Her eyes glanced outside, watching the people they passed. They were entering one of the quieter areas of the city now, still part of the main residential area, but slower in pace than the governing district and the high streets. She absent-mindedly ran a claw through her feathers at the point where her arm went from plumage to scales and breathed in, nodding.
“I do not know the Salt-Crusted Flower well, but I have heard of it. Hopefully it will serve your purpose.” She paused and looked back to him. “Either way it is good to see you again, Nevin.”
“And it is good to see you, Stare. I'll have to make this journey more often. Though I'll have to find a way to deal with my seasickness.” He chuckled and shook his head before looking out the window to follow her gaze. It was hard to believe that people had been ostracizing her at one point - but then, he had to remember that many people feared things they didn't know, things that were different. And you didn't get much different from a human or an Elf than a bird woman. He let out a deep breath and sat back on the bench, focusing his gaze on her.
Quite a lot had happened since the last time the two had had an opportunity to sit and talk - strangely enough, the first time they met. Each time since then they had been rather busy with something else coming up to prevent them from being able to talk without distractions. She had told him, in that twisted castle, about going on the hunt that he had run into her and Vitruvion during. It had given him another piece to the puzzle that was her Master - his brother had a church, or was now closely connected with the deity of a church.
For a moment, a brief second, he thought about just laying his suspicion about that man out to Stare. She had to know, but the question was, would she answer him? He didn't think so - he didn't think she could answer him. If Vitruvion didn't want him knowing, then preventing Stare from talking about it would be the easiest way to deny that.
As he was staring out the window lost in thought, the carriage pulled up to Roots and Foraging. The alchemist shook his head to disperse the somber thoughts, and climbed out before turning around to offer a hand to help his friend out of the carriage.
She angled her body with practised movements as she descended after Nevin, thanking him with a quick smile but ignoring the hand. The thought of going with Nevin to the Red Forest came back to her as she saw the painted fresco of the wood above the door to Roots and Foraging. It was something she would need permission to do, but she did not see it being a difficult one to compromise on. Also she would technically need permission to bring Nevin into the Hollow, but she still did not search to make contact with the being-secretly-a-god at the back of her mind. Knowing where he was and likely what he was doing made her very reluctant to establish that communication until the last moment.
