Warmth lit him up from within as she gasped at the pendant, the joy in her expression obvious enough that even the magicless courier could feel it. He beamed proudly as she asked for help in donning the memento of their first Longheat as friends, and cleared his throat. "I'd love to," he assured her happily, setting his wine glass aside so he could brush her hair gently away from her neck as he reached around her to hook the clasp. His fingers were surprisingly steady, though he had to bite his lip to keep from stealing glances at her face and basking in her approval of his gift. He let his hands rest on her shoulders when he was done, a sappy smile on his face--
She jumped to her feet like a scalded cat and Tal pulled his hands back hurriedly, even as every hair on his body stood straight out in a prickle of primal fear. He stood with her, half-tripping over a fallen blanket as he looked around at the shadows in the room, wide-eyed with surprise. "What--?" They spoke at the same time, but the courier's fear quickly shifted to anger as their home - their refuge from the world - was invaded by whatever the fuck thought it could ruin christmas LongNight.
"Boreal!" he barked out gruffly, but the dragon was already moving. There was no hesitation or sass in her now, only fierce business as she lunged out of the bed and made a dash for the bedroom and the items that had been left on his bedside table - his Dagger and Goggles, lying in reach of him while they slept but set aside in their days of peace.
"We hear it," he confirmed to his partner, one arm wrapping tightly around her so they couldn't be separated. Boreal bounded back into the room and flipped her head to toss Tal his weapon and goggles. He caught them one-handed and awkwardly pulled the eyewear over his head before gripping his blessed knife tight. "An' feel it. Can y'use your illusions t'hide us? Then we can start huntin' 'em back." His voice was hard, a crackle of pain laced through it as he thought of Sascha lying in the snow at a Void-yeti's feet. He hadn't seen it, but his imagination built the picture clearly in his mind, and suddenly the thought of having something to lash out at was fiercely attractive.
Against Alys's other side Boreal crouched and growled, a ceaseless low rumble accompanying the smoke curling from her nostrils as she held her fire at the ready.
She jumped to her feet like a scalded cat and Tal pulled his hands back hurriedly, even as every hair on his body stood straight out in a prickle of primal fear. He stood with her, half-tripping over a fallen blanket as he looked around at the shadows in the room, wide-eyed with surprise. "What--?" They spoke at the same time, but the courier's fear quickly shifted to anger as their home - their refuge from the world - was invaded by whatever the fuck thought it could ruin christmas LongNight.
"Boreal!" he barked out gruffly, but the dragon was already moving. There was no hesitation or sass in her now, only fierce business as she lunged out of the bed and made a dash for the bedroom and the items that had been left on his bedside table - his Dagger and Goggles, lying in reach of him while they slept but set aside in their days of peace.
"We hear it," he confirmed to his partner, one arm wrapping tightly around her so they couldn't be separated. Boreal bounded back into the room and flipped her head to toss Tal his weapon and goggles. He caught them one-handed and awkwardly pulled the eyewear over his head before gripping his blessed knife tight. "An' feel it. Can y'use your illusions t'hide us? Then we can start huntin' 'em back." His voice was hard, a crackle of pain laced through it as he thought of Sascha lying in the snow at a Void-yeti's feet. He hadn't seen it, but his imagination built the picture clearly in his mind, and suddenly the thought of having something to lash out at was fiercely attractive.
Against Alys's other side Boreal crouched and growled, a ceaseless low rumble accompanying the smoke curling from her nostrils as she held her fire at the ready.
