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"There's something in them woods, lass." The man grumbled as Ciri approached him. He was leaning against his fence, back to the woods that was Ciri's current destination. She paused, giving him a disbelieving look that she learned from Yennefer, and readjusted the strap her sword was hanging on.
"I know. I'm here about the contract." She pulled out the small parchment she'd found hanging in Vattweir two days north of here. The man eyed her suspiciously for a moment before he noticed the medallion hanging from her throat.
"Ah. A witcher!" And with that, his whole countenance changed in a moment.
"What seems to be the problem?" Ciri asked, thankful once again that a few of the decent Cat's still roamed the area. She'd have to ask Dragonfly next time their Paths crossed who put the fear of the goddess into these folk this time. Her money would be on Vesper; though Dragonfly was a close second.
"We've heard roars at night th' last coupl'a weeks." The man pointed off toward the south, where the forest grew denser at the base of the Kestrel Mountains. "Didn't think much o' it, 'til some goats went missin' two weeks ago."
"Sure they didn't just escape?" Ciri questioned, stepping closer as the man beckoned her around the side of his house.
"Nay. Found 'em strung up in pieces by the pond."
"Hm..." Ciri hummed, thinking about how it usually drove Yennefer up a wall when she'd started doing it. She could feel the winter winds in the air, though the trees were still green.
Autumn would be settling in soon enough, and she could finally go home. It had been a rough year on the Path for her, and even though she knew she could blink back to Corvo Bianco at any time, it felt... dishonorable, to do so. When all the witchers who'd come before her could not.
The farmer let her inspect his fences in peace, which was another unusual rarity, but one she none-the-less enjoyed. There were no tracks nearby, but it had been a dry summer, even here up against the mountains. Another quick inspection led her to no new revelations, so she tracked the farmer down again.
"When did you say you heard these roars? And please, be as specific as you can."
"Well..." He dithered, rubbing his hand across his chin. "After dark, usually."
"Can you take me to where you found the goats?" Ciri asked, trying very hard to keep her calm demeanor.
"...Probably." He at least seemed to know where he was going once they set off into the forest. There was a small trail, well worn but small, that led to a serene-looking pond about halfway between the base of the mountain and his house. "Good luck, witcher." He took off with nary a glance back and Ciri couldn't contain her eye roll and scoff once he'd gotten back under the canopy.
Ciri glanced up to the sky and figured she'd have maybe another hour or so of sunlight left. That should be plenty of time. She approached the trees where the goats had been ripped to pieces to get started, absently running a hand across the small vials of oils at her hip, counting and cataloging even as she knelt down.
Even her human nose could pick up the lingering smells of rot and blood from the area. There were large patches of darkened earth from the blood still, and she was in luck. The earth was moist here from the pond, and there was one solid paw print in a small bare patch.
Werewolf.
Shit.
Ciri hated fighting werewolves. There was no doubt this was a born werewolf; it wouldn't be a full moon for another week at least. This would be messy. She moved the bottle of Cursed Oil from her pouch to her bandolier so she could oil Zireael quickly if needed before double checking what bombs she had left. One Moon Dust.
Well, she'd dealt with much worse conditions before.
Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up as a hush fell around her. She could feel something watching her. She stayed kneeling for just a moment longer as she started sweeping her field of view for any movement.
Nothing.
She turned, letting her instincts and training take over, unsheathing Zireael with easy grace. She let her Chaos bubble up to the surface but kept it there, within easy reach should she need to react quickly.
The sunlight was fading fast, the darkness creeping in around her as she stood in the middle of the clearing, her back to the pond. It was big enough that anything trying to cross it would have to swim but not so deep it could hide under the surface, so that was her safest bet.
A low rumbling filled the clearing, steady and thrumming through her like a drum roll. She relaxed her grip on her sword as she brought it up to a ready position, though she was still unsure where the beast stood.
A crashing sound came from her left and she pivoted immediately, only to hear the rumbling come from behind her. A glance had her turning around to face a huge jaguar as it ran out from the forest, its eyes gleaming eerily blue in the darkness. She had all of a few seconds to realize it was running straight at her, roaring fiercely before she blinked behind it, sword raised.
Only, the jaguar didn't stop when she disappeared.
It kept running across the clearing until it was pouncing upon the werewolf, who had caused the first crashing sound.
Ciri watched in numb fascination as the jaguar ripped into the werewolf, feeling distinctly off-kilter as she watched the humanoid fighting the beast.
With one last loud roar, the jaguar sunk its fangs into the werewolf's neck and it fell with a crash. Ciri watched as the jaguar backed off from the werewolf's corpse, shaking itself off as it looked around the clearing. Once the animal caught sight of her it sat down, wrapping its tail around its feet like it hadn't just killed a monster in front of her.
