Tal only grunted skeptically at her claim, continuing to gut and debone the fish with efficiency. The big dragon caught the tidbits he tossed her like it was a game, lunging for the tasty treats and rumbling her approval as she swallowed most things without even stopping to chew them first.
He neither knew nor cared that strange woman thought he was disrespectful to the spirits. They came when he called - sometimes - but it didn't sit right that the strange woman sought them out for every little thing. In his mind, she was the disrespectful one, and Tal's scowl had already been deepening as she spoke up again. The branch in his hands cracked as his grip flexed on it, but at first that was the only sign. The courier didn't explode; didn't leap up or shout. But there was a seething frustration in him as he carefully fed the remnants of his branch to the flames and then stood, dusting off his knees and wiping his blade clean before sheathing it again.
"No." His voice was short, clipped, and as cold as the winds of his home. "You want to act like a cult leader and boss people around? Fine. But you can find someone else." The dragon looked askance at him, then narrowed her eyes at the skull-headed woman, catching the edge of her bonded's anger and echoing it with a low growl.
"C'mon, girl." Tal tugged gently at one of her horns to disengage her attention and began to stomp down the side of the hill. The dragon paused, looking between woman, man, and fish, before dipping her head to grab up the pike and trot after her bonded with a smoky snort of resignation.
He neither knew nor cared that strange woman thought he was disrespectful to the spirits. They came when he called - sometimes - but it didn't sit right that the strange woman sought them out for every little thing. In his mind, she was the disrespectful one, and Tal's scowl had already been deepening as she spoke up again. The branch in his hands cracked as his grip flexed on it, but at first that was the only sign. The courier didn't explode; didn't leap up or shout. But there was a seething frustration in him as he carefully fed the remnants of his branch to the flames and then stood, dusting off his knees and wiping his blade clean before sheathing it again.
"No." His voice was short, clipped, and as cold as the winds of his home. "You want to act like a cult leader and boss people around? Fine. But you can find someone else." The dragon looked askance at him, then narrowed her eyes at the skull-headed woman, catching the edge of her bonded's anger and echoing it with a low growl.
"C'mon, girl." Tal tugged gently at one of her horns to disengage her attention and began to stomp down the side of the hill. The dragon paused, looking between woman, man, and fish, before dipping her head to grab up the pike and trot after her bonded with a smoky snort of resignation.
