All Kvasir can do, for a moment, is watch with an alert eye as Zarius gradually leads the throng of jackals back away from the researcher, steadily taking slow steps over in the direction of the researcher as the tiefling seizes their attention and refuses to let it slip. The ravenous beasts' demeanor has shifted from overzealous and predatory to borderline subdued, snarling followed by the edge of whimpers-- Kvasir can only assume Zarius has done something to cause such a drastic shift, and he's taking that as a sign that he needs to act fast.

He quickens his pace, still minding the heat of the stones beneath him, careful not to let embers catch the edges of his half-cape or the tip of his tail as he advances toward the researcher's perch.

"Hey," he calls out to the researcher, voice quieted enough that he hopes it won't catch the jackal's attention. "Hang in there, I've got you-- just stay calm..."

Kvasir hesitates for a brief moment before lowering his bow so he can focus on settling on the ridge, his free hand held up as if to indicate for the man to settle down as he approaches. The very last thing he and Zarius need is for this man's panic to get too out of hand and unravel everything, and if Kvasir knows how to do anything, it's how to keep a patient calm.

"One of the jackals bit your leg, didn't they?" he says lowly, voice soft, gentle, as though he's talking to a child, though he's careful not to make it sound demeaning. "I can heal it. I just need you to stay calm, sir, alright...?"

Kvasir casts one last glance back over at Zarius, to ascertain that he's okay, before pressing gentle fingertips against the researcher's leg, channeling the warmth and glow of some unknown light as he pours magic into skin and bone and sinew, hoping it's enough to get the stranger back on his feet-- at least, for long enough for them to get out of here... [1]

---

[1] - Major Healing

"Thank you! Thank you!" The researcher exclaims as Kvasir makes his way over to him and the jackals are driven off by the tiefling. "Thank you so much, sir. I thought I was a goner! Yes, yes, I was bitten! Blast those mangey creatures."

After a few moments, the researcher's wounds close from Kvasir's magic and they struggled up to their feet. "Please, let's get out of here."

Zarius glances back over his shoulder at the two. Seemed like the healer had a handle on things. If they could slip away without making too much noise, they would be able to get some distance between themselves and the pack.

Zarius wasn't worried about himself. He had ways of disappearing and evading pursuit. Keeping his attention on the pack, he keeps driving them further from the healer and researcher. The canines snarl and whine, still backing away from the intimidating fiend.

A blast of toxic fumes from a volcanic vent startles the jackals and sends the pack yipping and scattering across the volcano's rim. He sighs as the threat flees out of sight beyond the plumes of smoke. 

He makes his way back over to Kvasir and the researcher, scaling the side of the stone easily.^[1] 

"We should be in the clear now." 

"Thank you, I owe you my-" the researcher pauses, a look of recognition and then dread spreads across his face. 

Zarius looks down at the man. There was a tension that hung in the air now. The tiefling shakes his head.

"You owe us nothing other than gratitude to Mister Kvasir here. Though I would appreciate knowing if you discovered anything of note while up here."

"Y-yes, of course." The researcher looks at Kvasir and bows his head. "Thank you, please, accept my deepest gratitude."

Not wanting to linger too long in the volatile area, Zarius herds the pair up and out of the mouth of the volcano and they start making their way down the side of the burning mountain back towards Darkveil. 

---

[1] Spider Silk Boots

Although Kvasir's first instinct when the researcher launches into a burst of (to be quite frank, somewhat excessive) 'thank you's,' his only focus in the moment is getting the poor, panicked man to safety; so all he does is offer a nod and his arm, ready to help him down off the ridge so the two of them could start heading down to relative safety, away from the snapping maws of Ashland Jackals and the bitter bite of steam and embers, still keeping a cautious eye on Zarius as he prepares to start helping the man down.

Of course, it doesn't seem necessary, because in the time it takes Kvasir to get the researcher semi-comfortably back onto his feet, the jackals are scrambling away in the distance and Zarius is already ascending the ledge.

Well. Easy enough.

"Welcome back," he says simply, giving Zarius a nod and half of a smile. "Glad to see you got out alright."

For the rest of the conversation, however, Kvasir falls silent, tension bursting to life in the air as nervousness quite evidently bristles through the researcher; he's not quite sure what has caused such a rift, but he certainly has a hunch. Not that he'll say anything aloud, of course-- he is a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them, and he knows when he shouldn't be asking questions. No, he'll just pretend he didn't notice anything. Smile and nod, all of that.

"No need for so many thank-you's, sir," he says, nodding at the researcher. "I'm merely happy to help."

Still, as the three of them leave the burning heat of Mount Drakolt's mouth, Kvasir's still harboring a myriad of burning questions-- namely, what exactly caused the researcher to freeze up when he got that first look at Zarius?