A New Harvest (Vaip and Gunner)

[LilGunner]

Theirs was a land of mystery, magic, and monsters. If one was careful they could live their life in peace; the worst monster they might have to deal with being a chirori. Mostly they lived in the deeper parts of the forest or in dark, dangerous caves. Few ventured out to those places save for the brave and strong or the painfully stupid. Where that left Ivah she had never been certain. At a young age she'd had an affinity with monsters. Some of them anyways. Most she hardly saw as monsters, they only attacked with scared or threatened. Her parents owned a large farm where they raised and bred monsters for their products. Buffamoo for milk, wollies for their wool, kokehoho for eggs, and even a couple hornets for the honey they produced. Their ranch made a very tidy living off the products, tidier still as Ivah grew and worked with the monsters they raised. She even had a few wayward souls she managed to befriend. First, when she was a far younger girl, she found an injured fuwori. After nursing the little creature back to health it became unusually attached and was rarely seen off her shoulder. She dubbed him "Scamper" for children are not particularly creative in names. Far later in life Ivah had a brush with death. She was out with Scamper, keeping to the edges of the woods near the base of the mountain. Out from the bushes tall, monstrous silver wolf emerged. Ivah was certain she was going to be gobbled up. With no other chance but to try she spoke to the beast in a calm, soothing voice. It didn't pounce; in fact, it was curious. Ivah fed it some bread and cheese she happened to have and made a new, lifelong friend.

It was her 16th year when he parents knew she was more than ready to handle the farm. They'd had their eye on a venture property off on some islands, a new business after years of the rancher life style. Her father had always dreamed to be a cook and her mother wanted to own an inn. So they decided to leave Ivah in charge of the ranch. The work was hard and long but Ivah grew strong for it. Shiro, her silvery white wolf, and scamper didn't so much help as gave moral support as she collected eggs, sheered wollies, and milked buffamoo. For two years everything went smoothly. The ranch flourished under her charge, producing enough goods to both sell at market and send to her parents. At 18 Ivah was strong and confident in her abilities as a rancher.

Then things took a turn. Not only for her but for the entire town.

Monsters drew closer. Orcs and ghouls and even trolls came out from the deep, dark corners of the world. Ivah lost half of her herd in a year. The ranch was suffering and the town struggled to keep the monsters back. More and more of the townsfolk abandoned their trades and took up arms. The town suffered from the loss of trade as they fought to keep the monsters at bay. Even Shiro struggled to defend the ranch, however strong he was. Ivah took up the bow, riding about on Shiro's back. With her herds thinned she dedicated more and more time to training. Her arms grew strong from bending the bow. Strangest of all the monsters that attacked couldn't be reasoned with. Even Ivah's affinity with them didn't seem to matter for the ones who attacked. The daily struggle for life lasted for nearly two years.

All at once it stopped. No more attacks. At first the town thought it was a calm before the storm. Homes were fortified, every villager was mandated to wield weapons. Those who had been fighting, at home and afield, patrolled the forest edge. Ivah and Shiro prowled into the forest but all was calm. A week passed, then a month. The villagers relaxed their guards, patrols lessened. Life slowly returned to normal but their economy was devastated. Ivah did what she could to help her town but, most importantly, they needed more farmers. Many of the farmers had left their plots of land, fleeing into the town. The older man who leased a portion of Ivah's ranch had long since fled for far larger, distant cities for protection.

It was lean times, festivals were minimal or forgotten. Ivah took care of her small herd, only a quarter of the size it had once been. Finally all seemed peaceful and Ivah decided it was time to try and gather new monsters to strengthen the output of her ranch. It would be dangerous but, over the two years, she had become a deadly shot with her bow. Shiro was lean, strong, and she trusted her wolf above all others. So with Scamper on her shoulder, astride Shiro, she set out to find more monsters to befriend.

The trio had been out for half a day and had a small contingent of wollies and one buffamoo trailing with them. Ivah kept coaxing them to follow with kind words and small treats. Wild as they were wollies and buffamoo were gentle monsters, easier to befriend. Suddenly Shiro pulled up short. His nose raised into the air with loud, huffing sniffs. "What is it boy?" Ivah asked in a whisper, readying an arrow. Of course, right when she had found a few to fatten her herds there would be an attack. A battle would likely scatter the new monsters she had just befriended. Yet Shiro didn't growl. He gave a low, confused whine. Ivah tilted her head, pushing a lock of chestnut hair out of her wide, brown eyes. Slowly she slid of the warm, furry back of her wolf. "Lead on," she said with a gesture. Shiro snorted and prowled forward. Rather than stick to the path they deviated into the thick brush of the trees. A dangerous way to go but she trusted Shiro.

The wolf pulled up short and stuck his nose in the grasses. Ivah bent down to find...a body?! She pushed the grasses back to find a man, or a boy, at least one closeish to her age. Unconscious in the forest! Ivah stowed her arrow and slung her bow. "Hello? Can you...hear me?" She asked the figure with a gentle nudge and no response. Her lips pressed together. It was hardly a decision really. "Lay down Shiro," she said to the wolf who obliged. With a couple well timed rolls she got the strange onto Shiro's back. "Let's go home," she said as she turned back to the path. Walking was slow work but they made it back well before dark, well before she had even intended on returning. Thankfully the four wollies and the buffamoo still followed. Seeing the groups of their own kind they scurried forward to greet their fellows leaving Ivah to deal with the stranger.

With her parents gone she had taken over their room which left her old room for the stranger. Shrio was a star that day, crouching low in the house to help get the stranger up to the bedrooms. It was a struggle but between the large wolf, that barely fit in the house, and Ivah they got him to the room. Ivah decided propriety was in order but removed his shirt at least to check for wounds. She tended to him with the best of her abilities before leaving him with Shiro for a little to fetch the doctor.

There wasn't much to be done, according to the doctor. Wait for the young man to awaken. Try and get a little water into him using a cloth and slowly drip it between his lips, keep his head tilted back so the water would go down his throat and not his lungs. Ivah sat with him through the night, trying a little water every so often. As the night wore on her eyes burned and grew heavy. Close to down she eventually fell asleep in the chair beside the bed with scamper curled up in her lap. Shiro had long since gone outside and guarded the door. While asleep of course.

 

[Carpe Diem]

He was exhausted. His mind was foggy, unable to focus on a single thing for more than a few seconds. He couldn't remember where he was, or what he was doing here. All he could remember was that... he'd come here with a purpose. Monsters, was a word that crossed his mind more than once, as he aimlessly staggered through what he could only describe as a sea of trees. Everywhere he looked, there were only trees, foliage, the leaves rustling about in a quiet, relaxing symphony. It was all peaceful, but had it always been that way? Who was he? What was he? He looked down at his feet to see if he was really there, noting that, at the very least, he had feet. Feet which carried him, though to where was a question he couldn't answer. His clothes were tattered, barely capable of being called clothes, and more akin to rags, dirty and torn, pieces missing. His boots, made out of wool, had most definitely seen better days, barely kept together at the soles. He couldn't even remember how he'd gotten to this state. All he could really say was that... he was really hungry, and thirsty, and that his legs stang from walking so much. Wherever he was going, he probably didn't have to be there in that instant, right?

