He nodded understanding at Jiao's choice, his smile rueful. "I thought the same thing, but Isuma didn't give me much choice in the matter... and I'm grateful for that. From what I've seen, the types of creatures that form these bonds tend to be... hmm. Smarter than normal animals, generally speaking. More complex and aware of past and future. But it is a lifelong connection, and that isn't a responsibility many would choose to bear, I think." He said it simply, with the understanding of one who knew what it was like to hoard and hide his soul away. That it was thanks to Isuma that he had begun to heal some of the grievous scars upon his heart so that it could begin to open again and let others in was perhaps more than Jiao needed to know, and so he kept that to himself as he supervised the gryphlet so she didn't get into accidental mischief.
He was pleased with her curiosity in his world, and grinned at her questions, tilting his head to the side with a chuckle. "They are both races that blend aspects of human and animal, at least physically, though each has their own distinct cultures. The Tengu have traits similar to crows; although they are a little shorter than humans and walk on two legs, they are covered in feathers, and they have beaks for mouths, with taloned fingers and toes, though they lack wings. Kitsune are the fox folk of my world, like the Tengu but with vulpine traits instead. But unlike the Tengu they are born shapechangers, able to take a fully fox or fully human form at will from the time they are born."
In return he listened to Jiao's description of Sidhe Village, nodding at her words, and tilting his head curiously at the news that Fae lived longer than humans. "The elves of my world can live half a millenia or more, but they are tall and wingless. And the dwarves are shorter, stout and broad, delvers and miners, usually, who live around three hundred years," he offered. "But I haven't heard of any such similar races here." He considered her wording on the gods thoughtfully before adding: "Did you continue to worship Ludo and Safrin and Frey, while they were within the barrier?"
He was pleased with her curiosity in his world, and grinned at her questions, tilting his head to the side with a chuckle. "They are both races that blend aspects of human and animal, at least physically, though each has their own distinct cultures. The Tengu have traits similar to crows; although they are a little shorter than humans and walk on two legs, they are covered in feathers, and they have beaks for mouths, with taloned fingers and toes, though they lack wings. Kitsune are the fox folk of my world, like the Tengu but with vulpine traits instead. But unlike the Tengu they are born shapechangers, able to take a fully fox or fully human form at will from the time they are born."
In return he listened to Jiao's description of Sidhe Village, nodding at her words, and tilting his head curiously at the news that Fae lived longer than humans. "The elves of my world can live half a millenia or more, but they are tall and wingless. And the dwarves are shorter, stout and broad, delvers and miners, usually, who live around three hundred years," he offered. "But I haven't heard of any such similar races here." He considered her wording on the gods thoughtfully before adding: "Did you continue to worship Ludo and Safrin and Frey, while they were within the barrier?"
