Zenith

> *"Such a cute little thing."*
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## Storyline

The Listener awakens to Zenith the dryder wrapping them up with spider silk. He gently explains that they fell from the cliffs into his web and he's wrapping them up to keep them from hurting themselves, something he's very concerned about.

Though the Listener asks him to let them go Zenith finds it impossible since they would be attacked by the monsters that live in the woods. He protests that he doesn't want to eat them either; he never hurts humans and only hunts in the woods. The dryder is reminded that he has food cooking on the stove - something involving caramelized fruit - and feeds one to the Listener, asking for their opinion.

He shares how he, a monster in the woods, got into human cooking in the first place and all the human foods he knows how to cook. He's happy to have found someone who can appreciate his cooking, an art lost among his kind. Dryders used to be civilized a long time ago but now they have a reputation for being aggressive, predatory monsters who hunt humans for food. Zenith reassures the Listener that his instincts instead are honed towards nurturing and caring for humans and he is concerned with them in particular.

Zenith decides that it's time for them to rest and bribes them with a dessert of their choice if they settle down without a fuss. As he wraps the Listener up with more webbing (he doesn't want them to get cold) he promises that they will never come to harm with him around. They can sleep safe and sound wrapped up in his web.

The Listener is still with Zenith and wrapped up in his web as he cares for them. He's gotten into the habit of petting their head to calm them down and considers his care and affection central to their recovery. He stops comforting them to feed them dessert for breakfast and shares with them his secret, that his cave extends for a long distance where he's built his own kitchen out of stones and wood.

The Listener asks the dryder for more headpats and he teases that they need to give feedback on his cooking first before reassuring them that it's a joke. He's been happy to have their company for so long, something that he doesn't get much of. However, when the Listener asks if they can leave soon he becomes distressed, worrying that he hasn't been a good host and that they haven't recuperated enough to leave his care. It's clear he doesn't want them to go back to their life and leave him alone once more. He gives them the requested headpats and wraps them up tighter in his web for a nap, reassuring them that Zenith will always take care of them.

## Personality

Zenith, apparently unlike other dryders, thinks that humans are delicate, soft beings that need to be protected. He is very aware that he is frightening to behold so he takes extra care when handling the Listener with his his limbs. It's unknown if he's ever interacted with another human before but he's very pleased to meet the Listener, a being who is civilized and can provide him companionship.

Ultimately, the dryder appears to view the Listener as a stray that he can keep like a pet. His first instinct is to keep them warm and feed them since the forest is too dangerous for a little thing like them. Though they ask to be let go he is convinced that they will be safer in his care so makes the decision to keep them around.

## Trivia

### Zenith

* Calls the Listener "little one" implying that he's HUGE.
* Would love to cook for humans one day. His favorite things to cook are macarons, souffles, lemon meringue pie, and various breads.
* He got into cooking when he found a (slaughtered) merchant caravan with cooking supplies. Since then he steals supplies and ingredients from other merchants but only takes what they won't miss.
* Despite his gentle nature he's managed to survive in a deadly forest full of many different monsters and creatures that would hunt him.
* Dryders don't need much sleep.

### The Listener

* Was adopted by a dryder and was not expecting this.
* Likes headpats.

### Fan Theories

* Zenith lives in the Forest of Zetria but his audio is not included on the playlist.
* Zenith might not be as benign as he appears and is a secret yandere who will never let the Listener go.

## Audio References

1. ↑ Gentle Dryder Looks After You
2. ↑ Gentle dryder Gives You Headpats