Arrangement

"Don't you dare," I warned, uttering my words through grit teeth.

"Fine, fine," He raised his palms in surrender. He pulled out a large bottle tied to his hip and opened it.

"What's tha-" Before I could finish my words, he threw the scalding liquid at me. I winced and grit my teeth. "What the fuck!"

"It's to soften the sap," He grinned and yanked my arm, pulling me from the tree with little resistance from the sap. "Convenient isn't it?" He tucked my drenched hair behind my ear with a smirk on his face. I slapped his hand off and jumped from the spike I was perched on.

"What?" He stared dumbfounded at my dropping figure. I glanced up at him with disinterest and stabbed my dagger into the tree just as I was a few feet from the forest floor. I tightened my grip on the dagger as I felt the heat from the friction grazing my palm, ripping my glove into shreds. Just as I was about to hit the ground my body stopped falling, my dagger leaving a deep split in the tree oozing sap live a dam.

I ripped my dagger out and dusted off my hands that were red and hot to the touch from the friction. "I don't need your help," I squeezed the water out of my drenched hair and walked over to White Bun who bounded excitement engraved on his face. Without care for my sap covered body, he leapt into my arms with glowing eyes.

"Were you worried about me, White Bun?" I asked with a slight smile and ran my fingers through his silky fur. He nodded vigorously, his purple eyes covered with a film of glimmering tears, but then as if he realized something he paused and pouted, shaking his head.

"Thank you," I leaned down and kissed his forehead and poked his wet, silky nose. "Well, Mister Ralph, this is when we part ways, I won't blame you for following me," I waved to him who had already made his way down to the bottom.

"Meet me at the Silver Spoon two days from now," He crossed his arms and said. I didn't respond but kept walking with my back facing him, my bag with my quest materials thrown over my shoulder.

"Ha... I have to buy new gloves already," I drawled and looked to the sky, drowned out by the covers of the trees.

"Miss... you know I could have helped you out of the sap," White Bun mumbled as he climbed onto my free shoulder. I snapped my head to the side and stared at White Bun's face. He turned his head to avoid my gaze, "I have both lightning and water elements,"

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"You told me not to talk in front of people and I tried to signal to you. Do you know how long I stood on two feet and waved with front paws? But you were too focused on that Red-head," White Bun pouted again and his large purple eyes shimmered with grief.

"Oh... Um... I'm sorry. I'll buy you a lot of food to eat tonight, Okay?" I said with a bitter smile. A toothy grin instantly bloomed on his distraught face.

"I forgive you!" He nudged his nose into the crook of my neck.