Isuma chortled as Hazel's gentle fingers found the itchy spots behind her ears, and the gryphlet pressed her small head up into the attention with the unabashed affection of the very young and very trusting. She was not a creature who had known much hardship in her life, and people - whether they had wings or not - were generally dispensers of pets and scratches in her experience. She pressed closer to the Fae's side as she encouraged the attention, utterly shameless and softening her companion's expression with her joy. He noted how gentle Hazel's touch was, though if he'd had any doubts he would never have let Isuma go so near the petite girl.
He had hoped his words might have given her food for thought, but her expression remained unchanging as she watched him and he was left wondering if he had said too little? Or too much? Perhaps the wrong thing entirely... It was possible that she didn't believe him about Arduinna, although that, at least, he hoped she could ask around the Village of those who had seen them arrive that day, early in Longheat to corroborate that he was telling the truth. Delah had been displeased about Arduinna's airy command of safe passage and hospitality for that day, after all, and had hidden it but thinly.
Her acceptance of the name he proposed was an olive branch, though, and he relaxed into a smile as some of the tension left his shoulders. Her smile was a welcome sight, a gift that soothed the anxieties brought on by her silence, and he hoped that meant he had not completely alienated her.
The warning and dismissal came as one, abrupt but well-meant, he thought, and he arched a brow as she began to rise. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely as he glanced up to realize how the darkening shadows were not merely a trick of Ludo's Woods. "I didn't mean to keep you so long. I don't know the dangers here, or how they differ from those within the Barrier..." he shook his head, knowing that was no excuse, and rose fluidly to his feet as he began to conscientiously brush the loam and dirt from his clothes as Isuma bumped her head into the parting caress with a happy reep! "Delah would be even more angry if I showed up at the Village again," he admitted wryly. "Or I would offer to give you a ride home to make up for this."
He had hoped his words might have given her food for thought, but her expression remained unchanging as she watched him and he was left wondering if he had said too little? Or too much? Perhaps the wrong thing entirely... It was possible that she didn't believe him about Arduinna, although that, at least, he hoped she could ask around the Village of those who had seen them arrive that day, early in Longheat to corroborate that he was telling the truth. Delah had been displeased about Arduinna's airy command of safe passage and hospitality for that day, after all, and had hidden it but thinly.
Her acceptance of the name he proposed was an olive branch, though, and he relaxed into a smile as some of the tension left his shoulders. Her smile was a welcome sight, a gift that soothed the anxieties brought on by her silence, and he hoped that meant he had not completely alienated her.
The warning and dismissal came as one, abrupt but well-meant, he thought, and he arched a brow as she began to rise. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely as he glanced up to realize how the darkening shadows were not merely a trick of Ludo's Woods. "I didn't mean to keep you so long. I don't know the dangers here, or how they differ from those within the Barrier..." he shook his head, knowing that was no excuse, and rose fluidly to his feet as he began to conscientiously brush the loam and dirt from his clothes as Isuma bumped her head into the parting caress with a happy reep! "Delah would be even more angry if I showed up at the Village again," he admitted wryly. "Or I would offer to give you a ride home to make up for this."
