"Don't be scared, sweetheart." He purrs. "I said I would protect you, did I not?" He looks into her face with false sincerity. "I know it might not be as aesthetically pleasing as other places... but it will soon become home. I'm also sorry for the smell." He says, though he doesn't even notice it - having grown up in the Lagoon, he has become impervious to its various stenches that often shift with the seasons. "It gets better, I promise. When winter comes, you won't even notice." He reassures her, his voice gentle and soothing.

The sudden rustle of bushes spooks her, though Mikhail reacts only by burying his ears in the tangles of his ebony mane. She jumps closer to him, cowering beneath his frame like a startled child. What is it? she whispers inconspicuously, and it takes all of his willpower for Mikhail not to roll his eyes at her stupidity. Instead, he continues to play along, his far-away gaze settling on her face. He flicks his ears towards the source of the noise. "Sounds like a frog to me." He informs her. "Haven't you ever seen a frog before?" Surely, where she came from, they had frogs - unless of course she came from the alpines or a desert wasteland, though both possibilities seemed unlikely to him. He offers her a reassuring nudge. "It won't hurt you, trust me. Let's go, and stay close." His reminder is firm, yet gentle.

He leads her further into the Lagoon, towards the heart of his home where the true treasure awaits. The lagoon's main body of water - a beautiful jade green pool surrounded by dense jungle - was one of Mikhail's favorite places to be. Part of him hopes she'll find it as beautiful as he does; at least if she likes it there, he won't have to listen to her complain so much. When they reach their destination, Mikhail turns his body towards her, his posture slightly rigid. "We'll stay here for awhile. You can rest." He moves away from her, towards the edge of the water. "Tell me about yourself, Kochanie. Where are you from?"