Those blue eyes seemed so familiar.
Ciri reached out with her Chaos and felt it brush up against the... creature? It felt familiar yet... not, even as it refused to touch the being. She lowered her sword just a little.
"Hello?" She called, and the jaguar's ears cocked up at the sound. "Are you lost?" She asked, because that was the only fitting question she could think of at the moment. And to her surprise, the creature nodded yes. "Will you attack me if I step closer?" She asked, and the creature shook its head no.
Well.
Ciri let her sword drop out of such an obvious attack stance, but she did not put it away. That would be foolish indeed. She stepped closer, conjuring up a small magelight so she could see the creature better. She stopped again as she finally understood what she was seeing. She'd thought the animal was strangely fuzzy around the edges.
That was because it was made entirely of moss. A second look revealed that there were branches underneath the moss, and multitudes of smaller vines weaving the whole thing together into the shape of a jaguar. It tilted its head to the side in question before laying out, paws outstretched beneath its head. It still just regarded her calmly.
"Are you supposed to be in that form?" She asked, and it shook its head no again. "Alright. I've not a lot of experience dealing with curses, but my father has. Would you accompany me south into Toussaint to see if he can help?"
Something was screaming at her to trust this construct?
Ciri had very good instincts. She would trust it, for now.
She collected her trophy from the werewolf before burning the body so as not to draw any corpse eaters before she returned to the farmer's cottage. The moss jaguar walked by her side, a few feet apart, making happy rumbling chuffs as its tail swished behind it.
"Alright, then." She turned to the jaguar, who stayed at the forest's edge out of sight of the farmer's door as she got her pay from him. When he offered her to stay the night she politely refused, returning to her new companion. She reached out with her chaos again to the creature and realized there was no way to get it magically to Toussaint.
She couldn't blink with it that far, not to mention it felt like she wouldn't be able to blink it at all. And whatever spell was woven into it, it behaved like a true cat and absorbed all Chaos that touched it. It would eat the portal before it could step through.
"I have two choices, my friend." Ciri paused, a thought occurring to her. "You need a name."
The creature looked away with a huff and she couldn't help but smile. It was dramatic, for sure.
"Look, I know you probably have a different name already, but I need something to call you instead of 'jaguar' in my head if nothing else, alright?" She watched the animal glance at her and away, head held high as if it was waiting.
"Nothing too terrible. How about Caed?" She asked, and its ear twitched at that. "It means 'forest' in elder. Simple and dignified, like you."
Caed preened at that, and graced her with a nod. Name chosen, she got back on track.
"Good, Caed. Now, I can portal home and grab my father and bring him here... Or we can travel down there together. It would be a few months' journey that way, but it might be for the best."
Caed tilted his head to the side in question.
"You are a cat through and through even though you look to be made of plants. You eat Chaos." She put it simply, holding out a hand to it. It sniffed at her hand for just a moment before pushing up under her palm for pets.
He chuffed again, what Ciri could only be an equivalent to a normal cat's purr.
"Affectionate, aren't you?" She laughed as she scratched him behind his ears. His 'fur' was the softest moss she's ever felt, and she could feel the branches and vines moving underneath the carpet of it like muscle and bones. But he was cool as a forest floor.
"Well, no point deciding tonight when we can't do anything." Ciri said before letting her hand fall from Caed's head.
He huffed and looked down in disappointment. Ciri felt a little bad, but they did need to get moving back to her campsite.
"How long have you been out here, Caed?" She asked, voice filled with sorrow as he hunched down, curling in on himself to make himself smaller and less scary.
"Poor thing. Come on, I've a camp a few miles back south." Ciri led him back to her little camp, her magelight leading the way even in the deepening night.
Once back at her camp, she lit her fire back easily before spreading out her bedroll. She watched as Caed jumped into one of the trees and settled onto a branch. She smiled before getting ready and climbing into her bedroll after banking the fire. She cast a small shield over herself like she always did before falling to sleep.
In the morning light, Ciri was able to inspect her new companion much better and was absolutely fascinated by him. He was simply amazing, and he craved her pets to his head. A quick spell had a raven construct delivering a letter to Yennefer, and while she awaited a response she packed away her camp.
They had made it a few miles down the road when the raven returned, letter in its beak. She stopped just long enough to read it.
"Oh, good, Caed. Yennefer is with Geralt right now. They've never heard of a curse like this, so they're going to meet us in Rivia for Velen." She told her companion with a smile and he chuffed at her. "They're in Novigrad right now taking care of something urgent? Hm. That's not like them to be vague like that. I hope nothing's happened to any of our friends there."
Caed headbutted her leg unexpectedly at that, nearly sending her toppling.
