Bound by Chaos AU

9- The Ranger

Warnings for harsh language and typical battle a violence.

The beginning of this chapter is a flashback.

In my universe, a harpy song can only affect those who are pure Mobians. Any other race or half race won't be affected by their spells.

-Contains 4 comic panels about the ranger's arrival.
-comics are read from left to right, top to bottom on each of comic pages

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Near the edge of a creek bed was a druid who sat alone on the forest floor. The sound of the water trickling was soothing to the ears. The druid felt calm, but also a bit bored. He flicked at some pebbles and picked at a small pile of leaves.

Suddenly his ranger companion dropped from the treetops and landed next to him. The ranger had left previously to scout up ahead for danger, but he had taken a bit longer than expected to return. The druid was overwhelmed with joy seeing his partner.

"what took you-Where have you been?" asked the druid.

The ranger gave the druid a peck on the cheek before he went to sit next to him on a nearby rock. The sunlight broke through the branches of the trees and warmed the ranger's body. "I'm sorry it took so long. I had seen some mobians in trouble at the town ahead. I decided to help a Barbarian and a Bard with aiding the citizens." He was clearly in a good mood after meeting the other Mobians. He smiled widely and had a bright expression on his face,"I was talking to the Barbarian and he offered me to join them and work alongside them. It was an amazing oppor-"

He was interrupted by the druid, "wait- does that mean.. you're going to be aiding them and going on quests from now on?"

"Well, uh, yeah..." the ranger's attitude suddenly changed, and he looked away, "It won't be a forever thing, if that's what you're worried about..."

The druid dropped his head and fiddled with his fingers, "I probably won't get to see you as often then..." He understood this is what the ranger wanted, but he wasn't ready for the change of pace in their lives.

The ranger's tone softened, feeling a bit bad about how his partner was reacting to the news. He expected his partner to be enthusiastic, but was only presented with body language that showed disappointment. The ranger was very conflicted, as he couldn't bear the thought of leaving his partner alone in the forest. "Can I ask you one thing?"

"I'm listening..."

The ranger spoke softly and gently, "Will you come with me?"

The druid's stomach dropped and he started to panic for the possibility of change, "But it was just supposed to be the two of us alone. Didn't you like traveling with me in the forest?"

The ranger's voice sounded kind and gentle as he spoke. "It is my dream to be adventurous and aid others. I don't want to choose between that ambition and you. I'm asking for you to join us. I know it'll be hard for you to adjust...I know you don't want to stop me either... But I also can't ignore your feelings on the matter..."

The druid knew the ranger would have dropped everything to make his partner more comfortable. "I won't stop you from chasing your dreams," he reminded him. His voice lowered, but..." The druid felt scared about stepping out of the comfort of the wood. "I.. I can't. I won't go with you..." He wasn't ready to be social with other mobians and he knew that going on more quests would put him in more danger than he seeked. He had felt happy and content with what they had.

The druid stood and stepped back into some shade under a large oak and said, "I'm sorry ..."

After hearing the druid's reply, the ranger had a pained look on his face. He cared about his partner more than anything, yet he felt torn between pursuing his dreams and keeping their relationship strong. "I... I see." Was all he could say. He was clearly sad and heartbroken, but he accepted it all the same. The ranger rose to his feet and walked a distance away from the druid. He didn't want to see his partner's upset expression any longer.