Kilbas was enjoying his solitude.

It was always this time of the year that he could be most free.

The first frosty nights drove away everything he desired the least to see. Even the obnoxious shadow woman was finally gone, led away by the Demon Prince's ancestor. (Though Kilbas was not ready to accept their connection yet.)

But as winter drew closer, so did a meeting he did not want to attend. It was one that he would need to prepare for very carefully.

And one he probably could not attend in his current form. Which meant that he would need to think of another, one that was more suited for the encounters he would have to endure whilst he was gone from here.

"Is Kilbas never lonely?" asked a small voice shyly.

The hunter turned his head to the left, recognizing a familiar mossy scent.

"All Enki's friends have gone away." The small creature walked closer without fear.

Kilbas merely raised an eyebrow, waiting for a clarification.

The demon had come to see that the forest spirit thought of everything as its friends. He could not possibly know what it had meant this time.

"Butterflies are all gone."
"They'd die in this weather." he spoke in a manner that could be considered rude, but that wasn't -for Kilbas anyway.

Enki jumped over his legs to the other side, flailing his arms.
"And human creatures came deep deep into the dark wood and took away all mushroom friends again."

Humans - Kilbas cared not for them, but he was not permitted to show himself to them, nor touch them.

"Enki is sad. Even birds too busy to talk to--"

The wee creature fell silent as a large hand pressed gently on his head.

" ?"

"They'll talk again when snow comes." he spoke in a quiet voice.

Kilbas wasn't exactly the most gentle of creatures but Enki's spirits lifted within seconds, and he fearlessly sat on the hunter's leg.

"Can Kilbas tell Enki more old stories?"

The demon could not understand why the spirit was so interested in his stories. Especially in those which did not happen in the woods.

Still, he always told them to it.