Quanil's words cascaded out, an eager brook babbling over rapids as they sought to get everything out on one breath, and Jigano felt the twinge of weary amusement more strongly this time as silence descended behind him at the newcomer's first sight of the Hall. Pride (ever his worst vice) curled in his chest, Quanil's open admiration a welcome balm against the litany of failure the last few days had driven into his heart. He and his guildmembers had worked hard to make this Hall a welcoming place of learning, a haven of research and study and a place to gather and share knowledge. After the last few days of burials and funerals, soul shepherding and clean up of the festival grounds and Temple, the simple reminder of the good that his guild could do, of their purpose, was much needed.
Quanil introduced themselves again as they sat, and Jigano's smile warmed a little at the nervous excitement in the young Natural's demeanor. He turned away briefly to dip the kettle in the water barrel to fill it before setting it on the hob to heat before taking his own chair. "Few have time to hone that skill here," he offered reassuringly, smile fading a little at the recent reminder of why the Hollowed Grounds so rarely had leisure for gentler pursuits, when fighting to coax crops from the tired soil or defending small herds from many predators took up the days of most of those on the Outskirts, and other trades worked just as hard in the Settlement.
"What sorts of books did you read?" he probed gently, curious in spite of the recent tragedy about what had brought this earnestly hopeful applicant to their door. "And what sorts of books would you choose to read, if given the choice?"
Quanil introduced themselves again as they sat, and Jigano's smile warmed a little at the nervous excitement in the young Natural's demeanor. He turned away briefly to dip the kettle in the water barrel to fill it before setting it on the hob to heat before taking his own chair. "Few have time to hone that skill here," he offered reassuringly, smile fading a little at the recent reminder of why the Hollowed Grounds so rarely had leisure for gentler pursuits, when fighting to coax crops from the tired soil or defending small herds from many predators took up the days of most of those on the Outskirts, and other trades worked just as hard in the Settlement.
"What sorts of books did you read?" he probed gently, curious in spite of the recent tragedy about what had brought this earnestly hopeful applicant to their door. "And what sorts of books would you choose to read, if given the choice?"
