“Possible, but improbable.” Certainly there must be some sort of recreational out there that could reduce his amusement to the level of spelling bees becoming that exciting, but it wasn’t an influence currently. Nor to be so anytime in any foreseeable future. He waited patiently the overdrawn period beyond even what Faust’s usual, limited capacity of practice and learning so far should have produced. Even 6 year olds didn’t take so long to scrawl out their A-A-A-a-a-a in handwriting practice, which meant there was some other reason. Reading the proffered word made it abundantly clear: a joke.

“Clever.” Humor was supposed to be a sign of a mind’s growing understanding in a language. Thraen blew out their candle and stowed it into the bags to carry back to storage. “Well then, I suppose anything will do that I bring home as long as it is a fish and a crustacean? Or were you...perhaps...maybe...hoping yourself to weedle a gander at the fishmarket. “

It wasn’t actually a question. Thraen leaned his hair to the side to open up his shoulders for the Mauvian. The first candletower had been a lonely affair, but it had happened, been available, and they’d made very good use of the waiting time. He’d count it a success.



Strickenized
fin ~