So he sat down to take a short rest, his legs giving way before he was even on the ground. They trembled, aching from what he could only imagine had been days of nonstop walking. How long had he been treading this road? Why was he here? These questions tortured his mind, dancing around it, but never allowing him to grasp at them to begin wondering for an answer. He sighed, taking a hand to his head and running his fingers through his hair. He tapped the tip of his index against something; some kind of plastic construct or other. He grabbed at it and found that it hung to his face, just in front of his eyes. A pair of glasses, removed from him, the difference immediately apparent. His eyesight became markedly blurrier... but more than that, the world became less colorful without them. As if they were meant to be used to perceive the world differently. Feeling a headache coming on almost immediately, he put them back on and leaned back, holding himself up by his arms.

He sighed, his gaze upward, as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. He was soaked with sweat, giving him a filthy kind of feeling. He was coated in a thin layer of dirt, too, for some reason. Everything about his current state seemed to suggest that he had been wandering around for at least a few days. It would explain why he was so weary, and why his entire body ached, but not why he couldn't even do so much as remember his name, or why he was lost in a place like this. He thought to lay down, letting his arms rest at his sides. It was so cool in the grass, so soft and comfortable. If he could only rest a little while, maybe he could clear his mind, or at least get some energy to look around for food and water. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea... and so he closed his eyes, darkness enveloping him like a sweet blanket, cooing him into a dreamless sleep. Well, not entirely dreamless. He was visited by vague visions of someone, a voice that was familiar, but also not. He was entrusted with something, given a very important object. It was imperative that he protected this object with his life, and that he use it for a purpose... that he couldn't recall. Whatever it was, he didn't have it anymore. It was gone, along with all of his memories.

-------​

He felt the something, someone, pick him up, take him somewhere. He heard a voice, sweet as it was, call to him, yet he couldn't even shift in his sleep or try to reply to it. He was far too tired to even think about waking up, the embrace of sleep conquering him. It coaxed him into motionlessness, taking him prisoner, but comforting him. By the time he could even manage to shift in his bed, his eyes fluttering open, he found himself in a place different from the one he'd fallen unconscious on. Rather than being surrounded by nature, there were walls, a candle lighting up the room. Instead of lying down on the grass, he was on a bed, soft and warm, though perhaps a bit small for his liking. But more importantly than that, he was no longer alone. Instead, he laid his eyes on a girl with soft features and flowing brown hair. To say he was confused was an understatement. He was speechless, at first, unable to comprehend where it had gone from him being in the wilderness, by himself, to now being... tended to? By this girl. He shifted uncomfortably at first, noting that she was asleep. "Uhm..." Would it be rude to awaken her? Perhaps he could just go back to sleep and wait for a better time.

... Groooowl.

But before he could even decide, his body, stomach specifically, roared to remind him of how hungry he was, echoing in the small room. There was no way she wouldn't hear that.

 

[LilGunner]

Ivah was well asleep, her head resting against the wall in her repose. Scamper twitched some in his sleep, dreaming of whatever chioris dreamt about. She had stayed up with the stranger as long as she could but she wasn't used to long, late nights. Normally she'd be up with the sun to start work on the ranch. Buffamoo were gentle giants but spirits help you if they didn't get fed on time.

The deep, rumbling, painfully loud growl jarred her from her sleep. It sounded like a monster had come into the room! She jumped up, ready to fight. Scamper rolled out of her lap with a surprised squeak, chittering angrily once he stood back up. Where was Shiro? He was supposed to be guarding the door. She had no weapons on hand. Then she stopped and looked around. No monster. Her heart settled down and she released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Then it dawned on her. Her head snapped over to look at the man she had dragged out of the woods. His eyes were open. He was awake! Ivah's face lit up in delight and surprise.

"Oh! You're awake!" A joyful grin spread across her lips as she turned to him. "When the doctor said he hadn't a clue when you'd wake up I was so worried...but here you are! Awake! Thank the spirits. Boy, when we found you...we being Shiro, Scamper and me...well I didn't really know what to think; but sleeping in the forest is a pretty bad idea. I mean it's been calm for a while but...well you never know." Her mouth moved a mile a minute, her hands expressive and gesturing with every other word. "I mean, we couldn't just leave you there and you definitely were not just sleeping. Unless you just sleep really deep. Doctor had no idea what might be wrong. But at least you're safely out of the woods."

Ivah stopped herself and blinked for a moment before giving him a rueful grin. "Sorry...haven't introduced myself. I'm Ivah," she said a little slower with the grin still pasted across her lips. "Oh, and this is Scamper," she said as she picked up the irate little chidori. The little red rodent huffed and puffed some in her arms. "Do you...I mean...not to be rude but Doc said you might be a little delirious. Do you...know your name? Where you're from? Where you were going?"

 

[Carpe Diem]

"Ah..." His stomach rumbled once again. He broke into a cold sweat, embarrassment coloring his features as the girl jumped into a fighting stance. Was it that loud? He was pretty hungry, for sure, but he didn't think his empty stomach was that loud, nor did it warrant such a reaction. But maybe he was wrong. All he could do was scratch at his cheek, giving an apologetic, anxious grin to the girl as she gazed over and offered him a smile of her own. He didn't know where he was, or who this girl was, but she had definitely taken him from the wilderness and to safety, so surely she couldn't be dangerous, right? He relaxed his shoulders, a sigh leaving his lips as he settled back against the bed's headrest.

"Oh, is it really that dangerous? I didn't... feel like it was dangerous at all. In fact, it was really peaceful." He didn't realize it back then, but the only reason he was able to lie down and relax enough to sleep was because he knew for a fact that there was nothing to be afraid of. Sure, he could hear the chattering and squeaking of various beasts in the vicinity, but they all seemed content to mind their own businesses. He wasn't sure how exactly to describe it, but if he had to say... it was probably like a sort of sixth sense that let him know if he was in any immediate danger. He could hear the nature speak to him, almost. "Thank you for bringing me here, though! I really thought I was a goner back there. I couldn't move, I was so thirsty and hungry... I was sleeping... but it was a strange kind of sleep. It felt a little too real, you know?"

