Jigano bowed his serpentine head again in respect and understanding, though inside his heart constricted at the ancient creature's grace in the face of her end. I am sorry we were too late, he said, grief replacing fear in the resonances of his mental voice. I would have liked to hear your stories, and to share more of mine. He slithered as close to the turtle-like being as he could get without touching her, using his coils to clear as much of the sludge and debris from her path as he could, holding his breath against the gas and enduring it with stoic - if foolish - determination to grant her as much dignity as his simple action could.
The serpent who guarded the portal in the room beyond this chamber... do you know if they survived? he asked tentatively. All the while he continued to share the brightest memories of his past, both recent and distant, Caido and Numeria, offering the scent of his mother's Tian Xia cooking, the strong hand of his father warm against his small shoulder, the wicked laughter in Rory's eyes, and the bright joy with which Isuma had met Sugar and Auni.
Snake-gano holds his breath and uses his coils to clear the debris and as much sludge as possible from the Tulmhainar's chosen path, while sharing more memories to bolster her. He asks about the giant snake he had met before.
The serpent who guarded the portal in the room beyond this chamber... do you know if they survived? he asked tentatively. All the while he continued to share the brightest memories of his past, both recent and distant, Caido and Numeria, offering the scent of his mother's Tian Xia cooking, the strong hand of his father warm against his small shoulder, the wicked laughter in Rory's eyes, and the bright joy with which Isuma had met Sugar and Auni.
Snake-gano holds his breath and uses his coils to clear the debris and as much sludge as possible from the Tulmhainar's chosen path, while sharing more memories to bolster her. He asks about the giant snake he had met before.
