A hollowness saturated his being as Levani took the opportunity to end their conversation, turning from his as she clearly fought an internal battle, one that he couldn't begin to comprehend. A small part of him was glad that she had turned from him at that moment, so she couldn't see the sadness in his pale eyes as she appeared to ignore his words and explanations, his actions towards her. Had he misjudged her? Had she simply been shocked by his sudden kiss that she didn't know how to react? Slowly shaking his head, he knew that couldn't be the truth, not considering the blush that had bloomed in her cheeks at his explanation. Why did it bother him so? He couldn't understand why her reaction to him left him with an emptiness, a feeling of hopeless longing, contrasting to the warmth and hope he had felt as their eyes focused on each other a moment before. His fingers curled into his palms, his nails digging into the calloused flesh as he attempted to push the thoughts and emotions from his mind, deciding that it would do him no good to worry and puzzle over her reaction.<br/><br/>Nodding absently as she mentioned having something for him in the brook, he bent to pick up his pile of armor and discarded clothing, then followed after her as she lead their way to the brook, it's quiet babbling helping to soothe his bruised emotions. With a heavy sigh, he dropped his gear in a pile on the grassy bank of the brook and unbuckled his leather pants, letting them drop to the ground. Stepping out of them, he gingerly made his way into the water, careful to keep his footing in the slick mud. Cupping his hands under the waters surface, he brought the water to him, letting it cascade over his upturned face, helping to wash the blood and corruption from his flesh, as well as his unwanted thoughts towards his feelings about Levani. He had made it clear how he felt for her, and if she decided that she would not, or could not, return his feelings, then he would allow her the distance she needed.<br/><br/>Her words pulled at his attention, her offered gift of a rooted plant gaining his curiosity. Moving to where she stood in the brook, he took the colorful root from her hands, his pale eyes studying the plant as he filed through his memories of what his mother had taught him. If the plant was used by the locals for healing purposes, he could definitely make use of them, though he would need to make a fire to dry them quickly, so he could make a powder from them. Alchemy was a tricky art, but with the right knowledge, he could make use of nearly any substance contained in Asdenni, though some of it would be simple trial and error, being that he was unfamiliar with most of the flora. “I'm sure I can do something with it. Thank you.” Offering her a slight bow of his head, he moved away from her, closer to where his pile of gear was, and tossed the root to the shore.<br/><br/>Choosing to ignore the fact that he needed to wash his own body, he picked up his leather breeches and busied himself with cleaning the blood and filth from them, using small bits of moss, dunked in the water, to help scour away the dirt and grime. Piece by piece he went through his clothes, cleaning each article, only to lay them on a sunny patch of the bank, before moving on to the next piece that required his attention. Falling into the motions of cleaning his equipment, Kallo was unusually silent, clearly lost in his own thoughts as his hands absently worked at his gear. After his clothes had been sufficiently cleaned, he moved on to the plates of his armor, ignoring the burning pain in his muscles, screaming at him to stop and take a moment to relax, to recuperate from his battle. Sheer stubbornness, and maybe a bit of practiced discipline kept his focus till he was finished.<br/><br/>“We can go whenever you feel up to traveling again. Don't push yourself though.” As he spoke, he turned his attention to cleaning the grime from his battered body, his skin splotched with blue and purple hues, showing just how much damage he had absorbed from the mammoth creature they had felled. “The Ineasi... one of the local tribes?” His words were quiet as he gingerly cleaned his body, wincing each time he passed over one of the larger bruises, his teeth grinding each time he reached a little too far, causing his muscles to scream in agony. “If you think we need to visit them, and they will accept my presence... I have no issue with that. I have no use for them... I have nothing of value to trade with. Not since my pack was taken.” Shaking his head slowly, eyes cast down to study the bruising on his body, he offered a soft sigh to the water's surface and found a spot where he could simply lay down, resting his head against some soft moss on the bank, his body fully submerged in the cool water. Letting his pale eyes fall closed, he allowed the tension in his muscles to relax, welcoming the gentle flow of the water over his aching body. “All I have left is laying in that pile.” Lifting an arm from the water for a brief moment, he motioned behind him to his gear, then let his arm fall back into the water with a splash. “Give me a few moments rest and I'll help you collect a few more of those roots and go hunt for a couple other ingredients... then we can see about setting a fire to dry them so I can make us of it all.”<br/><br/>Kallo fell silent as he laid there, mostly submerged, listening to the quiet babbling of the brook, to the distant calls of the exotic birds that called Asdenni home. It all reminded him of home, of his time living within the wilderness as a youth, finding pure enjoyment from mother nature and her boundless gifts. In that peaceful moment, he pushed all thoughts of their current journey from his mind, of the corruption that consumed the world around them, or his broken blade, the last of his brother's essence in this world, and simply relaxed, truly let the fatigue and stress wash from his mind, much as the water washed the filth from his tired body. Slowly his thoughts turned to Levani, strong and beautiful as she was, and her reaction to his words. Though he couldn't puzzle it out, he realized that it didn't matter, he didn't need her to feel the same way he did, to return his affections. It wouldn't change the way he looked at her, the beauty and grace he saw as she fought along side him. It was enough that she accepted his companionship. “Thank you lass...” A small smile curled the edges of his lips as he lay against the bank, eyes closed lightly as he spoke to her. “I don't think I could do any of this without your help... I think I was losing my way before you found me.”