Oliver squinted. He had seen a big demon thing in Canis, actually--but he wasn't sure that he'd gotten his name. "He a big furred guy--black fur, pinkish bits? Wings and uhh--pinkish gemstone, about here?" he asked, lifting a crowlike claw to tap his sternum while giving Forgraves a questioning glance. "If he's who I think he is, I mighta met him! He seemed like, uh--a quick learner?" He'd acted in violence, which admittedly was probably not the wrong decision, but softhearted Oliver had been rather upset--but the demon had quickly learned from the experience, even apologized and promised to think about his actions going forward. Not that he'd even done any harm, in the end. But it was a hard thing to forget; bones picking themselves up and wandering around..?

When Forgraves complimented him--well, he couldn't blush. But the praise left his head dipping down, a bashful expression crossing his face; his ear-tufts flicked back. "Thanks! I still have a lot to learn, though. Like--a lot. I don't think I know anywhere near as much as you."

Oh--and Aquarian... "Oh, well--if it was a few cycles ago it's probably... like, over by now," he reasoned, regarding Cetus. "I was gonna go try and warn them if there was time but a few cycles is awhile," and he gave a little laugh. He was hoping Aquarian wasn't dead, or something, but he was also pretty sure he'd have heard something about that, by now.

"Symbols, huh? I was thinking more literal but that definitely works. Just have to figure out how to do them, maybe... make a chart at the start? Like, a symbol next to someone throwing up, or a symbol next to... I dunno, how do you draw healing..?" he asked, then squinted, puzzled. "But, I mean, so anyone in the future could read what they mean! Lemme try this again though," he added.

This time, he took a deep breath; he focused intently, leaning down and placing crowlike forelimbs flat on the floor. Tufted ears pricked back up as he stared at the ground, thinking of what he wanted to put there. Willing it to happen; asking his magic to help him out, here.

Just once, huh? he thought.

After a moment, a slow trail of shimmering golden-white light began to spring up: Oliver's face was knotted in concentration, and the lines were thin, the light weak. But they were there--and they more than glowed; they moved.

First, they traced the outline of what looked sort of like a palm tree, with big seeds beside it: this glimmered, pulsing. Then a crude arrow lit up, the light running through it: and last, a fox-like shape not unlike Forgraves was shown limping--and then straightening up.

Oliver's eyes sprang wide. "Oh, shit," he breathed, as the image faded.

And then it began again: Tree and seed lit; arrow began to glow; little limping fox started walking straight.

He looked at Forgraves, shocked. "I never did that before," he said. "I was thinking something anyone could do--carvings or simple stuff but. This could be useful to show, like--like what I said, Gembound getting healthy again? Maybe, uh--the chart? Could be this," he mused, looking down at his work again.

It didn't seem to be fading. And Oliver had no idea, but so long as he lived, so would this image: undoubtedly others would pass by, and wonder what the hell it meant.

A little worriedly, half-hopeful, he looked to Forgraves again. "Do you think this could help your work?" he asked.

Oliver's face, predictably, lit up. There was no better feeling in the world than being useful--than helping someone else, and making them happy and excited! His feathered tail-fan briefly swept the floor. "It is a bit rough--but it's the first time I did it; I'm sure I can make it clearer, for whatever you need! And--thanks! I'm really glad it might help," he added, eyes squinted up happily.

He'd forgotten Azrael, in the moment, but if he hadn't he'd surely have remarked again that he'd liked him. Then again, Oliver liked almost everybody. And right now, he was staring hopefully at Forgraves.

"I'll... work on this, okay? And what we can do is, if you want, you can pick what markings and stuff you want, and then come find me? And I can visit your village and we can show each other seeds and plants and things, and then I can help you mark, like, a permanent, um--magic chart? -Yeah, I think it is permanent," he added, glancing down. "I can make things glow, and this is the same but like--moving? And all the things I've ever made glow still glow," he explained. Blue eyes blinked back up to Forgraves from where they'd drifted down to reexamine the flashing lights. "...If anyone finds this they're probably gonna wonder what it means. But um. What do you think about meeting up again, to do more with this stuff?" he asked.

So many Gembound he met went their separate ways; many he never saw again. But this--Forgraves, he felt, could be a friend. Really, truly a friend; and they really could help one another grow, Oliver felt. Markings and writing, magic and plants, seeds and villages--all the concepts swirled excitedly in his mind, so that he didn't notice when his tongue lolled happily out from one side of his jaws.

Oliver looked like a very happy dog... bird, in that moment.