Just the Way the Wind Blows (Surrogate)

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/1z709dy.jpg] The journey had been a long one. I was tired from all the walking, after having spent months going little farther than a mile or so outside of my cave, and then only for food and water. What small distances I had traveled while sick were nothing compared to the trek I was undertaking. And worse still, I didn’t know if I was going in the right direction. I couldn’t remember what pack Salt had belonged to. It was either Renegade or Lucifer’s, and though I knew I’d heard him say it at least once, I couldn’t for the life of me remember. I didn’t dare ask, either. It was dumb luck that would guide me to him again. I had nothing else. The walking became boring after a while. I had a good sense of direction- I had to, with my blindness. I was on autopilot, my senses compensating for my lack of sight without my having to concentrate at all. I sighed. I was so worried about finding Salt that I was ignoring the world around me, apart from what I needed to keep from walking into a tree. Normally I found no greater pleasure than in listening to the music of the wilderness around me and smelling the air. But today, it wasn’t working. I hadn’t slept much the last few days, and it was beginning to show. I sighed and stopped. I lay down on the side of the path, snuggling into the tall grass. A light breeze stirred, warmer than some we’d had recently. Sunlight warmed my reddish-brown fur. I knew it was that color from years of listening to descriptions of myself. But while normally conjuring up images in my head made me feel happy that I could still remember, today I only felt bitter and sad. I missed my sight. What if I could never find Salt because of it? What if I could, but he’d moved on for some female who wasn’t only half a person? It was feelings I’d had for a long time, that my blindness made me broken, than without sight I wasn’t whole. I hadn’t dared share these feelings with Salt or Gabriel or anyone else. No, that wasn’t true. Once upon a time, a very long time ago, I’d shared them with my father. I missed him terribly. More than my mother or brothers or sisters. He was the comforting one. The one who’d always been there to defend me, whether it was against a snake or myself. When I’d first gone blind, my father had helped me through it all. He’d been my first teacher, showing me how to walk and how to hunt and run and track, even with my disability. He’d never called it that, either- he’d always called my blindness my “special ability” or my “superpower”. For whatever reason, he’d always had more faith in me than I’d had in myself. But I hadn’t seen him for a year and a half. And thus far on Traum, there had been no one who had made me feel as safe, as protected, as I’d felt when I was with my father. I trusted Salt with my life, and I’d trusted Gabriel with my love, but I didn’t have anyone to trust with my feelings. If only there was someone who understood, someone who would listen and tell me I was fine the way I was. Someone like an older brother or sister. But there was no one except the soft spring wind, that brought promises of flowers and sunshine that made me want to cry. No one except for the beech trees I lay under in silent bitterness. No one, in short, except me.

[surrogate]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/a5e0w9.jpg] It was refreshing and brisk, not having to fight today, and he was grateful for it as he drank by the stream. The water brushed playfully against his muzzle, and it seemed as if today were a serene and calming one. And sadly, it never was. There was always something peaking his interest, always something catching his eye, and today was no different. Malkahl Osiri took careful watch as he went back to his post, watching the reddish-brown female wander aimlessly outside her den. He had been doing so all day, as this was the thing that caught his mind several hours earlier. He always did that, analyzed things in an experimental environment. His father taught him that much, to always take heed of what was around. The smallest details tell the biggest stories. His fathers words held true, as he watched the female take hesitant steps in various directions. He had ruled out injury, as she'd be limping or showing signs of weakness, and as joyous as it sounded, he knew this female wasnt a child at heart, roaming the world through only what she felt. Then it hit him: By what she FELT... Malkahl had decided that it was enough. He descended his perch atop a hill atleast 30 meters from her. Walking swiftly, covering the outside perimeter of her den, Malkahl gazed into the water, then up at the female. Seeing the glint of red, Malkahl dove his muzzle deep into the water, sinking his teeth into the flesh of a trout. You will do just fine. Malkahl began to walk toward where the female was. He knew her status, and proceeded to wade in the stream that followed him almost parallel. The last thing this female needed, was worry of being attacked. Drying off, Malkahl picked up his catch once more and sunk low, making sure to come to the closest crawl to the cave entrance without her detecting him. He was a skilled tracker, so there was no doubt that he'd be careful to hide his scent through the stream. He softened his steps, as to not disturb the dirt around her, although he knew she wasnt THAT adapt to her senses. Slinking lower, Malkahl saw her from up close. She was radiant, really, in the sun splotches that squeezed through the treetop covering. Malkahl couldnt help but smile. Setting the fish down gently at the entrance, Malkahl began to walk away, but stopped short, not turning his head but speaking as if she were mere inches away from him. "I'll be back tomorrow, to give you another. For now, you should sleep. You really look like you need it. Dont worry, alright?" he said, as he strode away. Malkahl wondered how long this went on, and decided to save his questions if she were to have him stick around. He didnt want a fight, heck, he knew she couldnt handle one. Which is why I need to stick around.

