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[color=9e0b0f][b]Location: Training Grounds
Interactions: Nymph[/b][/color][/center]

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Talon looked over at the sound of Daphne's light footprints. She was approaching him with a somewhat regretful look in her eyes. Whatever she was coming over to say, Talon wasn't prepared for it. He had attempted to put her out of his mind when he saw that Hex had went to console her. Imagine his shock when it turned out that she was coming to console [i]him[/i] and even apologize. Her eyes were a dark brown, and behind the already drying tears was a warmth that Talon was not familiar enough with, not something he'd experienced before. They both felt the same psuedo-embarrassment and turned away from each other at the same time. He was facing down at the ground, unsure what to say. He was conscious of her taking another step closer to him...

[i]He remembered what it was like training with the rest of the Court of Owls. Remembered the wood chamber. Remembered the Head Talon screaming at a young Jack to hammer his elbow repeatedly into the temple of his bunkmate. Over and over, until the thudding sounded wetter, thicker, until the boy stopped making noises at all.

Talon remembered being thrown scraps of meat in a room with the others, expected to fight each other over who got to eat that night. He felt the scar going from pectoral down to his left elbow burn with the memory of being slit open in the night during an exercise with the talon gauntlet's he now wore upon his own person. The same sharp talons that gutted his only friend from head to toe because he had dared leave The Court of Owls. Jack was only 10 then...[/i]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"You're armor. It's strong."[/b][/color] Was all he could manage.

He wanted to tell her that she fought really well, beyond that - he wanted to tell her that he was grateful for the chance to express himself with her in this way. But he just wasn't there yet. Decided to at least try, he looked just past her and began signing.

[i][s]"I was the same during my first fights. I was terrified of being hurt anymore than I already had been. But we can use it. You have sharp instincts, and-"[/s][/i] He stopped. He could tell by her reaction at watching his hands that she didn't speak American Sign Language. He gave up and his arm fell limply to the side.

Instead, he lifted up his hand and gave an awkward "a-okay" hand gesture. He wanted to let her know that she hadn't hurt him, not in any way that a little rough and tumble wouldn't injure someone. It was the best he could manage given the circumstances. He felt stupid immediately, and angrily turned his attention back to the others in his group.