"What?" The blubbering man sobbed as he looked up at the boy. Nightblossom tensed and backed up away from them and the cliff. Call it a lesson learned. The motion though seemed to have drawn the man's attention and looking at her, the back to the boy his eyes hardened in some kind of understanding. "I see. Boy you had best give up. You have no chance against a warrior of my level!" The man said finally managing to get to his feet. The words would have been more impressive if he still didn't have snot on his mustache.

"Really? Awesome!" The boy said excitedly. The other two looked at him oddly, he didn't seem to be being sarcastic. He was genuinely excited and happy about the man's declaration.

"Well, at least you wouldn't if I still had my sword!" The man suddenly said. Ah right. That. Yeah that had definitely gone over the cliff when the idiot over extended his lunge. Moron.

"Is that the only problem? I won't be using this so don't worry." The boy said still excited as he spun his staff in his hand casually and then tossed it. It arched over them all and then landed end down between two rocks which held it there upright. Either that was the luckiest toss in existence, or this fellow was a lot more skilled than his goat herder looks had implied. Nightblossom began to consider where it was better to leave now, or stay and watch.

The idiot knew who she was. If she ran she'd need to make sure he couldn't track her though looking at his skills so far she didn't think he could. So there wasn't a pressure to take straight off and use every trick she knew to erase her trail. The young guy with the staff... Did he challenge the man because he figured it out? He didn't say anything implying he'd figured it out, by why else suddenly want to fight with the other guy? But, he could have just left that guy to hang till he died and grabbed her and left in that case. It was impossible to determine what he knew, and Nightblossom didn't like being out of the know. She decided to stay, just to see what was going on with staff kid.

"Erm, well, of course then. After all it should be fair fight to best determine which of us is more powerful." The older man stuttered obviously thrown by the boy's insistence to fight. Yeah he definitely though the kid knew and that was why he challenge him. The way he put emphasis on 'more powerful'.

"Exactly! You really know how I feel old man!" The boy said and man blinked taken back. Nightblossom had to chortle at that. Yeah the guy was definitely a lot older than the kid, he seemed about Nightblossom's own age, but he wasn't old enough that anyone had probably ever called him 'old man' before. This turned his posturing into real anger though and finally he seemed to actually be in the mood to fight.

"That's it kid you're asking for it now." The man rumbled starting to go into a fighting stance.

"Yeah I am!" The boy said still super happy and excited as he too crouched and spread his feet. This just made the other man angrier and he charged forward swinging his fist at the smaller boy. The boy seemed to be frozen in the spot though, he didn't move in the slightest as the fist descended down onto his face. However even though the full strength of the blow fell down on him he didn't budge in the slightest. The only thing different about him as the older man moved away confused was that the excited smile and bright cheery look in his eyes had been replaced with a contempt filled look of utter disappointment and disgust.

"Really?" Even though he was physically the shorter of the two his attitude was clearly of one looking down on the other. "With your physique and actions earlier I told myself you wouldn't really be strong but I was really hoping for better than that. Ugh, if you are weak just say so."

"Weak?! How, how dare you!" The man flustered but his body language betrayed his fear as he started to back away from the young man. The boy tilted his head back and forth, cracking his neck as he took a step closer. Not rushing at all he pulled his hand back and then released a punch right into the stomach of the man. The impact was intense, his entire body bent in half and then flew backward. He slammed into a large rock with a loud thump and feel to the ground, definitely completely unconscious. Nightblossom quickly lost interest in him and instead returned her attention to the young man. He grumbling to himself as he went over and picked up his staff from the rocks. He was strong all right. Now the question is what did he want with her?

"Uuuuuagh, I'm still hungrrrry." He grumbled and then looked over at her pitifully. Or rather her bag. I guess he just really wanted food then?

"Oh no, if I'm going to arrive at Valesdean I need to have food and water enough to cross the Pith!" Nightblossom said holding her bag tight.

"It doesn't matter how much food you bring. I've been wandering the Pith for three weeks now trying to find a town and I just see more rocks and deserts and canyons." The boy said arms gripping the air in front of him as he poured out his despair.

"But, it only takes three days to cross the Pith if you follow the path." Nightblossom injected. The boy was quiet then looked at her looking completely devastated.

"There was a path?" The boy seemed nearly in tears.

"...You, ugh, you want me to bring you back to Pinhorn?" Nightblossom said finally mentioning the much closer town which she had left from yesterday."

"Please." The sudden and extreme attitude changes the boy had were almost difficult to keep up with. Now he was looking at her full of hope and gratitude. Nightblossom though smirked.

"But, you have to do something for me in return." She said slyly.  "After all you didn't save me till I promised you food. So if you want me to help you, you have to help me. You have to be my bodyguard while we're in town." It seemed like he didn't know who she was so long as she kept it on the down low maybe she could use him. After all that had been her best way of surviving and keeping herself free up until now. Use, lie, manipulate. She hadn't been kidding when she called herself a terrible person before.

"Eh, people are after you Boss Lady?" The boy said obviously already accepting the terms of working for her. He seemed excited again, like right before the fight. Was he a fight maniac?

"That guy was after me." Nightblossom said nodding toward him. A look of disgust and disappointment flashed across his face. "And others as well. I caused a bit of a scene when I left Pinhorn." Nightblossom added telling the complete truth. The young man looked a little happier, but still not very excited.

"Alright then Boss Lady! Glad to be working with you!"

"Likewise."