The boy nodded warily, dropping the subject. Provoking the latter version of the name was something he would rather avoid doing.
Saifu took the opportunity to clean himself thoroughly, scouring between his toes and creating a right-lot of earthy water. At least he wasn't muddy anymore, and newer clothes felt nice against his freshly-restored self. As had been promised, he found Artem afterwards.
A little bit of water made quite a bit of difference, it seemed. With the mud gone, he almost looked akin to a starving wet cat. It seemed comical at best.
He was perpetually brushing his hair out of his eyes, since it hung lower over them when it was damp. On the other hand, without the stray leaf to derive, it had a certain soft, healthy sheen to it. Perhaps it was just an illusion, but one wouldn't know without reaching forth a hand to see.