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It was safe to say that he was, even if a little, concerned.
Having gone to oppose yet another battle and accomplish his goal of having a cult so mighty, he had left the Goat at the camp. Last time, he did leave his husband Tobias in charge, who had died and was left to rot. It didn't really help, no. His followers had starved themselves as well, as they didn't want to get near the crops—all because of the poop Luke the Fox left.
Groaning, he pinched his nose's bridge and sighed out. It was fine. It was a couple of months ago. Now, he had the Goat, who was not exactly eager to help him. Well, Goat wasn't even a part of his cult. He just…invited himself in?
He looked up at the stars. It had been five days since he had gone away from the cult grounds. Meant that he was either going to return to a disaster of fires and screams, or to his cult being completely wiped out—Goat probably standing in the center in each of the scenarios.
When he turned a rock that would reveal the cult's gates to him, he stopped in his tracks.
No followers walking around the gates.
All of the torches were extinguished.
And there wasn't a single sound coming from the establishment.
Hurrying along, he walked as fast as the breeze that brushed his fur. Upon inspection, he could see that someone was definitely standing on top of his statue in the middle of the cult, moving and doing something.
Not sure what he expects, he minded his crown into a blade, keeping it firmly in his hand.
"Where is everyone?" He asked, his voice echoing through the whole place.
"Hm?" A deep voice came from the silhouette on top of the statue. "Ah, you are back." Deep laugh rattled through the place.
"Oh," Lamb suddenly said, and retracted his sword. "I thought you were someone else. My bad."
Looking closer, he could see that the Goat was sitting there, eating the grapes in his hand.
"Though," Lamb added. "Where IS everyone?"
Blinking his eyes, the Goat tilted his head to one side and flopped another grape into his mouth.
"You thought I would do something to them? Well, your followers are safe and sound. In their houses."
Lamb looked up, raising one of his eyebrows.
"They are in their houses? Since when do they get into their houses at night?"
The Goat's eyes landed on him before the animal shrugged.
"Too scared of me. They seem pretty bold with you. Maybe because they know you wouldn't get rid of them easily without thinking twice. I don't have that problem."
He parted his lips, then tilted his head to one side.
"Did any of them get hurt?"
The Goat looked away, his eyes landing on something Lamb couldn't follow. But it seemed to be around towards where the houses were.
"Does a dead one count?"
"WHAT ? "
The Goat shrugged.
"She was sick, and we didn't find a cure. Took her out of her misery." He hummed. "Pleaded to me, too!"
The Lamb's eyes went wide open as he took a step back.
"Are you crazy?! I need my followers. How am I going to execute my goal if they keep dying?"
Goat raised an eyebrow at him before he slowly got up and jumped down, landing right in front of Lamb.
"Your followers, my followers. Same thing." He shrugged. "A dying follower is only good when they worship. So, it has already completed its task."
Lamb stared at him, frog blinking, before he sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Who were they?"
"Her name was Balshophy." He stared into Lamb's eyes, his face laced with confusion. "How is that important?"
"Oh, her?" He asked, glancing away towards the houses. "She got sick again? And you killed her?"
Goat shrugged.
"Why you—you know what. It's fine. She asked me to kill her over and over again anyway. It isn't my responsibility…" He took a deep breath and sighed.
"Aren't you the leader?"
"HUSH, now. I don't want to think about it."
"Hm, suits you." The Goat gave another shrug and turned his head, his cloak gently dancing in the wind at the same time as Lamb's red cloak. "I haven't slept in four days."
Lamb snapped his head at him.
"WHAT? WHY?"
Cocking his head to a side, Goat blinked and stared into Lamb's eyes.
"I was waiting for you."
Taking another step back, Lamb raised his hands to his chest. His eyes were wide open, and his lips parted slightly.
"You were?"
The Goat nodded.
"Is that why you were on the statue?" He looked around Goat's eyes, taking in the sight of small rings and purple colours on his low eyelids.
When Goat just didn't answer and looked away at a distance, deep in thought, Lamb took a step up.
Then he carefully grabbed Goat's hand.
"Come on." He said, already dragging Goat to his own residence.
Following quietly after the Lamb, Goat rubbed his left eye, staring at him with even more bewilderment and confusion than before.
"Where are we going?" He asked, his expression shifting into a pout.
Lamb glanced at him from his side, his hand fully embracing Goat's.
"Well, I am not going to let you just go without sleeping. We are immortals, sure, but that doesn't mean we don't feel pain."
"I am not hurt—" Goat tried to say before Lamb cut his attempt at negotiation.
"You don't need a visible wound to be hurt."
He kept on walking towards their tent. Now, the Goat was silent beside him, not even a single protest.
Turning to look at him, he saw the glimpse of Goat yawning—his mouth all open and sharp teeth on full display. His dark horns glistering by the moonlight, eyes all closed in a sleepy hue.
