”Be better if ‘is face were a dog. Noblest and most majestic of creatures, we are.”
Shendra cocks her head and puffs out a little ring of purple smoke. I've never met a dog with the personality of a cat before. I wonder if that's what you truly are and this is just YOUR mask? Shendra wonders mentally aloud.
"The personality of a whot now?!? 'Ow dare you call me one of them...things."
The disgust is clear in the hound's voice.
The psychopomp, now clad in the form of a burly middle-aged Taldan man, ignores the commentary and bickering, instead striding purposefully down the road.
The next morning, Xan approaches Marius, their posture stiff and expression unreadable behind the red leather mask. "You said that you would submit to any oaths or spells I think necessary. It is a wise precaution, but it is not you who is my target. I wish to cast a mark on the boy and forbid him from trying to flee from me. To be clear, I am not asking you for permission, merely informing you of what will happen."
Elmar can't help but overhear. He nods with a small grimace. "Please understand that due to the nature of what was done to him, he may not be...fully mentally present. He may inadvertently trigger your spell without meaning to, or may not even fully understand the repercussions of it to begin with. I suppose it's not lethal though...so shouldn't be an issue. We'll need to do our best to explain it to the poor kid." Elmar rolls the idea around in his head for a moment, then reaches for one of the pastries he had picked out for breakfast. "Scone?" He asks, offering to Xan.
Marius nods slowly, already thinking about ways to try and slow or thwart Xan should they decide to kill the boy after all. "I understand."