Dangerous? Almost certainly, though to an uncertain degree. The fastest way to get some results? It would be. You'll take that risk.
You head towards the noise, skirting around the edge of the hill itself as you do so. After a moment or two, it occurs to you that you should probably try to be quiet and not draw attention to yourself from those that are engaged in active violence and you start trying to make as little noise as you can. You're not really sure if you're succeeding, but you're making an effort at least?
Your companion seems to get the idea as well, and somewhat more successfully than you. Its ability to float through the air means that it stops making the beeping noises it had been and that's that. Of course, it's also a brightly colored group of shapes larger than your head, but it's not as though you're that much better camouflaged - most of your clothing is a dark blue, but the odd section is a white that stands out against the forest's colors.
Maybe you could smear dirt on them or something…but no, not unless you need to. This was your only set of clothes, and you didn't want to risk ruining them before you found a way to clean them. Or possibly a second set.
You encounter the first physical sign of the fight quickly enough - a tree, maybe a foot or two wide, that is half-broken partway up its trunk, the top resting against some other trees. Concerning, given how much force that would have taken.
The second is another tree a few paces past it. This one is smaller, maybe the width of your palm, but unlike the rough violence of the last one it's cut in two at leg height. Equally concerning, for an entirely different set of reasons.
…you're not turning back, though. It's still your best shot at finding out something.
Indeed, it's only another minute or two of careful steps before you spot the first glimpse of the combatants through the trees. Well, one of them at least - and they're big.
A long body with reddit-purple skin, lots of legs, and wicked horns sticking out both ends. Because one set wasn't enough, apparently. It seems to be thrashing around, trying to strike at something you can't make out - the other combatant? Its horns glow purple and it swings them, spraying some sort of liquid from them in an arc.
Yeah you're not going to try and get any closer. You don't know what that liquid would do, but if it's using it in combat, you definitely don't want to find out what it does. A nearby tree, this one knocked over all the way, provides you with something approximating cover to hunch down behind, where you
pray you won't get noticed.
It takes longer than you expected to spot the second combatant, but that's probably because of how small it is in comparison to the first. The large one is well taller than you, but the second, once you catch a glimpse of it, looks to be coming up to your chest at best.
It's a green humanoid figure, with a spherical yellow head, appendages that look like leaves, and…clothing that looks the same? Clothing, natural camouflage, both?
…appendages that are very, very sharp, a branch that sizeable shouldn't be that easy to cut. Yeah, you want no part of this.
Surprisingly, despite the obvious difference in size and power, you think the larger of the two is losing. The smaller one has enough speed to dodge around the attacks of the larger one, and while it's clear that it's not doing that much damage per hit, it's still hitting quite a bit. The large one is taking it well, but now that you're paying attention you can start to see nicks and marks scattered across its entire body.
..it occurs to you, as you watch this battle, that you really don't need to stick around any more. You've found out...well, nothing, but unless your companion has a lot more combat ability than you think, neither of these two are something you can take. And yet, you can't help but watch. Something about this enthralls you, your eyes starting to pick out more details as you focus on the fight. The big one is clearly using its bulk to its advantage, with wide sweeping blows and sprays that deny swaths of area for the smaller one as it tries to narrow down where it can be. Its opponent, meanwhile, is using the size against it, often dodging underneath or on top of the former where it can't easily reach.
…yeah, the larger one is going to lose sooner or later. If you can tell that it's starting to flag, something even more familiar with it would-
"What are you even doing here!?"
You only barely manage to not scream in alarm at the sudden whisper behind you, nearly giving yourself whiplash as you turn to look behind you. Your companion reacts as well, sliding into place between you and….the person crouched behind you.
And it is an actual person. Human, with skin that strikes you as slightly odd, blue eyes and dark hair. Their clothes are fairly simple, a fitted shirt and short skirt over more skin-tight clothing, in browns and reds.
"Why are you even sticking around? Let's go!"
She makes an effort to grab your arm, only to pull back as your companion shifts to block that approach. Her gaze turns a little more wary, lingering for a moment on the little thing before turning back to look at you.
"W-who..who are you?" Your voice sounds strange, to your ears. Is there something wrong with it? The space of a thought later the answer occurs to you. You can't remember using it before. This is the first time you've heard yourself talk.
"Is this really the ti-" She's cut off by the sound of a massive thump, and you turn back around to find that the fight has decisively ended. The larger of the two is laying still and unmoving on the ground with the smaller of the two standing on its body, victorious.
Victorious, but not unmoving. Its body is starting to glow slightly, and you have a sudden bad feeling that's instantly proven right when it looks directly at where the two-no, three of you now are.
"Run, run!" The other person doesn't try to hide her voice this time and you absolutely agree with her. You start to stand up, getting ready to run, but…something catches your eye.
Your gaze is turned back to the creature, its leaves now glowing bright enough that it's almost painful to look at. You stare, and can do nothing else. People are touching your body, a hand grabbing your shoulder and something impacting against your chest, but your gaze is fixed on the creature and it's glow. There, in the middle….is
it..?
Someone curses behind you. The glow peaks, and a wave of red energy slams through the woods towards you. There's another flash behind you, briefly bright. Something jumps between you two, firing dark energy back in response. The red barely slows, and you're knocked off your feet and into something hard.
You fall into darkness.
—--
You speed through the process of regaining consciousness this time, the violence of your last memories motivating you to wake up.
…you're in another cave. A small one, barely big enough for you and the woman hunched across from you. Your companion is floating back from the entrance, which seems to be covered by a bush of some kind.
"Finally awake, are you? Or are you planning on trying to die again?"
It occurs to you that you're more intact than you'd expect from what little you can remember. And her clothing looks more damaged than you think it was before. The second day you can remember, and you've had to have someone put themselves in danger to save you. It's not a great feeling.
"...thank you." You say. It feels a bit inadequate. "...for saving me. I would have died."
"I'd say. Why the hell would you stay and watch those two fight it out? You're a traveler, clearly, but even then you should know to stay out of a Ruler's way."
[ ] "...what's a Ruler?"
[ ] "...where are we?"
[ ] "...who are you?"
