It had been hard, but finally it seemed like their difficult conversation was about to run it's course. The words were important and the release of emotion much needed for the Nightshade, he was stubborn enough to keep it all in, but even he had to have his moments of vulnerability. Better it be with one he whole heartedly trusted than to crumble into a blubbering mess in front of his enemies. No. What was now past must remain in his past. Never forgotten, but carried with a pride like an old itchy wound. His mistakes would shape him and his victories would crown him. d'Artagnan didn't quite have one foot in the grave yet, but his path was becoming narrower and narrower. He would remain the crimson nightmare for as long as his heart beat like a thunder crack in cold darkness. Always watching.

A chuckle lit up his expression when his spotted friend who mocked himself and the world before them. There. An echo of the old Mauja who made light of a harsh situation, perhaps behind all that wallowing exterior, d'Artagnan would someday be able to find the friend who joked about jumping from a cliff and fell before the fluttering lashes of a lustful female. Well, maybe the latter part had not changed too much. Mares seemed to be always his weak area, even though he did not know of Mauja's latest romantic encounters, there was sure to be no surprises. In the amused mind of the Nightshade anyway. He laughed an oddly cheerful laugh then, turning his head to one side when Mauja finished speaking about the Gods. "Death by their hand is not something we should worry about, they'll be releasing us from the struggles of this world anyway. I guess, the more I stop caring, the happier I am. As selfish as it sounds, the more I care the more these emotions get in my way." A fleeting memory entered his head then, of a time when he was a colt and the world was new. His demise in battle and his banishment from his homeland. A grey mare who brought with her a bitter taste. "Alas! If only I could reject my emotions like Seiren can, I often wonder what the world looks like in her demon eyes."

With that he headed off towards his cave, happily hearing the consent of Mauja who ushered him to lead on, to which he did. He smiled when his friend mentioned constitution to which d'Artagnan had to stifle a comment about it not mattering if he was dead. Instead his gaze turned wicked and his head floated to where he thought Mauja would be, "I'm glad you agreed to try yourself against the rigors of delusional fodder. That means, if by some accident you do die, it's not actually my fault." He chuckled through the latter part, his voice laced with his favourite black humour that he liked to spring on his old friend from time to time.

Aramis, noting the direction they were heading, yipped once to them in farewell before bounding away to finish his hunting. If d'Artagnan was in his cave, the hell dog would be able to find him later. No matter what state he was in, even if he by chance stumbled away from his chemistry set, the familiar stench of poison and merlot fur should be enough for his keen nose to find them again.

Upon arrival, the Nightshade shuffled around a little, giving Mauja a warning look then simply meant 'don't touch' before scouting out something... Interesting. The plant he eventually settled on was one he had tested not too long ago, but the effects had some sort of short term amnesia to it that, when morning came, he couldn't remember for the life in him what the hell had happened. The big thing was, that he had not died in the intake of it and so the plant should be safe for consumption. A blue eye moved to try and lock onto Mauja's gaze, head arching into an inviting movement to usher the spotted stallion over to his location, situated towards the back left of the damp cave.

"A bite of this and we're sure in for a good night. The last time I took it, I couldn't remember what had happened when the effects wore off. So... Who knows." He pushed the plant over to Mauja and awaited his friends approval before his own grey maw fell upon the fleshy, green leaves.