Not daring to comment, he went back to walking. And soon, they were in front of his own tent. With not a creature other than them in sight.
"We are here," He said, voice quiet to not startle Goat as the other's hand was slowly slipping away from his grasp.
He reached up to open the tent, lifting its side up and revealing the home he very much had his followers do.
Well, maybe he did stamp his feet because of someone who did the details wrong, and maybe some he fried his brain while giving them instructions, but he wasn't going to mention any of that to Goat's face.
He carefully pulled Goat's hand to move forward, only for the other to lose his footing and almost fall onto him.
Yet, before Lamb could catch him, the Goat stabled and stood up.
"You didn't see that." He mumbled, voice hoarse. The very confidence he had at the start of their conversation was nothing but a distant memory.
"Yeah, sure." Lamb shrugged, holding in a laugh. "Whatever you say."
Faced with Goat's harsh glare, the black-furred one stepped inside and walked to Lamb's bed, and flopped down onto it.
"You can't just lie down with your cloak!" Lamb shrieked, sprinting towards where Goat lay and placing one knee on the bed. "Come on, get up."
Goat groaned, flexing his leg and kicking him off the bed—causing him to fall onto the floor with a soft thud.
Huffing and crossing his arms, he quickly got up and stormed towards the bathroom, getting his cloak and clothes off to clean himself.
When he got back, he was freshly in his pajamas. His crown was still on his head between his horns.
"Goat," He groaned out, but halted the moment he saw the other in his bed.
Goat's hands were tucked to his chest, as well as his legs. His eyes were closed. His face had a soft expression that Lamb had never seen. His chest was quietly moving up and down with each breath he took.
Peaceful, the sight was.
For a mere moment, he could feel his heartbeat, a single irregular beat. Warm and fuzzy inside, he didn't even register that he was walking closer and croaching next to the bed.
Right where he could see Goat's face without trying to look while standing.
As Goat moved to shift into a comfortable position, he took himself away from just looking. Looking like a stalker. Or whatever he was doing.
What was he doing?
Shaking his head, he looked at the ground and just sat down.
There was some chittering outside. Probably some of his followers had gotten outside of their houses, feeling bold now that Goat wasn't near.
He turned his head slightly, his eyes only high enough to see Goat's horn from there.
Taking in a sigh, he carefully got up and looked at his pajamas.
Where was he supposed to sleep?
He looked outside, focusing more on the noises.
Yet, a sound of movement caught in his ears, and he turned back to see Goat's eyebrows knitting, ears twitching with each sound that came from outside.
Without further inspection, a scoff escaped him, and he walked up to open the tent door and stick his head out.
"LUKE, MADONNA. GET IN YOUR TENTS." He yelled.
Luke the fox and Madonna the raccoon turned towards him, faces confused.
Madonna was the first to speak up.
"But we are not sleepy! At least give us some work."
Lamb sighed, pinching his bridge.
"You both are terrible at working. Just go eat something in a bowl!"
Luke tilted his head.
"Bowl? We love bowls."
"Yup, bowls are great. They are like spheres but cut in half!"
When both of them trailed onto how they liked sphere shapes, now quieter, Lamb took a step back and closed the tent. He tied the ropes together so nothing would disturb them.
Prideful of his work, he turned his back, dreaming of finally sleeping in his bed with a smile—only to drop it quickly because there was still a ball of fur sleeping quietly on his bed.
Standing in front of the bed, he just stared at Goat's position for a while, thinking of what to do.
Before the Goat actually moved and made space for him.
Was it for him, or did the Goat only move to get comfortable?
Not very sure, and also very tired, he climbed in and took one of the pillows on his bed. He knew that Goat always slept without a pillow—he had seen the guy sleeping on very weird places—so he didn't think to offer him a pillow and risk waking him up.
Lying down fully on his back, he stared at the ceiling, his mind very aware of the body next to him.
Then, he blacked out.
Well, getting up was a surprise, since he didn't know when he had fallen asleep. And, when he opened his eyes, all he saw was that the world had turned upside down.
Before he realised that it was his head hanging from the bed.
Carefully trying to get up, he lifted his head and only stared at the black thing that was currently corrupting his chest.
For a moment, he was about to yell, only to notice that the black thing was actually Goat, curled up onto his chest and softly snoring the exhaustion in his body away.
He blinked, mostly confused. Then remembered that he had led Goat here, causing them to sleep in the single bed of his room.
And worst of all, Goat was still sleeping so peacefully.
Groaning internally, he took in the sight of himself. Somehow, he had flipped himself upside down on the bed so that his head was in the opposite place it was supposed to be. His body was all sprawled around the bed, invading Goat's space as well.
He placed his head to one side to not let it fall again, and grumbled something under his breath.
They could nap a little more.
Besides, Goat was a cuddler after all.