Jigano didn’t quite say “Of course I’m right” because he still wasn’t completely certain that was what they needed to do, but it was his best guess so far. And the story hadn’t given them much choice in their roles: Samuel would be the one who needed to talk to the other characters – people? – and he needed at least a little confidence in himself to manage that. Jigano, the showman, the one who enjoyed talking to people… was a horse. And the only person who could understand him was Sam. Not being able to communicate sent an unhappy shiver over his skin, and he stamped a rear hoof softly as he tried not to think about that too deeply, though the uneasiness lingered in the back of his thoughts.
It was just as well that he had given his friend the time and space he needed. The next time Samuel spoke he was thinking, not just reacting, and Jigano bobbed his head in encouragement. ”Not this one specifically, no. But I’m pretty sure I’ve read – and told – similar ones. We’ve been given a quest by a king. You’re a simple huntsman with an animal companion, not a knight in shining armor, so that’s why I don’t think we’re expected to fight our way through this…” He hesitated, then cleared his throat delicately – except, as a horse, it was more of a low rumbling that was anything but subtle. ”And if you don’t know how to use weapons, we might be better leaving them here. You’ve already got a bow and arrows on you,” he nodded to the weapons Samuel had appeared with, ”but since we’re supposed to capture the firebird, not kill it, I hope we won’t need them.”
He tilted his head – that habit, at least, translating between bodies – to consider Samuel’s predicament, then turned his body to the side to offer the stirrup and saddle as a way for the man to pull himself back up. ”A firebird, if it’s like the phoenix I’ve read about writ small, can probably burn through a rope or twine net,” he explained patiently, reminding himself that if this was Samuel’s first adventure, he probably wasn’t used to thinking fast on the fly. It was certainly an acquired skill… and they were lucky that this was, so far, a fairly harmless training ground.
So far.
”So we need something that won’t burn - like metal. But gold is too soft, and iron is too rigid. And if this is a fairy tale – with a king and a mythical creature – silver and gold usually play some sort of role in it.” He couldn’t shrug, but he gave his mane a light shake, looking back over his shoulder at Samuel with an encouraging whicker. ”Hence the silver net. So… what’s your plan for all the jewelry and flatware you ordered?”
It was just as well that he had given his friend the time and space he needed. The next time Samuel spoke he was thinking, not just reacting, and Jigano bobbed his head in encouragement. ”Not this one specifically, no. But I’m pretty sure I’ve read – and told – similar ones. We’ve been given a quest by a king. You’re a simple huntsman with an animal companion, not a knight in shining armor, so that’s why I don’t think we’re expected to fight our way through this…” He hesitated, then cleared his throat delicately – except, as a horse, it was more of a low rumbling that was anything but subtle. ”And if you don’t know how to use weapons, we might be better leaving them here. You’ve already got a bow and arrows on you,” he nodded to the weapons Samuel had appeared with, ”but since we’re supposed to capture the firebird, not kill it, I hope we won’t need them.”
He tilted his head – that habit, at least, translating between bodies – to consider Samuel’s predicament, then turned his body to the side to offer the stirrup and saddle as a way for the man to pull himself back up. ”A firebird, if it’s like the phoenix I’ve read about writ small, can probably burn through a rope or twine net,” he explained patiently, reminding himself that if this was Samuel’s first adventure, he probably wasn’t used to thinking fast on the fly. It was certainly an acquired skill… and they were lucky that this was, so far, a fairly harmless training ground.
So far.
”So we need something that won’t burn - like metal. But gold is too soft, and iron is too rigid. And if this is a fairy tale – with a king and a mythical creature – silver and gold usually play some sort of role in it.” He couldn’t shrug, but he gave his mane a light shake, looking back over his shoulder at Samuel with an encouraging whicker. ”Hence the silver net. So… what’s your plan for all the jewelry and flatware you ordered?”
