09-30-2023, 08:51 PM
Once he was confident that Thalia was as sturdy as she indicated, he extended a helping hand. The unusual cat was unsolved and no where to be seen. Surprisingly, the scent that wafted from the creature didn't resemble the typical musk of a cat; rather, it carried an odd, metallic aroma that defied Tristan’s logic. This peculiar scent hung in the air, like a riddle waiting to be unraveled, but it was mixed with the aroma of fish and standing water. But before he could delve any deeper into the many thoughts swirling his head, a gentle tap on his chest redirected his focus back to Thalia.
His reluctance to confront the parts of himself that Thalia found so intriguing surfaced, driven by the urgency of the moment and the facets of his identity he would prefer to forget. Nevertheless, he shook off this internal reflection as effortlessly as a wolf shedding water from its fur. He reassured Thalia, albeit hesitantly, "No, not really.” The words escaped his lips, but he couldn't help but follow with an additional correction. “You did a remarkable thing,” he added with a chuckle, gently guiding her towards their exit. "This was all you. I was just the muscle.”
The oppressive dampness of the room seemed to permeate his very pores, clinging to him like an embrace that reminded him strongly of home. He brushed his hand across his beard in a futile attempt to rid it of the pervasive moisture, but it persisted. As they traversed the now quieter corridor, their footsteps muffled by the absence of the earlier watery echoes, the lingering scent of the submerged space was a constant reminder of their ordeal.
Upon their return to the antechamber, he noticed that it remained unchanged since their initial passage, save for one striking detail. His gaze was immediately drawn to the cat, perched aloft as before, but now it harbored a small, curled-up something within the elegant curve of its tail.
His reluctance to confront the parts of himself that Thalia found so intriguing surfaced, driven by the urgency of the moment and the facets of his identity he would prefer to forget. Nevertheless, he shook off this internal reflection as effortlessly as a wolf shedding water from its fur. He reassured Thalia, albeit hesitantly, "No, not really.” The words escaped his lips, but he couldn't help but follow with an additional correction. “You did a remarkable thing,” he added with a chuckle, gently guiding her towards their exit. "This was all you. I was just the muscle.”
The oppressive dampness of the room seemed to permeate his very pores, clinging to him like an embrace that reminded him strongly of home. He brushed his hand across his beard in a futile attempt to rid it of the pervasive moisture, but it persisted. As they traversed the now quieter corridor, their footsteps muffled by the absence of the earlier watery echoes, the lingering scent of the submerged space was a constant reminder of their ordeal.
Upon their return to the antechamber, he noticed that it remained unchanged since their initial passage, save for one striking detail. His gaze was immediately drawn to the cat, perched aloft as before, but now it harbored a small, curled-up something within the elegant curve of its tail.