[AW] The Night Is Illuminated By Firelight

[Eik]

A brush of flesh against his shoulder, so casual, sets his scars on fire. Some primal nature, smothered by drink but not altogether gone,

some small sharp part of him, some viscous darkness,

pins his ears back and draws his head up, ready to snap at the intrusion. The instinct is fast and pure but it fades before he can act upon it- leaving him looking quite angry and hunched up. He relaxes quickly, averting his eyes sheepishly and wondering if he should explain himself or at least say sorry.

And yet you don't even know my name... He returns his gaze to theirs, still feeling embarrassed and a little flustered, but tries to listen to their words through his emotions. Somehow a name would ruin it all, the illusion would be shattered and the world would come rushing back in startling, unwelcome sobriety. And so he does not respond, not in words at least, only murmuring a quiet, drunken "hmmm" in agreement. Yes, he does not even know their name. And they do not know his is the (uncharacteristically) playful gleam in his eye. If this is a game, it is a foolish one and he regrets dragging them into it... but it is too late now for normal.

(riddles and roads; all things lead to summer and all away from it, the grand show trumpets on)

It is now his turn to brush his shoulder against them in an odd sort of apology for his behavior earlier. As if to show that the touch was not unwanted, gods no, simply a surprise.  

He listens to their laughter silently, though not sternly- a comfortable calm has settled over him, that and a tingly feeling in his hooves that all is well and good in the world. And when they speak he listens carefully, with a curious seriousness that is perhaps unbefitting of a party. Perhaps it would not come as a surprise that this is his first party.

"So you're a healer?" He not surprised. They have that glow to them that he's seen in many a healer, a love that gives them the strength to do what few can. But he is curious about them, and this is why instead of answering one question he asks another.

Laughter, the best medicine?? His ears flick back in uncertainty- is this a joke or is she serious? He's been in Novus almost a year now, and it is tiresome to constantly be unsure what is real and what is simply different.  "I've never heard of laughter curing anything." He says, tentative and serious and still a little suspicious that she may be pulling his leg, so to speak. He thinks about it a little more... "We told stories to keep warm at night, and to take some pain from the dying..." He frowns slightly in thought, but his thoughts are soon distracted by a young mare walking towards them with a tray of pillowy, decadent-looking treats. "What are those?" He asks, looking back and forth from green-eyed friend to platter, eyes widening in intrigue.

-     -     -
There is no better way to know us
E I K
than as two wolves, come separately to a wood

@Seree seree is so cute <33 eik so odd -sigh-