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/1z709dy.jpg] I lay my head down on my paws, trying to relax. I imagined my mind as a lake on a bright day, all my troubles as the ripples that coated the surface. One by one, I mentally smoothed out the ripples until nothing was left but peace. Normally this tactic worked very well. Today it wasn’t. I counted breaths. In for four counts. Hold for four, exhale for four. Hold for four more. Inhale… That wasn’t working, either. Some sixth sense in me, some warning system cautioned me to stay alert. I listened closely to the world around me. The sounds and sensations slowed down around her. The breeze smelled faintly of spring- fresh dirt, clean rain, and dewy grass. There were tinges of pine in the scent, too. I moved on to the next sense. I opened my mouth a tad, tasting the air. It was sweet and crisp, though there was a fishy smell from the river I walked beside. The dirt under my paws was still half-frozen, but the topmost layer was light and dry. My other three senses aside, I turned to my most powerful tool of all. And opened my eyes with a start. Splashes in the river. Too deep in pitch to belong to a fox or beaver, too measured to be the random splashes of trout. I sniffed the air again, and this time I caught, if only for the briefest of instants, the scent of wolf. It was masked by the river and the wind, but it was close. My heart rate quickened, and I dug my claws into the ground, tensing myself for a fight. I wasn’t much of a fighter; I depended on talking my way out of tricky situations, or running as fast as I could. Some ways away from me, I heard the gentle flap of a wolf shaking themselves off, and swallowed. I sniffed once more, and smelled fish. Trout, and, and… something else… There was the barest hint of rosemary in the air. It made me want to cry; my father had smelled of rosemary. He chewed it to keep his breath fresh, sprinkled it over his meals, rubbed it into his fur. The scent was fainter, but it was here. I bit back tears at the memory. Focus, Tara, I thought. Now is not the time for remembering. But I couldn’t help myself. I had memories of my father suddenly. Exploring the mountains with me, showing me how to track game, rolling in the grass with me when the summer heat was too much to bear. And later, taking my first steps with me as I learned to navigate the world by touch and smell and sound, teaching me how to identify the vaguest details in the wind, guiding me through my feelings. I was jolted out of the memories, both bitter and sweet, by the sharp tang of trout on the air. ”I’ll be back tomorrow, to give you another. For now, you should sleep. You really look like you need it. Don’t worry, alright?” I leapt to my feet, too scared to snarl or growl. ”Who are you? What do you want? What are you doing?” I asked, my English accent thicker than usual. ”I don’t know you!” Or did I? I wouldn’t believe it. That voice couldn’t belong to him. It simply couldn’t. He was miles away, so far that I’d most likely never see him again. But I couldn’t see him to be sure. And he smelled like rosemary, whoever he was. ”Stay here, please. Tell me who you are,” I begged. ”Tell me I don’t know you. I don’t know you. I couldn’t possibly know you.” Even to myself, I sounded weak and afraid. I heard his paws hit the earth, growing fainter. ”Please wait!” I cried. ”Please tell me why you do this for me!” I got up, walking quickly toward the source of the sounds and smells. I was delusional, that was it. This couldn’t possibly be him. I hadn’t slept in a few days, and now I was hallucinating. It was the only possible explanation. But it felt so real…

