The cat followed, and Jigano felt a flicker of annoyance. Whoever it was made no attempt to communicate or introduce themselves, though Isuma welcomed them. That only added to his contrary annoyance, and he increased the length of his stride, stubborn and heartsore and tired of always being the one to bend and break. Punished for being too proud. Punished for being too humble. Damned no matter what he did, and for what? For friends to turn on him the moment he stumbled, all his intentions meaning naught. He closed trembling fingers more tightly around the lantern and continued his song, a flicker of anger and loss turning the song from one of homecoming to one of heartache.
The purr brought a scowl to his face and he shrugged roughly as Isuma abandoned his shoulder to flutter down and meet the caracal's charge, as much to protect the bard from Kiada as to protect the feline from him, with his temper so unstable of late. He had been irritable ever since he had woken from his fever, and she didn't know how to quell his volatile moods, but she didn't like to see him lashing out at his friends - even if he didn't know that it was Kiada at his heels.
Growls and roars were only met with a raising of his voice, deftly using the acoustics of the tunnel to overpower the feline protests with the song even as Isuma tried to twine and rub against Kiada in worried greeting, peeping softly to urge both her companion and their friend to calm down.
The purr brought a scowl to his face and he shrugged roughly as Isuma abandoned his shoulder to flutter down and meet the caracal's charge, as much to protect the bard from Kiada as to protect the feline from him, with his temper so unstable of late. He had been irritable ever since he had woken from his fever, and she didn't know how to quell his volatile moods, but she didn't like to see him lashing out at his friends - even if he didn't know that it was Kiada at his heels.
Growls and roars were only met with a raising of his voice, deftly using the acoustics of the tunnel to overpower the feline protests with the song even as Isuma tried to twine and rub against Kiada in worried greeting, peeping softly to urge both her companion and their friend to calm down.
