Jack watched as the pair converse. He took Paige's hand, "What do you need to speak about in private? Did you mean to get everyone's attention like an attention hog you are? Oh sorry pardon my French Mrs. Turner."
Mrs. Turner stiffened. "That is for me and my daughter to talk about. Come on, Paige."
Leon chuckled a little, "I'm never fine emotionally. Anyway that was Richard, school quarterback and my fucking stalker."
(Delilah: Cries. I was a quarterback in another life)
"Oh, I didn't even recognize him, I guess he's different from the last time we… uhh.. I saw him,"
"He." Caire nodded. "I call him Lupus. And his sister-" Another slightly smaller wold came forward. "-is called Luna."
Jack looked to Paige, "Do you want to go?"
(Lol)
Leon sighed, "Yeah. He's…. Different around me."
"Oh. Then hello Lupis. Hello Luna. Nice to meet you." What the hell are you doing? Seriously you are talking to a wolf.
Jack looked to Paige, "Do you want to go?"
Paige hesitated. The look in her mother's eyes shook her. "Y-Yes. I'm be right back."
He let go of her hand and nodded, "Okay. I'll see you before lunch ends right?"
The wolves licked his hands, wagging their tails cheerfully. "They're very intelligent, you know. You may think they cannot understand you, but trust me when I say that they know more than many humans. They know very well what you're saying, although they cannot respond without the help of someone who speaks their language."
He smiled brightly. The wolves reminded him of his own pets from his childhood. Most specifically, his dogs. "Do you?"
Caire smiled softly, nodding. "I understand almost all of my animals to a certain extent. Now, I'm not incredibly fluent in speaking their languages, but I can translate well enough."
"Cool." He pet the wolves a few more times. "Where to next?"
He let go of her hand and nodded, "Okay. I'll see you before lunch ends right?"
"Yes," Paige said softly. Her mother lead her quickly and roughly out into the hall.
"Well, you're welcome to explore the village some more or accompany me on a ride through the forest." Caire swung herself onto the griffon and whistled. A horse soon pushed its way through the bushes towards Brendon.
Jack debated following. He instead finished his lunch.
"I'll go with you, thanks." He'd ridden plenty of horses in his lifetime. His younger sister had taken riding lessons and his mother had signed him up too so she wouldn't be alone.
Paige returned later, showing nothing of the talk.
"I hope you don't mind that we'll be riding bareback." Caire dug her heels into the griffin's sides, goading it through the trees. "Elves don't often make saddles unless they're for war. Recreational riding doesn't really require one."
Jack looked up at her and asked gently, "Everything okay?"
"Nah it's fine, I'm used to it." He mounted the horse with the fluid motion of a professional and guided the horse after her.
"Well, I usually gallop, but seeing as you don't know your way around here… actually, your horse does know the way. As long as you're willing and able to hold on, she can just follow Koru."
"I'd be more than willing. I have a pretty strong grip and even if I do fall, I'll be fine."
"Alright, lets go then! Hyah!" Caire kicked the griffin's sides and began galloping through the trees, leaping gracefully over any obstacles. Brendon's horse soon followed in the same manner.
He watched the trees pass by, feeling the wind tease his hair into knots. He hadn't been on a horse in ages so this was a pleasant memory.
They came up to a creek, which the griffin glided over and the horse galloped through, spraying Brendon with the water as it did so.
Jack looked up at her and asked gently, "Everything okay?"
Paige nodded, not speaking. She sat down slowly.
He laughed, wiping the water off his face, focusing on the ride ahead and the nature all around him.
Jack offered a hand, "Want to talk about it?"
"You alright? Sorry, your steed doesn't fly." Caire laughed as her griffon leapt into the air and beat its wings, soaring above the treetops for a moment before landing again, still at a gallop.
"I'm fine! Just soaked!" He shook out his hair, squeezing out as much water as he could.
"Having fun, I hope?" They jumped over a large fallen tree, landing smoothly on the forest floor.