He cleared his throat, bringing his hand to his chin, a pensive expression taking over his features. He brought his hand to the bridge of his nose to push up his glasses, finding quickly that they were not there. He looked around, and found them on the nightstand next to the bed, picking up and putting them on. "Nice to meet you, Ivah. Again, thank you for your help." He offered her an amicable smile, waving to the angry little puffy creature on her arms. It didn't lack bravado, for certain, but that didn't make it any less cute or any more menacing. "Delirious? Uhm... Not in the traditional sense, no. But now that you mention it, I can't remember much about myself..."

He wracked his brain for some answers, coming up only with blank spots and foggy excerpts of his memory. Nothing conclusive, about his identity, where he had come from or why he had been found where he was. "I'm sorry. Honestly, as much as I want, the only thing I can really remember is my name, and even that isn't very reliable. I think... my name is Ferro."

 

[LilGunner]

His attempted explanation of the comfort of sleeping in the forest didn't make much sense to her. There was nothing peaceful about sleeping in that forest. Of course it had been safe for a little while, the monster threat having died down unexpectedly. Even still folk were on edge about venturing out into the thickets. One never knew what they might encounter. Even still she managed a grin at his thanks. "You are very welcome," she replied as she stroked Scamper's back to get him to calm down. Though the oddities continued as he didn't seem to be able to remember much about himself. All except for a name. Possibly his name. Even he wasn't so sure of that. Ivah gave him a gentle, almost sad smile. Poor guy.

"Well it's nice to meet you too Ferro," she said with that little smile. "I'm sure things will come back to you. Doc said there might be complications. He couldn't even figure out why you were unconscious. How about for now I get you a little something to eat and drink and you go back to sleep, hmm? Doc said you should eat simple foods when you wake up, take the edge off the hunger but nothing too rich or it'll make you sick." She stepped forward and placed the huffy chidori on the bed. "I'll be right back," she said with a small pat to Scamper's head before leaving the room. Scamper turned and looked up at Ferro. For a moment the chidori looked ready to flee or to fight, not that he was particularly intimidating. Slowly he edged forward, sniffing at Ferro. Finally he crawled up onto Ferro's thigh for a few more sniffs before curling up into a little ball of fluff. It had been a tiring day for the little guy.

Ivah was only gone a couple of minutes. She carefully carried a platter of soft bread, cheese, a glass of milk, and a glass of water. Scamper, ever alert, was up in a flash, eyeing the platter she carried. "It's not for you Scamper," she said with an amused laugh. The little chidori didn't entirely seem to care if it was for him or not. Ivah set the platter down on Ferro's lap and stepped back. "I should get started on my chores, managed to find a few more woolies and buffamoos for the herds," she said only to realize he probably hadn't a clue what she was talking about. "I run a ranch, collecting and selling monster products. That cheese and milk was made right here," she said with a proud grin. "But I won't bore you with too much of the trials and woes around here, maybe later. Anyways eat up and try and rest some more. If you're feeling up to it feel free to come outside, it's looking to be a nice, sunny day." With that and another grin she left the room. Normally Scamper went with her for chores, mostly just riding on her shoulder, but he was more interested in watching Ferro eat. His big, brown eyes particularly round and shiny as he watched.

Ranch work was never really done, there was always something to do. It was a little earlier than usual but the monsters were perfectly happy to be fed early. The new monsters seemed to be settling in well enough. After feeding she collected eggs and honey then milked the buffamoo. Everything was divided between what she kept on the farm, since it was just her it wasn't much, and what went to town to trade and ship. Ivah hummed and sang quietly to herself as she worked, her brown hair tamed back with a kerchief. Her thoughts kept wandering to the stranger. He was certainly an enigma. After all, how often did handsome men get randomly found asleep in the forest? It was like a fairy tale...though with the gender reversed.

 

[Carpe Diem]

Ferro cleared his throat, a wave of awkwardness coming over him. Here she was, having saved him from what probably would've been a very slow and painful death and he couldn't even tell her with certainly what his name was. She was housing him, had taken him into her house without hesitation and made sure he would awaken with someone by his side. Even though she should've been suspicious of his story, she took it at face value, believing him with a smile on her lips. He wouldn't call her naive or easy to fool, but kind. Maybe she was intuitive and realized he wasn't lying. Whatever the case, Ferro nodded at her. "And, it's nice to meet you, ah... Ivah." He said with his own smile. She'd even gone out of her way and called the town doctor to check on him, although he didn't know if that was something to be expected around these parts. He vaguely remembered that it wasn't, where he'd come from. Wherever that was. "Oh! Alright. If it's not too much trouble, I'd be very happy for some food. I'm starving, if I'm being completely honest..." He laughed apologetically, watching Ivah's back as she left the room.

'She's cute...' he thought to himself, staring at the door when she closed it. No, not the time to think about that! He had to figure out who he was and why he was here. But more importantly, he had to figure out why he had amnesia. He could remember his name just fine, so why was it that he couldn't remember anything else? It was suspicious. Was that even his real name? It could have been anyone else's name, for all he knew. "Oh," In his frantic search for answers, he'd hardly noticed the furry creature glaring at him warily. "Hey, little buddy. I promise I won't hurt you and your Master, so relax, okay? I'd never repay kindness with cruelty." He brought his hands up to his face and gave the chidori a nervous grin, a sweat falling from his temple. He sighed in relief as it went to sniff him and subsequently curled up into a ball next to him. He gave the creature, Scamper if he heard Ivah correctly, a few pats on its back. "Easy now. See? I'm no harm, although I could probably use a bath..." He commented the last part almost as an afterthought, noting the thin layer of sweat covering his forehead.

Ferro went to do his best to look as presentable as he could, using his fingers as a makeshift hairbrush, trying to push down the wild, rebellious bits of hair that had shot out in different directions. It seemed as though his hair was naturally parted at the sides, however, with his a pair of bangs framing his face. "Ah...!" Before he was done fixing his hair, however, Ivah walked in, a small platter in hand. Immediately his stomach began grumbling, reminding him of just how hungry he was. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment, but he took the food gratefully nonetheless, offering the girl a bright smile. "Thanks you very much, again. You're a real lifesaver." He said, nodding in agreement as she said she had things to attend to. So she was a rancher. That would definitely make her busy. He waved at her, refusing to eat until she was out of sight, if only because of manners. Looking down at the food she'd brought, he gave a momentary glance at Scamper, who was looking at him expectantly. Ferro picked off a piece of bread from the bunch and gave it to the small, furry creature, digging into the meal right after. "... how does one make milk, though...?"

Some minutes later, he was done eating, stretching out his arms and lying back on the bed, sighing contentedly. That sure hit the spot. It was really good food, especially the milk and cheese. He could tell she made them with love and care. "Ah... I could... probably fall asleep." He said to himself, resting his head on the pillow. But... he didn't feel right, just sleeping the day off while Ivah was out there working. After a few minutes of thinking, Ferro made up his mind and lifted himself up with a little effort. Though he had rested well, he was still kind of sore and the food had only slightly recovered some of his energy. It was enough to move around, though, and so he pushed himself off the bed and, with Scamper following after him, went out the door. Her house was quaint, and warm. Very big for just one person, though. Had she always lived alone? She seemed a bit young to have started the ranch by herself. Though it was probably better if he asked her directly, rather than go and start speculating things. And so he found the front door and peeked out, watching her work from afar.

