Emberwood twisted shadow knots around my wrists

The small shadow girl closed the distance between the two, and for a moment K felt himself tense, his limbs freezing and his senses spiking. Wide eyes watched for a half second as she brushed against him, anticipating something - though what exactly he couldn't tell, just something - and a shiver of relief washed over him as his shoulder felt her gentle warmth.

The comfort of company. The reassurance of security.
It was new to him, it was different, and though he felt something akin to fear at the idea, its warmth lulled him into a sense of peace. His coy smile softly tugged at the edges of his mouth.

"Tha's... a relief t'hear..." Kukulkan was always the one to try and lighten the mood, to keep things engaging at all costs, but it'd be a heavy lie to say doubt hadn't been coiled around his shoulders. "Sounds like th'right kinda problem t'have. Y'all runnin' outta room already?" His gaze danced between Bhediya's emerald eyes and the woods that stretched and spread behind them. Though the land was cold, with the winds lapping at his brutish build, the pirate boy could sense the community, the warmth of spirit that took up residency in the woods.

"Shouldn't surprise me," A charmed chuckle, "She... y'all have somethin' amazin' going on here." As she picked up and started walking into the territory, her oversized shadow followed suit, keeping close. "Um, yeah... no I didn't..." Words heavy as molasses fell off his tongue, hesitant and muttered, "Still need'ta learn these lands a bit more, y'know..."

Failure had never been an option growing up, and with the tides finally seeming to turn in his favor in recent months, it was an unfathomably painful truth to face that he had, indeed, failed in his attempts to compensate. He'd been a fool, drowning in delusion that if he could somehow find her brother, he'd fix everything. He'd be the hero, the knight, the champion of good faith. But instead he returns as a stranger, with neither story nor results to share.

"Oh," He hadn't expected what she said next. "I'm glad to be back, t'be honest. I ain't th'best at not... well, accomplishin' what I intend t'do. This hurts like hell..." A shrug of his shoulders, trying to relieve the tension built in his muscles, but he'd play it off with a sheepish grin and earnest tone. Pride was the sin of his bloodline, ingrained deep into his DNA and whispering doubt into his ear. He would need to work at it more aggressively to overcome it, wouldn't he? "I'd feel alot better if I can do something... be something... I wanna help."

K was his own worst enemy in this endeavor.
But determination swelled in his veins. Tomorrow will be different.

@Bhediya