Jigano nodded appreciation of the compliment, lips quirking a little in spite of the solemnity of the occasion. He gave a gracious nod as Caiside trailed of, knowing just what he meant and how he felt about the phrasing of things when the world had gone sideways. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I hope to eventually have a plaque with her name and a few words made as well but... well." His grin came a little more easily as he gestured towards the once-and-future smith. "Perhaps I can impose upon you for help with that. Something in bronze might be nice, here." Set onto a short stone pedestal, perhaps, to let it stand out, so those who passed this way would know in whose honor the garden was being grown.
The bard chuckled at the question that finally escaped, reaching up to tickle the gryphlet's chin. "She'll play with you once she's down," he admitted, expression softening. "Her name is Isuma, and she's a gryphon. Well. Gryphlet," he corrected, grinning as she purred and fluttered her downy wings, catching his ear with a flutter of soft feathers. "She hatched during Deepfrost and has a bit of growing to do. Though... I don't actually know how big she'll get," he admitted ruefully, glancing back at his friend. "They existed on my world, though somewhat... bigger. More like part eagle, part lion." Rather than owl and snow leopard as the winter princess was. "But she's a... well. A companion. Bonded, heart and mind and soul to me." he shrugged a little self-consciously and the gryphon peeped as she went up and down. "It's something that happens on Caido sometimes, from what I've read. That some people attract and form a bond with specific creatures."
It was an explanation that filled much of their journey, and when Caiside came to a stop Jigano drew a breath, looking around as if he would see the ghosts of that terrible night reenacting the moment of his friend's bloody demise. Bowing his head, he said a prayer - of sorrow and of thanks to Ludo - before kneeling to sink his hand into the dirt, getting a feel for the spring-damp soil. There were no crops planted there, simply the young wild grasses of a rolling meadow and flowers beginning to bloom. With a wry smile the bard looked up to Caiside as he let his satchel and the pack on his back slide to the ground. "Well. Shall we get to turning some of this earth over and digging some holes?" he suggested, managing to be both solemn and smiling at the work ahead of them to honor a treasured friend.
The bard chuckled at the question that finally escaped, reaching up to tickle the gryphlet's chin. "She'll play with you once she's down," he admitted, expression softening. "Her name is Isuma, and she's a gryphon. Well. Gryphlet," he corrected, grinning as she purred and fluttered her downy wings, catching his ear with a flutter of soft feathers. "She hatched during Deepfrost and has a bit of growing to do. Though... I don't actually know how big she'll get," he admitted ruefully, glancing back at his friend. "They existed on my world, though somewhat... bigger. More like part eagle, part lion." Rather than owl and snow leopard as the winter princess was. "But she's a... well. A companion. Bonded, heart and mind and soul to me." he shrugged a little self-consciously and the gryphon peeped as she went up and down. "It's something that happens on Caido sometimes, from what I've read. That some people attract and form a bond with specific creatures."
It was an explanation that filled much of their journey, and when Caiside came to a stop Jigano drew a breath, looking around as if he would see the ghosts of that terrible night reenacting the moment of his friend's bloody demise. Bowing his head, he said a prayer - of sorrow and of thanks to Ludo - before kneeling to sink his hand into the dirt, getting a feel for the spring-damp soil. There were no crops planted there, simply the young wild grasses of a rolling meadow and flowers beginning to bloom. With a wry smile the bard looked up to Caiside as he let his satchel and the pack on his back slide to the ground. "Well. Shall we get to turning some of this earth over and digging some holes?" he suggested, managing to be both solemn and smiling at the work ahead of them to honor a treasured friend.