He pushed past and shielded his eyes from the sunlight. It was dark when he first woke up, but the sun was starting to rise already, which meant it was early morning. "Howdy!" He called in the best cowboy impression he could muster, which wasn't a very good one at all, as he approached Ivah. "I know you said I should be resting, but I feel guilty not returning the favors you've done me. Think I could get some load off your shoulders?"

 

[LilGunner]

The sun was barely up and Ivah had finished most of the basic, daily chores. The buffamoo and woolies were happily grazing out in the field, the kokoheko clucked and scrabbled around for bugs and seeds, hornets passing too and fro from the forest edge to their hive. Ivah was busily sorting out what she had collected that morning when she heard a shout from the house. Her eyebrows quirked at the call and she lifted her head to see Ferro standing on the porch. Ivah was taken aback enough her head jerked back. He was well enough to get up? His offer of assistance only increased her shock. Well enough to get up and well enough for chores. The man was either a little crazy or simply had no idea about ranch labor. After a minute of surprise silence Ivah managed a grin and picked up the small jug of milk and basket of half a dozen eggs.

For a moment she thought to ask him if he even knew how to do anything around a ranch. Fix a broken section of fence? Repair the door to a coop? Clean out some wax in a hive without pissing off the hornets? He looked like, once well fed and rested, he would be strong enough for ranch work but she wasn't certain about his level of knowledge. "Well...uhm..." she hesitated, racking her brain for anything that wouldn't require supervision. After a few moments of her face scrunched in thought she gave him a rueful grin. "Sorry I can't think of anything specific, not really used to having a hand for anything," she said with a laugh. "How about you just tail around with me today? Wouldn't mind having someone to talk to and if I need a hand you'll be right there." Not only did she not have time to teach and babysit but he needed to rest himself. "I was just heading in for a bit of breakfast and then gonna head into town. Drop off my wares, ship some out, get a few supplies. I'm sure Doc would wanna have a look at you."

With a little wave for him to follow she headed back into the house with her basket of milk and eggs. The kitchen was a decent size, roomy if a little rustic. There was an old hearth, complete with bread shelf, on one side but clearly rarely used. The kitchen had been updated some time ago with gas and electricity. Ivah put the milk into the fridge beside a matching bottle that was nearly empty and the eggs on the counter. "Honestly thought you would sleep the day away," she said as she put a pan on the range and lit the burners. "The town's not so far away, about an hour walk." Scamper had been following Ferro around, curious but still a little wary. Ivah looked down at the little chidori and laughed. "Seems like you've made a friend already," she said as she offered a hand to the chidori. Scamper gave a little chittering squeak and, true to his name, scampered up her arm and curled up around her neck as she turned back to drop some butter into the pan followed by two fresh eggs.

Ivah glanced out the window that overlooked the back half of her property. It had always been fairly neglected, ever since she was young. It was good land for crops and her parents always said they'd look into raising some crops there. With all their monsters to handle, however, the thought just never came to light. It was the only part of the property that wasn't immaculate. Everywhere else was neatly kept and well tended. The pastures kept well cropped from the grazing monsters, rotated every half season so it didn't get ruined by heavy hooves. The back half was overgrown with weeds, small trees had taken root. It would take ages to clear it all out and plant. "Help yourself to anything if you're still hungry. There isn't too much, plenty of eggs, milk and honey though," she said with a laugh. "Farming has been a struggle around here, the country has seen better days," she said as she flipped over the eggs. "Only just started getting back to normal after the monster attacks stopped. Most of the farmers had to start from scratch. Should be a decent harvest soon though." Eggs done she dumped them onto slices of fresh cut bread and sat down at the small table near the hearth.

"You know, kind of dawns on me maybe I've been a little...judgmental. Do you have any farm or ranch experience? I know your memory's a bit foggy but...well, I don't know. Any idea on tending herds and flocks? Or chopping down trees? Tilling the ground?"

 

[Carpe Diem]

... Probably not. Her expression was telling. Ranch work was tough, that much he knew, and probably demanded some knowledge and practice before one could be reliable with it. Especially practice, which he didn't have. She was trying to be courteous and not refuse his offer outright, but he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was hesitant to give him anything to do, if only because he was likely to mess it up. Enthusiasm was only worth so much and an amnesiac didn't inspire much confidence in a person. Still, he wanted to at least try and make himself useful after all she had done to help him. Ivah didn't know him and yet she still went so far just to make sure he was alright. It might've been the right thing to do, but it was definitely not the easy decision to make. He was grateful, both for the bed, the treatment, and especially the food. He slumped his shoulders, realizing just how useless he was at the moment.

He looked up at her with bright, puppy eyes when she suggested that he tailed her around for the time being. At least that way he might learn a thing or two while watching her and give her assistance if she needed it. "Sure! If I can at least make myself a little useful, then I'd love to! I'll be the best ranch hand you've ever seen, I promise." He announced with zest, raising his fist up to the air and placing his other hand on his bicep. The man might've not been aware of it, but he had quite the physique, his muscles well-defined, hard as rock. Under his shirt were chiseled abs and pectorals, proof that whatever he'd done before losing his memory likely demanded strong physical ability. His button-up shirt, in its tight and disheveled state, barely contained his upper body, the buttons just about ready to give out at any moment. At the mention of going into town, however, Ferro's expression changed from one of zeal to one of curiosity, his head tilting slightly. "Ah, is it alright if I go too? It's probably a good idea to make sure nothing's wrong, but I wouldn't want to be much more of a burden on you. I can't imagine the doctor just does check-ups for free and I have not a single coin on me."

Despite his reservations, Ferro couldn't deny his interest in going to town, if at the very least check to see if there was anyone there that knew him. If not, well, at least he'd get to know the town and learn his way around, as well as where to get the stuff he needed. He couldn't always rely on Ivah's kindness to get by and something told him he'd be staying around for a while. At least long enough to have to earn his own living and not be a leech on her. "Part of me wanted to stay in bed, sure, but I wouldn't feel right, with you being out there breaking your back." He answered as he pulled out a chair and sat down. He counted three chairs around the table, yet he was pretty certain Ivah lived by herself, meaning that at one point, she hadn't. Parents, maybe? He'd asked, but he wasn't sure if it was his place to. "With the amount of walking I made before, I don't think an hour walk will kill me." He said, scratching the back of his head as Scamper made his way up to Ivah's shoulders. "Ah, is that so? I was pretty sure the little buddy hated me, it kept chirping at me." Ferro chuckled wryly, almost as if he was unsure of the truth of her statement. Still, if she said it, it was probably true. She knew the chidori better than he did, and the creatures were known to be skittish in nature.

