Deimos looked as surprised as the bard felt, and Jigano realized it was one of the few (only?) times he'd actually seen that expression on the General's face before sighs and silence followed. Whatever was happening was unplanned and unlooked for, and the loreseeker stood silent as Deimos turned his attention to Zuriel before Jigano could even ask for the pair's combined aid. Haughty as a queen she came, and in spite of the opinion she held of him she granted her healing power. The bard flinched as soothing warmth sank into his skin warmth he didn't deserve, not after letting Caiside die alone in the dark but he found himself relaxing without intending to as muscle and skin knit back together.
He drew in a breath without pain for the first time since he had stepped out the door, and inclined his head gratefully to the unicorn. "Thank you," he murmured. Isuma chirruped quietly from his back, popping her head out of the hood where she had been dozing, hidden by the fall of his hair to add her thanks to Zuriel before Deimos reclaimed the pair's attention.
Fire danced once more in his hand, obedient to his whim and Jigano felt his throat tighten at the sight. Edy had once played with fire in such a way... Rory still did. Alone at the farm while Jigano played hero and failed friends. For a moment he felt the fear rise in his throat, sinking sickle-claws into his heart as Rory's face imposed on Caiside's mangled body, but he pushed it away, reminding himself to trust his mate and the protections they had laid around the farm together.
"Need," he said softly to the question instead. Perhaps it was rhetorical, but perhaps not. He and Remi had discussed such things once as well. "And luck. And sometimes the whims of the spirits of this world. Power stretches and grows the more we use it. At least, so it has seemed for myself and the animals I can become."
He drew in a breath without pain for the first time since he had stepped out the door, and inclined his head gratefully to the unicorn. "Thank you," he murmured. Isuma chirruped quietly from his back, popping her head out of the hood where she had been dozing, hidden by the fall of his hair to add her thanks to Zuriel before Deimos reclaimed the pair's attention.
Fire danced once more in his hand, obedient to his whim and Jigano felt his throat tighten at the sight. Edy had once played with fire in such a way... Rory still did. Alone at the farm while Jigano played hero and failed friends. For a moment he felt the fear rise in his throat, sinking sickle-claws into his heart as Rory's face imposed on Caiside's mangled body, but he pushed it away, reminding himself to trust his mate and the protections they had laid around the farm together.
"Need," he said softly to the question instead. Perhaps it was rhetorical, but perhaps not. He and Remi had discussed such things once as well. "And luck. And sometimes the whims of the spirits of this world. Power stretches and grows the more we use it. At least, so it has seemed for myself and the animals I can become."
