Rance had always been his eyes and ears into the world beyond the forest, his favorite and most trusted lens on a world he would never see. It was second nature to rely on him now, the scout and skald that brought the world back with him, painted with words and rude anecdotes about the places he’d been and the people he’d met. There were others, of course, passing minstrels, the caravan guards, or the occasional individual traveler who might tell a few stories in the tavern over a mug or three of ale or whiskey, but few spoke to Kel so candidly. He was a local, a ‘mark’ if he wasn’t careful, or just plain different enough that he got little more than vague news of lands and politics he had no connection to.
Rance told him… well. Everything, but connected back to their own lives and people, the connections they had and the history they’d shared.
He felt a little better once he was dressed, a little less vulnerable, both physically and emotionally. He was still glad when Rance accepted his hand and held it tight, as careful and caring as they’d been ten years before, a world and a lifetimes away. It helped a little at the confirmation that they were stuck; Jiao had said as much. Hotaru had said the same. Hearing it from Rance made it true, though, and what was worse was the loss not only in this life, but in all others to come. ”I haven’t… heard much about Mort,” he admitted with a shiver, stepping closer to his friend’s side as he bit his lip. ”I don’t know… so much still, about this world. But I… I have a house now. It’s still… there’s still a lot to do on it, but it’s coming together.”
There was a flash of movement in the underbrush near the cloud mantas, a flicker of something sleek and tawny that disappeared back into the shadows before the eye could quite focus on it, but the pair continued on oblivious, enjoying the tropical winter as much as Kel had been.
Rance told him… well. Everything, but connected back to their own lives and people, the connections they had and the history they’d shared.
He felt a little better once he was dressed, a little less vulnerable, both physically and emotionally. He was still glad when Rance accepted his hand and held it tight, as careful and caring as they’d been ten years before, a world and a lifetimes away. It helped a little at the confirmation that they were stuck; Jiao had said as much. Hotaru had said the same. Hearing it from Rance made it true, though, and what was worse was the loss not only in this life, but in all others to come. ”I haven’t… heard much about Mort,” he admitted with a shiver, stepping closer to his friend’s side as he bit his lip. ”I don’t know… so much still, about this world. But I… I have a house now. It’s still… there’s still a lot to do on it, but it’s coming together.”
There was a flash of movement in the underbrush near the cloud mantas, a flicker of something sleek and tawny that disappeared back into the shadows before the eye could quite focus on it, but the pair continued on oblivious, enjoying the tropical winter as much as Kel had been.
