"I was on my way to see if I could find word of some of my Fae friends and acquaintances in the Greatwood," Jigano admitted with a smile. "It was luck that I heard you singing and came this way to investigate. It's alright," he added as an aside to Isuma, who looked at him expectantly. She bumped her feathered head against his cheek before making a wing-assisted leap to Tarash's arm, scampering up to the Fae's shoulder to investigate their hair. "I'm glad I did, though."
Not least because between the two of them they could add a little spot of color to the Hollowed Grounds. It wasn't much - yet - but it was a start, and all recovery had to start somewhere. He sat back on his heels, looking up (admittedly, not very far) at Tarasha with blue eyes that sparkled with appreciation for their honesty. "I appreciate both," he assured them with a wry grin. "I'm part of a guild called 'the Loreseekers' that values curiosity as an important trait!" His smile slipped a bit, though, and he studied his new-met companion more seriously. "Do you have a saying like "a few bad apples can ruin the bushel?" he asked. "We're a bit like that. Most humans are just fine and will either leave the Fae alone or want to build friendships between our peoples. But there are always a few who lack empathy or think that their rights supercede everyone else's." He sighed and pushed himself up, dusting his hands off. "Which is a roundabout way of saying that Delah isn't wrong. There are monsters here, but most of those you meet will be just... people. Regular people. A bit tall and flightless, but with many of the same vices and virtues as I've seen among the Fae." He smiled and shrugged ruefully.
"Speaking of your people, was your LongNight safe within the Woods?" They still didn't know if the monsters had taken the barrier's fall as a chance to spread out, of if they had stayed to torment the people of the Hollowed Grounds - and the Ascended who lived there, with those upgrades the monsters seemed to crave.
Not least because between the two of them they could add a little spot of color to the Hollowed Grounds. It wasn't much - yet - but it was a start, and all recovery had to start somewhere. He sat back on his heels, looking up (admittedly, not very far) at Tarasha with blue eyes that sparkled with appreciation for their honesty. "I appreciate both," he assured them with a wry grin. "I'm part of a guild called 'the Loreseekers' that values curiosity as an important trait!" His smile slipped a bit, though, and he studied his new-met companion more seriously. "Do you have a saying like "a few bad apples can ruin the bushel?" he asked. "We're a bit like that. Most humans are just fine and will either leave the Fae alone or want to build friendships between our peoples. But there are always a few who lack empathy or think that their rights supercede everyone else's." He sighed and pushed himself up, dusting his hands off. "Which is a roundabout way of saying that Delah isn't wrong. There are monsters here, but most of those you meet will be just... people. Regular people. A bit tall and flightless, but with many of the same vices and virtues as I've seen among the Fae." He smiled and shrugged ruefully.
"Speaking of your people, was your LongNight safe within the Woods?" They still didn't know if the monsters had taken the barrier's fall as a chance to spread out, of if they had stayed to torment the people of the Hollowed Grounds - and the Ascended who lived there, with those upgrades the monsters seemed to crave.
