He watched her as he spoke, keeping his voice quiet and conversational, trying to project calm as best he could across the clearing between them. It was a relief when she sighed and seemed to loosen her grip on her stick, a victory of diplomacy that had his lips starting to curve into a friendly smile until her voice cut out across the Woods, quiet but sharp as a blade. She might not have any weapons of steel or iron to wield against him, but her tongue was wicked as a cracked whip and he blinked in surprise, looking to the gryphlet as she bounded happily after her prey. The fly buzzed and bumbled along until the snap of a small beak clicked shut a little too close for comfort and then it zipped away, leaving Isuma to sit back and regard the place it was with something that could only be called a pout.
Jigano knew how she felt. It felt like the Fae girl's relaxation had vanished as thoroughly, and with as little warning. He was the supplicant here, though, and he took a deep breath to calm the spike of outrage he felt at her accusation, the insinuation that Isuma was a pet. It was like speaking to Melinoe all over again, though at least she had the excuse of being newly arrived and concussed for her rudeness. Was Eliza the only courteous one among the Fae? Or perhaps the only one brave enough to seek out her own answers without Delah's biases clouding her eyes. Regardless, his temper would help no one here, and he forced it back, regarding Hazel solemnly.
"What makes you think she is 'kept' at all?" he asked her back, keeping his voice neutrally curious. "Are Fae never chosen by companions, never chosen as a soulbond to another life to share their journey?" He shook his head, glancing away from Hazel to watch the gryphlet as she shook off her huff and bounded over to him, hopping up to his shoulder and putting her talons gently on the crown of his head as she stretched up after something she had seen on the tree beside him. He couldn't quite keep his lips from twitching towards a fond smile as he let himself be used as a glorified cat tower, instead arching a brow at the girl. "My friend Amalia was chosen by a starwhale calf when she was held in your Village. As Isuma chose me, this past Deepfrost. We do not 'keep' each other, miss. We are family, bound heart and soul, and both the stronger for it."
Jigano knew how she felt. It felt like the Fae girl's relaxation had vanished as thoroughly, and with as little warning. He was the supplicant here, though, and he took a deep breath to calm the spike of outrage he felt at her accusation, the insinuation that Isuma was a pet. It was like speaking to Melinoe all over again, though at least she had the excuse of being newly arrived and concussed for her rudeness. Was Eliza the only courteous one among the Fae? Or perhaps the only one brave enough to seek out her own answers without Delah's biases clouding her eyes. Regardless, his temper would help no one here, and he forced it back, regarding Hazel solemnly.
"What makes you think she is 'kept' at all?" he asked her back, keeping his voice neutrally curious. "Are Fae never chosen by companions, never chosen as a soulbond to another life to share their journey?" He shook his head, glancing away from Hazel to watch the gryphlet as she shook off her huff and bounded over to him, hopping up to his shoulder and putting her talons gently on the crown of his head as she stretched up after something she had seen on the tree beside him. He couldn't quite keep his lips from twitching towards a fond smile as he let himself be used as a glorified cat tower, instead arching a brow at the girl. "My friend Amalia was chosen by a starwhale calf when she was held in your Village. As Isuma chose me, this past Deepfrost. We do not 'keep' each other, miss. We are family, bound heart and soul, and both the stronger for it."
