Rory moved like a man in a nightmare - which, really, he was. The white fox whined softly, deep in his throat, when he looked at the human trudging mechanically, like some great wind-up automaton. Looking for pieces of someone who might have once been a friend. How long had he known them? How close had they been? Or... were they 'lucky' in that the victim of the demon was a stranger after all? For the blond's sake, the fox hoped that was the case.
But with the bitter cold sinking into pawpads and noses, he found optimism hard to cling to.
It was why he skirted the blood smell, going instead after something less... primal. As he dug the scent strengthened, coming clearer as his head ducked beneath the top of the snow pack. Leather, that had absorbed sweat and stink and, yes, blood as well - but less by far than what he'd sensed a few feet away.
He paused to rest, giving his head a shake to dislodge the chunks of snow that tried to cling to his fur, and licking at a ball of ice that was stuck between the pads of his forepaw. Nibbling and tugging he worked it loose - and glanced over at his companion, who had found something else. He looked so lost, kneeling in the snow, bundled up but his face as frozen as the spire they were getting dangerously close to...
For a moment Jigano swayed, torn between going to his friend, to try and distract him, or finishing his own task. If he'd thought Rory might be distracted he would have in a heartbeat, but the blond was driven, now. Seeking with a single-minded purpose that would not be denied.
Whimpering quietly to himself, the fox turned back to his hole, working on widening it and getting down to the ground. The chunk of leather was there, he could get his teeth into it, but it didn't want to come free. One side, as he uncovered it, was torn by some great claw, splitting the heavy leather in a ragged tear right through the lovely finish. The other... Jigano paused again, panting, as he leaned down to sniff delicately at the dried blood. Dried and drunk down by the soil before it had frozen, thankfully, or he might not have been able to work the plate-sized chunk of armor loose. All that he could be grateful for was that it had been torn loose from the body that had worn it and flung aside - not still attached.
With a sigh he took the piece gingerly in his mouth, wrinkling his muzzle at the taste of old, human blood but controlling his shudder as he leaped lightly up and trotted over to Rory. He slowed as he neared the man, hesitant suddenly at what his 'gift' might do to his friend, but he couldn't undo his choice now. Silently, worried, he set the hunk of leather armor down beside the human man and then nosed his hip, whining softly to get his attention, and looking up with drooping ears to try and read Rory's expression.
But with the bitter cold sinking into pawpads and noses, he found optimism hard to cling to.
It was why he skirted the blood smell, going instead after something less... primal. As he dug the scent strengthened, coming clearer as his head ducked beneath the top of the snow pack. Leather, that had absorbed sweat and stink and, yes, blood as well - but less by far than what he'd sensed a few feet away.
He paused to rest, giving his head a shake to dislodge the chunks of snow that tried to cling to his fur, and licking at a ball of ice that was stuck between the pads of his forepaw. Nibbling and tugging he worked it loose - and glanced over at his companion, who had found something else. He looked so lost, kneeling in the snow, bundled up but his face as frozen as the spire they were getting dangerously close to...
For a moment Jigano swayed, torn between going to his friend, to try and distract him, or finishing his own task. If he'd thought Rory might be distracted he would have in a heartbeat, but the blond was driven, now. Seeking with a single-minded purpose that would not be denied.
Whimpering quietly to himself, the fox turned back to his hole, working on widening it and getting down to the ground. The chunk of leather was there, he could get his teeth into it, but it didn't want to come free. One side, as he uncovered it, was torn by some great claw, splitting the heavy leather in a ragged tear right through the lovely finish. The other... Jigano paused again, panting, as he leaned down to sniff delicately at the dried blood. Dried and drunk down by the soil before it had frozen, thankfully, or he might not have been able to work the plate-sized chunk of armor loose. All that he could be grateful for was that it had been torn loose from the body that had worn it and flung aside - not still attached.
With a sigh he took the piece gingerly in his mouth, wrinkling his muzzle at the taste of old, human blood but controlling his shudder as he leaped lightly up and trotted over to Rory. He slowed as he neared the man, hesitant suddenly at what his 'gift' might do to his friend, but he couldn't undo his choice now. Silently, worried, he set the hunk of leather armor down beside the human man and then nosed his hip, whining softly to get his attention, and looking up with drooping ears to try and read Rory's expression.
