"Perhaps not so surprised," he said a little sadly, glancing out into the shadows where the spark bird's light didn't reach. "Hope takes courage and strength. Misery is the easier path, even if you know when you start walking it that nothing good will come of it." But she wouldn't be interested in sad tales of broken hearts and weary souls, no. They were speaking of hope, and Jigano made the effort to find a smile for her again, unaware that she couldn't really see it.
The smile became lighter as Isuma returned and then began to play, the gryphlet chasing away the shadows within him as effectively as the spark bird had done for the would outside - which was to say, for a little distance, but not completely. They still waited for him at the edges of his thoughts, but for the moment he could ignore them enough to pretend like everything was normal, or close enough that no one else on Long Night would notice.
Maea was looking at him intently, though. Intently enough that he raised a brow in confusion and polite curiosity, wondering what it was that she saw. For a moment she seemed to straighten, pulling herself up a little taller, but he blinked and it was gone, the pale girl small and wistful in the spark bird's light.
"It's alright," he said gently, hearing the hesitance in her voice. "She might yet come this way, so staying here to wait for her works just as well for me. And I keep all the lore I can get my hands on!" His lips quirked up into a smile as Isuma started attacking his bootlace with kittenish ferocity. "Most of what I know is from my world, where I specialized in technology from the rain of stars. Here, it's like starting over again... but I will learn what anyone is willing to teach, and what I can absorb from the books in the Atheneum." He made a sound that was almost a chuckle, if it hadn't been so weak. "My loreseekers all have different specialities that we can pool together. Amalia is a baker and knows much of the lore of the gods of this world. Samuel is a bookmaker and a writer of tales, with a deep knowledge of the myths and poets of Caido. Isla..." he stumbled over the name, the light in his eyes dimming as he dipped his head. "Isla... was... a doctor, with extensive medical knowledge." He took a steadying breath, looking up again with a lopsided smile. "All are welcome in our hall. Everyone is able to contribute something that may be of use to someone else."
The smile became lighter as Isuma returned and then began to play, the gryphlet chasing away the shadows within him as effectively as the spark bird had done for the would outside - which was to say, for a little distance, but not completely. They still waited for him at the edges of his thoughts, but for the moment he could ignore them enough to pretend like everything was normal, or close enough that no one else on Long Night would notice.
Maea was looking at him intently, though. Intently enough that he raised a brow in confusion and polite curiosity, wondering what it was that she saw. For a moment she seemed to straighten, pulling herself up a little taller, but he blinked and it was gone, the pale girl small and wistful in the spark bird's light.
"It's alright," he said gently, hearing the hesitance in her voice. "She might yet come this way, so staying here to wait for her works just as well for me. And I keep all the lore I can get my hands on!" His lips quirked up into a smile as Isuma started attacking his bootlace with kittenish ferocity. "Most of what I know is from my world, where I specialized in technology from the rain of stars. Here, it's like starting over again... but I will learn what anyone is willing to teach, and what I can absorb from the books in the Atheneum." He made a sound that was almost a chuckle, if it hadn't been so weak. "My loreseekers all have different specialities that we can pool together. Amalia is a baker and knows much of the lore of the gods of this world. Samuel is a bookmaker and a writer of tales, with a deep knowledge of the myths and poets of Caido. Isla..." he stumbled over the name, the light in his eyes dimming as he dipped his head. "Isla... was... a doctor, with extensive medical knowledge." He took a steadying breath, looking up again with a lopsided smile. "All are welcome in our hall. Everyone is able to contribute something that may be of use to someone else."
