#(i love the way nightshade describes things tho it’s so sweet agdgd she rlly is curious!!)

[hearthtales]

She was a familiar. Delwyn’s eyes widened, the puzzle pieces finally clicking together in his mind. The smell of magic on her fur, her odd little bag, her peculiar demeanor… it all made sense now.

Nightshade asked him a question. Delwyn blinked, inwardly shook himself back to his senses, wiped all traces of surprise from his face, and gave the other a casual smile. “Oh, I wouldn’t know. Not an expert on the subject, myself.” He always preferred knowing more about someone than they knew about him. It gave him an advantage, a detail to twist in his favor. The suspicion she was still hiding things nagged at him, but he decided not to dwell on it right away.

“Right,” Delwyn went on breezily. “Now that payment’s done, we can get on with the tour.” He picked up the collar in his mouth, padded back to the tree, and tucked it into a crevice between the roots for temporary safekeeping. Then he turned back to Nightshade and tipped his head toward her in a mock bow. “I leave the first choice to you, miss. Would you like to begin in the town, or the fields?”

Whoops! A simple slip-up, Nightshade 'tsked' herself in her head. She decided it wasn't time for her to reveal all of herself just yet. She would see how long she could keep the game going.

"He's the only one who understands me!" In a manner of speaking, it wasn't a lie. "He's not the kind that makes silly sounds an' stuff," she giggled, though it was hilarious to imagine her Samhain cooing at her while sounding all kinds of 'baby noises' like she'd seen other humans do. "Besides, I thought all familiars could communicate with their masters or mentors in some way? How is it any different?" she tilted her head to the side, genuinely puzzled.

She knew it wasn't common for familiars to be given human form and speak the human tongue (if they were regular beasties, that is) so she could understand half of Delwyn's confusion. But most familiars were non-human creatures so witches would find ways to communicate with them, whether it be via language spell or some sort of psychic link. But then again, Nightshade wasn't used to socializing with other familiars back in the Humanworld so it was possible some rules didn't apply.