A distinctly queasy look came over the bard's face, and a ripple of nausea disturbed the Attuned bond before he clamped down on it. He couldn't even look at Astra after that, setting his glass of wine down with the overly-precise care of someone trying very hard not to just drop it and run. "I... see." It was a weak response, but the news had twisted a pleasant evening into one he could no longer enjoy.
He could understand where Loren was coming from, and the harsh necessities of Halovian life, but it still left him feeling ill to have eaten one of the creatures the Grounders - including him - so desperately relied on during LongNight.
And poor Astra...
"Then I should probably get going," he said, his smile a little pained as he rose and offered Loren his hand. "I'll be racing the last of the light to make it back to the portal tonight as it is." Isuma peeped a protest from Astra's antlers, a mournful little trill of wanting to stay and play longer, but Jigano gave her a regretful shake of his head. "But I'll see you again when the snows lighten enough to allow travel again. Until then, stay warm and safe, my friend." And in spite of the uncomfortable roiling in his gut his smile for the summoner was genuine and optimistic that they'd both survive to see the light of Flowerbirth's first morning.
He could understand where Loren was coming from, and the harsh necessities of Halovian life, but it still left him feeling ill to have eaten one of the creatures the Grounders - including him - so desperately relied on during LongNight.
And poor Astra...
"Then I should probably get going," he said, his smile a little pained as he rose and offered Loren his hand. "I'll be racing the last of the light to make it back to the portal tonight as it is." Isuma peeped a protest from Astra's antlers, a mournful little trill of wanting to stay and play longer, but Jigano gave her a regretful shake of his head. "But I'll see you again when the snows lighten enough to allow travel again. Until then, stay warm and safe, my friend." And in spite of the uncomfortable roiling in his gut his smile for the summoner was genuine and optimistic that they'd both survive to see the light of Flowerbirth's first morning.
