"Would you believe 'magic'?" Songbird made a hand-gesture akin to a magician performing sleight-of-hand, only there was no actual trick on display.
Catoire chuckled at this, slapping a palm against his knees, the laugh quickly becoming a couple of hacking coughs that fortunately does not transition into a fit. He shakes his head 'no', grinning back at Songbird with a smile that lacks a few teeth.

"Nah, man. It's more like-... In the place I was, time don't move as fast, y'know?" He paused to think on that for a moment. "Near thirty years came and went back home, but in the cage-... Maybe five or six? I didn't count. Couldn't, really."
The elderly man sighs, and again reaches for his drink. Still grinning he says, "Either I did not take enough acid in high school, or I took too much..." letting the joke linger. For a moment, Songbird can see through the wrinkles and the liver spots to the cocksure teenager who he used to look up to. As an afterthought, Ben adds, "But I guess it doesn't matter. Either I'm crazy, or you never aged, or maybe you're just someone who looks like my old friend; who knows? It doesn't matter." He takes another messy gulp of the tea, and something goes down the wrong pipe. The magic is gone as Heartstrings' chest heaves up and down with a series of wet wheezing coughs.

By the time he is finished, it seems like he no longer remembers the line of questioning he had been pursing. He takes one more long look at Songbird, sighs again and then looks down at his quivering hands.

"Don't suppose you happen to know the story behind that house, Ben?" The changeling gestured over to the mansion across the street, changing the subject to avoid dwelling on his Durance. "Anyone still living there?"
Cotaire nods his head and says, "That's the old Pengrove Mansion. I think the man living there is even older than I am. I think Mr. Pengrove is still alive and kicking, though I only ever see him at night, sitting out on his porch, drunk as a skunk. I don't think he's done anything to take care of that house of his for decades."

The name rings a bell somewhere far off in Songbird's memory, though nothing particular comes to mind.