The courier nodded in glum agreement with Maea's despair. He was no Zavien, filled with determined optimism and faith. Tal had seen too much shit go wrong, and since the first meteors had fallen it felt like things had started sliding downhill with no end in sight. "I didn't think o' that," he said slowly, scowling at the horizon as she laid out a grim future that looked worse and worse the longer they thought about it.
He happened to glance down as she looked up, meeting her eyes as she expressed her concern. The courier's pale gaze softened and he ducked his head, unable to hide his pleasure at having a friend care about him. Sure, it happened a lot more now than it used to, but it was still nice to hear it sometimes.
And Boreal appreciated being included, too! The dragon snorted and left Tal's side to flop down beside Maea, curling around to rest her large, warm head in the Ancient's lap and look up at her with soulful eyes. "Aw, thanks, Maea," her companion mumbled, hoping she didn't see the pinking of his ears through his wind-tossed mop. "I didn't think about wardin' her, but... it's worth askin' a god for a blessin' on her, once I finish my current quests." He shot her a glance, the edge of his lips quirking up in spite of the seriousness of their conversation. "Maybe y'can give me a hand with one after LongNight? I need to do some stabbin' with my Dagger t'make it stronger for Ludo."
He drew in a deep breath of cold air, the void-taint below them falling away as he took the ship up a littler higher. Not too much higher, though. He was careful not to let the Deepfrost air cut any colder than it already was. "An' maybe... hm. Maybe this sounds crazy, but... what if we tried t'clean up th'Greatwood?" he suggested cautiously. "Made a real push for it, y'know? Get some folks t'gether an' try an' clear out some sections, so it doesn't keep bleedin' closer t'the Grounds an' King's End?"
He happened to glance down as she looked up, meeting her eyes as she expressed her concern. The courier's pale gaze softened and he ducked his head, unable to hide his pleasure at having a friend care about him. Sure, it happened a lot more now than it used to, but it was still nice to hear it sometimes.
And Boreal appreciated being included, too! The dragon snorted and left Tal's side to flop down beside Maea, curling around to rest her large, warm head in the Ancient's lap and look up at her with soulful eyes. "Aw, thanks, Maea," her companion mumbled, hoping she didn't see the pinking of his ears through his wind-tossed mop. "I didn't think about wardin' her, but... it's worth askin' a god for a blessin' on her, once I finish my current quests." He shot her a glance, the edge of his lips quirking up in spite of the seriousness of their conversation. "Maybe y'can give me a hand with one after LongNight? I need to do some stabbin' with my Dagger t'make it stronger for Ludo."
He drew in a deep breath of cold air, the void-taint below them falling away as he took the ship up a littler higher. Not too much higher, though. He was careful not to let the Deepfrost air cut any colder than it already was. "An' maybe... hm. Maybe this sounds crazy, but... what if we tried t'clean up th'Greatwood?" he suggested cautiously. "Made a real push for it, y'know? Get some folks t'gether an' try an' clear out some sections, so it doesn't keep bleedin' closer t'the Grounds an' King's End?"
