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"Here you are."
The creature's voice spilled from its mouth, a leaky faucet slowly dripping murky words through hissing breath. Eye heard that the Peregrin was the best being in the woods to see about their issue, as no one in their circle was likely to know what they needed to hear. Eye only wished they could've seen some other less uncanny-looking medic for their itch. Perhaps a silky smooth dragon or a wisened fae.
Oh well.
"How did you know I was coming?" Eye pulled their cloak closed, though it already obscured their form well enough.
"I know many things, little one," the monster grinned. "It is my job to do so, you know."
Eye sighed, already tense with fear. This Peregrin fellow was much larger than they expected, stretching far past the trees if it hadn't been crouching within its den. With all of its pitch-black feathers, the only thing easily seen was its ghastly white face, both birdlike and oddly human.
It appeared that the monster noticed Eye's discomfort as it leaned down towards them. "No need to be frightened, little one. I mean to cause no harm."
"How am I meant to know that?" Eye asked, avoiding its gaze. "No one would admit so bluntly that they wish to hurt someone..."
The Peregrin chuckled- an odd sound from the thing -and leaned slightly closer. "I suppose you're right. But you will never know for certain until you try, hm?"
Eye paused, leading to the creature assuming agreement.
"Good, good. Now, may I see your injury, little one? I have never gotten a good look myself."
Eye hunched into themself, further obscuring their face. "I... U-Uhm..."
"...Now now, dear. No need to be shy." It tilted its head with concern before reaching out, gently grabbing their chin with a giant lanky black finger and tilting Eye's face upwards.
There were patches of spotting over the side of Eye's chin to their stomach, and they had no clue what caused it. It itched like all hell and looked like some sort of fungus, which only brought more inconvenience. It was embarrassing, to say the least.
"I see," the Peregrin tilted their face in several directions, taking in every corner with beady black eyes. "I believe I have a remedy for this, my dear. It will only take a moment..."
It then grabbed Eye with several other pairs of arms it had, holding them by their sides. Before they could stop themself, Eye yelped at the touch. The Peregrin only laughed in response.
As the creature slinked inside its den, Eye took in the composition of what lay inside. There were dozens of trinkets and handmade decorations hanging from the walls. They could tell the decor had many different colors, but the darkness made it difficult to discern what colors they all were. The floor appeared to be covered in similar decorations, though most of the space was occupied by shrubbery and bits from cushions. It all fit the appearance of a shrine of some sort more than a medicinal temple.
"Now, let us take a closer look..."
The Peregrin curled up in a resting position near the center of its cave. It tilted and turned its serpentine neck around Eye, apparently looking for someplace to start. After a while, it must not have found a spot satisfactory to it, leading it to slip off Eye's cloak. They squirmed in the creature's grip, grasping at the rim of the coat in a feeble attempt to keep it on.
"Hold still, little one," the beast set them down on its feathered "lap" (if you could call it that), still holding onto them carefully. "I will be done soon enough."
The Peregrin's bony hands poked and prodded at Eye's skin, most of it visible from behind their tattered clothes. It let out contemplative humming and clicks of its tongue, mentally noting things Eye wished they knew of. Perhaps that would make them less anxious.
Finally pulling its hands away (thank the stars), the creature raised one of its lower sets of arms to its mouth, biting into one of its hands. A pink, milky substance began seeping out, falling between its fingers and trickling down in a shimmering river. With another hand emerging from its sea of feathers, the Peregrin wiped away some of the substance, leaving a glimmering rose-tinted goo on its palm.
"This may feel a bit cold..."
Then, slipping a spare hand under Eye's shirt to lift it, the creature slathered their skin with the slime over the rashes. It was freezing. Why was it so cold? It just came from the skin of a bird... thing... Whatever it was, it shouldn't have such cold blood.
Eye held their breath, staying as still as they could until the Peregrin finished. Thankfully, it didn't take quite as long as expected.
"Very good, dear," the creature grinned. "Only one thing left now."
The aberration nipped at its hand, consuming all that remained of the solvent. Before they could brace themself, the Peregrin reached down and cupped the side of Eye's face in its now clean hand. It gently rubbed the solvent further into their skin, slowly tracing its gaunt fingers over their cheek.
It was surprising just how soft they were. Touch, especially touch like this, was a rarity for Eye for as long as they could remember. It felt like millions of tiny coals from a fire flew onto their face, slowly burning away and leaving a sweet tingling sensation.
Eye let a whine slip from their lips.
Damnit.
"...Are you alright, little one?" the Peregrin pulled its hand away with a worried look. Eye reached for it on instinct, almost immediately pulling away again.
"I-I'm sorry, I..." they looked down. "I just... I-I don't know what happened, I didn't mean-"
The creature hushed them, carefully holding their face again. "I understand, my dear. I have felt what you feel before."
"Wh... What do you mean..?"
"The hunger," the Peregrin lifted another hand to hold both sides of Eye's face. "To be alone for so long without the touch of another soul leaves one starving. Even without knowing it."
They glanced back up. "Is there a cure for that?"
"..." the Peregrin ran its thumbs across their face just under their eyes. "I suppose this would be it," they gave a sad laugh.
Knowing that this creature could understand them in some way... It was calming, comforting even. Eye found themself leaning into its hands, resting one of their own on the Peregrin's arm.
"...What is your name, Peregrin?" they asked. "Your true name."
The motion of its thumbs slowed as they thought. "It has been quite some time since I was asked this... I suppose you may call me Eligos, if you so please."
"Eligos," Eye echoed with a weak smile. "You have a nice name, Eligos."
It chuckled. "You do as well, Eye. Thank you."
-----
Eye wished Eli had been wrong about the treatment going quickly. They had little to return to back home, and what they got from their visit far outweighed any shame they might've felt for enjoying it as they did. Still, they knew the people of their circle would assume the worst if they returned too late, so Eye had no choice in the matter.
With a sigh, they took out a souvenir they kept from the experience: one of their new friend's enormous feathers from its back. It almost seemed to glimmer under the moonlight, like a stone polished by a passing river. As they turned it in their hand, the fibers rubbing against their skin mimicked the sensations Eligos had brought with his touch. It wasn't the same, but it would do for now...
Eye was only grateful to have found the cure to their itch.