Wilder could see the bit of awkwardness in Diem as he shuffled through his belongings. Her whiskers twitched, a little amused. "It's okay. I don't think you have to, especially if you don't have anyone close that's passed. But you can if you want. And hey - if you hadn't been curious about it, perhaps its purpose would never have been remembered!" Trying to lighten the moment, pick him back up from the deflated energy that had been sucked out of the moment.

She thought for a moment, thinking over Andromeda, the strange lessers she'd seen, and the topography. "Hmm...no, it's not anymore dangerous then the rest of the caves. The Lessers are strange, but most of them are pretty harmless." She realized, as soon as she'd asked for his name, that he had given it already. She had just been swept up in his chatter that she'd forgotten, or not realized that his name was "Diem Dark". Considering that it was a bit of an odd name. "Okay, Diem! Nice to meet you too."

"Oh, my magic." She purred, feeling a rush of pride. She remembered that hollow in her chest that had followed her since taking Emuh's trial - that had finally worn away and the well of power inside of her had gotten stronger. She felt more capable and more in control then she ever had in her life. "I can look into the past of things or the future of certain actions, sometimes. It can be really handy."

@Diem Dark

"You can see the past and the future-?" He blinked, and then the corners of the vulture jaw twisted into a grin. Dramatically he set his box down, and began to wave his arms. "A magic cat who can see the future! Untethered by the bonds of time itself! Dude, that is cool." This last was offered in a more normal voice, and then Diem tilted his head a little. It was a fittingly birdlike gesture, that cocked-headed peer. "...Can you see my future?" he asked, half-careful and half-hopeful. It was as though he didn't want to pressure her, just in case, for some reason.

He wondered, too, if she could teach him this. It'd be a hell of a power. If you always know what's coming you'll never get taken by surprise, right-? And all the histories-... damn. He sat back. "And can you teach that sort of magic?"

Honestly, it sounded incredible.

@Wilder

She giggled softly at the dramatic revel Diem waved before her, at the mystique in his voice. When he put it that way, yeah it was pretty damn cool, huh? It had always seemed like pretty much second nature to her, a magic she'd had since she was a kitten. "Well, thank you! It's not always perfect, but I've been working at it most my life." Her whiskers twitched, amused. "Untethered by time? I'm not sure about that, but it is a fun concept."

His question made her briefly frown, thinking. "Well...with magic, not unless its a specific...thing. Like an action. It's more like possible consequences and circumstances that arise if a certain choice is made. Without something to focus on...I don't think I could cast the spell. Or I'll just get a mash of random images." She'd tried it before, like that, a far-too-wide focus that had given her nothing but fragments and guesswork that made no sense.

"Teaching? I suppose I can try? It came second nature to me, but I could pass along a few tricks I learned. Oh!" A sudden idea came to her mind and she brightened up. "I can't tell your future with magic but...I can read your fortune for you! I have cards from...uh, somewhere really special and I can read your future through them." She'd never actually done a reading for anyone else yet, so she did hope that Diem accepted the offer.

@Diem Dark

He listened closely, one hand dropping to pet not Wilder, now, but the little alligator familiar. Its jaws opened, head tilting back, and it wasn't clear if it would rather bite him or was enjoying the attention. Diem didn't seem to notice, either way.

"Oh hell yes. Can we do both-? Can you teach me a spell and read the cards? I gotta admit--a 'special place' that future-seeing cards comes from sounds amazing. But, uhh," and he rocked back on clawed feet, looking around. Still crouched, he examined the tunnel around them. "Is this place okay for it? Like," he searched for a word, gesturing vaguely. "Has it got the right vibes?"

If it did, of course, that was cool. He just didn't know if they needed some sort of dark tent or candlelit table or something for a card reading.

@Wilder

Wilder looked around and shrugged. The tunnel was nice, she supposed, but she figured she knew what Diem meant. The vision she got when she'd first gotten the cards had been a reading in a low-lit tent, braziers on each side and the faint smell of incense in her nose. "I guess vibes are optional, but they do help. Although, we can't do it here anyways - I don't carry the cards with me, we'll have to stop by my home."

Thinking about it, though, her crystalline home by the oasis would actually be quite the place for a tarot reading. The magical, baubled lights that reflected oddly off the mismatched crystal walls, the faint purple and pink energy of the space, the feeling of comfort it radiated...yeah that'd be good"It's not far, just through Andromeda. It's more comfortable then here."

@Diem Dark

Diem damn near squealed at this, fully delighted at the idea of passing through Andromeda. The girlish sound made Bitey snap its head up to him, and the glowing hatchling began to laser-chirp in response. Diem scooped him up and stood.

"I am so down for that. You've gotta tell me how I can repay you!" he added, full of enthusiasm. "But after your description of Andromeda, I gotta say, it sounds amazing. I mean-... grim, but cool. Assuming none of the whispers come to life and turn into hostile ghosts or something."

He paused, blinking down. "Oh, hey. Uhh. Is it rude to offer... Uhh, do you want me to carry you, too? I know what it's like to have short legs," he added ruefully.

@Wilder

The squeal didn't shock her this time - Diem was strange and excitable and it reminded her very much of her own youth, the energy and excitement of every possibility driving her forward. It was almost like looking at a mirror. A very strange mirror, to be showing the vulture-headed humanoid instead of a cat.

"I don't think they do. You can really only hear them in the pit and even then they're pretty quiet. Just echoes. But otherwise Andromeda is pretty amazing. Beautiful." Yes, it was a little grim, but beautiful allthe same - a place of remembering, healing, and quiet.

She giggled at the offer, but she noted the empathy towards "small legs". Do you now? She glanced down at the relatively long legs he stood on before shaking her head, unfurling her glittering cosmic wings. "Don't worry, I'll keep up." And, just to give him a little something, when he leaped up and took flight, she briefly went to land on Diem's shoulder, leaning over and smiling. "This way!"

Trying not to dig her claws in too much, she took off from there, wings carrying her forward towards Andromeda.

*exit

@Diem Dark

He was about to explain the whole thing of where he'd come from--sort of, as much as he could recall--and how short he was by comparison. But it seemed like a lot to go over and also kind of insensitive given Wilder's much, much shorter ones.

Anyway, her wings took him by surprise, driving all thought of that conversation from his mind. "Oh that's cool. Magic wings," he said cheerfully, eyeing them with admiration.

He didn't take flight, though; rather notably he didn't use his wings at all, instead shuffling along as fast as he could. He gave a little laugh. "I guess I've got to keep up with you!" The wings flared once, but then lowered again.

Truth be told he hadn't had much chance to use them. One test-flight in Leo, but that'd been... uncertain. "Maybe I'll ask you to give me flying lessons while we're at it," but this was said with joking humor. "Still getting used to these."

exit Diem Dark; @Wilder (for visibility)