Despite the death of his most beloved thing, the monk was not drowning in grief. He had come to accept Jinx's visit as an answer to his prayers. Dawa had been suffering greatly and there was nothing he could do for her. Unlike when she was a child, her recent wounds were beyond him. He could mend open flesh wounds and bleeding, but he could but fix her legs. He could not fix her spirit. He had been sleeping at Chenrezig for the better half of the morning and only just now stirred in his sleep. He opened his shallow-ocean eyes to gaze upon the white bark with a small, weak smile. Someone was here.

He pushed himself off of the roots and pressed his forehead against the trunk of the tree before turning and moving slowly into the Vale. He had been expecting Lecter, not because of anything Jinx had said (or hadn't said), but because he knew somewhere within himself that the shaman would return for him, regardless if the Dragon had left or not. There was a fire that sat in the belly of the bloodied wolf that Tenzin had to appreciate. With Dawa gone, the monk had been alone in the quietness of the Vale. He had avoided interacting with Creek wolves and others who ventured in to investigate except for Sky. Tenzin had always been keen on solitary life but did miss the company of his monk Brothers.

It wasn't long before he caught the sight of the bloodied shaman through the trees. "Mm, I thought that might be you," Tenzin called warmly, coming to a stop to stand tall. "I have healed up nicely, still a bit sore in some areas," he relaxed and let a soft grin melt onto his lips. "Thank you for your help, friend," he said with relief in his voice. Perhaps now the Dragon wished it had killed the monk when it had the chance, but the demon spared him. Tenzin knew it was for a life of purgatory and torture, but it was a life he was willing to accept for failing Dawa. His eyes flashed with sadness as he thought of her again. He had buried her at Chenrezig.

He stood in silence now. He expected to say more but he was just as content just being in the presence of the shaman again, despite their cultural differences. His tail moved gently from side-to-side against his hind legs and he laid his ears back, suddenly overwhelmed with happiness to see the fellow elder once again. "It is good to see you," the monk whispered with a smile.

The shaman uttered her name and Tenzin let his shoulder sag as his head dipped lightly. There wasn't much that needed to be said. "Free," he breathed, glancing up toward the sky where the sun sat openly. He returned his gaze to Lecter and refrained from mentioning Jinx. Her part was important, but Jinx herself was not. What mattered was that Dawa was no longer trudging through this world's endless tortures. Now she was beyond him with her mother, Yonten, and all of the other clerics the Dragon had slain that fiery, awful night.

A rare and delicate gesture from the shaman brought a sensation to Tenzin's throat that he hadn't ever quite felt before. He choked on nothing and found himself staring at Lecter through suddenly blurry eyes. The closeness he had with his Brothers was spiritual, but with the shaman it was something entirely different. The monk had lived his whole life void of friendships and favoritism. He leaned into the gesture and pressed his nose against Lecter's own cheek, closing his eyes.

The moment was but a breath in time, and as Tenzin pulled back, Lecter was speaking again. He had opened his eyes now, catching his friend's own and smiling gently. He listened to the words of the shaman and a new sensation bloomed within his chest. Though he would always be one to serve others as a spiritual guide, he knew his gods had no place here among those of the natives. There was a momentary pause before Lecter added in the last bit which caused the monk to smile broadly.

"I would never dare judge the cunning of a shaman such as yourself, great friend," he jabbed, eyes bright as he regarded Lecter now. "Are you sure your wife will have me within her pack?" the monk asked seriously, eyes fading lightly as he thought of the fury Jinx had brought to the Vale. Whether he lived out the rest of his life alone or not did not matter to the monk, for he would always have his gods and his prayers.

Tenzin smiled lightly at Lecter as he mentioned Jinx's punishment for him should the monk step out of life, but the old man wasn't one to commit such acts. He wouldn't have betrayed the Dragon as his leader, however much the monk hated it, nor would he disrespect any other leader - including Jinx. "Well, thank you," Tenzin said, watching the shaman carefully.

The time had come for them to depart. Tenzin turned to look around the Vale for a moment, grasping at the sight of Chenrezig's red leaves that stood above the other trees. He would be leaving behind everything now. Even though the Dragon had left to reign elsewhere in the world, the monk was spiritually attached to the paradise within the mountains. Dawa's body would be left behind, buried deep between the roots of the white-barked tree and for the first time in a long time, he'd be without her. He'd always be without her physical presence now.

There was a certainty about him as he turned back to Lecter finally. "I am Tenzin, the monk," he said to the shaman, "But my full name is Yasuo Tenzin. Yasuo, the unforgiven, for having freed the Dragon." An uneasy quietness caught in his throat and he searched for more words so he could continue. "Yasuo means 'honest man, peaceful man,' but the title I was bestowed forever contradicts it," he said sadly, eyes dropping as he shifted, "It is a great shame in my culture, because I can never be the true Yasuo ever again."

Lifting his eyes again, he grinned. "I am no longer a monk, as I do not live in a monastery and my lifestyle will surely need a change when I leave the Vale," he said, and despite the sadness that weighed heavily in his eyes, the man was smiling, "as such, Tenzin will need to stay behind in the Vale as well. I will still be a spiritual man and it will not be my place to judge others, but do you think you could help me make the transition to Yasuo?" A pause settled in and he nodded curtly with his eyes closed, before opening them again and saying, "With that then, yes. I am ready to go."