He followed her gaze absentmindedly as it went to the window, wondering what it was she was looking at. It looked like some beaten up field, full of rubble and weeds. An unused piece of land? It looked nothing like what she had out the front, which suggested it had been left neglected for quite some time now. In fact, it looked as if a hurricane or something had hit it, and it had just been left to its own devices since then. Not that he could blame Ivah or anything; she probably had her hands full with the whole monster fiasco all this time. It was impressive she kept the ranch together at all. He could tell she was perseverant. "Oh, I couldn't take more than I already have! Please, don't worry yourself with me. I'm still quite full from earlier." He said, waving his hands in front of him frantically. Ferro set his hands down on the table, pensive. "Sounds like your town has had it rough all this time. It must've been really hard, handling both monsters and keeping the produce coming. Whatever happened to the monster problem, it's sure to look up now that it's done, right?" He said enthusiastically, though maybe a little too optimistic. He couldn't imagine what she might've gone through during that time.

Taking her cue to change subjects, Ferro offered a quizzical smile as she shifted the focus from the struggle of the town and to him, asking him a few questions that he wasn't sure how to answer. "I wouldn't be able to tell, honestly. My mind's foggy, and I can't tell you for sure I've ever done work like that before, but it just feels like... Maybe if I had a hoe or an axe in my hands I could tell for sure, but... Sorry, that's probably not very convincing, is it?"

 

[LilGunner]

Ivah laughed a little. He was certainly an enthusiastic man if a little strange. Better than someone dull and dour all the time. Ferro seemed to have a drive for work, at least he spoke of wanting to do some work. With a still foggy mind he couldn’t say for sure if he even knew a thing about farming. Honestly she didn’t know too much about raising crops. Sure she grown some flowers to make the ranch a little prettier but they were easy. Put seeds in soil and water. Some years they sprouted beautifully and others, well, not so much. Pull weeds on occasion too. “Well…maybe we’ll see tomorrow. There are tools around here, they’re a little old though: watering can, hoe, axe, hammer. Maybe you can try your hand at clearing some of that over there.” It was a decent enough idea. If he got the hang of it then there would be a nice little farm on the property. If not, well, at least the overgrown field would get cleared out and she could use it for pasture. In the end it at least gave him a project, test his work ethic and make it so she could get on with her own work. “So how about that, huh? But only starting tomorrow. I want you to get a little more rest before trying to clear that field.” Her chiding demands were gentle enough, almost motherly.

Her meal was done cooking and she sat down with him to eat real quick before heading to town. “We had some trouble with monsters a little while ago,” she explained as she ate. “Attacks all the time, especially us out here. Me and the other farmers I mean. I lost over half my monsters. Vicious monsters coming from all the deep, dark places. Orcs and shadowpanthers…even ghouls. It was terrifying. Lasted for…mmm…two years? Roughly. Seemed like forever though. We’re only just recovering.” Ivah paused a moment, chewing thoughtfully. “Actually that’s how I found you, kind of. I was out taming buffamoo and woolies to build up the herd and flock again. Luckily my kokoheko could hide out in their coops and fly away so I only lost a couple of them. Though, in the end, I was lucky. Others lost way more than me. Luckily I have Shiro who helped defend the farm. It made work really tough though. Patrolling constantly and having to do chores. Trying to keep up with broken fences. It was a nightmare.” Ivah released a long sigh, cringing a little remembering how constantly exhausted she had been. “Then, out of the blue, poof! No more monsters, no more attacks. Like they just disappeared, retreated back to the deep caves and thickets of the forests. Very strange events.”

Ivah was a fast eater. Managing the ranch on her own meant fast meals. She drained her glass of milk and stood, putting her dishes in the sink to wash up later. “Alright, let’s get ready to go.” With another little wave for him to follow she headed outside. Putting thumb and index fingers into her mouth she blew a whistle that rang clear across her property. As she waited she picked up her bow and slung it over her back along with a quiver of arrows. It might seem safe but she wasn’t about to take any chances, even with Shiro. Speaking of the silver wolf he came barreling forwards from behind the barn, sliding to a stop in front of Ivah. His shoulders stood as tall as Ivah, his head clear over her head and only a little higher than Ferro. “Ferro this is Shiro. My big strong wolfie. Yes!” She said as she ruffled the wolf’s fur. Shiro whined happily and shoved his face into Ivah’s arms for ear scratches. “He is a good boy and my best helper.” The compliments made Shiro give a loud, happy bark as his tail waved back and forth. Scamper, on the other hand, chittered and huffed. “Oh don’t be like the Scamper, you’re my number one buddy.” It seemed to appease the chidori a little. Ivah laughed as she gathered up the items and slung them on a specially made back, lashed to Shiro’s back. Very carefully filling the packs with her wares.

“Alright let’s go!” She said and led their odd little group towards town. The walk would be long, she normally rode Shiro which cut down the time, but it was a nice enough day. What mattered was getting everything sold and shipped. There were farms they would pass with folk out in the fields. They shouted out greetings to Ivah and looked at the spectacled man with curiosity. Such a small town it was quickly obvious when there was someone knew around.

 

[Carpe Diem]

Ferro's hand found its way to his chin, scratching as he let out a small, sheepish laugh. As zesty as he was, Ivah was right about one thing, at least; Ferro was still recovering, if only in name. He didn't feel all that beaten up or sluggish, but it might just be his body's reserves kicking him into a state of anxious vigor. He felt like he had to be doing something, and yet he still felt a bit sore from his journey here. Plus, there was nothing he could do if Ivah wasn't going to let him work today anyway. She was the one with the tools to do the job, so there was no point in him arguing against her, not that he had any intention to. It would be beyond rude, first of all, to disagree with her after all she'd done for him. Second, the only thing that would result of such an argument would probably be him losing any chances of getting work from her at all, so he had nothing to gain from fighting her on it. Lastly, and he thought most importantly, was that her chiding was too cute to go against. That youthful face of hers didn't help her in terms of intimidation, but she didn't need to intimidate anyone with the way she handled herself. She made a good argument and Ferro was obliged to agree. "Right, right. Doctor's orders, if I remember correctly. I'll try not to push myself and get some rest."

