ERD
Rigel was the name of the scaled, horned creature, and Erd offered him a respectful nod. The elder twin’s dark lips were curled up in a kind enough smile, remembering to be polite even though Ard clearly did not seem too keen on the idea. Ah, well. Brothers. It was a little thrilling, knowing that he was the only one who knew what his brother’s voice sounded like. No one else. At least, not yet.
“Nice to meet you, Rigel,” he said casually in response, watching as Ard finally broke away from his side to inspect the trees at a closer distance. Erd, meanwhile, remained stationary, one hoof lifted almost lazily. “I’m Erd. That’s my brother, Ard. Don’t let his silence bother you; he doesn’t talk.” A little white lie, but one that wouldn’t hurt him for telling. Rigel did not need to know the finite reasons that Ard preferred his silence and abrasiveness.
Seeming satisfied with whatever he went to inspect, Ard returned to his side just as silently as he had departed from it. The two shared a deep, profound, knowing look, and Erd’s expression drooped slightly. The twins could not read each other’s minds, but they could feel each other. It was difficult to explain to one who had never felt such a bond.
“Yeah, I know. We’ll just wait it out though, huh? It’ll be fine. Maybe you can even be nice and make a friend.” With that, he reached out and bunted his muzzle against Ard’s shoulder, who glared in return. Erd laughed before turquoise eyes drifted back to focus on Rigel, and his smile remained. “So!” A stamp of a hoof accompanied the word, sharp and telling. “We’re new here, to Novus. Do things like this happen often? Is the land always laced with such a potent, ancient magic?”
But a better question was if they could learn to siphon it. The thought was an appealing one. Maybe they could ask Marisol back in Terrastella… Hopefully she wouldn’t be displeased once she had realized that they had scampered off.
