CHOKING ON HIS WORDS && L U T E

[nemhain.]

Instruments were yet another thing that Nemhain was mainly acquainted with through Rin's memories. Never had the fenghuang ever held an instrument of her own within her talons, and her only experience with the tools when she had been a true shadow had been seeing other personas with them. Personas from users with a great appreciation of the arts and music, or just rebellious ones that wanted to take joy in the activity of song. Either way, music had never been an outlet that Nemhain had indulged in herself, and so the beginning notes of an unfamiliar instrument reaching her ears made her lift her head in confusion, glancing around from where she was perched. She was in her usual place atop Rin's house, seemingly nursing her wounds from the battle with The Captain, when suddenly an unpleasant feeling rolled over her, making her tense. It was a mix of anxiety and confusion, and she knew it well enough by now to know that it wasn't coming from her, but from Rin. Immediately her head craned downwards, ready to check in on Rin, but the magna was already stumbling forth from her house, making her determined way towards the source of the strange noise. Nemhain opened her beak to say something, or perhaps to ask Rin where she was going, but eventually just shrugged, leaping from her perch on the roof to follow after her user. She could always ask what was going on when they got to wherever Rin was so intent on going, after all.

Before long, the pair arrived where Larkspur was seated, the boy looking very pleased with himself as he strummed absentmindedly at the lute he had clenched in his paws. The former anxiety and excitement that had been rushing through both Rin and by extension Nemhain drained near immediately, and was instead replaced with cold exhaustion. Ben had to stop herself from falling over at the sudden change in emotions, a sense of unpleasant whiplash passing over her. She dug her claws in the earth to steady herself before listening to what the magna had to say, a soft frown coming to her beak at the mundanity of it all. Why had Rin gotten so panicked? Shooting a questioning look in the feline's direction, Nem found herself thinking, what's going on? Are you alright? Before she turned her attention to Larkspur. She watched the male for a moment before she spoke up, trying not to look too displeased or irritated whenever the apprentice messed up a note or played out of tune, since it was obvious he didn't know what he was doing, "Larkspur... have you ever played anything like the lute before?" The fenghuang was fairly certain she knew what the answer would be, but she might as well make conversation.