"Something's wrong."

Grumpy Tunnel Man stayed crouched by the fire, his face as unwelcoming as ever, but his blue eyes held a sympathy.

"Something's not right. I'm dreaming! Do you hear me? I'm dreaming." Quinn began to hyperventilate.

"What even is this gift? Am I possessed? Oh my god. Oh my god. I'm not normal anymore." Quinn reached a shaking hand for the dagger on the floor.

"I'll look again. This--this is is all crazy." She said, gesturing to her face.

His hand reached out and grabbed hers before she could reach the knife.

"Slow down. Take deep breaths. In with me, in.....out....in.....out."

Quinn breathed slower.

"Good. You have a gift. The rules of this world are what allow you to have that gift. When children here are born, all of them possess a small amount of magik. Certain bloodlines carry more magik than others. Royal bloodlines usually have the most. In order for someone else to receive a true amount to match who they are, they would have to be measured up at a later time- like, per say, being transferred from your world through the strong magik of the caves, to this one. As soon as you pass through, the portal will test you, of sorts. It determines how much you get, and that magik is "gifted" to you. Fortunately for you, your magik was foretold, so we don't have to spend a bunch of time worrying about whether you're going to light the house on fire while you sleep." He explained.

"And now I'm purple." Quinn finished.

She swore his lips twitched from their usual frown.

"Your eyes, are purple. You are you. With a gift befitting you."

He moved the fur from around her and laid it in front of the fire.

"Whaat are you doing?" Quinn reached out for the fur.

Now his lips definitely twitched.

"You're soaked through, and you're getting everything wet. There are a few things upstairs from whoever was last here. Go look and change into them so that you aren't dripping on the place you sleep." He instructed her before turning back to the fire.

Staring at it.

Quinn glanced down at her pajamas that were slightly damp from residual snow melt and her pant legs which clung to her.

She scowled and climbed up the stairs.

Miroslav stared at the fire. Not his fire.

Flashes of the past danced through his mind.

"Miroslav....you must trust me. I have to save one of you..."

Miroslav glanced at the stairs. Now there were two people with unwanted magik. Unwanted power. Unwanted destinies.

"Whoever was here last had the worst sense of fashion." Quinn interrupted his thoughts.

She came down the stairs and Miroslav felt the corners of his mouth turn up slightly in a foreign motion that he didn't quite understand. She was in an oversized long sleeve shirt that she had tied up close to her waist. She was wearing bulky hunters pants that were bright white, which made her homestyle fixes that much more obvious. A black cord had been tied at the top through the loops to tighten and hold it up, and the bottoms were rolled creating puffs above a set of too large boots. The boots made clunking noises as she thumped down the steps.

"So, what do you think?" She gave a little twirl; the too large boots almost sending her crashing.

Miroslav studied her for a moment.

"You'll need a coat." He rumbled.

"Yeah. There's some big ones upstairs. By the way, is everyone here as giant as you? What's up with these enormous clothes?" Quinn asked.

"Many of the people in Elurra tend to be on the larger side, although I haven't yet met someone my height besides my father." Miroslav answered, shrugging.

They fell into silence.

Quinn went and sat next to Miroslav, feeling small in comparison.

"You don't.... happen to have a hair tie, do you?" Quinn mused.

Miroslav studied her long hair thoughtfully then walked over to a pack in the corner. Digging through it, he pulled out a long leather cord and walked back, but instead of sitting next to her, he knelt behind her.

"Oh, hey. I can do it myself. Pass me the cord." Quinn protested.

Miroslav didn't answer.

He just pulled his fingers gently through her long black hair, making sure it wouldn't snag before he began to twist it efficiently.

Quinn thought of Miroslav's hair, which while it was on the longer side, definitely not long enough to braid.

He finished and tied it, then used the dagger on the floor to cut the extra cord before tucking it into his pocket.

The knife was passed to her.

"Satisfactory?" He questioned, his expression straight.

Quinn tilted the blade and turned her head. Her hair was neatly plaited behind her into a fancy braid.

With the hair pulled back, her violet eyes were front and center on display.

"Miroslav..." she asked. "What exactly IS my gift? Will I know when it happens or will it just.... take me over?"

She felt the quiet.

"Your gift is some sort of people-reading. An understanding of men. My guess is with a gift as strong as yours that it will be obvious when you use it." He responded quietly.

"Where are we going that I'll need a coat?" Quinn prodded.

"The stronghold of Elurra is the nearby mountain. We'll travel there to get answers. It's a large city. You should sleep so you aren't dead weight when we travel."

Quinn made a face at him, but she was already tired so she moved back to the furs and curled up.

"Hey Miroslav?" She asked.

He grunted.

"I'm keeping this knife."

She closed her eyes, not waiting for any disagreement.

He looks like he can take care of himself. But who knows what this place is like. An unarmed woman could get hurt.

Quinn cradled the blade closer.

Something landed on top of her with a thunk. She opened her eyes.

A corded belt.

Another couple of seconds and something else landed on top of that.

A leather sheath.