"Still don't have to."

"Maybe it's a good idea, but you still don't have to."

One hums. "I- I don't- Think I wanna- try. But not sure I can?"

"Would something make it easier? I'll be there," pet pet. "Deka and Figment too if you want. Maybe if we don't let him touch you? Or something?"

One looks down, shifts his paws. "I- do you think they would? I- Deka is-" (Safe? As close as he knows to Safe.) "I- it would be- easier..."

"They will. They want -" he cocks his head thoughtfully. "They know this is hard and they know they help. And they want to make sure you're okay. Scared isn't okay even if you're safe."

He nods slowly. "Feels...weird. To have people wanting me to...not be? It just...that's how things were."

"Yeah. Was wrong." Head-preen.

"Bad for people to be scared all the time. Bad even for animals. Deka's clan was always careful about that, with the goats."

One carefully nuzzles Phantasm in return for the head-preen, careful not to unbalance him, and gives an acknowledging chirp - he might not quite believe it yet, that it can be different, but he's starting to.

"If you think of something to make it easier you tell me, okay? Even if you think we can't do it."

Another nod. "I- I'll try?"

"Good." He settles a bit on the sill, wrapping his tail around his talons.

One settles himself a little more, and keeps looking out the window.

Deka comes in a few minutes later, with a bowl of soup and a plate of diced meat. She moves some of the meat to a smaller plate before putting it down for the dog, then settles in with the rest of her dinner; Figment takes a piece of the set-aside meat for herself.

"Oh - could go earn some money tomorrow, you two, got a lead."

    "Wuk?"

"Sit for a painter. Top of the big maple, south side."

    "How much?"

"Didn't say."

    "Wanna?" she asks Phantasm.

        He considers. "Should be here for the druid, but there'll be time. Okay, yeah."

"Okay," Deka grins. "One, you want to come? Or I - stay here, no problem."

One hums thoughtfully. "Wouldn't have to sit for it even if I was there?"

"Right, can just sit with me."

One's quiet for a moment. "...Think I want to...go? At least?"

"All right. Druid first, you think, or after? Maybe first, so - can change mind if you want to? About both- doing both?"

"I- Yes. That's- that sounds like a good idea?"

"Okay. I'll tell - Raafi, when I'm done." Nom. "Anything else you want to do while we're here?"

    "Market." Phantasm says immediately, and Deka nods.

"I don't...think so? But I wouldn't...know." Pauses again. "Market might be good?"

"Sure. I'll ask Raafi if - stay an extra day, probably too much for tomorrow."

One looks at her wide-eyed. "I- ah- we don't- have to stay? S'okay if you guys want to...go and I'm not okay with that?"

"We're not in a hurry, sweetheart. If we were I'd say so."

He hesitates, and then nods. "O-okay."

"And not gonna be, I don't think. Plan is - heading for Colport, city, to try to get into the college there; maybe stop and ask wizards if they want an - apprentice, on the way - that's how I found you - but maybe not, now, I don't think... good for you, isolated like that. College is better anyway, just more work to find a teacher if I have to come back. No rush, no schedule - would be stopping anyway, if you weren't here, probably stopping more. So. Can always stop if you want. And could - decide to do something else, even, if - interesting thing happens."