A forgotten Path (open)

Gilgaard slapped his back with the length of his Tail, as Squirrels did when trying to warn their kind. He always made sure to keep up these customs. he was very thorough when impersonating other species. For a spit second he thought it was useless, as there were no other Squirrels around... but it was one of his favorite Animals.

He caught sight of a hunter, and eyed up the bow, not feeling so much as a sliver of fear. What caught him was when the Hunter knelt at the tree trunk with back faced to him. His suspicion rose into the tiny Squirrels brow. And he began to chirp at her, the Call of the Squirrel was loud and shrill, many for a great distance could hear the sound of the Shrieking. 'Hey now, what are you doin?' He thought, barking almost without control. Nervous habit of the Animal. He scrambled down the tree trunk and dashed over to the Hunter, staying a good few feet out of Distance, chittering angerly at the Stranger. 'You're meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in.' 

The grey squirrel chirped and ducked, nose burried in the mud just long enough to hear the whurring of the dagger go over his head and the twang of the blade diflecting off of the tree behind him. Silver dust shaken from his coat. "YIKES!" before he could even comprehend what he was doing the squirrels little feet were bolting. Little did he know that he was prancing in tight circles instead of actually going somewhere. Suddenly the thought crossed his mind and he stopped dead, wide round eyes fixed on the Hunter. 'Get it together Gil, Squirrels ain't got no Brain...' And in a poof of silver smoke he was a small buck, 4 Point Stag. He tossed his head a few times, showing off his rack and stood arching his neck. And just like that his Anxiety was gone. And he looked at the Hunter with a quiver of fear in his hide. 'Brilliant, a little more brain and a lot more Fear... next she'll want you for dinner.' 

The Deer cleared it's throat, an odd Gesture for a creature such as this, but he figured by now he had some explaining to do. He Stared at the stranger, Wide eyed, black patch over his left eye. Always self-conscious that it would give away his disguise. "...I apologize, Squirrels."  he said pointedly. "They're so territorial." 

The stag relaxed, only slightly. The hunter may yet be, but the threat had dissipated. Allowing the woman to gain her bearings the stag ears flicked this way and that. A Natural cautionary for a deer. He made sure to remember that in his practices. Gilgaard shifted his weight and felt the cool, soft mud beneath his hooves. A thin layer of grey silver dust where he stood, now trampled into a mixture of earth. "Yeah, Yeah I am- I mean, Hold on, No, No need to be sorry." He struggled to keep up with the Pace of her pleading, "I'm not 'Urt!" he spat, remembering that Deer had very little in the way of Speech. His little white tail shaking with the force of his plea. "I don't need healin." He chuckled.

The Stag's ribs fluctuated in a strange Deer laughter and the stag eye-patched changeling dropped to one of his knees at the front, in what would have been an elegant bow if he were in Human form. "The names Gilead, Gilgaard Gilead." He bowed his head and the antlers gleamed in an unnatural silver glitter. "You can call me Gil." He flashed his teeth in a wide grin and stood up. He was a Gentleman, a strange, talking, shapeshifting, Gentleman. He didn't seem to think it was strange or unnatural at all, Quite proud in fact.

He chuckled Light heartedly. "I wouldn't know" He said, in response to the comment of his antlers. "...I haven't seen them in awhile." He trotted out of the mud once the silvery sparkle dust had been fully worked into the ground. 

"So! you're name is Ashen? Pleasure to meet you, I'd shake your hand but I don't have any. And, to answer your question, Pan'do as you call it, fine place it is." Apparently, to him this was a full and valid answer to her question. Suddenly he remembered the herb at the base of the tree and cocked his head to the side. 'Hmm, gathering 'Erbs. Must be some sort of Druid or the like...'

He nodded, "It's the stag in me... Majestic creatures. Far too trusting. They'll eat right out of your hand if you let them." He nosed around a bit, inching toward Ashen, and the tree, "I interrupted a Practice... what is that behind you?" Pointing at the plant with his antlers. "If you don't mind my proddin' " 

Gil had been known to do a little of this practice as well, now and again. Curiosity had gotten the better of him. As it usually did. 'Well...' he thought wistfully sighing 'I wanted to meet someone interesting and it seems I may have found her... I wonder if she'll play with me..' He studied her face, and her body language. With his expertise of the lands various creatures... a good look at mechanics can tell you alot about a creature...

As-a-matter-of-factly, Gil shook his tail and in a poof of dust, he sprang into the air. As he landed, he took the form of a disgusting looking mole-rat. " 'Ere, let me assist ya. who better to be gatherin' erbs than one that spends a lifetime starin' at roots?" he Mole snuffled about the ground in front of the king's blood and began to dig. after a short time, the ass-end of the mole was covered in mud and clay. His distant and muffled voice heard from within his little dug-out; "Oh.. that trees got a little bit of root-rot. But the plant itse'f is fine." The flower began to shake and quiver. Uprooting a plant without destroying the foundation was a delicate job, and he took quite a bit of care to extract it for the Lady. Soon, the plant popped up out of the ground with a small mound of fresh soil and a hint of silver sparkles. 

"Mission Accomplished." He nodded, "it's as easy as that." the feelers on his nose snuffling at the air.