For the moment he ignored Aisha, all of his attention on his companion and the magic he called to his fingertips, willing it into fragile bones and torn muscles with a desperate concentration. The gryphon was in pain, and for the moment that was all that mattered to him. He acted as though she might have been dying, though it was just the overreaction of a frantic and worried parent. Aisha's kick had hurt the hollow-boned cat bird, but though the pain of broken ribs was startling and sharp there had been no deeper damage, and Isuma was in no immediate danger.
Not that one would know it from how Jigano fussed over her, feeling the bones knit back into position and then lifting her gently to cradle her against his chest to complete his task.
Aisha's second question finally penetrated and he nodded, not trusting himself to speak for a moment. Her confusion, her use of the word 'thing' for Isuma - it all meant something, but he wasn't quite ready to deal with it yet. Not until he felt the pain in the bond ease completely and the gryphlet relaxed against him, burying her head in a fold of his wrapped tunic as he stroked her soothingly with shaking fingers. Only then did he turn his attention fully on Aisha, in time to see her retrieving the scattered contents of the bag. She looked genuinely apologetic and he made himself take a deep breath in and out.
In. And out.
His heart still rabbited in his chest, but her apology was sincere and it seemed as though she honestly didn't know. Which could only mean one thing, really, and Jigano closed his eyes a moment as he centered himself, holding tight to his position and its duties.
"I understand what happened," he said, a little gruffly at first but his voice began to smooth out as his training kicked in once more. "If you're a newly-arrived Outlander you couldn't have known. Isuma is a gryphon. My companion. Companions share a bond with their chosen person here," he tapped his chest with his free hand, over his heart and just above Isuma's fluffy, leopard-eared head. "And here." He tapped his forehead, then reached out to accept the bag back, juggling it carefully with the shivering gryphon still in his other arm. "If I may ask, how long ago did you arrive?"
Not that one would know it from how Jigano fussed over her, feeling the bones knit back into position and then lifting her gently to cradle her against his chest to complete his task.
Aisha's second question finally penetrated and he nodded, not trusting himself to speak for a moment. Her confusion, her use of the word 'thing' for Isuma - it all meant something, but he wasn't quite ready to deal with it yet. Not until he felt the pain in the bond ease completely and the gryphlet relaxed against him, burying her head in a fold of his wrapped tunic as he stroked her soothingly with shaking fingers. Only then did he turn his attention fully on Aisha, in time to see her retrieving the scattered contents of the bag. She looked genuinely apologetic and he made himself take a deep breath in and out.
In. And out.
His heart still rabbited in his chest, but her apology was sincere and it seemed as though she honestly didn't know. Which could only mean one thing, really, and Jigano closed his eyes a moment as he centered himself, holding tight to his position and its duties.
"I understand what happened," he said, a little gruffly at first but his voice began to smooth out as his training kicked in once more. "If you're a newly-arrived Outlander you couldn't have known. Isuma is a gryphon. My companion. Companions share a bond with their chosen person here," he tapped his chest with his free hand, over his heart and just above Isuma's fluffy, leopard-eared head. "And here." He tapped his forehead, then reached out to accept the bag back, juggling it carefully with the shivering gryphon still in his other arm. "If I may ask, how long ago did you arrive?"
