Boreal grumbled contentedly as the humans did their talking. She didn't need to understand what was being said to feel the twists and tensions in her bonded's heart, but she could also feel the fondness and the care that the wounds had stemmed from, and how relieved he was - beneath all his bluster and grump - to have found Hotaru again, safe and sound.
Tal, unfortunately, was in no mood to be soothed, but he was susceptible enough to the Valkyrie's praise that his scowl wavered in spite of his intention to stand strong in his wounded pride. Her opinion meant something to him, however much he tried to hide it. He would have jammed his hands in his pockets if he could have to hide his conflicted heart but he had to settle for squeezing them around the spear shaft as if he could wring out his uncertainty and unhappiness by throttling the weapon into submission.
His gaze flitted between meeting hers and looking away, though it always returned eventually as she spoke. He tried not to wince when she admitted hoping to receive visitors of her own and bit his lip against words that tried to escape; lashing out that wouldn't make anything better even for a heartbeat but might ruin everything forever.
It was the apology that undid him. "I didn't know you were in the Greatwood," he finally blurted guiltily, unable to hold back anymore. "An' the trees are all stupid an' confusin' an' the Lullaby made it pretty clear he doesn't want anyone trespassin'." His scowl returned full force as he glared down at the ground and kicked a root of the big tree. "Or... y'know... maybe I would've come. Still could, if I knew how to find you there. Should figure it out anyways, in case I need t'deliver anythin' to you." Even if the delivery came from himself. Er. Someone anonymous.
He was still working himself up to finding a way to respond to the apology itself without making more of a hash of things when Ru shifted her stance and Boreal's head came up, nostrils flaring to scent the swampy air. Tal followed both of their gazes to the pile of bones that quietly shivered again as a rounded cranium seemed to peeeeeek out from behind the ribcage, empty eye sockets focused on the spear in Tal's hands.
Slowly, moving with only a slight tremble of adrenaline from all the emotions that lay heavy in the air, Tal lowered the spear until the ursur skull rested on the ground a body length away from him. "Is it too big?" he fretted under his breath to Ru, worried that maybe he'd over-estimated the size of his tribute skull.
Spoiler alert: he did not
Tal, unfortunately, was in no mood to be soothed, but he was susceptible enough to the Valkyrie's praise that his scowl wavered in spite of his intention to stand strong in his wounded pride. Her opinion meant something to him, however much he tried to hide it. He would have jammed his hands in his pockets if he could have to hide his conflicted heart but he had to settle for squeezing them around the spear shaft as if he could wring out his uncertainty and unhappiness by throttling the weapon into submission.
His gaze flitted between meeting hers and looking away, though it always returned eventually as she spoke. He tried not to wince when she admitted hoping to receive visitors of her own and bit his lip against words that tried to escape; lashing out that wouldn't make anything better even for a heartbeat but might ruin everything forever.
It was the apology that undid him. "I didn't know you were in the Greatwood," he finally blurted guiltily, unable to hold back anymore. "An' the trees are all stupid an' confusin' an' the Lullaby made it pretty clear he doesn't want anyone trespassin'." His scowl returned full force as he glared down at the ground and kicked a root of the big tree. "Or... y'know... maybe I would've come. Still could, if I knew how to find you there. Should figure it out anyways, in case I need t'deliver anythin' to you." Even if the delivery came from himself. Er. Someone anonymous.
He was still working himself up to finding a way to respond to the apology itself without making more of a hash of things when Ru shifted her stance and Boreal's head came up, nostrils flaring to scent the swampy air. Tal followed both of their gazes to the pile of bones that quietly shivered again as a rounded cranium seemed to peeeeeek out from behind the ribcage, empty eye sockets focused on the spear in Tal's hands.
Slowly, moving with only a slight tremble of adrenaline from all the emotions that lay heavy in the air, Tal lowered the spear until the ursur skull rested on the ground a body length away from him. "Is it too big?" he fretted under his breath to Ru, worried that maybe he'd over-estimated the size of his tribute skull.
Spoiler alert: he did not
