Heavenfall

"Oh, death was a mercy compared to the alternative I saw. Besides, we all die eventually."

“Weak-things with no Name turn to enemy. Big-horned-slaves all that. Hairless-ones maybe go madness too. Brave-Warriors-Who-Remember no go madness. Name too strong.”

Sora arched an eyebrow at that.

"That... is quite something. Have you spoken to Shinsei? Human who wears a hood all the time, has a bird with him. I think he would find it interesting."

“Too many hairless-ones. No meet many. I show way. You all follow. Purple-Grass-Smell-Lady only one I need talk to. Crow food store.”

"Well, I am Sora of the Jiyo family, and... I'm glad to have met a second Nezumi. Would you be displeased if I told Shinsei about the strength of yoru Name protecting you from the madness?"

“Tell all. Brave-Warriors-Who-Remember always fight-fight evil. You go evil. I kill you. Do no worry.”

He pointed to himself, “mrt Ch’chit T’kkiri. Strong name. Brave-Warrior-of-Black-Moon-go-down.”

At the promise of death if he went bad, Sora nodded.

"Thank you."

He tried the sounds, but the human jaw and palate were ill-suited to it.

"Mert... no, damn it, that's wrong... mrt Ch'chit... T'kiri"

He scowled.

"Still wrong. My apologies for the difficulties with your name. I will work on it."

“mrt not Name... mrt... deeper. Name is Ch’chit T’kkiri. Hairless-ones no can speak-speak pretty. Weak mouth. Not your fault.”

"I appreciate your understanding. I will still try to improve. Ch'chit T'kkiri."

“You fail. Hairless-one only try small. Try small, succeed small.”

"Is that a challenge, Ch'chit T'kkiri?"

He shook his head, “Fact-fact.”

"Well, trying big takes time for us."

He cocked his head to the side.

"But I suppose we'll see, won't we?"

“Time no wait. Soon be Tomorrow.” He replied as he dug his claws in the wet soil passively.

“Only things-to-be-remembered last to Tomorrow. Earth change. Name change. Brave-Warrior change and pup take place. Small try no leave good memory.”

The nuance was lost on him, since he'd never really had a long enough conversation for Tomorrow to come up.

"Well, since I can sometimes see tomorrow, it doesn't scare me very much, Ch'chit T'kkiri.."

“Tomorrow no care if scared. Tomorrow comes. Some tomorrow’s should be scared of. Scared keep you running to next-night.”

“You see you turn to enemy and no scared? You dumber than Seidou-pig-maters. Or... ig... not-knowing-nothing. Like baby pink-skin... Not know when not to fight battle you for sure lose.”

"There is fear, and there's letting fear control you. I came here to do a job. Maybe I die. That would be unfortunate. Maybe I turn into a bloodthirsty madman, killing all I see until I get cut down. That would be worse. But to turn around and run away, leaving my friends- my pack? I can't do that."

“If pack all die for stupid fallen-rock-man... No more pack. Better to be wise and tell pack to run. Be... leader.”

He replied, “Sacrifice pack for one lost warrior bring bad Name. Fallen-rock-Man also bad Name... make pack die for help him. Help-help stupid plan. Hairless-ones need be smart or all be... ‘blood-thirst Mad-hairless-ones’.”

"The... 'Fallen-rock-man...' If we don't get him out? Tomorrow comes sooner for all of us. But I have, actually, suggested to Shinsei that we send people back as we get closer. Fewer of us will be lost that way, and the ones we send back can tell the others what they encountered."

“Name stronger than Tomorrow. Tomorrow come when come. Build Name. Outrun Tomorrow. Fallen-rock-Man no matter. Close pit. Only way sickness stop. Close pit. You hairless-ones no do that... This plan dumber than Seidou-pig-maters.”