[surrogate]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/a5e0w9.jpg] His ears perked up. So that confirms it then. Malkahl turned to see the female waiting, in a defensive stance, claws digging into the earth as if cursing it from something. ”Who are you? What do you want? What are you doing?” She was frantic, bracing herself for an attack. Malkahl's look was fleeting as he stepped toward her. "My name is of no importance. I'm just here," Malkahl was now looking into her eyes, sensing a pang of loneliness in himself as he stared at her milky white eyes. This confirmed it. Her eyes were still beautiful to him, despite their condition, "I have no reason, nor permission to be here, so I'll leave you to your peace." Malkahl began to turn, when he heard her voice again, a thick but very alluring British accent escaped from her mouth, ”Stay here, please. Tell me who you are! Tell me I don’t know you. I don’t know you. I couldn’t possibly know you.” Aside from her voice, Malkahl detected pain. It was familiar to him,and as she spoke, his heart had started to break. Malkahl knew the feeling all too well. She had missed someone that couldn't possibly make the pain any better. Mal had thought about it, knowing that revealing himself would put her at ease, then again, he was uncertain that he'd ever gain her trust. Enough trust as the person she thought he was. Guilt enveloped Mal, he could never fill the missing person's shoes. "You do not know me. . . But," Bane smiled, hoping to send his warmest smile wishing that she could be able to detect his harmless nature, "I'd hoped we'd change that" Malkahl had taken cautionary steps forward, and as he observed her, he saw her waver and wobble. Grabbing the trout he had set down, Malkahl inched forward more, offering the trout and placing it down in front of her. Malkahl knew to not ask this early on, although he felt it would be important sooner or later. Staring into the mist-like color of her eyes, Malkahl made up his mind. He turned to walk away when her accent reached his ears again. ”Please wait!” she cried. ”Please tell me why you do this for me!” "I did it because I wanted to...but more so....because you remind me of myself. Not in the literal sense, obviously, but...in another sense." Malkahl replied, nudging the trout closer to the female. "Please. Eat?"

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[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/1z709dy.jpg] "My name is of no importance. I'm just here." Shivers went up and down my spine. Why won’t you tell me who you are? I wondered. ”I have no reason, nor permission to be here, so I’ll leave you to your peace.” ”But it won’t be peace,” I said,

[/b]”until I know who you are. It’s going to haunt me. Please tell me you name. Just your name.”[/b] I was begging now, the words a plea for him to tell me why he was helping me. It confused me no small amount; people on this island didn’t just decide to help others, without having reasons. It didn’t happen. People always wanted something, some token or favor. But this male was different. He wouldn’t tell me what he wanted. It unnerved me, and I’d have much preferred for him to just come out with a request. Even something like “I want to fatten you up before I gobble you up!” or “I’ll trade you some fish for a fling” was better than the suspense of not knowing.

”You do not know me… But, I’d hoped we might change that.”

So that’s what he wants, I thought resignedly, hearing the smile in his voice. I relaxed, relieved to know what he wanted at last. ”Well, I’m afraid I’m not much interested in that sort of thing,” I told him. If sex is what he wants, he’s out of luck, I thought. But I knew, if this male wanted it that badly, I was not in condition to refuse easily. I heard his paws hit the ground and felt him move closer. Oh, lord, I thought nervously. But he turned away again, and I frowned. Perhaps I was wrong. My words seemed to call him back.

”I did it because I wanted to… but more so… because you remind me of myself. Not in the literal sense, obviously, but… in another sense. Please. Eat?”

