The guise of an animal skin erased all barriers, at least for Rory: cupping Amalia's human face in his hands would seem far too intimate a gesture, lest the gravity of the moment required it, as it had in the Infirmary, but with the body of a leopard beneath his hand instead he touched her without restraint or hesitation. Skilled fingers worked at the skin beneath the thick fur, a lifetime of soothing animal itches and charming stray cats and dogs guiding his hand.
It was odd to think that there they were, Jigano a human next to him, Amalia a leopard underneath his head, his hand twisting through her fur and stroking her chin and ears in an echo of the very actions that had tamed Jigano. It felt like ages ago, that Leafchange day in the forest when he had coaxed the uncertain fox close to his fingers, earning his trust with a knowing, gentle hand.
He sighed at Jigano's analysis of the situation, closing his eyes. Through the darkness of his eyelids he felt the motion of Amalia's nod, the possessive curl of her strong body, the rhythm of her heart.
"It surprised me too," he said, content to drift in the self-imposed darkness. Gods, he was so weary... "And I watched her grow up. Her brother..." He paused. Licked his lips. He had had no real time to mourn for Noah Valair and his family, but the loss twinged at his heart all the same. "Her brother was a friend of mine, and we traded much. So I saw her a lot. He, uh.. They all died. During Long Night. Maea only survived because she stayed at the Temple."
So perhaps she was struggling for meaning in her grief.
He sighed, eyes cracking open a fraction to stare at the faraway sky.
It was odd to think that there they were, Jigano a human next to him, Amalia a leopard underneath his head, his hand twisting through her fur and stroking her chin and ears in an echo of the very actions that had tamed Jigano. It felt like ages ago, that Leafchange day in the forest when he had coaxed the uncertain fox close to his fingers, earning his trust with a knowing, gentle hand.
He sighed at Jigano's analysis of the situation, closing his eyes. Through the darkness of his eyelids he felt the motion of Amalia's nod, the possessive curl of her strong body, the rhythm of her heart.
"It surprised me too," he said, content to drift in the self-imposed darkness. Gods, he was so weary... "And I watched her grow up. Her brother..." He paused. Licked his lips. He had had no real time to mourn for Noah Valair and his family, but the loss twinged at his heart all the same. "Her brother was a friend of mine, and we traded much. So I saw her a lot. He, uh.. They all died. During Long Night. Maea only survived because she stayed at the Temple."
So perhaps she was struggling for meaning in her grief.
He sighed, eyes cracking open a fraction to stare at the faraway sky.
