He couldn't see her smile from the angle of their half-hug, but he could hear the shadow of it in her tearful voice, and he released a quiet, shaking breath of relief. A silent prayer of thanks to Mort for giving him inspiration would be followed by offerings later in Ludo's Woods, but for the moment he was just happy to hold his friend for as long as she needed a comforting shoulder and someone on her side.
As soon as he felt her shifting to take her own weight back, he eased his hold so his hand rested lightly on her shoulder. He didn't take it back until she had wiped away her tears and regained some of her composure. Only then did he remember his forgotten fishing rod, moving to get a better grip on it and flicking it around to make the baited hook in the water dance enticingly. He gave it a sheepish look, but Soh's words brought his attention back to her and this time he leaned carefully into her shoulder. "An' if they don't, maybe Boreal an' me can beat 'em up?" he asked her, pretending to be hopeful that she'd allow it. The dragon in question crooned enthusiastic agreement - entirely sincere - and leaned against Soh's other side, her scaly tail rasping over the boards of the dock behind them in an approximation of an enthusiastic wag.
As soon as he felt her shifting to take her own weight back, he eased his hold so his hand rested lightly on her shoulder. He didn't take it back until she had wiped away her tears and regained some of her composure. Only then did he remember his forgotten fishing rod, moving to get a better grip on it and flicking it around to make the baited hook in the water dance enticingly. He gave it a sheepish look, but Soh's words brought his attention back to her and this time he leaned carefully into her shoulder. "An' if they don't, maybe Boreal an' me can beat 'em up?" he asked her, pretending to be hopeful that she'd allow it. The dragon in question crooned enthusiastic agreement - entirely sincere - and leaned against Soh's other side, her scaly tail rasping over the boards of the dock behind them in an approximation of an enthusiastic wag.
