Work Text:
In the two years Collei had spent back in Sumeru, she's learned a great many things. Mondstadt was an enlightening experience, to say the least. And though she still gets nightmares about the Fatui, she is learning to be braver.
Cyno stayed with her in the city for a while, but after Collei recovered, he had to return to his own duties in the desert. Before he left, he had offered Collei an opportunity to join the Avidya Forest Rangers as a trainee. And Collei, tired of being... well, tired and bored and helpless, had accepted.
Master Tighnari is a good mentor. He's calm and kind and knows everything there is to know about the forest. He teaches her which plants are poison and which are edible and even healing. He teaches her how to track prey through the forest. He even teaches her the recipe for a tea that lessens the worst of her symptoms on the rare times they flare up again.
(He doesn't pry about her nightmares or her past, though Collei is sure he knows about them.)
Collei picks the bow as her weapon because of Amber, and Tighnari. Having had his Vision for longer, Tighnari wields the power of Dendro at a level Collei didn't even know was possible. She has a long way to go to catch up to him when it comes to archery and botanical knowledge, but she's found a hobby in crafts and makes use of that.
She remembers Amber's exploding Baron Bunny doll and fashions a similar one, but powered by her Dendro Vision. It looks a bit like a serval cat, her favorite animal. She had initially worried if Tighnari would take offense to the similarities of the ears, but he doesn't seem to mind. He even had a small smile on his face when Collei first showed him how it works. Perhaps she could show it to Amber if she ever visited.
Dendro Vision on her belt, a bow at her side, and Tighnari's patient teachings resounding clear in her mind. This way, Collei will never be defenseless again, and she can help others who cannot fight for themselves. In her mind, there's no higher honor than to make sure that no one has to go through what she's been through.
Collei is learning to be brave.
Some days it's easier said than done.
Collei stares down the dull piece of metal in the grass. Its red color, though faded, is a stark contrast to the verdant green surroundings. It must have been here for a while, as it clearly has signs of having been trampled on by some animals.
It was supposed to be a regular patrol to make sure that the bandits aren’t getting too bold again. But the design of the insignia at her feet is foreign to Sumeru, and altogether too familiar to her.
She feels rooted to the spot, an icy chill sets in her bones. The insignia brings back memories of dark, cold rooms, and syringes filled with a mysterious purple substance. Yellow eyes glimmering in the dark, a face and a voice that is not kind at all, despite the smile constantly plastered on it. All at once she's no longer Collei, Avidya Forest Ranger (in training). She's Collei, the small, sickly girl who could not walk two steps without getting dizzy.
"Collei."
Tighnari's voice snaps her out of her thoughts. She is back in the sunlit rainforest. Behind her, Tighnari hops down from the trees and walks up to her side. "Did you find anything– oh."
She's thankful that it's Tighnari who reaches down to pick up the insignia. He puts it away in his pocket, out of her sight. He looks worried, a slight twitch of his ears betraying his usually calm expression.
"Are you alright?" he asks, tapping her on the elbow.
Collei lets out a shuddering breath, then nods.
"Master Tighnari," she starts hesitatingly. She can't seem to bring herself to look him in the eye. "If... if one day I would have to face them again, and they were to capture me again–"
"They won't."
The answer is so uncharacteristically abrupt that it surprises Collei, finally looking up to face him. The touch on her elbow turns to a firm grip, not enough to hurt, just reassuring in its steadiness. Tighnari looks more serious than Collei has ever seen him, brows drawn in a stern expression and ears flattened on top of his head.
Letting go of her arm, his face softens to a more familiar gentle smile once again. "I won't let anything happen to you, okay?"
Collei studies his sincere expression. “Okay,” she mumbles.
With one gloved hand, Tighnari reaches out and ruffles her hair. “Let’s finish this patrol and head back. I’ll ask if the city knows about any official Fatui activity taking place.”
“Alright,” Collei replies, fixing the grip on her bow. She follows Tighnari down the path known only to the Forest Watchers.
As they make their way across the tangled undergrowth of the forest, Collei reflects back to her past, and how much she cherishes the kindness that people like Amber and Cyno and Tighnari have shown her, even at her worst moments. Even if the Fatui were now snooping around the forest she’s meant to protect, she won’t be defenseless this time, and she won’t be alone either.