He listened intently to her as she told him about the troubles they'd gotten up to, with the monsters and all. It must've been extremely tough, juggling between fending off the monsters and getting enough food and produce to keep the town afloat. If it hadn't been for their efforts, the town would have probably gone bankrupt and been deserted by the first year, but they had managed to maintain it for two years. "Orcs and ghouls don't usually come out of their caves. There must have been something that got them out of there. Forcefully or otherwise..." He muttered to himself, rubbing his chin pensively. He knew little of his own memories, but it seemed that he had at least some passing knowledge on monster behavior hanging around in that head of his. It frustrated him a little, that all the knowledge outside of his identity and origin was kept intact. Or at least, he knew enough about monsters to realize that monsters attacking the town wasn't something normal. "And you said that they stopped? Just like that? That's strange..." He looked down at the table thoughtfully, before realizing that he might've sounded dismissive a second after. "N-Not to say it's bad or anything! I'm glad that you don't have to deal with that anymore, but it's suspicious." Could it have anything to do with the timing of his arrival? He wanted to go further along that line of thought, but his mind was too fuzzy to really form any thoughts together.

He stood from the table with her, following her when she declared it was time for them to go. Once outside, he stop a few steps behind her, raising his brows inquisitively as she let out an ear-piercing whistle out into the field. A steed of sorts? He didn't see any horses outside or any stable to house them, though. He thought it hard to miss something as obvious as that, but maybe... "Uwah!" Before he could form any theories on it, a huge beast came rushing at them, making Ferro take a step back as he instinctively braced himself... and then nothing. When he opened his eyes, he was astonished to see the giant wolf sitting in front of Ivah obediently, its tail wagging behind it, probably creating a substantial breeze as it did. Ivah introduced him as Shiro, another companion that she kept around the ranch. He was probably the reason she'd managed to keep the ranch from falling apart. Ferro figured there was little that could get past the beast in one piece. "Ah, hello Shiro. It's very nice to... meet you." He offered it as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a bead of sweat falling from his temple. He didn't dare extend his hand at the huge creature, instead keeping a few steps from Ivah in case it was particularly territorial.

Regardless, Ferro nodded and followed Ivah's lead, offering the passersby a smile and a wave as they passed by, introducing himself to the few that would try making conversation with them. None of them seemed to know him, understandably. "So, where are we going first when we arrive, anyway? What do you usually do when you go to town?"

 

[LilGunner]

While a little haggard and busy, trying to get their farms back, everyone they passed a pleasant and cordial. Each seemed to have a pronounced specialty: grains, fruits, vegetables, even mushrooms and flowers. It was strange how each seemed to take on the appearance of their preferred variety. The man who grew flowers, an effeminate blond by the name of James, wore a bright frock and was more beautiful than handsome. Very boisterous he was overjoyed at meeting a new friend, never mind the odd circumstances of the aforementioned arrival. The woman who grew mushroom was a short, squat, crone with her still deep chestnut hair pulled up into a wide pompadour. Ivah told Ferro her name was Maggie but Maggie didn’t have much to say except to ask for a shipment of manure sometime. Of all the farmers Maggie was the least sociable of them. The grains farmer was a tall, thin, man who looked as though a strong breeze might blow him away. His puffy, grey, hair as wispy as fresh cotton.

Ivah glanced over at Ferro and his questions with a small smile. “Well first to the general store to ship off the products and get them put out on shelves. Then we’ll probably go see Doc. I can show you around a little. There isn’t much to the town: an inn and restaurant, the general store, Doc’s office, the mayor’s residence and office, the blacksmith, and tailor. Of course the square where our festivals are held, mostly, and a small park. That’s really all there is to the town, it’s not too exciting,” she said with a small laugh. “There are a few homes in town too. Most of the shopkeepers have living space above their shops so most of the homes are folk who don’t own or run a shop. There is a very eccentric artist, a writer, a retired couple, and a professional monster hunter. He really helped save the town when the attacks were happening. Taught us how to fight them off, use weapons properly, fortify defenses. He’s kind of the town hero really.” Her grin and tone was almost wistful speaking of this supposed town hero.

With more greetings from farmers they came to the bridge that led into town, over a gently flowing river teeming with fish. “We used to have fishing contests here, whoever caught the most and biggest fish,” Ivah said as they passed over. The town itself was in a state of slow repair. The buildings on the outer most part of it suffering the most damages and still held their spiked fortification. Folk were out removing the spikes, repairing the walls. In fact, most of the town as out and about working on repairs. Breaks in mortar, even fire damages needed fixing. Just like the farmers the townspeople seemed haggard but still friendly as Ivah walked in with Ferro and Shiro. It would take a lot of work to get things back to the way they were. Passing the arches the town opened up right into the square, surrounded with the businesses Ivah had mentioned. The buildings were older but clearly sturdy to have withstood the attacks. A small pack of children were playing in the square, watched by a young teenager, while the adults were about their fixing.

“Heidy-ho Ivah! Oh ho and new friend oh ho ho!” Came a shout from above. A spindly man with wild hair, streaked in varying shades and hues, called with a wave. Ivah turned and looked up, squinting against the sun. “Ah! Hello Ambrose! Ambrose this is Ferro. Ferro this is Ambrose the wild style artist,” she said with a good natured laugh. From his suspended perch Ambrose gave a sweeping bow. Ivah continued onward into town. There were a few eccentric folk but, for the most part, none so much as Ambrose and James. The general store was easily the largest shop around the square; the second largest building compared to the Mayor’s residence. Shiro laid down obediently so Ivah could remove the baskets and bundles lashed to him. If offered she wouldn’t mind Ferro’s help carrying the items into the store.

Inside was well lit, packed with shelves which were a little bare. Once the store had boasted food and goods from all over. For the time being it was suffering a little in way of choice. Mostly just local goods and small packs of seeds, nothing too exotic. The shopkeep was a sprightly woman with bright pink, curling hair. “Ivah! Good to see you, and this must be the young man we’ve heard so much about?” The woman asked with a curious look at Ferro, examining him from head to toe. Ivah blinked and laughed a little. “Should have known I couldn’t keep him a secret. Jane this is Ferro. Ferro, meet Jane. She and her husband, Eli, own and operate the general store. I mean…obviously right?” She added with another laugh. Ivah settled accounts with Jane, picking up a little produce to take back home. A little more than normal since there was another person to feed. Once done Ivah led Ferro out of the store.

The door opened as Ivah went for the handle and she was nearly crashed into by a large, muscular man. His flesh was tanned to a dark teak, jet black and curling hair pulled into a ponytail. He had a well-groomed, pointed goatee around a hard mouth and over a strong chin. His eyes were bright as sapphires and a shiny scar raked from brown to chin on the right side of his face. He wore what one might consider relaxed armor, mostly leather with a plate here and there, all made from the hides of monsters. A massive sword was strapped to his back. Ivah froze as she looked up, surprise and terror melding to a soft, nearly simpering smile. “Oh! Derin, hello,” she said in a soft voice glancing away with pink cheeks. The man looked down, eye narrow a moment before breaking into a wide grin. “Ivah! Had to know you were here with Shiro waiting patiently outside. How are you?” He asked with a kindly pat to her head. Ivah glowered a little from the brotherly head pat. “Fine, thank you. How are…” she stared to asked but Derin’s eyes averted to Ferro. “Ah! This must be the mystery man!” Derin boomed. He stepped around Ivah and stuck his hand out. “Derin, and you are?” He asked of Ferro being the first person Ivah didn’t introduce straight away.

