MOST HAVE LEARNED

THAT THOSE WHO PLAY WITH FIRE

SPEND THEIR LIVES ICING BURNS

She holds his pink gaze; softly self determined not to look away from him. In her resolve, she almost does not want to blink. Her nose twitches slightly, still disconcerted with herself for her tactless choice of words. But he whom she had most likely insulted did not seem offended. If anything, he seemed inquisitive. Dessa’s nostrils flare as he repeats her name, questioning what she might have meant by her statement. He is the picture of composure. Any other day that was her. And it probably would have been the case if she had kept her thoughts to herself instead of letting her lips loose so quickly. Why his physical appearance had caused such flippancy in her otherwise steady mind she could hardly say.

As his head mimicked her prior motion, she straightens her head and her tongue slipped between her lips, licking the nose that refused to be as unfaltering as her eyes were, before she replied. “I suppose they are only stories, that the moorlands are solely inhabited by the creatures known as demons – wolves black as night draped in markings of crimson.” To herself, she could not help but think that she should have known better. Stories were just that – stories. But that was, in part, why she had come – to find the truth behind the fable. And here it was, here he was, standing before her now.

His introduction reminded her of her folly, and as she willed her nose to remain still, her ears pivoted backwards instead. It was the following question that pulled her ears forward to attention once more. Perhaps her reasons for coming had been juvenile, but she did not see it that way. Though she was perfectly well aware she could easily be scolded for her outing, it had felt necessary to her. She could not hope to have a working knowledge of the world if her knowledge of the pieces of this land came only from stories. “Malum,” she echoed, similarly wishing to remember the name. “I suppose curiosity could be to blame,” she said, trying to lighten the conversation, or at least ease herself into her normal speech pattern, recovering from the stumbling statements that had started their interaction. A slight smirk pulled at the edge of her maw, lingering for only a moment before vanishing. “But I would prefer to say the basis was education. Can’t go on believing everything I here in secondhand stories, clearly.” Truly she knew her parents meant well, and if it were true that there was such a rivalry between the packs there was a potential for danger. But she didn’t see it.

Dessa

two | maddox x elowen | diveen