Tal sipped at his own drink and gave Koa a companionable nod, appreciating his friend's empathy all the more because Koa understood. After a moment's hesitation he reached over to give the Dragoon's forearm a brief squeeze of shared trauma before retreating back to his own side of the small table, wrapping both hands around his mug to warm them.
But even though Tal was prone to morose wallowing on his own, Koa's irrepressible perkiness didn't let him succumb to the nostalgia of those they'd lost. Dragging the courier along on a conversational journey to Dragoon HQ, he soon had Tal's nose wrinkled up in suspicion and a flicker of a friendly grin. He might not be excited about the whole Dragooning idea, but he was definitely pleased to be asked...
"I mean, I guess I could see it," he agreed uncertainly to having other people giving him directions, but knowing it was important to people like his da. "Not sayin' it's impossible... but I'm not in one place very often. Worked too hard t'build up th'courier business to give it all up now. So I dunno how much trainin' I could do with everyone in Stormbreak. An', uh... the Dragoon's are... they're kinda... they gotta do what Stormbreak's leader tells 'em t'do, right?" He shifted uneasily and took another swallow of his fortified tea, grimacing as he almost burned his tongue on the too-big drink.
But even though Tal was prone to morose wallowing on his own, Koa's irrepressible perkiness didn't let him succumb to the nostalgia of those they'd lost. Dragging the courier along on a conversational journey to Dragoon HQ, he soon had Tal's nose wrinkled up in suspicion and a flicker of a friendly grin. He might not be excited about the whole Dragooning idea, but he was definitely pleased to be asked...
"I mean, I guess I could see it," he agreed uncertainly to having other people giving him directions, but knowing it was important to people like his da. "Not sayin' it's impossible... but I'm not in one place very often. Worked too hard t'build up th'courier business to give it all up now. So I dunno how much trainin' I could do with everyone in Stormbreak. An', uh... the Dragoon's are... they're kinda... they gotta do what Stormbreak's leader tells 'em t'do, right?" He shifted uneasily and took another swallow of his fortified tea, grimacing as he almost burned his tongue on the too-big drink.
