-- for @[Krieger]
___
Even in the beginning of the warmers seasons there were still patches of snow to be seen on top of the world. That's what d'Artagnan liked about the Steppe; it's tenacity. It reminded him of the strength of unicorns, to endure even when cold death stared them in the face. They were like the tough tundra that weathered anything, the bleak side of the mountain with an eye always on the horizon. The shade had had a lot to think about recently as his own life had spun into a tirade of one bad thing after another. He'd lost his own desire and hidden away, rotting into a hollow shape of his former self. Time was now ticking against him, but the Doctor was not done with his part yet, not whilst there was still a healthy blood lust pumping through him. The land would know his shadow for longer and he was young enough to fight his own ends still, he had let the unfortunate events get the best of him and for that he was ashamed of himself.

It was night time and he shifted his bag with a grunt of annoyance, he'd gotten used to it over the months, but it still pissed him off now and then. Why had some stupid tree thought it was a good idea to strap it to him?! Did he look like a slave?! Ungrateful plant. d'Artagnan was slowly beginning to make use of it, however, and in his side pouch laid the amulet he was meaning to give to Mesec. Though the shade had not seen his demi-God son in some time and often he wondered how he was, the child he had hated for his deformity and loved because of blood. Mesec had been one giant curve ball in his life and tested his beliefs to the limit. In the end, the colt had gone off on his own and d'Artagnan had never spared his progeny enough time to ask why, so short was his temper.

The main pocket consisted of various poisons and the pocket on the front was the relevent antidote to each. d'Artagnan had spent a great deal of his life travelling to the places the Earth God had showed him that one time and the hard part came when he needed antidotes. There were many times when the shade had knocked himself out or gone delirious on some leaf and there was always that one time when he made Mauja eat Diviner's Sage and they had spent the night trying to walk through walls. d'Artagnan chuckled softly at that and thinking silently that he could do with another night like that. Let everything go.

Aramis soon returned from his hunt, his markings glowing a faint red indicating that whatever his bonded had eaten then he had fried it.