[SE] who is by your side when the fire subsides

Iskra

BREATHE IT IN, IT'S JUST SNOW, WE'RE JUST FALLING
WE WON'T ALWAYS FREE FALL BACK TO NOTHING

It's no surprise to hear Remi's appreciation of Deimos. The Sword might not be the most openly warm person in the world, but like a bear he has the warmth and the claws to offer to what he finds worth protecting, steadfast to Halo but just as sure with those he deems worthy. "Any friend of Deimos' is a friend of mine," Iskra offers easily, fond of the stoic and formidable man who has also helped him, in all the small and meaningful ways that being handed purpose and home manage.

Admittedly Iskra has more experience taking down wood and stripping it from what was once sturdy and living, a career of destruction that he prefers to label as something else. He's always open to learning how to build something though, hoping it might echo into the other parts of his life and allow him to hold something steady, to create instead of repeatedly dismantle relationships or thoughts into kindling. "Sure," Iskra offers after testing out the idea of snake fences by fitting his own gloved hands together, following suit with Remi as he focuses on memorizing the method. It almost sounds too easy, but he's skeptical that it's deceptively so. "Might have to grade my attempts," he suggests with a grin edging back in on the studious seriousness. "Can't say I've much practice with balancing things well." Hasn't had much practice trying though, and that's the part he's been working at lately.

With his toss of treats failing to escape Goose's return timing, the dog is off after the fox, and Iskra sighs heavily. The duck has been abandoned somewhere at his feet, and he kneels to pick it up, squeezing the squeak out of it like a summons. Barks drift through the mist, out of sight, but relenting as Iskra whistles. "Complete pain in my ass," Iskra complains, far too fond for it land true.

It perhaps should be surprising to him that he hasn't gotten the stranger's name or given his own until now, but the easy way he takes it in stride suggests it's a common occurrence for Goose's name to be the one that always gets learned first. "Iskra," he extends just as Goose trots back into view, gait a near satisfied strut, though the mohawk of his hackles still runs from shoulder to tail. Iskra tosses the duck back to him, a noisy pacifier to keep the mutt within sight now as Iskra sighs and turns to the work at hand.

Kneeling down with some of the gathered brush, he starts to try his hand at fitting them together as advised. "You've gotta let me buy you a drink in town when we're done," Iskra offers, assuming town is where Remi would be headed next, likely to see Deimos if he had to guess. Otherwise the Sword would never have known about the work done here in his name. "Something to warm us both after this."

I'M JUST STARTING TO LEARN
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CHASING GHOSTS