I shook my head. I was wrong. ”I—I don’t understand,” I said quietly. ”I don’t even know who you are. And you don’t know me at all. How could you see yourself in me so quickly?” I ignored the trout. Everything about this male was strange, but somehow it was also very… fascinating. I felt drawn to him in a way I’d never been drawn before. I didn’t know what he wanted, or why he felt he had to help me. And everything about him was so mysterious, so purely good, that I felt as if I were somehow unworthy of the kindness. It was my blindness, obviously. Since I’d lost my sight, I’d always felt inferior to whole wolves, like I was lesser because of my disability. And yet, just this once, maybe my blindness was working to my advantage. This time, maybe I had gained a friend because of it.a
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[surrogate]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/a5e0w9.jpg] ”But it won’t be peace,” she said,”until I know who you are. It’s going to haunt me. Please tell me you name. Just your name." Malkahl took a while, but knew he could trust her. Sighing gently, Mal turned around once more and started, softly, towards her. "My name is Mal. Malkahl Osiri." he said, now smiling a tad at her. He loved her accent, unbeknownst to him. Keeping a safe distance, Malkahl was hesitant to approach. Surely someone in her condition was worried often, and always. Malkahl knew she'd be vulnerable often, and this worried him still. She looked confused still, and the waver of her voice confirmed that for Malkahl. I—I don’t understand,” she said quietly, but Mal had keen enough hearing to pick up on it. ”I don’t even know who you are. And you don’t know me at all. How could you see yourself in me so quickly?” Mal looked down slightly, afraid of the words he was about to say. "Because I'm looking for something as well, but I'm a tad too inhibited to find it." Mal paused, still regretting his words, "You havent left this den at all. You walk only a few yards, and come back still....what's more is...you walk very hesitantly...so with this I must ask...How long have you been blind?" He stood with the air of a guardian. "I must confess...that's the reason why I did it. And I'd keep doing it, because no one should be out here alone, with such a precious gift such as yours. It's a double edged sword really, that special gift." Malkahl said, exhling softly. He began to walk toward her, his paws still treading the ground softly. She was keen, she was him. She walked the world, not knowing whats become of it, not seeing what's become of himself. Not knowing what he's here for, why he's brought here. He never saw himself. I wonder when I will... ”Well, I’m afraid I’m not much interested in that sort of thing,” 'That sort of...thing?' Malkahl blushed brightly. "No no no, please dont get me wrong. I'm serious, I did it because....well..you shouldnt be alone out here... I sure as hell dont wanna be." Malkahl stated, looking down. Sure, she was breath taking, but he cursed himself. I shouldnt have said it like that...God, now she thinks I'm strange... Mal found something else perplexing, he found himself blushing. Nothing had made Malkahl blush since.... She's gone....dont think. He gazed into the females eyes, and found himself at home. The mist-like hue had made him feel...differently. To Malkahl, it wasnt an indication of blindness, but a unique soul, a soul whom saw things in a different light. A bright light. The wind blew through Mal's fur as he stepped closer still. He found his voice waver in nervousness. "If I may, would you like to....erm..eat now? You havent eaten in a while, Im sure." His smile was warm, and he hoped it transposed to her.

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/1z709dy.jpg] ”My name is Mal. Malkahl Osiri.” I rolled the name around on my tongue. ”Malkahl,” I said quietly. ”I’m Tara.” She decided she liked his name. ” Because I'm looking for something as well, but I'm a tad too inhibited to find it. You haven’t left this den at all. You walk only a few yards, and come back still....what's more is...you walk very hesitantly...so with this I must ask...” I interrupted him, panicking slightly. ”How… how do you know that? Have you been watching me? Why haven’t I heard you?” Malkahl did not stop. He finished the rest of his question with a quiet, serious air that demanded me not to take the question wrong. ”How long have you been blind?” My eyes widened. I was too shocked to take offense. ”I—I suppose… well, since I was a little girl. There was a snake… the venom got into my eyes… my guide died a few months ago, and I left my teacher when I took ill,” I stammered, surprised. ”But why the question? I mean…” I gasped. ”Are… are you like me?” I breathed. ”Do you know?” I didn’t believe it. There was no way, not while he had known I’d barely left my den for a long time. And how could he have brought me the fish? I shook my head. ”No, no. I’m sorry. You can’t be. Forgive me, please, that was… that was presumptuous.” I blushed. Malkahl exhaled a little, the noise quiet to him but quite audible to me. ” I must confess...that's the reason why I did it.” ”Because I’m blind?” she whispered. ”Because I can’t take care of myself? I can, you know. I have. For a few months now. There were always herbs around here, and I can catch small game on my own now.” ”And I'd keep doing it, because no one should be out here alone, with such a precious gift such as yours. It's a double edged sword really, that special gift.” ”Gift?” she said quietly. ”I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. You couldn’t possibly mean this,” she said, gesturing at her eyes. ”This is a flaw. A curse. I wish I were like you. You’re… you’re whole,” I finished quietly. ”I don’t know why the gods broke me,” I said, ”but of one thing I am sure. This is not a gift.” Malkahl began to walk towards me again, and this time I wasn’t as afraid. “That sort of...thing?” I colored violently. ”Oh, my. Oh, my goodness, I am so sorry, I just… I thought… I’m sorry.” "No, no, no, please don’t get me wrong. I'm serious, I did it because....well… you shouldn’t be alone out here... I sure as hell don’t wanna be." ”No, please,” she said. ”The fault is mine, it really is. I do appreciate this, truly. I just… it’s not often that this island hosts unselfish people. Most everyone here wants something, whether it’s a favor or a trade or a fight or… or something a little more… unsavory. I’m not accustomed to thoughtful gesutres.” A shiver ran through me, and I had the unnerving feeling that Malkahl was looking at me, directly into my eyes. People rarely looked at my face, into my eyes. It was like they were ashamed even to look at someone so unwhole. I’d always been able to tell when people were looking at my eyes, and I knew Malkahl was looking now. A soft wind blew through the clearing, and I could inhale yet more of the rosemary scent. I realized then that Malkahl reminded me a little of my father, the way he was protective and kind and thoughtful all at the same time. I got the feeling that he believed I could take care of myself, but wanted to make sure I was all right. I smiled in his direction. "If I may, would you like to... erm ...eat now? You haven’t eaten in a while, I’m sure." I could hear the smile in his voice, along with a touch of nervousness that confused me. ”All right,” I said. ”Will you join me? It’s only fair- it’s your catch, after all.” I waited for a moment, and then curiosity overcame me. ”I don’t suppose you’d do me a slight favor? Could you please… I mean, if you wouldn’t mind… could you describe yourself? What you look like, I mean. It’s no trouble if you wouldn’t like to, only I’d rather like to know. Just for knowing, you know.”

