"Well… if you had skin like your mother, I do think you would be a lot more uncomfortable… it wouldn't be as suitable for travel and sun exposure," Gideon pointed out. "Besides, your skin is perfect as it is," he said as he dropped his overcoat on his pack and pulled off his bracers and boots. He sealed his wings away just long enough to pull his shirt off before he spread them again and joined Rynn beside the river. He reached down into the water and cupped it into his hands and splashed the cold refreshing liquid across his face, washing away several days worth of grime and sweat. He curled one of his wings around and started the preening process, and the other he extended to Rynn. His fingers moved deftly through his feathers, removing broken fragments and other debris that had built up. It was usually a practice he tried to do daily, but sometimes he only had the time to deal with the most troublesome spots. 

"You know, sometimes I envy you," he chuckled as he preened. "It would be nice to have scaly wings I think. Preening would be a lot easier and quicker, huh?"