He flinched back as the black owl landed before them, blinking and staggering back a couple quick steps. For a moment he felt caught out--his backfired magic had him off-balanced, no shield prepared, no-... Ahh. It wasn't attacking them.

All right, then.

"Good to meet-..." he began, but Emuh was already winging back away. "Transcendence-?" he called after it, but there was nothing. Pride shrugged, and looked to the others.

He gave Mercurius a gentle nod of gratitude--a tad delayed--at the rush of magic that flowed his way. He reached his nose out to touch the lion's--and then shook his head, a little.

"I feel... rather exhausted, after this. And--I have some things to catch you up on, Mercurius. I will come back here, but--do you mind if we go back to your garden, to rest? Before I pass out," he added--and he sounded as though he were only half-joking.

After a moment he turned, pacing out with the white lion by his side, with a weary but satisfied tread.