Compared to Hotaru's dignity, Tal trudged through the snow, each footstep dragging like a man on his way to his execution. Every few minutes a mournful sigh would heave from his lungs to float frostily in the still air, and he held the package in his arms like it was a live, venomous snake; something that he didn't dare let go of for fear of being bitten by it.
Boreal ranged ahead of him, disgustingly cheerful and amused at her human's blue funk - the traitor - as she greeted neighbors and regular Seawright customers with a wag of her scaly tail and a huff of friendly smoke.
Spotting Hotaru, however, brought an affectionate croon from the big companion's throat as she shouldered through the handful of people between them to come up next to the Valkyrie and lean her tall shoulder into the Valkyrie's hip, falling into step beside her as Tal scrambled to catch up. He perked up a little from his fugue as he recognized the blonde, momentarily distracted from his reluctant task. "Oh! Hey, Ru. Where y'goin'?"
Boreal ranged ahead of him, disgustingly cheerful and amused at her human's blue funk - the traitor - as she greeted neighbors and regular Seawright customers with a wag of her scaly tail and a huff of friendly smoke.
Spotting Hotaru, however, brought an affectionate croon from the big companion's throat as she shouldered through the handful of people between them to come up next to the Valkyrie and lean her tall shoulder into the Valkyrie's hip, falling into step beside her as Tal scrambled to catch up. He perked up a little from his fugue as he recognized the blonde, momentarily distracted from his reluctant task. "Oh! Hey, Ru. Where y'goin'?"
