[ I think the mind-speak only works on other Attuned? At least, that's how I understood it. ]
The moment when the fox noticed him was immediately recognizable: the white creature came to a standstill, peering straight at him, and Rory felt the breath catch in his chest. Would it take off, now that it had seen him? And wasn't that calabash rolling a little too close to it? His gaze went to the menacing gourd, then to the fox's thin ankles; could a vegetable cause any harm to the delicate bones and ligaments..?
Should he intervene?
But just as his hand began its journey towards the pike, the fox darted back into motion, heading directly for him: tongue lolling out, elegant leap turning to a flashy trot. Rory's sky blue eyes met the icy ones of the fox, and he felt both a sense of relief and disappointment. It was obviously an Attuned in its animal form, for no wild fox would approach him so.
Regardless, a small smile began to form on his lips. It was difficult not to appreciate the beauty of the fox, and the wicked glint in its eyes.
Then it was off again, leaping across one of his knees and disappearing behind him; he felt the telltale weight of little paws pressing into his back, felt its bark vibrate through his body as it taunted the gourds. Rory laughed as they came rolling, knowing how easy they were to dispose of yet vaguely unnerved all the same: their bright eyes and their gnashing mouths seemed to promise something unholy and painful, but honestly, how painful could a bite from a vegetable be?
Still, he wasn't very interested in finding out, so when the first one came within reach of his pike, he drove the point of the pike into its ripe flesh, creating a makeshift gourd hammer. He swept it into the oncoming ranks, watching some scatter, and some break, including the one on his pike.
The moment when the fox noticed him was immediately recognizable: the white creature came to a standstill, peering straight at him, and Rory felt the breath catch in his chest. Would it take off, now that it had seen him? And wasn't that calabash rolling a little too close to it? His gaze went to the menacing gourd, then to the fox's thin ankles; could a vegetable cause any harm to the delicate bones and ligaments..?
Should he intervene?
But just as his hand began its journey towards the pike, the fox darted back into motion, heading directly for him: tongue lolling out, elegant leap turning to a flashy trot. Rory's sky blue eyes met the icy ones of the fox, and he felt both a sense of relief and disappointment. It was obviously an Attuned in its animal form, for no wild fox would approach him so.
Regardless, a small smile began to form on his lips. It was difficult not to appreciate the beauty of the fox, and the wicked glint in its eyes.
Then it was off again, leaping across one of his knees and disappearing behind him; he felt the telltale weight of little paws pressing into his back, felt its bark vibrate through his body as it taunted the gourds. Rory laughed as they came rolling, knowing how easy they were to dispose of yet vaguely unnerved all the same: their bright eyes and their gnashing mouths seemed to promise something unholy and painful, but honestly, how painful could a bite from a vegetable be?
Still, he wasn't very interested in finding out, so when the first one came within reach of his pike, he drove the point of the pike into its ripe flesh, creating a makeshift gourd hammer. He swept it into the oncoming ranks, watching some scatter, and some break, including the one on his pike.
