i bought some postcards

[truthwright]

Kas is sadder, after Inkeri's prophecy. And it gets worse as time goes on. The closer they get to Isabella's return, the more it hurts.

He tries to do the best he can for Helen regardless. Helen, in turn, hugs him a lot and doesn't fuss when he cries on her. They make a good team that way.

Comments

[telesonorous]

And—

Kalavar lets out a sigh of relief.

"We did it!" says Helen, to all three of them.

[alicornucopia]

"Wonderful!" cries Ranata. "Well done, well done."

[telesonorous]

Helen is very shortly visible dashing back across the waste. She tackle-hugs her daemon; Kalavar nuzzles her exuberantly.

[alicornucopia]

Ranata lets out a small sigh of relief. "Let's eat our lunches and head home," she suggests.

[telesonorous]

"Good plan," says Helen.

"I'll race you!" says Kalavar.

"I'll ride you," laughs Helen.

"Ooh," says Kalavar. "Better plan!"

"Lunch first," Helen says firmly.

[alicornucopia]

Ranata proffers lunch and starts on her own salad.

[telesonorous]

Om nom nom lunch lunch lunch.

And then it is time to fly!

Helen climbs on Kalavar's back holding her cloudpine. It is surprisingly comfortable. The wind is good enough that Kalavar hardly has to run; she just spreads her wings, lumbers into the wind for a few steps, and lifts off.

[alicornucopia]

Ranata follows on her cloudpine, matching pace and smiling.

[telesonorous]

Kalavar has a pretty good sustained top speed. A cloudpine could outpace her, but not by a lot.

And flying daemonback is, apparently, even more fun than flying cloudpine.

[alicornucopia]

"You're having a good time," laughs Ranata.

[telesonorous]

"We aaaaaaaare," giggles Helen.

[truthwright]

The moment they land, Kas is there to hug his daughter.

"Lookit you, button," he says.

"And look at you," says Petaal to Kalavar, running her fingers (she is presently human) along those gorgeous black feathers. "You're just - magnificent."

[telesonorous]

"Oh!" exclaims Kalavar. "Argentavis magnificens. That's what I am." She stretches her wings out to their full twenty-four-foot span, then folds them again and gives Petaal a nuzzle.

[alicornucopia]

"She's beautiful," agrees Castarilan, hovering near both other daemons.

[telesonorous]

"I am," Kalavar agrees smugly. "I'm amazing."

"You are," laughs Helen. "Hey, spinach, can we - go? I don't know, somewhere? I want to go places and see things."

[truthwright]

"Sure thing, button," says Kas. "I'll pack up; you tell me when you wanna go."

[telesonorous]

"I should say bye to my friends first," Helen decides. She gives Ranata a hug and whirls away to go look for Shura or Inkeri or both.

[alicornucopia]

Inkeri is easier to find - or rather, Veravia is and he leads Helen to her.

"Hello," says Inkeri.

[telesonorous]

"We did it!" says Helen. "Now I think I'm going to go away for a few months and then come back and find someone to teach me more exciting kinds of magic."

[alicornucopia]

"I hope you have a good time," says Inkeri.

[telesonorous]

"Thanks, I will!"

Is this an appropriate time for Exuberant Hugs? Helen thinks it might possibly be that.

[alicornucopia]

Inkeri calmly accepts her Exuberant Hugs.

[telesonorous]

Well, they are exuberant from Helen. From Inkeri they are just hugs. But that's okay, that's how Inkeri is.

"Gonna go tell Shura," she says, "bye!"

And off she zips.

[subastra]

Shura is over here, apparently learning to weave silk.

[telesonorous]

Ooh. That is worth hovering to watch.