All Creatures Great and Small

[DragonSong]

A month? That seemed a long time to be trapped in a form that was not your own.

"I'm sorry," Krysta murmured, lowering herself down to sit between his horns with her legs curved to one side. "Well--once we get you fixed up, maybe I can...help, somehow. See if I can help you figure out what happened."

She didn't want to promise too much, but it seemed the least she could do for the poor thing.

[MadEmperor]

Ivan could tell she was sincere, even if her offer seemed a tad naïve. He didn't know if becoming human again was a possibility, as much as he wished it were so. Even if it were, it would require even more magic and how could he return to Ansgar's light through sin?

"After heal, no magic," he said before he realized that he should probably keep being Ansgarian to himself. His religion wasn't popular with foreigners; they were too enamored magic's short-term benefits to see the truth.

[DragonSong]

Krysta blinked, looking down at him with a curious frown. "No magic?" she repeated. Wanting to make sure she understood what he was saying, she asked, "You mean...you don't use magic? Or you don't want me to use magic?"

[MadEmperor]

Ivan sighed; he was too honest for his own good. He would be much safer lying. But he was too tired and hungry to be clever. "Magic b-bad for soul. Best avoided."

[DragonSong]

Krysta's frown deepened. That...was an odd thing to say. Though she supposed she might be able to understand it, if magic was the reason he'd been forced into a shape not his own.

Assuming his transformation was his only experience with magic, she tried to reassure, "The mages back at the castle are well experienced with their craft--if they are able to help you, it wouldn't be a dangerous undertaking."

[MadEmperor]

Ansgar forgive me, for I am too weak to die before being a part of magic.

Wait... "Castle?" he asked with a little surprise. He hadn't seen any such thing as he came down from the mountains. A Fae glamour obscured it, perhaps? That was what she was, right?

[DragonSong]

"Yes, castle," Krysta repeated. She smirked a bit to herself and added, "I'd offer to give you a tour when you're well, but I don't think you'd...fit."

There were magics that her people could bestow to grant outsiders access to their queendom by temporarily changing their size, but as far as she knew those hadn't been used in generations.

She fluttered up from her perch on the crown of his head to hover in the air in front of him. "Just a bit longer," she assured, glancing back over her shoulder into the forest. "My friends should be back with some supplies soon."

[MadEmperor]

Of course. Anything people of her size would call a castle would be small enough to blend in with the forest. And with Fae glamour, nobody would find them unless they wanted them to.

"Friends?" he asked nervously, ashamed of his newfound cowardice. But he was in an unfamiliar land, with an unfamiliar body, alone and wounded; he was right to be wary of the kindness of the Fae. He had heard many a horrific tale of the price of such things.

[DragonSong]

"Mhm." Krysta flittered about near the entrance of his makeshift den, peering out into the thick greenery of the forest. "We were just out on a lark when we heard you back here. I'm not really supposed to be this far out, so it'll be easier for them to grab the supplies we need and get back. Less suspicious."

[MadEmperor]

Her general demeanor, coupled with her seemingly unique restrictions, planted the suspicion in his mind that she was, perhaps, high-born. He wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing.

"Sneaked out?"

[DragonSong]

"Well--yes," Krysta sighed. She saw no point in lying to him--it wasn't like he was going to rat her out to the guard.

She let her eyes flicker over the tree line once more, then turned and fluttered back to hover in front of him. She tried to keep enough distance that he could actually see her--she knew it she flew two close she was so small he'd be going cross-eyed trying to keep her in sight.

She shrugged. "It's not a big deal. Well, usually it isn't. Like I said, just out for a lark." She smiled crookedly. "We don't usually find wounded curse subjects hiding in the woods."

[MadEmperor]

"I no wish you trouble, but I glad you did." Ivan hated speaking like he was just learning common, but it was exhausting trying to pronounce things correctly with the mouth of a beast. Perhaps when he had his energy back, he could learn to speak properly. He hoped the gratitude he already felt towards the pixie showed in his colorful feline eyes.

"Name?" he asked.

[DragonSong]

The diminutive princess fluttered back and forth in front of him for a moment before backpedaling in the air a bit.

"Krysta," she said, laying a hand on her chest. "My name is Krysta. And you?"

[MadEmperor]

"Ivan," he answered. "Good to meet you."

His head drooped for a moment as exhaustion clawed at him. It was a struggle to stay alert, but he worried that if he fell asleep, he might never wake again. "They bring food, too?"

[DragonSong]

"Ivan," Krysta repeated. She smiled at him and nodded, raising both hands with her fingers spread wide in what was clearly a familiar gesture to her. "Stars aligned."

It was a common enough greeting among her own people--the implication being that she was glad the stars had aligned in whatever configuration had led to their meeting.

She winced slightly when he asked about food. "Well...I didn't ask them to. But, um..." She glanced back over her shoulder into the trees. "Here, I'll go look for something. I'll be back soon, promise."

She flitted toward the entrance of the den, then hesitated. "Er...what do you...eat?"

[MadEmperor]

If he could easily answer that, then he wouldn't be so emaciated. Or maybe he did know; he just wasn't ready to surrender any more of his humanity by devouring live prey.

"Meat... I assume. Not raw. Not a mere beast yet." Ivan shuddered at the thought of raw meat, even as unfamiliar instincts told him it was what he needed—what he actually wanted.

[DragonSong]

Krysta bit her lip. That...may be challenging.

She swallowed. "Ah...does it have to be meat? I'm not exactly a hunter, and um..." She gestured to herself. All six inches of her. "I don't know if I could carry proper game."

She gave him an apologetic look. "Will nuts and berries do, just for now? I don't want to make you sick, but finding a proper meal for you will take longer than we have..."

[MadEmperor]

Ivan was actually relieved not to have to indulge his new body's appetite for meat. He didn't know if he could keep much down in his current state anyway.

"Yes. That is fine. Thank you." His speech was still careful and forced, but he was quickly getting the hang of speaking. Soon, he might even be able to speak normally. At least, when just staying alert wasn't its own challenge.

[DragonSong]

"Right!" She buzzed up to just above the height of his head for a moment, then flitted back out of the entrance of his makeshift den. "I'll be back soon!"


Gathering the forage of the forest was significantly easier for Krysta than hunting would have been; she did have to change her size to properly transport her several human handfuls of bounty back to Ivan's hiding place.

The ability to change size and shape was something her people weren't actually supposed to do in front of outsiders, if at all possible, so she reverted back to her proper size just outside the den and began carting in the nuts, berries, and mushrooms she'd gathered one or two at a time.

"There," she panted, dropping a hazelnut onto the pile. It was probably only a half dozen mouthfuls for a creature of Ivan's size, but it was better than nothing. "Once you're healing, hopefully I can bring you something more substantial..."

[MadEmperor]

Ivan bowed his head in gratitude. He was going to ask how such a little thing could gather so much so quickly, but his stomach interrupted with a mighty rumble. He gave her an embarrassed look completely out of place on a great cat's face. "Sorry." He couldn't help but bury his face in the pile and start eating.

It didn't last long, but it was all he could stomach. "I feel better. Thank you."