<font color=7f1715>*you painted me in pastel</font>

She ate her portion of the fallen sow, mentally thanking the beast for its life as she felt the meat hit her stomach. It was sweet and succulent, much more savory than the lean meats she was used to, a rich flavor that quickly overpowered her appetite. His voice filled her ears while the meat filled her belly. �Sen, then,� she said between bites, his name a breath on her lips instead of a word. He had a short name for such a big personality, but it seemed to suit him, and she liked it.

The mood between them changed before his voice did, and it was clear to her that she had brought up unhappy memories. Ah, well, it happened sometimes. Not everyone she met lived in a world of rainbows and sunshine. She watched him hesitantly, unsure how deep he was willing to dig to answer her question, but the words he chose caught her off guard. She managed to swallow her last mouthful before breaking into her characteristic tinkling laughter, an innocent and honest sound.

She tried to stop herself, she really did, but she offered him a genuinely apologetic look as her laughter faded into a quiet chuckle. �I�m so sorry! I don�t mean to laugh at your troubles.� She shook her head, shooting him the straightest face she could manage. �It�s just such a gloomy story for such a bright boy,� she said sincerely, the slightest hint of flirtation creeping back into her voice. �Sen�� she repeated thoughtfully, not really addressing him, just considering aloud.

She circled in place and sat, mimicking the comfortable way he curled his tail around his legs. Then she turned her head to look at him over her russet shoulder, her radiant smile back in full form, �I�m Hush.� That question was easy enough�her name was a simple and ultimately useless piece of information. The rest of it was kind of personal; it went a little deeper than what she usually shared. A quiet moment passed between them, she could feel his eyes on her, boring into her head as if he would see the answers for himself, and she decided to open up just a little.

�Well. This is the Midwestern part of the crater,� she said, gesturing to the trees with her eyes. � I was born here. I�ve always lived here.� She trailed off. Would he hear the years of solitude in her voice? She wouldn�t trade her home for anything, of course, but she had battled loneliness for a long time. And every time someone came along, she found a reason to run. She had always been a flight risk. A breeze dragged his wonderful scent across her nose, and it snapped her back into the clearing, a breath away from the most alluring creature she�d ever met. She could be happy in his sight. �You�re not from here. Are you a traveler, then? Just passing through?�

they sing in clever tongues

oh, how my knees go weak

to be the one;

H U S H

five ** ~~soul~~ ** ~~home~~ **

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