Cheese had distracted Boreal from playing with Sascha for a little while, but the little cub was clearly enchanted with her own treats. Realizing that she was momentarily on her own, the big dragon flopped down onto the floor by Tal's chair and proceeded to look up at him with the saddest of eyes, doing her best to look pitiful.
As muscular and well-fed as she was, it wasn't very convincing and Tal did his best to ignore her.
Which was a lot easier with Alys there to distract him and talk to, and he grinned at her enthusiastic agreement to train together again. "Yeah? That's great t'hear! I hope I can help y'out, then." He might not have Sah's powers or Ru's experience, but he was a champion at taking a hit!
...wait, that didn't sound nearly as cool as he wanted it to be.
Shaking off the moment of consternation at his own thoughts, he was happy to turn his attention to traveling. His apprentice still hadn't materialized half a year later. And while it sounded like the kid had his own issues to deal with, Tal might as well make use of the fact that Peregrine still had an empty seat most of the time. Being able to travel with a friend would be... well...
His heart squeezed tightly around the sudden, traitorous desire. He trusted Alys, but he'd trusted others before, too, and his Frostbite Cuff couldn't protect him from being burned or frozen out by people he'd let into his heart. All he could do was take it step by step and day by day, trying not to hope too hard, for fear of how much it would hurt when it was over.
The emotions swept by in a flicker of feelings more than conscious thought, though he did look openly relieved when Alys agreed to help. His own smile was a bit shy at her praise, the tips of his ears warming to a tanned pink as he remembered who had suggested that expansion, all those seasons ago. "Y'give good advice," he assured her gruffly. "You an' your cards. I bet y'could do good business in any city on Caido. We just gotta find the right one!" He cleared his throat, an idea bobbing to the surface, but he wasn't sure... except...
Oh, hail, why not? "The delivery depots are mostly storage," he began, shredding some meat nervously between his fingers and subconsciously dropping the bits into the waiting mouth of the dragon below. "So, I mean... easy enough t'set up a shop like yours next door. Or even in one, if y'don't mind sharin'."
As muscular and well-fed as she was, it wasn't very convincing and Tal did his best to ignore her.
Which was a lot easier with Alys there to distract him and talk to, and he grinned at her enthusiastic agreement to train together again. "Yeah? That's great t'hear! I hope I can help y'out, then." He might not have Sah's powers or Ru's experience, but he was a champion at taking a hit!
...wait, that didn't sound nearly as cool as he wanted it to be.
Shaking off the moment of consternation at his own thoughts, he was happy to turn his attention to traveling. His apprentice still hadn't materialized half a year later. And while it sounded like the kid had his own issues to deal with, Tal might as well make use of the fact that Peregrine still had an empty seat most of the time. Being able to travel with a friend would be... well...
His heart squeezed tightly around the sudden, traitorous desire. He trusted Alys, but he'd trusted others before, too, and his Frostbite Cuff couldn't protect him from being burned or frozen out by people he'd let into his heart. All he could do was take it step by step and day by day, trying not to hope too hard, for fear of how much it would hurt when it was over.
The emotions swept by in a flicker of feelings more than conscious thought, though he did look openly relieved when Alys agreed to help. His own smile was a bit shy at her praise, the tips of his ears warming to a tanned pink as he remembered who had suggested that expansion, all those seasons ago. "Y'give good advice," he assured her gruffly. "You an' your cards. I bet y'could do good business in any city on Caido. We just gotta find the right one!" He cleared his throat, an idea bobbing to the surface, but he wasn't sure... except...
Oh, hail, why not? "The delivery depots are mostly storage," he began, shredding some meat nervously between his fingers and subconsciously dropping the bits into the waiting mouth of the dragon below. "So, I mean... easy enough t'set up a shop like yours next door. Or even in one, if y'don't mind sharin'."
