Tal's eyes widened as mystic fire joined the wind already at play within the training ground. He flinched, instincts as deep as great roots in his soul crying out in silent dismay as the target burned brightly and then--
--went out.
He turned shocked eyes on the warrior, swallowing hard at the casual blasphemy and too dazed to really focus on what the other man suggested. He nodded numbly, stealing glances at the ash on the wind.
He moved to set the axe back in the weapon rack he'd snagged it from and he lingered for a few moments, breathing deeply as he made sure the weapon was perfectly balanced before he moved back to rejoin the once-and-future general, eyes cast down as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I uh. Thank you, sir. For takin' the time with me today. I really--"
A sharp bark came from the doorway as a rusty red malamute shouldered past the muscular dragon ambling through the Barracks halls and trotted over to join the two men. She sat promptly beside Tal and looked up at Deimos with congenial curiosity, tongue lolling. The dragon, all pale blues and greens of sea ice - shades of the courier's eyes - joined them a few moments later, unhurried and unheeding of the recruits that cleared out of her way. She was the size of a great dane and built like a bull mastiff, her shoulders even with Tal's hips as she pushed her broad head under his hand imperiously and dropped her scaled hind end down on his other side.
"I told you to wait outside!" Tal's exasperation was tempered with affection as he tickled the dog's ears with his free hand, noticeably relaxing with the pair of them beside him.
--went out.
He turned shocked eyes on the warrior, swallowing hard at the casual blasphemy and too dazed to really focus on what the other man suggested. He nodded numbly, stealing glances at the ash on the wind.
He moved to set the axe back in the weapon rack he'd snagged it from and he lingered for a few moments, breathing deeply as he made sure the weapon was perfectly balanced before he moved back to rejoin the once-and-future general, eyes cast down as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I uh. Thank you, sir. For takin' the time with me today. I really--"
A sharp bark came from the doorway as a rusty red malamute shouldered past the muscular dragon ambling through the Barracks halls and trotted over to join the two men. She sat promptly beside Tal and looked up at Deimos with congenial curiosity, tongue lolling. The dragon, all pale blues and greens of sea ice - shades of the courier's eyes - joined them a few moments later, unhurried and unheeding of the recruits that cleared out of her way. She was the size of a great dane and built like a bull mastiff, her shoulders even with Tal's hips as she pushed her broad head under his hand imperiously and dropped her scaled hind end down on his other side.
"I told you to wait outside!" Tal's exasperation was tempered with affection as he tickled the dog's ears with his free hand, noticeably relaxing with the pair of them beside him.