 

[Carpe Diem]

It was overwhelming, to say the least, to be put into an unknown place, but it didn't compare to being introduced to so many people in such a short amount of time. He barely had any time to memorize the names of each of the farmers, giving each and every one of them a greeting and a polite nod of his head, laughing off the eccentric parts of their personalities. The beautiful man who could probably strike envy into just about any girl, who smelled like he was constantly taking a flower bath, or the woman with the mushroomey hair who seemed more happy to be out of everyone's sight, rather than to be the center of attention. He tried to be as enthusiastic as James as they were introduced, and respected Maggie's preference to keep a healthy distance. He couldn't expect to be everyone's friends from day one, but he didn't feel any animosity from any of the farmers, whether it was because they were too busy patching up fences or something else.

He listened intently as Ivah described what commodities the town had, impressed by how varied the businesses were, considering what she said about the economic troubles they were in. If there were enough people to have a town mayor, then it surely couldn't be too bad, right? "By the sound of it, everyone knows each other." Ferro said, recalling how casually the farmers greeted each other, but also looked curiously to him, as if he was some kind of weird bug or something. It was only to be expected that they would be curious about the new arrival, now that he thought about it. It certainly made him a bit nervous about meeting with the rest of the townsfolk, but if the first few ones were anything to go by, there was not much need to worry. In fact, Ferro was excited to see what kind of people lived in town. It sounded like a strange little settlement with all kinds of colorful individuals. He was especially curious about this monster hunter that she mentioned. If he was a monster hunter, then maybe he'd know something about the reason for the monsters' behavior, and could provide some hints about Ferro's own appearance.

Approaching the town was a bridge, one that had probably seen better days in the past. Ivah mentioned passingly about fishing contests they used to hold, filling in the blanks about why they no longer did. With some luck, Ferro hoped they could start holding them again. He didn't know if he was any good at fishing, but he would love to try it out, if only to experience the excitement. As they passed the bridge, he immediately saw what Ivah had been talking about, noting the town's condition. Everyone looked pale, as if they hadn't had a good day's rest in seasons, and how everyone seemed to be working hard to get things back to the way they were. He smiled at the sight of children playing, chasing each other around, finding some peace in knowing that, at the very least, the normalcy of a peaceful life was making its way back.

Ferro jumped at the sudden, unexpected call from above, doing a double-take as he looked up to the source of the flamboyant voice. A strange-mannered man styling more colors than a rainbow waved at the pair, a strange, but well-meaning smile on his face. He waved back at the man, laughing half-heartedly, unsure of what the proper response was. He felt warm, though, being referred to as 'friend', a subtle but genuine smile on his lips as they went along to the general store, Ferro stopping to look up at the building. It was taller than most other buildings, as if to draw attention upon itself. He took half of the stuff from Ivah's hands, finding it only fair that he helped carry some of the weight after what she had done for him. Plus, he would look pretty bad if he just let her carry all that stuff by herself.

They were greeted by a woman at least five years past their age, though she seemed more mature than so. Ferro smiled at her, offering the same polite nod as he did to everyone else in town. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jane. It's a nice shop you have here." He said, taking a look around. There was a good stock of things, though he couldn't honestly say there was a lot to choose from. Just enough to keep a healthy variety, but they would definitely benefit from some more items to stock up with. He kept such comments to himself, though, feeling that they were aware of this fact. Instead, he laughed Ivah. "Right... obviously." With introductions done, Ivah and Jane allowed themselves to talk business, resulting in Ferro looking around the shop while they finished it, and he followed after Ivah when they were done, out of the store.

He saw the crash coming from a mile away, his hands reaching to help Ivah in case she were to fall, but swiftly let go of her when she narrowly avoided crashing into the tall man. Ferro tilted his head at the man, unsure of what to think of his gruff, weathered look. He looked much more... battle-ready than everyone else in town, but even that didn't amount to much. His armor was clearly made for ease of movement, rather than overall protection. Ferro vaguely remembered knights clad in white armor, holding halberds and greatswords. The foggy memory was cut short, however, as the conversation quickly shifted from Ivah and the man to him, as he danced around the shorter girl and to Ferro. The brown-haired man scratched at the bridge of his nose for a moment before extending his own hand and gripping Derin's hand, giving the man a firm handshake. "I'm Ferro. I'm afraid I don't know much about myself, so mystery man suits me more than I'd like. You must be the town hero Ivah mentioned to me earlier?"

 

[LilGunner]

Derin's grip, at first, was loose but as he felt the firmness of Ferro's hand shake the squeezing pressure released. He gave a loud, thunderous laugh at Ferro's introduction. "Town hero, that's what they say. Between you and me I just like the sport," he said with another loud laugh. "Firm grip you have there. Don't look much like a fighter though," he said as he eyes Ferro up and down. Unlike Jane's curious interest Derin's look was appraising, sizing Ferro up. On the surface, between his shaggy brown hair and glasses he appeared to be bookish. Looking closer, the way Ferro's buttoned shirt tugged the buttons tight, he thought a strength lay beneath the exterior of a librarian. "But I might be wrong," he said with a devilishly amused smirk. "Well you're in good hands," he said as he turned a little and yanked Ivah against his side, ruffling her light brown hair. Ivah flushed furiously, her lips pursed but a grin threatened to break through. "Can't say I'm a fan of raising monsters but Ivah here does a good job. That Shiro of hers is a force to be reckoned with. Between the archery I taught her and Shiro her farm kept most of the southern forces at bay." He simply oozed pride as though he were the one solely responsible. Meanwhile Ivah's grimace became a shy but beaming grin. "Well I know you farm folk are busy types so I won't keep you. Ever think you want to pick up a sword and try your hand at hunting let me know," he said as he released Ivah and clapped Ferro on the shoulder. "Never hurts to have more hunters around even if peace has settled in."

With that Derin was away with a booming "Jane!" as he walked up to the counter. Ivah's eyes followed Derin a moment as he walked away and she huffed a small sigh. Then her body gave a lurch as her eyes settled back to Ferro. "Doc! Right, we were going to see Doc," she said with an amused but sheepish grin. She glanced towards Derin again as he haggled over the price of some items before turning to go back outside.

