Pheres's skin is fever hot against zirs, and if it weren't for that, ze'd wonder if he was dead. His eyes certainly look like it: they're ghost white and shining, the pupils little pinpricks of black ze has to strain to see even at their close distance.

"I like your eyes," ze tells him as he touches his second set of horns to zirs, and ze's about to say more, see if he's maybe only part dead, but then Castor drops zim.

It's not a big fall. Ze lands effortlessly, knees tucking to absorb the impact, and pivots around to hiss at the big blueblood. Castor looks unimpressed. "He's sparking. And you'll tire yourself out if I hold you up forever," he points out, folding his arms.

It's true enough. Hinnom can't use zir own telekinesis, although no one's ever been able to explain why: only the leashed ghosts can, and even though ze's not doing anything, it still takes a toll. And after a morning of mail delivery and no snacks or sleep, even the small stuff matters right now.

"Besides, you still need to greet the other." Castor's still talking. Hinnom squints at him, and he explains: "Their symbolhight is yellow."

Huh. Well, okay.

Ze turn to the big yellowblood and trot over, but once ze's standing in front of them, shyness strikes. They're really, really big: only a few inches shorter than Castor, and he's the biggest troll, dead or alive, ze's ever seen. He's standing right behind zim, and they can feel the impatience radiating as he waits for zim to give him the sign, but all ze can do is stall.

They might be yellow - but they're still really, really big.