[surrogate]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/a5e0w9.jpg] ”I don’t suppose you’d do me a slight favor? Could you please… I mean, if you wouldn’t mind… could you describe yourself? What you look like, I mean. It’s no trouble if you wouldn’t like to, only I’d rather like to know. Just for knowing, you know.” At her accent, and innocence, Malkahl couldnt help but smile. Stepping closer to her, Mal had softened his voice more as he spoke; "I have gray fur, with light streaks of green in the tips and emerald green eyes. I have a little mark under my right eye, that some call "The Crosshair" because I can pinpoint and expose things within the mind, and I dont stop until I reach that motive that most wolves have around here. You're right, there's always an alterior motive." Malkahl paused and smiled. Her name was fitting. She was innocent and kind, something Mal hadnt found in this land in a long while. "Tara.." Malkahl played with the name in his mind, and was surprised to find it now rolling off his tongue. "That's really such a beautiful name. It could be carried by the winds here, and with your gift, i think it fits." ”Gift?” she said quietly. ”I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. You couldn’t possibly mean this,” she said, gesturing at her eyes. ”This is a flaw. A curse. I wish I were like you. You’re… you’re whole,” She finished quietly. ”I don’t know why the gods broke me,” I said, ”but of one thing I am sure. This is not a gift.” Malkahl tilted his head at this comment. "Quite absurd. You have a gift that enhanced everything, far more than what I'm capable of. Your senses are heightened, all of them are at peak performance. The Gods did not break you my dear, they molded a perfect person. It was an unfortunate event, but it lead to your adaptation of the other prowess. Your talents are far more better than that of a wolf without eye siight with no determination. How many females do you see, that can hunt blind? It's a gift, Tara." His voice lowered softly, "And...I am not whole..there is a part of me that's missing, and I'm....incapable of seeing it." Malkahl slightly looked down. Deciding not to dwell on his own past, Malkahl looked up again and smiled. Walking closer towards Tara, Malkahl gently sat next to her. He knew that she could see, but in a different way. "Could you do me a favor?" Malkahl said as he spoke, looking around now, "Could you tell me....what you see currently?"

