animals from being raised around humans that fed you and kelt you warm. You could survive.

It hurt to think about letting you go, but this was his job. All wildlife deserved to be protected. And if that meant releasing you into the wild and it made you happy, Tighnari would do it.

It was pure bad luck that the withering zones were sapping up all of his time, making him put talking to the others about finding land suitable for your needs and relocating you there aside for a later date.

The worst part, Tighnari hated to admit, was he didn’t have time to break the idea to Collei at all. He knew the girl cared deeply for you, and you cared for her just as much. You were strangely smart for a deer.

Day by day, the withering zones ebbed and flowed sporadically. And with every passing day, Tighnari watched as you laid longer in your nest right outside of his hut with a depressed gaze. No longer attempting to follow after them on their patrols and simply watching them switch out with another team of rangers, eyes almost resigned as you turned away from him and nibbled on your food.

Tighnari knew you needed to partake in engaging activities to bring you out of your funk, but there was simply no one around for you to engage with. Toys didn’t exactly work well with forests where birds could swoop down to steal a rope or foliage could conceal a ball until it was forever lost to the shrubs.

There were of course rangers who had to stay in the village, but they were almost always occupied by tending to travelers or looking after the scholars under the Rtawahist Darshan meditating within the forest.

Tighnari looked back at you as he once again got ready to head out and push back another withering zone, and steeled himself. He was going to put his foot down. This couldn’t go on any longer.

Tighnari was determined to set you free.

But first, he had to get a bit of help to put the decay zones in their place.

It was normal for Cyno to receive letters from Tighnari, as they exchanged them regularly. Though the time between receiving the letters and reading them was large, Cyno did his best to respond as quickly as his job would allow.

It was a stroke of luck that Tighnari’s latest letter had shown up during one of his rare stays in the city. So with a single tug at the wax seal, Cyno unfolded the letter and started to read.

To say Cyno was surprised wouldn’t be a false statement, but it wasn’t entirely true either. It was the second half of the letter that made Cyno re-read the paragraph just to be sure.

When the words on the paper didn’t change, Cyno folded up the note and immediately set off on his new mission. He felt the phantom sensation of his flower bracelet against his skin causing goosebumps to rise, but Cyno ignored them. Tighnari had asked him for help, and by the gods would Cyno make sure it happened.

Three more weeks had passed since the day you went out on the long midnight walk, and there was now a constant melodic whispering in your ears. Calling for you. Constantly. It was annoying when you were trying to sleep, so it was safe to say that you had barely gotten any rest for the past couple of weeks.

Out of pure boredom you had rearranged your stick pile twelve times, gone off to pick berries and mushrooms for the rangers to snack on for four days, sunbathed with the village tracking dogs eighteen hours in total, and become incredibly lonely for nearly all 504 hours. You were almost ready to make friends with the crocodiles near the riverbank just because it would give you something to do. You were buddies with the Rishboland Tigers that napped near Ghandarva Ville, so why not crocodiles?

Tighnari had been like a ghost in the recent weeks, only staying in one place for a matter of minutes before whisking himself off somewhere else. It was incredibly disheartening to see. When you Genshin Impact and went through Tighnari’s voice lines for the first time, you remember him talking about spending time together as his love language or just how he shows that he cares. So it was hard seeing him stretching himself so thin with the withering zone problems keeping him up all night.

On multiple occasions after returning from your walks in the wood, you found Tighnari hunched over a plethora of maps and thick books with only his lamp lighting his table. He seemed zombie-like at that point, so you did your best to use yourself as a crutch for Tighnari as you guided him to his bed. He never seemed to remember what had happened in the groggy daze, or he just didn’t bring it up.

Other times, odd people from different nations would meet up in Tighnari’s cabin discussing who knows what. You didn’t know anything about what they could be talking about in there, as Collei always guided you to her hut for a rare break filled with snuggles and much needed naps that could only last for an hour or two at best. She never showed it, but for some reason, your favorite green haired apprentice forest ranger seemed unbearably sad whenever you laid down together in your leafy nest littered with flowers and comfy throw blankets. It hurt that you couldn’t talk to her about her troubles, and that you rarely had time to spend together nowadays.

Collei squeezed you gently around your neck as you laid down with your gangly legs tucked into your side, the girl curled into you like a cat seeking warmth in the winter. The setting sun shone trough her leafy doors and into your bed, filling your body with a satisfying warmth when the rays hit your fur. The alluring whispers of ‘Natlan….come…home..’ dulled as you blocked them out and focused on getting comfortable while Collei stared listlessly at the ceiling. You hated when she was silent, knowing it was easy for her to get lost in her thoughts.

Thankfully, you were prepared for this, having The Boar Princess hidden under a layer or two of blankets just a ways away. A perk of being a deer was the long neck it gave you, letting you reach for things that were farther away.

Casing through the well sewn quilts for the book your dear friend oh so loved, you unearthed the purple cloth bound book from its secret nook. Collei still laid stiff at your side, refusing to let her arms than could now barely wrap all the way around your neck break the hug. You let out a huff on amusement mixed with worry. You wouldn’t dare reach down and touch Collei without her knowing while she was in such a vulnerable state, so all you could do is shuffle into a more comfortable position and drag the book closer to your side.

No matter how much you called to her, Collei refused to take her face out of your fur…Collei had fallen asleep, you deduced. She must be exhausted after so many night shifts dealing with the withering zones. In the deer equivalent of a sigh, you laid your head down to rest your eyes. Though you could not find the strength in yourself to fall asleep with the voices beckoning and tugging at your mind, you could at least let your new body rest.

There was a chuffing sound from outside, and soon you felt the familiar weight of Stick the rishboland tiger pressing against your back. Following after were Dirt and Leaf who piled on top of your back, creating an odd snuggle pile that was sure to confuse anyone who wasn’t a local.

Your tiger friends smelled of blood and death, a telltale sign that they had just come back from their most recent hunt with their pack. Like you, the three never seemed that close to the other members of their group and instead chose to hang around with you in the human village. (This had given Tighnari quite the heart attack at first— you worried for its health)

In the comforting weight of the boland-human-deer cuddle pile, your eyelids started to droop and the tugging faded away. For the first time in weeks, you slept peacefully.