When the Hierophant spoke to him and thanked him, Fionn felt a spark of pride. To be thanked, in public and by someone that powerful. Pride and a jolt of nervous energy.
<<Please don't ask me to come up and speak to these people.>>
Fionn gave a respectful bow, a friendly smile and faded into the crowd.
The story the Skaald told reminded Fionn of the folk stories of home, though he couldn't remember any of them at the moment. The man had a fine talent for it though, the voice certainly helped and the confident way he addressed them.
As others were commenting on the tale he felt obliged to speak up.
"A tale well told, like the bards of old or a seanachai (Sha-Na-Key).
You sweep us all away with your fine words, and make us all wish it were so, and for a moment believe it true."
Seeing AJ start to clap, Fionn clapped along too, not wanting to stand out by not being part of it all. When AJ looked at him and called him friend, he felt some of the gloom lift.
<<Nobody has called you that since you got here, must find out if he'd like to become a roomie. What was that he said about giving thanks to the Mother.>>
"Blessed be..." Fionn can't think of what to put at the end of that.
<<Her name, Her will, oooh if only I'd read a book or two on this Occult stuff I'd know what to say.>>
Reaching out his clenched fist to bump knuckles with AJ, he'd seen the young people do this on the streets, hoping AJ will see it as a friendly gesture and not flatten him with that massive cat.
Aye to be with friends.
<<Remembering a time when he had a pet cat, his mother complaining that it kept running up the curtains leaving scratch marks in them and the soft furnishings. Imagining the kind of destruction the mountain cat would have made running up the curtains or sharpening its claws on the sofa.>>
Fionn smiled at the thought and suppressed a giggle turning it into a soft excited whoop.
When the call came out to come together in the circle, Fionn joined in giving the cat and the bovine plenty of room.