Aithne was as adept at concealing her thoughts as Kneph was at reading them, so that he struggled to pick from her emotions anything more than a wary determination. He regarded her quietly, white eyes fathomless as he attempted to imagine what she could have been thinking. She was not happy about his little announcement, of that he was quite sure, but she did not punish nor did she judge him for it, or at least as far as he could tell. Instead, she offered him hope, letting him glimpse a freedom he had never before tasted, and the thought excited him so thoroughly that not a leaf was safe from the rapid whirring of his tail. It was as though his mood was infectious, and he noted that the black and red female's demeanour altered into one of a gentler presence, her smile caring and sincere. He felt a warmth flood through him and he opened his jaws to whine, so pressing was that emotion. Although no sound save a strangled cough emerged from between his large jaws, he felt better for his efforts and returned her smile with his, meeting her emerald eyes with a gratitude so all-consuming it was as a tidal wave; none could stand against it.

Suddenly Kneph grew a little embarrassed, though he hardly knew why, and he turned his face away to give Aithne some room to think before he replied to her earlier statement, his muscles twitching so rapidly it was as though an electric current passed through his body. After he was done, she took awhile to mull over his words, eyes flicking to the birds that occassionally passed overhead, their miniature forms darrting between the trees, heralding the summer that loomed on the horizon. Aithne spoke then, her speech halting at first, but growing stronger as she bolstered her resolve. In that moment, as Aithne gave to Kneph avenues and possibilities he had never thought possible, he felt an intense love for his alphess so strong it almost bowled him over. In that moment he was poised and ready to do whatever she asked of him, even if she bid him give his flesh to an alligator for her personal pleasure. That she had managed to grant him hope where none other had was more than he could fathom.

When next the blue-black male looked at his red and black counterpart, it was with a warmth that was almost uncomfortable to behold. A warmth and a hope,

“Your healer I have met. She knows true name. Or rather Others have. Don't know if she can help. One in desert pack, also in forest pack. Don't know if possible, but want try. Can't stay this way. Miss voice. Miss living.”

He tried his utmost to impart to her how difficult it was living with his curse, unable to use names or correctly relay information. Torture for a wolf as smart as he. He longed to be able to help Aithne plan pack dynamics and statistics properly. True he was in the process of completing his pack tasks and becoming her Auspex, but he dreamt of how much more use he would be with full grasp of his tongue.

He was willing to try anything.