"Hey! Careful, Caed. I need at least a little warning, alright?"
Caed sent her such a look of longing that it broke her heart slightly. She had no idea what he was trying to tell her.
"I hate having to make you wait so long, not knowing how long you've been cursed like this." She petted him sadly and he leaned into it, staring into her soul with those big bright eyes. "But, you have me now."
He nodded at her and pulled his lips back in a grin, showing off rows of bone white teeth.
Ciri and Caed traveled south together, and quickly fell into a comfortable routine. Ciri would look for contracts, and Caed would help her hunt.
Slowly, Ciri found herself confiding in her companion; she told him things she had never told anybody before. He was very easy to talk to, and listened attentively.
She talked about her past, growing up in Cintra and everything that came with it's fall. Finding Geralt and traveling to Kaer Morhen, training with her new family. All the misadventures across the Continent as she was lost and found and lost again. Fighting the Wild Hunt.
Almost destroying the world.
Caed slept curled up with her at night, his bulk comforting her as she cried into his neck.
"Thank you, Caed." She whispered into his neck one night. It had been months. Yennefer and Geralt couldn't make it to Rivia in time for the equinox due to their business in Novigrad running long, so they had soldiered on south into Toussaint.
Caed nuzzled his face into her hair, making a complete mess of her bun.
"I don't know what I would have done without you with me." She leaned back, wearing a watery smile as he looked up at her in confusion. "Thank you." She said again before leaning back in, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I love you."
Ciri blinked.
There was a burst of light and magic that threw her clear across the little cave she had camped in. A strangled cough had her throwing herself upright even as she was hit with a wave of nausea.
"Oh, Ciri. I love you, too." A melodic voice spoke. A voice Ciri recognized. She rubbed the halos of light out of her eyes to stare across the cave to see Dandelion of all people sitting where Caed had once been.
"Dandelion?" She asked, confused. He smiled at her.
Only... That wasn't the Dandelion she was used to seeing. Pale green tinted skin, blonde ringlet curls down to his shoulder, a bright crown of his namesake flowers braided into it, and oh yeah, the massive iridescent wings fluttering behind him made for a startling juxtaposition.
"Ciri? Ciri! Thank the goddess you found a way to break my curse! I tell you, it was not fun being stuck in one shape for months, I tell you." Dandelion babbled, dusting himself off and finger-combing his hair.
"Uh... Dandelion?" Ciri questioned, and he looked up to her, impossibly bright blue eyes blazing in the low light.
"Yes, dear?"
"Do you... Have something you want to tell me?" She asked, and he glanced down at himself in confusion before she watched the slowly dawning realization spread across his face.
"Ah. Seems when you broke that curse you also broke my glamor." Dandelion laughed nervously. "This is certainly awkward now."
"Dandelion, why would you hide? Dad wouldn't hurt you; I wouldn't hurt you. You know that, right?" Ciri asked, voice trembling slightly. Dandelion looked up in a panic.
"Ah, Ciri, of course I know that." He soothed, clasping his hands around her and rubbing soothing circles into the backs of them. "But I was a stupid teenager when I met Geralt. I hadn't been in this world for very long, and for all the human rumors about witchers, the fae ones about humans are worse." He let one of her hands drop in order to gesticulate. "Believe me, I wanted to show him so many times. But, well, I have no access to my magic when I'm glamored... And by the time I learned what kind of person Geralt is... I was afraid he would be mad at me for lying to him for so long. He abhors deceit."
"Wait..." Something about that pinged her witcher knowledge. "Aren't fae unable to lie?" She asked, giving him the sternest look she could muster. It was usually very effective; it's one she learned from Geralt. But Dandelion had been on the receiving end of that particular look too long for it to truly work on him.
"Well..." Dandelion dithered. "I'm not pure fae." He said with a shrug.
"You don't look it."
"Is that an insult or a compliment?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Which do you want it to be?" She shot back with a wicked grin. He matched it, and she noticed all his teeth were very sharply pointed.
"That's my girl." He shot her a wink. "I think we got a little off track, however. My mother was a hamadryad; pure-blooded dryad for several generations. Her tree is deep in Brokilon, though Eithne doesn't allow me to visit her."
"Oh..." Ciri sat in shock as she absorbed that knowledge.
"Dandelion?"
"Yes?"
"Would the fact that you've been missing be the reason why Yennefer and Geralt have been in Novigrad all this time?" She asked and he winced.
"I might have pissed off a mage in hiding. And he might have cursed me and dropped me in a forest halfway across the Continent."
"Dandy!" Ciri admonished with a shake of her head. "Well, build your glamor back up and I'll take us into Novigrad so they can see for themselves you're hale and healthy."
Dandelion just sighed.
"Alright, but only because you asked."