Outside Shiro's tail thumped the cobblestones excitedly, still laying down obediently. Ivah deposited the supplies into the baskets once more while Shiro waited patiently. "Good boy," she cooed to the great wolf, his tail thumped the ground harder. "Ok, let's go see Doc," she said with a little wave. Shiro lurched to his feet and followed behind the two humans. Work hummed on around the town. "The farmers and I aren't expected to help out with the rebuilding. Plenty of us have our own properties to rebuild, fields to reseed. We help out in other ways. Obviously providing food being the biggest and we sell it to the town at even cheaper prices than we used to, just to get things moving again. Good progress has been made, the Mayor is hoping that we might be able to hold a festival soon. Nothing as big as they used to be but something to lighten spirits. Drinks, dancing, games, bonfires. He talked about having a big pot of stew and everyone donating something for the pot or sides to eat."

As Ivah talked about the possible festival they made it past the main square and into rows of individual houses. In the center of the rows was, what appeared to be an ordinary house, but painted stark white with a massive red cross between the two upper windows. Shiro laid down obediently once more to wait as Ivah led Ferro up to the house. No need to knock and she walked in. The foyer had been redesigned to a waiting room. A young woman with black hair and a pale complexion look up, her eyes as black as her mane. "Hello Ivah and...whoever you are..." She said with as much enthusiasm as a rainy day. "Doc!" She shouted towards the back of the house before looking back down and scribbling onto a note pad.

From the back room an older woman strode out. Her curling red hair well salted and the skin around her eyes crinkled up as she smiled brightly at the pair. "Ivah! And the young man. How mice to see you!" Her voice had once been high and clear as a bell but had crackled a little with age. "Please, come in. I was hoping I'd see you soon. Word travels fast and I heard you both were in town." She gave a little wave for them to follow her into the back. A bedroom had been converted to an examination room. "Ok young man if you could remove your shirt...." She stopped herself and looked at Ivah. "Perhaps you should wait outside?" It wasn't really a question but a kindly demand. Ivah blinked and jerked suddenly. "Oh! Oh, right...yeah..." She said with an awkward laugh before stepping out.


Doc went through the routine: temperature, blood pressure, reflexes, eyes, ear, nose, throat. "So, tell me, any pain? Headache? How is your memory? Do you remember anything before Ivah found you? Strange spots of light? Dizzy spells?" Her battery of questions were rapid fire. While always kindly there was a sharpness about the woman that was utterly no-nonsense.

 

[Carpe Diem]

Ferro grinned nervously in response to his laughter, joining him with a reluctant chuckle. He looked at the man, his head tilted to the side as he mentioned how he saw hunting monsters as sport, rather than profession. He nodded understandably; one could only take up such an occupation out of passion, whether it was ill-intended or out of love for it. Still... hunting monsters was questionable to Ferro. It was not as if monsters acted out of the evil of their hearts, so was hunting them right? "Ahaha... I wouldn't know. I can't even remember if I've ever held a sword..." He acquiesced, shrugging his shoulders in an 'oh well' manner, though he was interested in knowing how Derin could know from a single glance. Was it his posture? The look on his face? Something else? Before he could ask, the gruff-looking man dared to suggest he could be wrong in his assumptions with mischief, or challenge, in his eyes. It was only for a moment, barely a flash, like a wolf baring its fangs just an instant to show its ferocity. It was quickly replaced by that unassuming grin of his as he went to ruffle at Ivah's hair, making a fluffy mess of it. It looked as if the two were really close, despite Ivah's apparent annoyance at his mannerisms. It was like watching a doting old brother spoiling his younger sister, who was too embarrassed to admit she enjoyed the attention. "... pfft." Ferro couldn't help but let out a bit of air from his nose in amusement. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, nodding at Derin's invitation. He wasn't sure if he'd ever take up the guy on his offer, but it was good to know it was up there. "I'm sure knowing a bit of swordsmanship will keep the trouble out."

The brown-haired man watched Derin's back as he left, but only for a moment, his attention quick to focus on Ivah's figure, studying her own body language. Did she find him exhausting, or was there some other reason why she stared at his back until he disappeared? Ferro thought of asking, but perished the thought as the girl suddenly announced their next destination. A bead of sweat fell down from his temple, a crooked smile as he scratched his cheek. "R-Right. Probably a good idea if I get that check-up out of the way." He muttered, following her out.

His apprehensive attitude washed away as they met back with Shiro, the sight of the gigantic wolf so submissive and obedient warming his heart. Why hunt monsters when one could befriend them? It was only when humans trespassed well-defined boundaries that monsters attacked. ... Or at least, usually. He didn't know about this land, but something in his gut told him the attacks on the town were definitely out of the ordinary. There was something wicked that had forced the monsters to behave in such a way. It made Ferro's stomach turn to think of what it could be. "I can imagine having to tend to your own property, along with normal farm work, can get pretty busy, so it makes sense why you guys don't help out here." Ferro commented, a small smirk making its way to the corner of his lips. "I'd love to see this festival. It sounds like a lot of fun!"

As they chatted, Ferro watched his surroundings change from storefronts to more casual-looking homes. He figured they had made their way to the residential area, where those without businesses of their own lived. He would have made a comment to Ivah in case she got distracted while talking, but then he saw where she was taking them. It was inconspicuous, clear to see what the house was meant to represent. A red cross could only mean one thing, after all. Entering the house, any doubt he might've still had was washed away with the interior design of the entrance hall, clearly meant to be used as a waiting area. There was no one at the moment, but there were a couple of seats laid out at one end of the room, while a small reception desk, where a girl sat, was opposite of it. Ferro looked to the girl, ready to greet her, but taken aback by her somewhat... unwelcoming disposition. "I-It's Ferro..." He tried to slip in, but feared he was ignored when she called for the doctor.

Not a minute after, a small, short woman with came out from the back, greeting the pair warmly. She had a grandmotherly quality to her, which he couldn't tell if it was intended or not. "Ferro," he said to her as he followed her to the back. "My name is Ferro. It's a pleasure to meet you finally." He continued and laughed when she mentioned word travelling fast. He could only imagine how fast it traveled in such a tightly-knit town like this. It was no surprise she'd heard about them coming into town. Surely he was the gossip of town already. Whether that was good or not, well, he would found out soon. "Right, mmm..." He'd already began unbuttoning his shirt when she practically shoo'd Ivah away, oblivious to the problem of her being in the room and only watching as the woman walked out before looking back to the doctor, peeling off his shirt from his shoulders and setting it down on a nearby chair.

"No pain, no headache, no discomforts really," He answered almost as quickly as her questions were shot at him, stopping momentarily at the inquiry about his memory. "No dizzy spells or anything. I can... remember wandering the wilderness for a while before passing out, though I can't remember why I was there. I laid down and passed out from the exhaustion. I can't remember anything pertaining to my identity. To be honest, I can't even be sure my name's Ferro. It's the first thing that came to me. There's... there's fuzzy stuff, but I can't put my finger on any of it. Not where I came from, not where I was going. Everything else is just fine, though. It's just the stuff about me that's blurry. I can still read, I understand that it's not normal for monsters to wander into town, all that kind of stuff."