"Relic? Relic magic, come on. I don't want to stumble upon a tryst."

The stallion winced against the scent of lust and the sounds of mammalian pleasure that drifted through the mists of the creek. As soon as Camdis had stepped within the borders of the realm, he had been hit with a heady aroma that was as unmistakable as his own and he had cringed at the realization. At first he had dug his hooves in, jerking his horned head back and downright refusing to move any further into the sexually charged - albeit beautiful - territory. Yet, the relic's magic had insisted, practically yanking on the male's heart and leaving him gasping in not-quite-pain. 

"Fine," He had finally assented, his face fixed into an expression of petulance and reluctance. Now, keeping his silvery eyes glued to the smooth earth directly in front of his hooves as he bumbled along, the stallion grumbled endlessly about the relic and it's seemingly futile magic. It wasn't as if Camdis was a virgin - he had children, for Tempus' sake - but the stallion wasn't much for witnessing the activities of others. Gritting his teeth as a particularly suggestive cry rang out, the bloodied bay found that he was endlessly thankful for the thick fog that blocked all others from view. 

"This is ridiculous," he mumbled, immediately hoping that he hadn't been heard by any of the parties participating in what the surroundings intended. 

"This is ridiculous," he whispered fervently in the general direction of his chest, where he had decided that the magic was most likely to linger, "I don't want to get laid you idiot, get us out of here."
                                                                                                                                                                                                     

He had followed the river for some time before he came upon the creek. It branched off from the main body, turning flow into a trickle and moving from a roar to a rumble, its crystal clear waters like a vein of diamond in the sunlight that broke through the trees. A soon as Kaladin shifted his course, he felt an odd change come upon him - a scent, carried on the wind, one he had never felt before. He could not describe the sensation that came over him. It was not a pleasant feeling - it almost felt as if he were intruding on something private. It was not a mortal emotion he sought to understand, and he promptly decided not to delve further into self-discovery this day.

The trees were thinner hear, and he moved with greater ease between the towering pines, glad for the thin streams of warm light that managed to break through the crowns. These were younger lands, he realized - younger then him and much more purposeful. Things were done here, things he'd seen mortals do but had always found repulsive himself. Lands of love? He glanced around himself with surprise, then shrugged. They need to continue their legacies somehow. After all, not everyone lives forever.

Kaladin had not been the product of these natural acts. It was the benefit of being created as an amorphous cloud of raw power. Even then, eight hundred years ago, he'd sought to conform to father's world - he'd taken on an equine shape, trying to learn the mannerisms and behaviors that came so naturally to mortals. They'd seemed meaningless to him - they still did. But, he realized, I am mortal now. I do not have a choice but to learn. He sighed an exasperated breath, ambling along the lush forest path. If I were still a god, he thought bitterly, I would have hidden my relic as far from this damned spot as possible.

Speech sounded off to his left, and Kaladin flicked his ear in the direction, attempting to discern the low tones. However, his body refused to capture the words, and his mortal ears were only able to make out the familiarity of the words, but not their content. He moved in the direction of the noise, relieved to have company with which to share his discomfort. Sure enough, it was only a moment before he was met with a familiar shape tucked behind a pair of spruce trees - the crimson-and-earth brawler with a gaze like fire. As he drew closer, he began to make out the man's whispers. "I don't want to get laid you idiot, get us out of here." Kaldin grinned. He was beginning to like this man more and more.

"Neither do I," he called out, unsure whether their familiarity still required the courtesy of mundane greeting. Either way, he found himself amused by their horrifying situation, and he grinned icily at their shared desperation. "If I am to guess, the only reason we are here is to find Tempus' relic. So let us find this damned relic or get the hell out of here."

How did the honeyed stallion keep sneaking up on him?

It was an odd sensation, the sudden awareness that one was not alone in the most immediate sense, like a jolt through one's chest as their brain struggled to analyze the past - what it had missed, what could have been done to ensure it wouldn't continue being the victim of such starts. Yet, the voice that sliced through the haze was not altogether unfamiliar. In fact, as Camdis swiveled his ears and turned his head toward the sound of Kaladin's words, a grim smile toyed with the edges of his mouth. In the presence of his acquaintance, the scarlet and bay stag visibly relaxed, reasoning that they would not be approached if they seemed a pair of travelers.

Then again, Camdis had heard tell of rather interesting tastes held by certain members of his previous court, and he could only hope that they held the position of outlier amongst the citizens of Novus. 

Moving around the twin spruces, - flinching only slightly at the concept of 'twin' and shoving the wretched guilt into a dark corner of his mind labeled "later" - The muscled caretaker moved toward the his wispy comrade, exasperation clear upon his face. "A capital suggestion," Came his low response, eyes sweeping the earth surrounding them before making their way up toward the honey-and-bronze stallion's captivating amber gaze. Camdis Lohir cocked his head, noting the way the smile that graced his golden lips softened his usually severe features. Truly the stallion was nice to look at, not dripping in gaudy colors or blinding others with sparkles and jewelry. 

It was refreshing company, to say the least.     

"Where do you suggest we begin - the moans and groans to the left, or the moans and groans to our right?"

If only it were more a joke than reality.