Once the lunch break was called Rory took a step back to observe what they had achieved so far, and really, it was quite impressive. The scaffolding was neat and secure (and only as safe as you made it; anyone could jump over the railing if they wanted to) and had served its purpose well, and the progress that had been made with the stonework made a stark difference from the view that morning. Content, both with the visible results and the feeling of hard work taxing his body, Rory sauntered after the others for some much-needed water and sandwiches.
Another thing that pleased him was seeing the faces of his friends as they worked: Amalia, laughing and playing with Melita, who grinned bright enough to rival the sun... Rory glanced up at the remaining work while chewing on his sandwich; a dark prickle of hesitation, doubt, fear in his heart.
What if this pleasant day was to change?
But he forced that aside, nodding as Jigano laid out the next set of tasks. It wasn't the first time he'd use his ponies to power a pulley system—the Long Night was both fresh and oddly distant in his memory still, the haze of pain, the confusion, the terror of the dark and the single-minded determination to fix that perch...
Once Sascha's platform was done Amalia and Jigano changed; Rory watched them with unreadable eyes, used to the thing he did not allow himself to feel much. It passed like a shadow under the surface, masked by his appreciation of their avian forms—one the most silent killer, the other, cunning and regal.
He didn't stay to watch their work end, but rather headed outside to his ponies, to check their harnesses and tighten their girths and make sure that they were properly prepared for the work. Then, once Melita was done with her bit and the strong ropes were pushed outside, Rory hitched them to the harnesses. Their pulley system was locked and loaded and ready to go.
Another thing that pleased him was seeing the faces of his friends as they worked: Amalia, laughing and playing with Melita, who grinned bright enough to rival the sun... Rory glanced up at the remaining work while chewing on his sandwich; a dark prickle of hesitation, doubt, fear in his heart.
What if this pleasant day was to change?
But he forced that aside, nodding as Jigano laid out the next set of tasks. It wasn't the first time he'd use his ponies to power a pulley system—the Long Night was both fresh and oddly distant in his memory still, the haze of pain, the confusion, the terror of the dark and the single-minded determination to fix that perch...
Once Sascha's platform was done Amalia and Jigano changed; Rory watched them with unreadable eyes, used to the thing he did not allow himself to feel much. It passed like a shadow under the surface, masked by his appreciation of their avian forms—one the most silent killer, the other, cunning and regal.
He didn't stay to watch their work end, but rather headed outside to his ponies, to check their harnesses and tighten their girths and make sure that they were properly prepared for the work. Then, once Melita was done with her bit and the strong ropes were pushed outside, Rory hitched them to the harnesses. Their pulley system was locked and loaded and ready to go.
