Jigano fox-grinned up at his friend, opening his mouth to pant, blue eyes twinkling. He sniffed at the proffered hand in a peremptory way, already certain of who this was and what he was about. He was the fox’s friend, and his touch…
Was welcome. As simple and sweet as that.
Blue eyes closed as he pressed up into the scratch of greeting, letting the world shrink to the warm fingers in his fur and the friend at his side, and so he missed Remi’s descent – at least until Rory tensed, and the fox blinked back to awareness, seeking sounds and scents of his surroundings to find the source of the danger.
He followed his friend’s upward gaze just as Remi tumbled from bird to man. Jigano’s own emotions were a mix of conflict – surprise at seeing another person shift completely from animal to human; immediate exasperation at the young pup; admiration for his control; worry at how uneasy Rory’s body language was, leg still pressed against furry white ribs—
And hallo to you
Inside his head. Inside his thoughts, intruding and intrusive and not wanted.
The fox—froze. As still as the snow simulacrum by the goat pen, not even breathing as he pulled his thoughts – shrieking, raging, running – as deep inside himself as he could in that moment, taking refuge in instincts he rarely let control him. He dropped to a crouch, lips pulled back in a silent snarl as Vervain approached and distracted the two men. The pup gallivanted off to greet the woman Jigano knew as his boss and Rory watched them…
Remi oblivious, as was apparently his usual state, of the turmoil he’d thrown the lorekeeper into.
It took a conscious effort of will to unlock his muscles, forcing his lips back down over his teeth as he straightened again, but his fur was puffed out like a bottle brush and his ears were flat back in distress as he pressed against Rory’s side, instinctively seeking comfort and strength.
By the time Remi and Vervain parted Jigano was mostly on his own four feet again, though his joy in the morning had been lost. Rory’s description of the day ahead meant little to the fox – he couldn’t carry the hides in his current form anyways, though taking a little meat to stockpile would be wise. Mostly he was just there to help his friend, but with Remi’s hawk form soaring above, was his nose even useful?
At least the pup didn’t try to force his way into the lorekeeper’s head again as he transformed and winged upwards. The fox glanced up at Rory uncertainly—just in time to catch the blond’s shudder, there and gone again. Jigano whined softly in concern, leaning back against his friend’s calf to return the comfort he’d so recently taken, and continued to stay close as they headed into the woods – two humans and a white fox who blended right into the snow.
Vervain looked as impressive with her hunting gear as she had with her broom in the tavern. Jigano might have been more playful if they’d under other circumstances, but between Remi’s surprising mental intrusion and Rory’s presence, the bard had no wish to draw attention to himself. It wasn’t that hard to put things together and he was quietly, desperately anxious to avoid losing the unique bonds of trust and comfort that he and Rory had begun to share because someone innocently called him out.
So instead he ghosted along a little ways from them, keeping Rory between himself and the Rathskeller’s proprietress and staying largely out of sight. His light weight let him run on top of the snow to make better time than the humans, and his nose worked diligently to find fresh spoor, but like his boss he found only rodents and rabbits. Tasty, squeaky snacks he would have happily hunted on his own, but today they were after bigger game.
Vervain’s voice was soft but still clear to his ears – finally perked up again as time provided a cushion from his fright. He tried tilting his head to the side to look up, but it wasn’t a comfortable vantage and still couldn’t clearly see the hawk-boy through the branches. He didn’t quite growl his annoyance - must the pup make everything so awkward? – but turned to take his cue from the humans in silent exasperation that he had no idea what direction they needed to go.
Was welcome. As simple and sweet as that.
Blue eyes closed as he pressed up into the scratch of greeting, letting the world shrink to the warm fingers in his fur and the friend at his side, and so he missed Remi’s descent – at least until Rory tensed, and the fox blinked back to awareness, seeking sounds and scents of his surroundings to find the source of the danger.
He followed his friend’s upward gaze just as Remi tumbled from bird to man. Jigano’s own emotions were a mix of conflict – surprise at seeing another person shift completely from animal to human; immediate exasperation at the young pup; admiration for his control; worry at how uneasy Rory’s body language was, leg still pressed against furry white ribs—
And hallo to you
Inside his head. Inside his thoughts, intruding and intrusive and not wanted.
The fox—froze. As still as the snow simulacrum by the goat pen, not even breathing as he pulled his thoughts – shrieking, raging, running – as deep inside himself as he could in that moment, taking refuge in instincts he rarely let control him. He dropped to a crouch, lips pulled back in a silent snarl as Vervain approached and distracted the two men. The pup gallivanted off to greet the woman Jigano knew as his boss and Rory watched them…
Remi oblivious, as was apparently his usual state, of the turmoil he’d thrown the lorekeeper into.
It took a conscious effort of will to unlock his muscles, forcing his lips back down over his teeth as he straightened again, but his fur was puffed out like a bottle brush and his ears were flat back in distress as he pressed against Rory’s side, instinctively seeking comfort and strength.
By the time Remi and Vervain parted Jigano was mostly on his own four feet again, though his joy in the morning had been lost. Rory’s description of the day ahead meant little to the fox – he couldn’t carry the hides in his current form anyways, though taking a little meat to stockpile would be wise. Mostly he was just there to help his friend, but with Remi’s hawk form soaring above, was his nose even useful?
At least the pup didn’t try to force his way into the lorekeeper’s head again as he transformed and winged upwards. The fox glanced up at Rory uncertainly—just in time to catch the blond’s shudder, there and gone again. Jigano whined softly in concern, leaning back against his friend’s calf to return the comfort he’d so recently taken, and continued to stay close as they headed into the woods – two humans and a white fox who blended right into the snow.
Vervain looked as impressive with her hunting gear as she had with her broom in the tavern. Jigano might have been more playful if they’d under other circumstances, but between Remi’s surprising mental intrusion and Rory’s presence, the bard had no wish to draw attention to himself. It wasn’t that hard to put things together and he was quietly, desperately anxious to avoid losing the unique bonds of trust and comfort that he and Rory had begun to share because someone innocently called him out.
So instead he ghosted along a little ways from them, keeping Rory between himself and the Rathskeller’s proprietress and staying largely out of sight. His light weight let him run on top of the snow to make better time than the humans, and his nose worked diligently to find fresh spoor, but like his boss he found only rodents and rabbits. Tasty, squeaky snacks he would have happily hunted on his own, but today they were after bigger game.
Vervain’s voice was soft but still clear to his ears – finally perked up again as time provided a cushion from his fright. He tried tilting his head to the side to look up, but it wasn’t a comfortable vantage and still couldn’t clearly see the hawk-boy through the branches. He didn’t quite growl his annoyance - must the pup make everything so awkward? – but turned to take his cue from the humans in silent exasperation that he had no idea what direction they needed to go.
