05-27-2020, 07:47 PM
and if I never wandered, where would I be?
She doesn’t miss the way his expression shifts, the involuntary dilation of feline pupils that like what they see, in this case her unease. Nor does she miss how quickly the expression shifts back, the tension around his eyes that lingers there. Guilt, perhaps? She isn’t sure. She finds herself quieting more quickly than she’d anticipated, a soft glow of contentment chasing away the stubborn tendrils of unease. Her muscles cease their trembling, her eyes brighten and she finds herself smiling at him, a bit bemused by the unexpected, but not unwelcome feeling of warmth. She exhales a contented sigh, and closes her eyes for a moment.
She laughs along with him as he dismisses her embarrassment, and she finds herself taking a soft step forward, outstretching her neck and pink nose toward him ears pricking forward. ”I’m glad you feel that way, not everyone does.” she offers, sobering a bit. They talk of her chipmunk friend, and she giggles the noise reverberating softly through the Field. ”Something tells me he’s long gone by now. But I’ll keep you in mind if I come across him in the future.” she trills, no longer uneasy with the smile he offers her. She feels no malice from him, and the way his eyes crease in the corners tells her his smile is real.
His gaze drops to the ground, and her giddiness evaporates. She wonders if she’s made a misstep. Soon though he finds her gaze again and offers his pleasantries in exchange for her own, trading her name for his. ”Halycon…what an unusual name” she offers him in playful banter before adding ”I like it though.” she adds tilting her head, still tasting the name on her tongue. He asks if she’s just arrived and she steels herself against the unwelcome wave of hurt that washes over her belly, though she cannot hide the way her face falls, the shutters coming down over her eyes. ”I have.” she offers, eager to steer the conversation away from the circumstances that brought her here. ”What about you?” she presses gently.
She laughs along with him as he dismisses her embarrassment, and she finds herself taking a soft step forward, outstretching her neck and pink nose toward him ears pricking forward. ”I’m glad you feel that way, not everyone does.” she offers, sobering a bit. They talk of her chipmunk friend, and she giggles the noise reverberating softly through the Field. ”Something tells me he’s long gone by now. But I’ll keep you in mind if I come across him in the future.” she trills, no longer uneasy with the smile he offers her. She feels no malice from him, and the way his eyes crease in the corners tells her his smile is real.
His gaze drops to the ground, and her giddiness evaporates. She wonders if she’s made a misstep. Soon though he finds her gaze again and offers his pleasantries in exchange for her own, trading her name for his. ”Halycon…what an unusual name” she offers him in playful banter before adding ”I like it though.” she adds tilting her head, still tasting the name on her tongue. He asks if she’s just arrived and she steels herself against the unwelcome wave of hurt that washes over her belly, though she cannot hide the way her face falls, the shutters coming down over her eyes. ”I have.” she offers, eager to steer the conversation away from the circumstances that brought her here. ”What about you?” she presses gently.
-- aoibhe