It was such a nice grin, that fox grin, all teeth and pulled-up lips; it was honestly a marvelous thing how big a difference the absence of a wrinkled muzzle did when the rest of the expression was rather similar. Rory laughed a little at it as it hopped in place, paws and claws clicking a little on the floorboards. "Yes, quite much better, I see," he responded lightly, navigating the door and getting them out back in the open.
Mentioning the collar had a .. not quite expected effect. The fox seemed... proud? .. of it. Rory allowed a small frown to crease his forehead as he watched the creature give itself a shake. Was that a small bag attached to it? He put his lower lip between his teeth as he contemplated this new bit of information. Maybe it was just to carry something? Though.. what? Attuned retained their clothing while shifting, so it had to be something it wanted to be able to access as a fox.
He wouldn't know short of investigating it, and he was keen on letting the fox keep its privacy—it seemed quite fond of it, and Rory didn't think pressuring it into giving up its secrets would benefit their friendship in any way.
The moment passed anyway, because one of Vaya's whines made it across the distance and the fox flinched from the sound. Unconsciously Rory's fingers ran across the gryphon's back. "I think you'll be fine, it'll take a small miracle for her to get out," he said, trying to reassure the fox, but he couldn't keep some of the guilt out of his voice.
Then it was heading towards the forest, stopping after a moment to beckon him to follow. Rory bit his lower lip again, throwing a glance over his shoulder at the goat herd. He didn't like leaving Vaya in the shed if he was going to leave the homestead, but.. if it turned out the fox was going to take him far away, he could always just ask about it, and if necessary, head back and let her out?
Making up his mind, Rory followed. After a couple of paces he put both hands under the warm gryphlet, thumbs supporting her behind her wings so he wouldn't drop her, and held her up the breeze. He smiled as he tilted her slightly this way and then that (as if she was a toy airplane, and as if he knew what toy airplanes were) simply because he was amused by her little wings fluttering. He didn't know if she could fly on her own yet, but if not, he was more than happy to help her with it as they walked.
The fox would find no problems in leading Rory towards their destination, for he was a smart boy: he knew that his little white-furred friend wanted to show him something, so he wasn't going to stop walking after it until they were there.
Mentioning the collar had a .. not quite expected effect. The fox seemed... proud? .. of it. Rory allowed a small frown to crease his forehead as he watched the creature give itself a shake. Was that a small bag attached to it? He put his lower lip between his teeth as he contemplated this new bit of information. Maybe it was just to carry something? Though.. what? Attuned retained their clothing while shifting, so it had to be something it wanted to be able to access as a fox.
He wouldn't know short of investigating it, and he was keen on letting the fox keep its privacy—it seemed quite fond of it, and Rory didn't think pressuring it into giving up its secrets would benefit their friendship in any way.
The moment passed anyway, because one of Vaya's whines made it across the distance and the fox flinched from the sound. Unconsciously Rory's fingers ran across the gryphon's back. "I think you'll be fine, it'll take a small miracle for her to get out," he said, trying to reassure the fox, but he couldn't keep some of the guilt out of his voice.
Then it was heading towards the forest, stopping after a moment to beckon him to follow. Rory bit his lower lip again, throwing a glance over his shoulder at the goat herd. He didn't like leaving Vaya in the shed if he was going to leave the homestead, but.. if it turned out the fox was going to take him far away, he could always just ask about it, and if necessary, head back and let her out?
Making up his mind, Rory followed. After a couple of paces he put both hands under the warm gryphlet, thumbs supporting her behind her wings so he wouldn't drop her, and held her up the breeze. He smiled as he tilted her slightly this way and then that (
The fox would find no problems in leading Rory towards their destination, for he was a smart boy: he knew that his little white-furred friend wanted to show him something, so he wasn't going to stop walking after it until they were there.
