Kath'tan looked up at the treacherous sky; at first the tree he sat underneath protected him from most of the rain but as it increased in intensity, it stung his eyes and soaked his hair.
Purple eyes blazing in anger, he watched the fire quickly go out under the onslaught of the rain, rapidly getting drenched. Left no other choice, he rose to his feet and headed for the tent, taking the flask of water with him as he did.
Inside the tent was dry, the Vampire had been surprisingly efficient, pitching the tent on high ground with trenches dug around it to divert water flow. The bottom of the tent was also made of treated hide, sticks, and leaves providing more elevation and keeping the tent from making contact with the wet ground.
Kath'tan had to curl up inside the tent to fit, hearing the dull sound of raindrops hitting the tent. The trees provided very good cover, so the interior of the tent remained dry.
His jaw was clenched so hard that one could hear the grinding of teeth under the falling rain. Anyone who managed to infuriate him to this point would be long dead, but for the first time, that option was taken away from him.
The rain beat down relentlessly, the hours crawling by. When the Vampire didn't return, Kath'tan's anger soured into unease. The strange creature was too foolish to run off, so if he hadn't returned, it meant that he simply couldn't.
The rain had begun to ease off, a light mist gently falling. Kath'tan left the tent, intending to go looking for the Vampire. It was dark, but his eyesight was sharp so before he could leave the clearing, something caught his attention from the corner of his eyes.
He glanced over to see a figure curled up underneath a tree, without even going over, he already knew who it was. Kath'tan's disapproval couldn't be more clear to see, even through the light rain. The foolish Vampire was talented at infuriating him.
Dulce lifted his head when he heard someone approach, eyeing the approaching Demon warily. "Is something the matter?" He asked calmly, even though he was soaked to the bone.
Kath'tan didn't bother to have a conversation with the foolish Vampire, reaching out to grab him by the neck.
Dulce placed wet, cold fingers on the claws wrapped around his neck, panicked but resigned to his fate. "D-Do you want to resume the journey?" He asked in frightful confusion, choking when he was lifted by his neck and losing the ability to speak.
Kath'tan picked up the Vampire like a mangy dog, ignoring the sounds of his choking and wheezing as his throat was constricted. He walked over to the tent, opened the flap, and tossed the wet Vampire in, turning away to leave after.
The rain had more or less reduced to only a few drops here and there, spring water falling from glossy green leaves. He returned to the tree he had previously been reclining on, deciding to wait until sunrise to resume their journey.
The Vampire was utterly pathetic, it took all the fun out of tormenting him. He rested his back against the wide trunk of the tree, his eyes closed to the occasional drops of water. He tried to think about what would be happening at his home, but all he could see was the shivering, wet Vampire.
In the tent, Dulce was still listening intently for what Kath'tan was doing. He had found some elk deeper in the woods, drinking till he was satisfied. He hated to have to waste food but there was nothing to be done about the elk's carcass.
It had been too long since he had surplus to drink, being on the run was always beneficial in that way. He had returned a while after the rain began, pleased that Kath'tan had agreed to use his tent. He didn't dare join the Fiend, in such a cramped space, it would be so easy for his bones to be broken.
He was also a little blood drunk, sparingly surviving on blood meant that a single elk was enough to have him weaving unsteadily. Vampires couldn't sleep, but after a deep drink, they tended to fall into a trance reminiscent of sleep.
And as he couldn't feel the cold, he had been incredibly comfortable curled up under the tree. Fantasizing about what he would do when he had his big puppy, his hound from the hells. He would take Shopkeep Elinor's offer to expand his farm, the Hellhound would need to be well-fed after all.
Dulce had been surprised when all the Fiend had done was place him in the tent, he landed on his face, but he didn't mind it, relieved that they were beginning to somewhat get along. Injuries were too expensive, he simply couldn't afford them, not when he needed to start saving up for another summoning.
He sat in the tent, clothes wet, pale hair sticking to his face and back. Soon he could no longer hear the rain, so he braced himself for the Demon's return, they would no doubt resume their journey soon.
Dulce laid on his side after waiting patiently and hearing no change outside, perhaps Kath'tan was being considerate for the first time- he would gladly take it. Because even though he had fed, he would still walk slow, fighting off a trance as the blood warmed him up from within.
A thump to the tent roused him, and when he scrambled out on all fours, he found that it was already sunrise. His clothes had long dried, a healthy flush to his face, his sunken cheeks filled. He said nothing to Kath'tan, hastily packing up so they could resume their journey.
Kath'tan watched in displeasure as the Vampire scrambled out of the tent like vermin, his question about their journey drying up on his tongue when the Vampire rose to his feet. It was such a jarring difference that he found himself staring, realizing just how sickly the Vampire looked before going hunting during the night.