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Ripping the head from a slave trader's body wasn't how Dabi had intended to start his day. He had woken up to a little girl's screams. His patchwork skin, porcelain white clashing with dark purple, wasn't good for hiding in the morning sun and he had intended to sleep in after going to sleep just two hours prior. But seeing as the girl was a child and the men had slaver's sigils carved into their throats - a common punishment for those who bartered with another person's life, Dabi couldn't stop himself from jumping from the trees with a silent snarl, ripping off the head of the slaver closest to the little girl. The other two apparently saw this as an opportunity to catch a demon such as himself, but Dabi swiftly dodged the spear aimed at his flank and used his tail like a whip to knock the spear from the hand. The second guy, much larger than the other two, tried to grab him, but Dabi threw his head back and gouged out an eye with one of his horns that went upwards and then followed the shape of his scalp towards the back, ending in a pointed tip. They had the same dark purple coloration as half of his body. The arms around him immediately retreated. Dabi hissed, baring his fangs at the human's loud sounds of agony and kicked the spear slaver in the chest, breaking the sternum and rendering him useless, before pouncing on the remaining slaver with his claws since the one now missing an eye had ran off. When that was done, Dabi turned to the young girl. She was crying and sitting on the floor. That's when he noticed she was a vampire hybrid. Human made.
He cooed gently and approached the girl slowly. "It's okay, they're gone now. Where are your parents, little one?" he asked softly as he knelt before her. He had no time to react before claws were pressed to his neck. "Don't move," a raspy voice growled. Dabi stilled. He watched as more creatures surrounded him. The man currently threatening his life seemed satisfied with his reaction and carefully lifted the little girl up into his arms. "Shush little one," he muttered affectionately. The little girl slung her small arms around the neck of what seemed to be her doppelganger. Another human-made hybrid. Dabi thought to himself. They were easily recognizable with their stark white hair and crimson eyes. It was eerie, how similar they looked. Despite not being held at the man's claws anymore, Dabi held still. The little girl pointed at him after calming down a bit and told the man, "H-helped." The man's crimson gaze softened at her words, "I can tell, little one," he shushed her gently.
"What is your business in my forest, demon?" The man asked Dabi directly. His forest? Dabi thought in irritation. "I didn't know the forest belonged to anyone," Dabi raised a challenging eyebrow. The many creatures around them growled at him. Dabi shifted uncomfortably in his position. He could feel the single gouged eye on his horn drip fluids onto his hair. A shiver ran down his spine at the feeling, and the fact that the small motion had caused spears and other makeshift weapons to be held to his neck. A low growl left his lips and he bared his fangs. The ears on the sides of his head pulled back. He felt threatened. "I heard her cry and came to help. Why am I being threatened like this?" He demanded to know, the defensive growl lacing his voice. The leader lifted a hand and the weapons were gone the next seconds. The other creatures' growls were instantly silenced. "I see. We have recently formed a group to protect this forest. Your are welcome to join us," He spoke calmly.
Dabi chanced a glance around, moving slowly. His ears twitched as he counted the many breaths around the small clearing. He couldn't count them all. There were at least 20 people. "Why should I join you after your hostile behavior?" Dabi queried and settled his eyes back onto the leader who was gently stroking through the girls white curls. "Protection, community, food, you name it. We could use another fighter in our ranks," the man replied, crimson eyes holding Dabi's with what almost seemed to be a challenge. "And if I don't want to?" Dabi knew he had no chance to escape unharmed, but he had to at least test the boundaries of this group - or rather, the man who commanded them all. Since they seemed to be ready at his beck and call.
"Then we will kindly ask you to leave this forest," the man stated coldly. Dabi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You will have time until nightfall to decide. Our base is at the west-end. If you haven't come to join us by then, we will kill you on sight," the man turned and the group followed him deeper into the forest.
