It was not in my nature to instinctually become defensive of myself with strangers. Everyone deserved the chance to prove they were their own individual. Just because she was from Iromar did not mean she had to be immoral. There was certainly no way Father would have agreed to a treaty between our packs if the entirety of the swampland pack was inherently depraved. In fact, Father’s Hand, his trusted second in command, was of the crimson and ebony markings the shewolf that kept my company now sported. And besides, the dashes of white on her chest and paw had not gone unnoticed. There was no reason for me to show prejudice against this wolf. This was actually a perfect opportunity to learn more about the many facets of the Demon culture. I knew not much of it – in fact, next to nothing – but there was no time like the present to begin one’s education.

Her agreement with my statement about swimming gave way to a small smirk that pulled at only the right edge of my maw. But the comment about the fish gave rise to a soft chuckle, delicately emitted from my throat. “Fresher, perhaps; but most likely bland without the salt of the sea to give flavor to their flesh.” In that I was somewhat picky. I had tried river trout before, and found it tasteless by comparison to the sea trout found in the bay of my home. The taste of stone was not nearly as delectable as the taste of salt and sea plants.

She gave her name, and I nodded. Her next question made me arch a single brow. She had never been to the seaside lands? Never looked upon the vast beauty of the unknown? I rose quickly to my feet, almost wishing to lead her back to Glorall immediately so that she could experience its glory firsthand. Instead, I glanced over my shoulder at the pool of water that had calmed since I had extricated myself from it. Now only the water that trickled from the fissure above continuously rippled the surface. I motioned for Aithne to follow me, and then jogged on silent paws back towards the pool. Over the past years I had nearly mastered the ability to move over rocks without making so much as a sound. That skill could not truly be appreciated with the ruckus of the water cascading from the ceiling muffling any sound of movement anyhow.

When I reached the edge of the pool, I moved so that I might sit at an angle where the small fall of water did not impede my vision. I glanced behind me, making sure Aithne had moved to join me, and when she had sat down beside me I spoke. “Imagine it is nighttime and you are sitting on the cliffs of the southern point of Glorall. Do you know how far the darkness of this cave reaches? That’s what it’s like, looking out across the sea. Nobody knows where it ends. Our shores are simply its beginning.” I stared off into the darkness of the cave, letting the edges of my vision grow blurry to encourage the effect to take hold. After a moment of silence I blinked to readjust my sight and looked to Aithne. “I love to watch the seals swimming, but they are most humorously slow on land, and delicious too. The crabs are quite entertaining too, little clawed creatures that scuttle along the shoreline. If you can crack their shell open, they contain a most delectable treat of meat within. There is a trick to it, but you must be quick so that their little pincers do not pinch your nose.” I grinned happily, loving the opportunity to share the knowledge I held of my homeland.

But to educate one must be educated; in a more well rounded sense than simply knowing all there was to know of home. “I have heard of the…alligators?....that swim in your river. What are they like? Are there other dangerous creatures that live in the murky waters?” Curiosity lit up my eyes, wanting to know all that Aithne might have to share with me.

three // tesseract x caligula // no attachments // glorall