Tal had been shaped by the elements and by Halo's rugged terrain and hazards. By running from ursur and cannibals, fighting off wolves, and facing lethal blizzards with only himself and his dogs. But people? He'd kept his interactions with people brief by choice as much as necessity. People were complicated. People lied. People had their own hopes and dreams and fears that were far harder to understand than those of his hounds.
People left. Sometimes even when they were still physically right next door.
Animals, he liked. He could understand them; not as well as an Attuned who could be one and speak with them, but better than people. Animals were straightforward and Tal leaned forward eagerly to study this new creature that Hotaru had called into reach.
And when Ru's murmured words - praise, or as good as to his ears - affirmed his success, Tal flashed her a grin of white teeth in the darkness. Fingers dipped into his pocket, closing around one of the squares of reindeer jerky that he kept there for dragon treats, and withdrew. He tossed it lightly towards the big cat, a little above its head, still watching to see how its eyes would track the reward for its patience with their game.
People left. Sometimes even when they were still physically right next door.
Animals, he liked. He could understand them; not as well as an Attuned who could be one and speak with them, but better than people. Animals were straightforward and Tal leaned forward eagerly to study this new creature that Hotaru had called into reach.
And when Ru's murmured words - praise, or as good as to his ears - affirmed his success, Tal flashed her a grin of white teeth in the darkness. Fingers dipped into his pocket, closing around one of the squares of reindeer jerky that he kept there for dragon treats, and withdrew. He tossed it lightly towards the big cat, a little above its head, still watching to see how its eyes would track the reward for its patience with their game.
