James looked vastly different than the last time they'd met. A long, beautiful mane and tail, both braided so as to keep out of the way, with his forelock long enough to drape down either side of his face and over his gemstone. Around his neck was a bag woven from vines and lined with thick leaves, with fruit filling it nearly to the brim and held around his neck.

It was a slow day, really, his favorite kind of day, where nothing at all was happening and no one was dying and people weren't being cruel to one another. The birds sang and his children stopped by to say hello, and of course his beloved Tahi-shei was off somewhere doing his own thing.

He wasn't expecting his perfect day to be interrupted by someone he'd purposefully avoided.

"Collector," he said, voice cool as he came to a stop, head held high and wings held close to his sides, "How nice of you to visit."

James' kind eyes turned hard and cold, his ears flat against his head. Magic welled up in his chest, ready to be used should the Collector have come for sinister purposes. A wispy purple glow licked off of his fur, trailing into the air like smoke, excess magic struggling to be contained.

'I had wondered why the birds had stopped singing,' he thought dryly.

James didn't react to the compliment, looking down at where the Collector pointed instead, snorting.

"Ah yes, the sling," he said, "I'll have you know that I don't appreciate being lied to. Or tricked."

He stared down the Collector for a moment, "Why should I give it back? At least in my possession, no one else will be cursed to relive Elias's death over and over again. Very nice touch by the way, I really did appreciate experiencing death while fifty feet in the air."

"If I gave it back, what would you do with it?", he asked.

James resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "I'm not in the mood for games. I'm keeping it. It will remain buried in the dirt where no one can be hurt by it until either it rots or you are dead."

He turned around and flicked his tail, "Now I request you leave, Collector. You've overstayed your welcome."

James huffed and said nothing else, making his way into the forest and back towards home. The chrysali were safe, his home was safe. He'd keep an eye on the Collector until he left, of course. L

He lingered in the trees, hiding behind the thick trunks, standing behind one to hide himself.

Just in case.

James approached when the Collector had left, eyes narrowed. He looked at it, sniffed it, and then painstakingly swept it away from the bag's location, far enough away that he was comfortable.

With that, he left, sighing softly as he tried to relax again, headed back home.