Annotated 16-2
Panel 1 kinda looks like Syr’Nj’s sympathetic hand is resting on or about to rest on an open wound, which would be uncharacteristically dumb of her. Pretty sure we meant her to trigger Yalaria’s response only with her words, not with bad touch. (I had a cat I was rescuing attack my hand the other day, so I feel for Syr here regardless.)
“We never did anything to you” refers to avians’ early history with humans, not Yalaria’s more recent actions. But, um, in fairness to Ardaic’s point of view, it is true that Yalaria doesn’t seem to grasp that her recent destruction of lives and property might be a better explanation of her imprisonment, specifically, than just humans being dicks to be dicks.
Guilded Age has no shortage of characters making keen political insights. I think Yalaria is better seen as a representative of her people than a fount of wisdom disguised by simple words.
I had assumed Syr’Nj was applying some sort of salve.
This is why, when interacting with prisoners of species with natural weapons, you don’t go in without casting something like stoneskin. Syr’Nj is more than equipped to deal with the scratch on her arm (see above), but what if Yalaria had gone for the eyes?
Also, alt text.
Did Yalaria scratch her with her feet? It doesn’t look like she did, but the Avian’s hands look too feathery to do much damage.
There could be claws under the feathers on the hand
HUMANS HATE ALT-TEXT, THEY KILL IT!
I seriously do not know why this update system keeps eating the alt text now and then. I’ll keep fixing it, I suppose!
It just occurred to me that Ardaic and Yalaria have more in common than either would ever acknowledge. One is, “Humans attacked trolls for no reason! That means everything mean humans do is for no reason! Including right after I’ve killed some of them!” and the other is, “Opposition to Gastionian interests is a capital crime the world over, and anyone who doesn’t recognize this as justice is only proving themselves an irredeemable reprobate not even worth acknowledging as a person.”
I don’t think I noticed Yalaria slashing Syr’Nj’s arm before. Always felt that Syr’Nj gave up on diplomatic talks a little too easily, but with a bleeding arm, it’s understandable.