[AW] down the rabbit hole we go

[Averin]

averin ILLUSION NEVER CHANGED INTO SOMETHING REAL There had been enough lapses into silence in Averin's life, and a lot of it was indeed because he was shy and did not always know what to say, what to talk about. Having those awkward moments filled in with just about anything was fine with him. Averin knew that he needed more experience in meeting others, and this was just that; more experience in meeting a stranger. She was nice as far as he could tell, and that was a good thing to keep in mind. Averin did not know many he could call friend, but that wasn't because he was unfriendly at all, no. More due to the fact that having friendships within the caravan did not work all that well, as most weren't there for all that long in the first place. It didn't last. Yet Averin had always been friendly to those that came and went, make no mistake. Just because he couldn't keep any of them as friends did not mean that the budding of such a thing had not been there time and time again. After awhile, though, it simply hurt too much to get attached only for them all to leave. Averin had learned that forming real bonds was not something he could have, though he would cherish the moments that he got with those that had brushed past his life. He doesn't know if that was what this was, but he was hopeful that there could be lasting friendships in this new place, under a new master. So he held onto that hope, even as he tried not to get too ahead of himself on the idea. Coraline was saying that his name was lovely, and Averin felt warm all over just at hearing someone say his name out loud after all this time. Knowing that his name was lovely was such a nice thing to hear, and he would keep those words close to his heart. "Thank you. I like your name, it sounds elegant." He responded with a nod. Most names of the youth brought into the caravan -- and sent out, later -- ended up with short names, nothing with flair to it, so it was interesting to hear names that must have been lovingly placed upon others. Which made him all the more curious about Only's name, and if it was self given or placed by a parent or someone like that. There had to be a story there, Averin thinks. Not one that he's likely to get anytime soon, if ever. He did not believe it would be wise to ask his new master about it at this point in time. Though his attention was pulled away from those thoughts and pushed back to the memories -- small amount that they were -- of his fathers when Coraline asked him how many he had. "Just two. Although I guess one is also sort of my mother, since he carried my siblings and I in the way that most mares carry foals before they are born." And yes, Averin was very much aware that this was not the usual order of things. It had never occurred to him how strange it was to many until he was no longer living with his parents anymore; when he knew how most came to be born. He is interested to hear how Coraline had a couple fathers, though by her explinations, it wasn't the same as Averin's family dynamics. He listened thoughtfully to what she was telling him, wondering how one got others to become parents like that. Of course his focus was next on her comment about the rabbit shift of one father, and asking if he could do that. Averin shook his head. "No, I did not get that ability. I was able to shift into a panther, though. But I haven't been able to do that in a long time." He felt sad about that loss most of all out of the abilities he'd had, but he could barely even remember what it felt like to be in that form anymore. It used to feel right and good, but that was all he still remembered. The words about a stuffed foxed made him blink, but he understood the idea of magic stealing or being stolen away. That had happened to him, somehow, after all. She was explaining that magic had taken a lot from everyone here, and Averin nods to that. "Maybe we'll someday get them back." He wanted to be optimistic about it, even if more for her sake than his. He had resigned himself to his own losses, and they felt more like old scars to him now. She had jumped to talking about liking his wings and asking if it hurt him to fly, and Averin gave a little shrug. "No, it doesn't hurt. I haven't ever gone too far whenn flying, though. It made those who kept me nervous when I flew." He replied sheepishly. I'M WIDE AWAKE AND I CAN SEE THE PERFECT SKY IS TORN

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@Coraline