there is no greater pain
or punishment than memory

Quinn did not understand familiars. He didn't really know how to think when it came to an animal that was some piece of a fae's soul. It was cool for others, he supposed, and he had no issue with them on a general basis, but it wasn't for him. In part it was because he might not be able to have one, since before in Knell he had found none that appeared to be a bondable critter for him, and the other part was because he didn't really want to have his soul split any more than it had already been before. Quinn already felt like his soul was that same as some chipped bone; one little piece carved out, then stuck back in close though it no longer could fit where it had been meant to fit.

That was the best anology that he had for the feeling of it. Funny that he had lost that piece here in Shaman so very many years ago. Time had passed more slowly here, but for Quinn it had been several lifetimes. Being a phoenix in physiology changed things for him, and was probably why he was back here even though he'd died once before. Perhaps that was the reasoning behind not being able to have a familiar. He had died in Shaman once. Maybe that showed up as still dead as far as any familiar gaining went.

Quinn was good with this. Kept it simple, kept his soul concerns at an all time low. No part of it was floating out there somewhere. It was all here, though it was messed up and an inner conflict that he carried within himself. The fact had messed with him at first, to have that part of his soul back after so long of not having it; more on why it had returned to him, though he had been able to eventually see that it was for the best on all accounts. He had a friend back, where those were so few and far between for him, and he was glad that he at least had that, instead of nothing. Instead of only loss.

And he was able to be happy now. He had a life to live, and he was both surprised by it and grateful. After the rift, had anyone told him that Vhetiveer would be his, truly his, Quinn would have told them they were clearly insane. But Vhetiveer had forgiven him, and they had started a life together. Echidna and Quinn had agreed to be friends, and Echidna was running an orphanage, which was still mind blowing in it's own way. Quinn hadn't seen Rook since the rift, but there wasn't anything that could be done for that. Quinn accepted what it all was. He was okay with it.

All of this, however, led him to try a different kind of lifestyle. He had been less troublemaking in Knell, keeping himself busy with bounties and adventures and quests, and he was set on doing the same here. That, and he wanted to attempt okay terms with the royals here. They had stuff for him to do, after all. Nobles from Knell always had interesting jobs for him, and that was enough for him to try and play nice with them. And with the higher ups here, too. Keeping busy kept him from doing anything too batshit crazy, and so here he was, on the beach area. Being calm.

Enjoying the day. At least until he saw something he had never seen before. It was part cat part snake or something, and when he noticed it, he stood there staring and trying to make sense of it in a biological kind of way. This creature was just really different. But animals in these places were often enough sentient, and therefore, Quinn moved towards it, looking curious but being respectful of personal space. "Hello there. I've never seen anything like you before. Are there others like you, or are you one of a kind?" He asked lightly, because it could go either way, he thinks.