†
It is not difficult to parse Shiloh's high, clear voice from among the wildlife in Paradise. His ears flick toward her as he corrects his path to head in her direction, thinking as he walks how rapidly he has grown used to her company. Temblor thought he might struggle to manage a relationship with another mare (hence his years-long solitude and hesitance in inviting too many into his home), a notion strongly reinforced by his awkward interactions with Sonorae, but Shiloh makes things feel easy. True, they haven't delved too deeply into any serious topics, yet, but he appreciates her interest in his life, and life in general. When Shiloh is not with him she is investigating more of the territory. He likes when she returns to his side —and not just because her warmth along the length of his body feels like a gift willingly given— and tells him about her adventures of the day. He likes to watch her eyes light up, see the bright green deepen to a rich emerald in response to her passion.
She is so genuine. It is his favorite thing about her, that she doesn't appear to be playing any games or hiding some ulterior motive. He could be wrong, of course. It has happened before. But, he thinks as her words draw him through the underbrush to his left, he does not think Shiloh has a malicious bone in her body. Just unabashed curiosity and a healthy sense of independence, all covered in that deliciously white coat with copper accents he sees like a beacon through the trees.
"Shiloh," he greets her warmly as he draws up to the edge of the pool, extending his head over the water to brush his muzzle along the curve of her cheek as she wades toward shore. He shifts to give her more space to climb out, tipping his ears to the sides in amusement. "Ah, but you should have," he teases, leaning into her as she settles beside him, tugging gently at her forelock. "I'd much rather join you for a soak in the water than sleep." It has been a long time since he has permitted himself to show affection, and in their early days together Temblor was slow to initiate such casual touch, preferring to let Shiloh express herself first, open to receiving but hesitant to seek out the warmth of such a fire after having been so badly burned.
It is hard not to feel relaxed around Shiloh, however, and the more time they spend together the more comfortable Temblor feels, reaching out more often now in small, brief ways just for the joy of sharing that touch. He is grateful that his earlier hesitance seems not to have deterred her in the slightest, and wonders sometimes if his restraint had even been notable to her. It feels significant to him, for he knows how openly affectionate he used to be— but she only knows this version of himself, the one with walls, and he wonders if she can see it in his eyes, the way he bricks himself up when their conversation skirts too close to that cellar door, as he can see her magnificent gaze fade to jade when he trods clumsily past the acceptable bounds of their conversation.
Temblor draws back a little, but only to better see her face as he replies, "I slept well. How was your bath? You look refreshed." His shoulder and hip are damp from where they've touched, and he thinks longingly of submerging himself similarly this evening. Atlantis's humidity still makes him feel like he's wading, not walking, through the thick air, and a dunk in the ocean sounds divine. "I was hoping you'd join me on the beach tonight. The wind blows a little cooler there, and the sunset is unparalleled. That is, if I can coax you out of the jungle," he adds, half in jest. He doesn't know whether or not Sonorae and Shiloh have encountered one another, but there is very little other competition here for the pale mare's attention besides Paradise itself, and her willingness to explore the territory with or without him roots his joke in a seed of truth. "You seem to have acclimated well," he adds, treading carefully as he toes the line of a subject that thus far has been kept firmly behind a closed door. "I wondered if the history here might make that difficult for you."
TEMBLOR
& swallows you whole
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