It was stupid. Incredibly stupid. But Dabi couldn't leave. He didn't want to. There were demonic fruits around, the abundance of wildlife was harsh enough for there to rarely be slavers or humans. No travelers, no merchants. It was the first time he had felt safe enough to stay in one spot for more than a few days. He'd been here for months at this point. Dabi knew a community wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but he had never fit into one before. Everyone was eager to get rid of a demon in their ranks. His kin, specifically, was said to bring bad luck and so he was discarded, blamed for unfortunate happenstances, and bullied all his life. He was anxious when he made his way towards the west. Made sure to favor the trees instead of the ground to stay out of sight for as long as possible.
He especially hated having to bow to someone. The leader probably ruled with a cruel iron fist if the community was so very eager to obey.
He spotted a couple of tree trunks, a crude mimicry of a gate and paused on a branch. This was his last chance to turn tail and search for another place to stay. He was afraid, terrified even. he could feel the way his ears, despite wanting to stay alert, pulled back. The way his lithe tail flicked like an agitated cat's. He worried his bottom lip between his fangs. A sound behind him made him flinch and turn, only to come face-to-face with the leader and hiss on instinct at the threatening man. He pushed the claws of one hand into the bark of the tree as not to lose his balance. Shit, did that hiss count as disrespect? He panicked internally. But the man's head just tilted curiously before he spoke, "Welcome." The statement made Dabi suck in a sharp breath.
He hadn't expected.. that? The man jumped down from the tree. When Dabi hesitated, he looked up expectantly, asking with a knowing grin, "What are you waiting for?" Dabi swallowed thickly. He followed suit, jumping down with more grace than he felt at the moment. His tail curled close to his body, smacking against his own legs in his nervousness. He didn't speak as he followed the man through the crude wooden gate. All of his senses on high alert while he felt like he was drowning. After the gate, came a small clearing Dabi hadn't been able to see through the foliage from outside. He looked around. There were people bustling about, barely paying him any mind. It was so very different from the hostile way everyone had acted earlier. He stiffly followed the leader to a bonfire in the middle of the clearing. Dabi spotted a few tents. Human-made inventions to keep the rain away, or so Dabi had heard once. When the man took a demon berry from a heap of fruits by the fire and handed it to Dabi, Dabi hesitated. He lowered his head a bit as he reached out with both hands slowly. "Respectful, aren't you? My name is Tomura," the man - Tomura, teased. Dabi slowly pulled the fruit close and glanced up at Tomura. "..Dabi," he muttered, ignoring the slight sting. Of course he was respectful now. He had no idea of this tribe? Community? of their ways and rituals, if they even had any yet -
Dabi swiftly abandoned that train of thought when he felt his tail swish in agitation. Too obvious, idiot! He averted his gaze and forced his sharp claws into the small crack of the fruit's outer shell to break it open. "We don't get to see a lot of demons these days, Dabi. Do you need anything to get accommodated?" Dabi hesitated at the seemingly kind offer. He didn't trust it. He shook his head silently. He'd make do. He wouldn't be a bother. Something bitter surged through his chest. He wouldn't give them a reason to kick him out- or kill him. He lifted the fruit to let its juices run into his mouth. Usually, he'd use his long tongue to carve the pulp out, as well. But he couldn't do that. Not in the middle of the base. Not with so many people around. There were more people than he'd seen that morning. Few children of different species, a lot of scarred warriors, a few disfigured people - One was currently being fed. Dabi watched curiously as someone cared for the armless man. He forgot to eat, accidentally staring at the scene in slack-jawed awe. He'd never seen such kindness. He whirled back around to the leader, looking him up and down and -reassessing him. Because clearly, he'd assumed wrong.
Maybe he could have a future here.
After living there for a month, he'd gone from sleeping in the trees, to curling into a ball on the nest he'd made near the bonfire. As a demon, he had an urge to be near a source of heat all the time. The nest was soft, made out of leaves he had picked out with little Eri. He purred softly, knowing he'd be kept safe by his people. By Tomura's people.