Black remained peacefully content, tail still wagging, until Fallah spoke.

Then he listened, attentive. She was happy to see them! She was alive! She was--... scared.

His tail stopped wagging, and he slowly twisted his head to peer past the kneading lynx at Fisher, his ears pricked up. He wasn't sure what to say. Hell, he wasn't sure what to do. He gave a soft, uncertain whine, then found his voice.

"...Do you want me to explain?" he asked quietly, unsure. He didn't know if it would tax Fisher too much to go into it; the mustelid seemed an emotional creature, but perhaps it would be cathartic for him.

He'd let him decide, and if he wasn't up to it, Black could explain.

Fisher huffed and nodded, snuggling further into Fallah, and the dog turned his solemn gaze to the cat, instead.

"Fisher's magic," he began, simply enough. "He held the dragon back. We fled here. With you. Hid. The dragon tracked us, later. He apologized. I would not trust him," he added. "He claims his aggression a disease of bloodlust. You are safe now."

Simple. Clear. To the point. Perhaps lacking most of the, well, information, but there it was.

________________

@Fisher

it's empty in the valley of your heart

Fisher sincerely didn't want to talk about the past. He wanted to race forward into the future, their perfect, wonderful future as a family. Everything was going to be okay now. His voice hesitated in his throat, catching in a pause, as he tried to scramble an excuse, a way out of talking about the awful dragon. They hadn't so much beaten him as just barely ran off, and Black wore the scars to prove it.

Thankfully, Black always had his back, no matter what. The mastiff offered to explain and the mustelid huffed contently, snuggling his body into Fallah and his nose into the dog's ruff. His tail thumped contentedly suddenly, taking the place of Black's no-longer-waggy tail, and the furry noodle began to drift off as the dog took to explaining.

Black explained it simply, and perhaps for the best. She really didn't need all of the bloody, gory details. It was better if they just forgot it all happened. She was back now, and that was all that he cared about anyway.

@Fallah

(( <3 ))

Fallah listened to Black intently. He offered a quick rundown, but not many details. Fallah was okay with that. It was enough. She nodded a few times in agreement with Black, "I remember some... I will never trust that dragon..." she vowed. When Black told her she was safe, she couldn't help but to snuggle into her friends, her chest letting out a soft, rumbly purr, "I'm safe..." she repeated, "Thanks to Black and Fisher." Fallah tossed her questions and confusion aside. The lynx was warm, safe, and happy. She yawned. Somehow, hatching had taken a good amount of energy, "Sleep, I think..." she murmured, burying her face into Black's chest and pulling Fisher close. Fallah was really tired, but this was a happy reunion. She didn't want to ruin it by falling asleep, but she was so tired. "speak"

Black remained quiet, at first, simply reaching his massive head over to nuzzle each of his friends. Fallah seemed tired; he thought about this. They would have to ask her, tomorrow, if she wished to stay in Cetus--or to move on. And Fisher, too--the noodle was so relieved.

It was heartening to see.

"Rest," the mastiff woofed at last. "I will guard us. We will find food tomorrow."

He licked Fallah's head, and then Fisher's, and then he curled up beneath the roof of tree roots to rest in the dark--not to sleep, but to be a cushion for those who would, while he kept an eye on the mists outside. He doubted that Baratheon would come back--but if he did, or if there were any danger, it wouldn't catch them by surprise.

He would watch, while they slept.

With a thump of his tail at this thought he settled, going still, comfortable in the company of his friends.

________________

(( exit Black ; @Fisher ))