Dark Diamond

Isuma peeped contentment at the expert scritches, arching her winged feline body into the attention and practically prancing with delight beneath Killian's hands, grateful for the distraction in her companion's mood as well as for the attention to herself.

Jigano's lips quirked a little more warmly at the request for her story, and he smiled down at the young gryphlet and her shameless - and very successful! - bid for attention. "There was a day in winter when a number of us found ourselves out by the Labyrinth for one reason or another. The ground beneath us suddenly seemed to open up, swallowing us down into an ice cave, though no one was hurt. It was quickly obvious that whatever was happening was no normal occurrence, and we were greeted by a... an ice fairy, for lack of a better word. Or perhaps an elemental spirit of ice? Either way, she asked us all questions and then bid us to chase her. I was the one who caught her - or rather, she let me catch her, I suspect, and as a reward she handed me an egg." In spite of his own pain and worry his face softened at the memory as he watched his companion, who sat back and blinked smugly back at him. "And when that egg eventually hatched... well. Isuma fit in the palm of one hand, back then. I don't think she'll ever get very big, judging by her paws." He looked back up at Killian after a moment, watching him dote on Isuma. "From what I have read, some species of animals will only bond to specific types of humans. Dragons will only bond to Accepted, for instance, while unicorns will only bond to Abandoned."

And of course, he couldn't think of unicorns without thinking of Isla. Killian's question brought a faint wince and a fading of the momentary smile as the memories of Long Night and his more recent talk with Remi came back to him. "That is a... complicated question," he said at last. "Isla is... was... a dear friend of mine, a fellow Outlander and a medic of startling talent. She was one of the founding members of the Loreseekers... and the first of us to be lost. During Long Night she was killed by a monster while trying to save the life of a young luxere, or so I was told. Another of her friends discovered what had happened and made a deal with Ludo to bring her back, but her body... she had died from terrible wounds, and could not be brought back as she had been. Instead the god took... raw materials, shall we say, and made her a new body. She was reborn as a unicorn, who then bonded to her friend. But... he has said that though she has Isla's memories there is something vital that has changed in her. Something... missing. She is but a pale shadow of the woman we once knew." The smile he offered the newest guildmember was sad and a little wry.

"This world is one of magic and miracles... but we do not always get to choose the ways in which our prayers our answered."

Killian continued to adore the young gryphon, occasionally glancing down to see her curling around his touch. The story that Jigano gave was an exciting one, with an elemental spirit and her game, and the reward being so priceless. When the tale was finished Kiki sighed, "Guess I need to go find an elemental spirit to chase then," he joked a little, looking back to the gryphlet and grinning.

And then came a much sadder tale, though equally as miraculous. His brows furrowed into a thoughtful frown of sorts as he listened, the "was" that Jigano corrected after the "is" was telling enough. Longnight, he had heard of Longnight and it's horrors, and upon hearing how it had so cruelly taken a friend Killian's frown turned to a look of sympathy. The story didn't end there though, the woman had been made a new body, and her old life had been reincarnated with it. A unicorn woman, Kiki would never get used to the ways this world toyed with what he'd always thought to be laws of nature.

Killian nodded solemnly at the last statement, giving Isuma one last head ruffle and the standing up from his crouch. "I know it can't mean much, but I am sorry," he said, empathetic by nature and feeling the sadness that Jigano felt.

Jigano managed a ghost of a grin at Killian's joke, nodding in acknowledgment. "This one was merely mischievous. Another one I encountered was more... primal. Several people were burned by her trial by fire. Dealing with them can have great rewards, but is not without risk," he cautioned, fully expecting the young man to leap at the chance for adventures, but hoping that his warning would keep Killian wary when he did. He didn't want to stifle the newest loreseeker's curiosity and courage, but with two of his guild already missing, along with an ally, Jigano was more inclined to caution than usual.

Even if he was asking Killian to come along on a mission no less dangerous. The hypocrisy did not escape him, but he would not argue the young man's right to make his own decisions.

His new guildmate was a good listener, in spite of the difficult and rather fantastic nature of the story, one that sounded incredible even now, months later. The earnest sympathy earned another wan smile, and a nod of the white-haired head as Isuma purred and wound her way between Killian's legs. "Thank you, it is appreciated."

He sat back, looking down at the book that hadn't held his answers and brushing his fingers lightly over the cover as if to draw comfort from it. "Tomorrow at noon," he said softly. "That is when we will make another attempt at the Woods. Not just to explore it this time, but to try and find our guildmates and get them back. You are under no obligation to be there... and new as you still are to Caido, I hesitate to even ask it. But as a member of this guild, you deserve to know what is happening with something that affects so many of us."

A glance down to Isuma, Jigano thanked him for the sympathy as she wove between Killian's legs. It still didn't feel like anything, he knew that Jigano was under much pressure and there seemed to be little he could do to get the man out of it, aside from helping when asked and trying to understand. Kiki watched silently for a moment as the guild master ran his fingers with a wistful pace along the cover a book.

The boy was given a proposition, to aid in the rescue of the other guild members, those who had been taken. Not just scouting, but trying to save them and bring them home. It would be dangerous for sure, if a mere exploration had gotten them captured, what would a purposeful venture into the heart of the forest get them? But it seemed important, like something he should be helping with. And while he knew of the dangers, he'd been warned by many people many times, he wasn't really going to know of the wonders until he'd gone.

And more than anything he wanted to know the wonders.

"I'll be there," he replied simply with a smile.