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/1z709dy.jpg] I was surprised to hear him indulge me. But I was more surprised that I’d asked. Normally the appearances of wolves didn’t matter much to me. I hadn’t even asked Salt what he looked like! But for some odd reason, I wanted to know what Malkahl looked like. I wanted to know badly. "I have gray fur, with light streaks of green in the tips and emerald green eyes. I have a little mark under my right eye, that some call "The Crosshair" because I can pinpoint and expose things within the mind, and I don’t stop until I reach that motive that most wolves have around here. You're right, there's always an ulterior motive." ”Which is why you surprise me so much,” I said. The way he described himself was so clear that even I could tell what he looked like. And the color green fitted him. I could sometimes see colors- splashes and splotches instead of just black. Malkahl’s voice brought green into my head, cool green like fresh mint. "Tara… That's really such a beautiful name. It could be carried by the winds here, and with your gift, I think it fits." ”Well, thanks,” I said, blushing a little. It wasn’t often I got compliments like that. ”You know,” I said thoughtfully. ”Your voice sounds like the color green. I know that doesn’t make much sense, but… you see, I can see colors sometimes. Sounds do that for me- they bring colors into my head. Nothing else, just colorful shapes. You sound green, the nice pale green. What’s it called, I can’t remember… oh, yes! Viridian. That’s it. You sound like viridian.” My comment about my blindness seemed to make him confused. "Quite absurd. You have a gift that enhanced everything, far more than what I'm capable of. Your senses are heightened, all of them are at peak performance. The Gods did not break you my dear, they molded a perfect person. It was an unfortunate event, but it lead to your adaptation of the other prowess. Your talents are far better than that of a wolf without eye sight with no determination. How many females do you see that can hunt blind? It's a gift, Tara." I blinked. I hadn’t thought about that. ”Well, I… I mean… I guess that’s true. But without my vision, I’ll always be less than a wolf with full sight. There’s so much beauty in the world, and I’ll miss it for the rest of my life. Isn’t that true, too?” His next words made me pity him, as he lowered his voice to say it. I wanted to comfort my new friend, wanted to help him see that he was a better wolf than I’d yet met on the island. Well, except for Salt, of course. "And… I am not whole… there is a part of me that's missing, and I'm... incapable of seeing it." He sat next to me. I sighed, and after a moment I looked down. ”You’re the most whole person I’ve met on this whole island. The only one I’ve met who didn’t have an angle. The only one without a motive, the only one who does kind things just for the sake of doing kind things.” I smiled a little. ”It’s something I wish more people had.” "Could you do me a favor? Could you tell me....what you see currently?" If he’d said it any other way, I’d have said I didn’t see anything, obviously. But the way he said it made me think. He knew. He knew what it was to build a world from sound and smell and feel. He knew that there were other ways of “seeing.” So I told him what I saw. ”I see a spring morning that smells like fresh grass and new life. I see dew that covers the earth and wets your fur when you walk so you feel sticky and clean at the same time. I see a cold, clear river where the water wakes you up when you walk in, and the sound like the kind of drum that makes you smile and feel good to be alive and awake. I see the storm coming in a few hours, and the smell of electricity, and the feeling in the air like something’s coming. I see you, and you sound like green and smell like rosemary. I see the way the world is slowing down, the way people are leaving Traum because they fear the effort war will bring and see more promise elsewhere. I see life.”

[surrogate]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/a5e0w9.jpg] ”I see a spring morning that smells like fresh grass and new life. I see dew that covers the earth and wets your fur when you walk so you feel sticky and clean at the same time. I see a cold, clear river where the water wakes you up when you walk in, and the sound like the kind of drum that makes you smile and feel good to be alive and awake. I see the storm coming in a few hours, and the smell of electricity, and the feeling in the air like something’s coming. I see you, and you sound like green and smell like rosemary. I see the way the world is slowing down, the way people are leaving Traum because they fear the effort war will bring and see more promise elsewhere. I see life.” Malkahl found himself opening his eyes again, looking toward the sky, as if to thank it for bringing the winds that brought him here. Quietly, Malkahl began to speak. "Brilliantly said. You're more aware than you know." He began to look at her once more, taking in her eyes again, emitting his emerald gaze. ”You’re the most whole person I’ve met on this whole island. The only one I’ve met who didn’t have an angle. The only one without a motive, the only one who does kind things just for the sake of doing kind things. It’s something I wish more people had.” Malkahl blushed softly. He hadn't thought of himself in such light. He smiled as he saw the faintest smile building onto her face. Malkahl felt an exuberant warmth spread through his heart, and looked down as he blushed a tad brighter. "And you, are a whole wolf. You have sight, just a special type of sight. A very special type." He said, now fully smiling. ”You know,” I said thoughtfully. ”Your voice sounds like the color green. I know that doesn’t make much sense, but… you see, I can see colors sometimes. Sounds do that for me- they bring colors into my head. Nothing else, just colorful shapes. You sound green, the nice pale green. What’s it called, I can’t remember… oh, yes! Viridian. That’s it. You sound like viridian.” Mal chuckled slightly, and felt the wind wisp through his fur, making his pelt lay down slightly. "Viridian huh?" he stopped to think, and knew that this made sense. He was happy that it made sense, "I'm glad I sound like Viridian. It sounds very keen. And you, my dear, embody the same beauty in appearance as you do in spirit and speech. You're truly captivating..if I may say so" He found himself blushing a tad brighter as he looked down. Lifting his head up again, Malkahl brushed her pelt with his head. "Thank you, very much" he said as he stared into the distance, nuzzling her gently. Thank you.