#my watcher

So for some context for those who don't know (idk if i ever talked about it tbh)-

My concept for Enot is that they were a normal slugcat (and also Artificer's mate) before kind of "falling out" of the cycle and being trapped in their torment nexus of a campaign

They turn into my usual gooey Enot design during this, but in this case they would have kept becoming a more abstract and corrupted version of themselves until they become. This

The body is based off of lava lamp wax. I don't have a particular idea of what each side would represent. I guess one can be the "I NEED to find a mate" side and the other can be more normal??

also here's Enot by themselves so you can get a better look at them.

The Badlands. I didn’t know much about them. Ok, I knew next to shit about them. Still, here I was in Baron Quinn’s barony with my long-time best friend, Bren. How we got here, I haven’t a fucking clue. And at first, we had visited Minerva’s barony where we ran into Quinn and his regent, Sunny. 

Sunny. Now there was an enigma.

He was Quinn’s top Clipper, whatever the hell that was. Bren had once told me, but in all honestly, a lot was lost as I tried to absorb being in our new world. All I remembered was that he was deadly, sarcastic, and loyal to Quinn.

And painfully good-looking. This world will be my downfall.

We had been here only a month, but it felt like ages. Perhaps because a majority of it was spent in Quinn’s barony and I LOATHED that man. Like, would actively plot his death if I thought I could make it out alive. But Bren liked him so I kept my murderous thoughts to myself. I did that by sneaking out of the house every once in a while.

Such as today. I knew I was never alone. Quinn was paranoid as fuck and he always sent Sunny to watch over me. He tried to be quiet when he followed me, to give me the illusion of solitude. But sometimes I got a good head start and he had to use his chopper to find me. Today was one of those days. Even though he left his chopper a mile back, I knew he was there.

I could feel him, my silent watcher. He clearly moved like a shadow, but still, I knew he was there. It was getting old.

He couldn’t stay as quiet when we crossed from grass to a rocky pathway. But he also knew that I was aware of him. At least he was giving me space.

Finally, as we reached a stream, I broke the silence. “Doesn’t this get old? Don’t you have real work to do?”

“Protecting the barony is my work.”

“Oh yeah, gotta protect the big bad wolf from some 5’5” sarcastic bitch. Gods know what I may do,” I rolled my eyes. “Your loyalty to the asshole is as amazing as it is baffling.”

“And your loyalty is to no one. Hence why I am here.”

I whirled on Sunny. “My loyalty is to Bren! I may not fully understand his draw to this baron, er barony. If this is where he wishes to be, then this is where I’ll remain.”

Sunny stepped into my personal space and I almost pushed him away. But my survival instincts did work at times. 

“And you say my loyalty is baffling.”

“Bren has been my best friend for a long time. We would do what it takes to protect each other. Which is more than what I can say for your dynamic. Who do you have that would sacrifice for you?”

He looked at me for a long moment before sighing. “We should head back.”

I didn’t argue and this time we walked side by side.

I could feel him trying not to look down at me and it caused me to sigh. “Whatever it is, just say it. Just get it out, Regent.”

Sunny slightly frowned at my words. I hadn’t called him by his name much, and Quinn by his never. It was my own silent protest. “I just think-”

But whatever he was going to say got cut off by the sound of a twig snapping. In a blinding fast move, Sunny had me behind him as he turned towards the sound.  A group of men exited the treeline, each holding a large weapon.

“Well, looky here boys. An actual Clipper. And a little lady with him,” the leader leered at me. “What say you, Clipper. Leave the girl and we’ll let you live.”

I could see Sunny tense at the words. “We both know my Baron doesn’t like anything taken from his lands.”

Normally I would have been hella offended at being referred to as a piece of someone’s land, but now was not the time. Reading A Song of Ice and Fire had taught me the rare moments to hold my sarcastic tongue in a dangerous place like this.

Sunny tilted his head back to speak to me, “no matter what, stay back. Stay by my chopper.”

I gave a slight nod to my head and took a few steps back as Sunny stepped forward to move into a fighting stance. It was one thing to watch him in the training fields, but here he flowed like water. 

The nomads raced forward to attack Sunny and it became a deadly dance, with Sunny clearly leading them. I had never seen him in this light and I instantly understood why Quinn would want to keep him close. He was probably the only one who could fight Quinn and win.

It was beautiful and deadly watching him. I became so mesmerized I almost didn’t notice the nomad trying to sneak up on me. Almost.

I turned just as he thrust his sword at me, cutting my cheek with a shallow slice. My hand wrapped around his and I headbutted his nose, causing him to stagger back in pain as he began to bleed. Acting quickly in my motions, I snatched the blade from him and thrust my hand forward as he charged at me. 

The shocked look in his eyes was the last thing I saw before he collapsed at my feet.

Oh my god. I actually killed someone. 

“Phoenix?”

Oh my god, did I actually kill someone?

“Phoenix, are you alright?”

I couldn’t register the voice trying to reach me as shock threatened to take over my body. Fighting was nothing new to me in my old world. But I had never taken a life. Not even in self-defense.

Sunny came into my vision and looked down at the crumpled body at my feet. When he looked at my face, he connected the dots. 

“Nix, it’s ok. It’s over. Look at me, Nix.”

Was Sunny calling me Nix? When the hell did he start doing that? The shock of him being informal pulled me away from the edge of the shock of killing someone. And just in time.

Sunny was so focused on me, he didn’t notice the nomad that wasn’t killed getting to his feet. Sword in his hands.

“Watch out!” The words flew out of my mouth as I grabbed Sunny by the shoulders and pushed him away, spinning as I did. My hand reached down and grabbed a dagger at Sunny’s hip. 

I don’t remember throwing the blade, but it hit the mark and the nomad dropped to the ground. What in the hell was happening to me?

Sunny couldn’t help his mouth dropping in shock at my quick thinking. Then he collected himself and moved me back to his chopper, having me sit on the seat. 

“Nix, look at me.” I blinked and followed his instructions, looking into his dark brown eyes. “Are you ok?”

“I- I think that’s subjective.”

He gently reached up and touched the cut on my face. “I’m sorry I let that happen.”

I shook my head. “It’s your job to make sure I don’t betray Captain Crybaby. Not keep me out of trouble. This isn’t your fault, Sunny.”

He reached into his saddlebag on his chopper and pulled out a small first aid kit. I sat still as he tended to the cut on my face and patiently let him look me over to make sure there weren’t any other wounds.

It was the closest he and I had been since we had met. It felt odd and comforting all at the same time. And then it hit me. Sunny. Nix. We were acknowledging each other beyond the bare polite greetings.

I watched as he cleaned off the nomad’s blood as best he could from me. He kept looking into my face to see any signs of shock returning.

“It probably won’t return until tonight when I go to sleep.”

“That’s not comforting.”

“Yeah, well no offense but I don’t trust most of the people working for your boss.”

“Most?” He raised an eyebrow as he looked at me.

I gave a tired smile. “What can I say? I think I can trust you now.”

He was kneeling at my feet as he was putting the kit back and he paused in his actions, his eyes studying my face. He could sense it as well as I. In just one afternoon - one not-so-simple afternoon - the dynamic between Quinn’s Regent and myself had changed.

And gods only know what that could end up meaning.

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Into The Badlands