[Lilith Michaelis]

"I do," Dubhán stated again, their lips creeping ever upwards in amusement. The child's confusion was adorable. "I have not been seen because I did not want to be seen, young one. It was intended that way. As for how I know about you and your little village....I see things. But you need not worry about that."

They chuckled once again as the boy continued on. It was a soft, light sound, but something about it seemed almost discordant. It was comparable to the soft tinkle of bells that had not been used in a very long time. "So many questions. But you are young, that is to be expected."

[Lilith Michaelis]

Tarana's brows furrowed as he listened to the person talk. And nothing they said eased his mind or convinced him that they meant no harm. They have never been seen because they didn't it to be so? And they knew about the village and what they did? That did not bode well at all. And it certainly spoke to this person, this being, being more than they let on. Even the way they talked spoke of some hidden nature.

"You didn't answer my question."

[Lilith Michaelis]

Dubhán's lips split from their closed amused smirk into a small grin, yet another chuckle rumbling through their chest. They raised their hands up until they were about to chin level and steepled their fingers a bit off center from their chin, their head tilted away from them just slightly. The boy's distrust and wariness was adorable. A wise reaction but adorable nonetheless. "Fear not, little one. I am not here to harm you nor do I have intention to hurt your precious little village."

[Lilith Michaelis]

The more this Dubhán spoke, the less at ease Tarana felt. Whoever, whatever this person was, they were extremely off putting and the ninja would not hesitate to do something at one wrong move. And to be quite honest, their reassurances that they were not here to do harm did not have him convinced.

Tarana's grip on his kunai tightened as he jumped to a closer branch, his eyes never leaving Dubhán. "I'm going to give you ten more seconds to answer my question."

[Lilith Michaelis]

"An impatient one, aren't you?" Dubhán teased, giggling quietly, the sound a mischievous one. They glanced off to the side for a moment, seemingly considering something before returning their gaze to Tarana. "I will draw this out no longer, then. I do not have anything to do with this dark mist that has rolled into our quaint little forest. Its presence is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you and your village, little one."

[Lilith Michaelis]

Tarana's nose wrinkled at being called impatient, a soft scoff managing to escape from his lips before he could stop it. He was not impatient. And he'd appreciate it if Dubhán stopped calling him little one. He was seventeen now for gods' sake. And the other was shorter than he as. It occurred to him that, if this Dubhán was something other than human, neither of those were likely the reason they continued to refer to him as little one, but... well... That wasn't the point!

Tarana watched the other being carefully for a moment, eyes narrowed as he try to get a good read on them. A short time later, he lowered his kunai slightly. The other did not seem to be lying...

[Lilith Michaelis]

Dubhán watched Tarana carefully and quietly, their head tilted to one side. They had slowly dropped their hands closer to their chest by this point, though they were still steepled together. "You do not believe me," they said after a moment. It was not a question, but a statement. "At least not entirely. Hmm..."

Their red gaze bore into Tarana as they observed him. He was a young man, not older than eighteen. Straight, black hair fell to his shoulders, partially tied back in a half ponytail. He dressed simply and appropriately for his "job", for lack of a better word for the indoctrination the people of the ninja village went through. And equally intense, snow blue eyes stared back into his own.

[Lilith Michaelis]

Tarana's mouth went askew, pulling off to the left as he considered Dubhán. "It's not as if you've given me much reason to...," the young man pointed out, loosening his grip on his kunai a little further. He was still ready to attack and retaliate at a moment's notice, but it seemed as if he could afford to let his guard down, at least for now. "I don't suppose you know anything about it at all, do you?" he asked, jutting his chin towards Dubhán momentarily as he gestured to the black mist surrounding them.

[Lilith Michaelis]

"I haven't given you reason not to either, young one," Dubhán purred, their hands languidly moving from their steepled position and splaying out just in front of his shoulders, palms facing up. They considered his question a moment, their red eyes flicking up and off to the side for a few seconds before daring back to Tarana's visage. "Unfortunately, I doubt I know much more than you do. It appeared to be harmless. Just blackened water."

"Now," Dubhán uttered softly, clasping their hands in front of themself once more. "I have given you my name. You have not given me yours. How rude."

[Lilith Michaelis]

Tarana's eyes narrowed slightly as he pressed his lips together a tad in a deadpan manner at Dubhán's ridiculous comment about not having a reason to not believe them either. Oh haha. How very funny of you, weirdo. His expression quickly turned to one of confusion and disbelief, his nose wrinkling yet again. "It's just...regular mist? I mean, it's not regular mist, but it's like regular mist? That...no, that can't be it. Something like this doesn't just spread like it has without something being weird about it besides the way it looks..."

The ninja flushed with embarrassment after a moment, both out of the realization that he had been rambling and thinking aloud and because he had not introduced himself in anyway. "...Tarana."

[Lilith Michaelis]

"Only as far as I can tell," Dubhán confirmed. The corners of their mouth twitched slightly as they continued to observe Tarana. They rather enjoyed how expressive the boy was, even when he was trying to remain expressionless. He still needed to work on his micro-expressions. "But perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye..."

"Much like you," the raven spirit said softly, almost distantly. This child was an interesting one indeed... "By the way, young Tarana, you should be careful giving your name out like that. You never know who or what may use it against you..."

[Lilith Michaelis]

Tarana blinked at Dubhán several times at the rather sudden comparison. "I. Wait. What? What do you mean much like me, what does that mean?" What about him was more than meets the eye, especially to a perfect stranger? Tarana may be a ninja but there was nothing really all that special about him, unless you counted the chance to inherit the sharingan. And he really kind of didn't count that. He held no special power.

His heart skipped a beat as Dubhán mentioned the importance of names and caution about who you gave it to. Most people didn't use names like that. Which meant whoever this Dubhán was, they were probably....Oh no. "You're not human, are you...?"

[Lilith Michaelis]

An uncomfortable silence came over the small clearing after Tarana's question. Only the sound of the boy's breathing could be heard. There was either no wildlife in their immediate area or even they had stilled. The disquieting stillness felt both as if it was an impenetrable wall and that it could be shattered as if it was glass with even the merest of pinpricks.....

And shattered it was indeed as Dubhán burst into raucous laughter, clearly pleased and amused with Tarana's moment of anxiety and panic. "Worry not, Tanaka Tarana, I have no need nor want to use your true name against you. As to your question, well... Guess, you'll have to figure that one out!"

[Lilith Michaelis]

Beads of sweat had gathered about Tarana's temples as the clearing went silent. His breath hitched in his throat, the sound deafening to him in the wake of the sudden stillness of the forest. His heartbeat quickened and he was almost sure everything for miles could hear it. The longer the silence went on, the more he began to panic, despite whatever training for such a situation had told him otherwise. All was broken by Dubhán's sudden laughter, and though it startled the young man, he felt his shoulders drop as he began to breathe again.

"That's not funny."

[Lilith Michaelis]

"Of course it was," Dubhán snickered, still holding their stomach and giggling. They weren't quite done laughing at the boy. "You should have seen your face. It's been awhile since I've seen such a look of panicked dread caused by such a little thing."

The boy seemed to have forgotten Dubhán's remark on him being more than meets the eye, at least for the moment. They briefly considered bringing it back up and telling him why he was so wonderfully intriguing.... He was marked after all.