Common

A warm smile graced his whiskered lips as she introduced herself as Tabaxi—whatever this place was. His icy gaze was irresistibly drawn to her green eyes, as if they had a magnetic allure. In his three years of existence, he had never encountered eyes like hers; they resembled deep pools of jade or sparkling emeralds shimmering in the bright sunlight. A wave of nervousness washed over him as he realized he had been staring. Quickly, he averted his glacial gaze to his hooves, scrambling to organize his thoughts and hoping to find something that wouldn’t embarrass him.

"Ta-Bash-ee," he echoed, savoring how the syllables rolled off his tongue. "It's beautiful... Your name, it's beautiful... it suits you," he murmured bashfully, meeting her emerald eyes once again.

A moment slipped between them before the spotted stallion, cleared his throat. "Have you ever been to a desert?" he asked, tilting his head gently. He had never imagined he would find himself in a desert; his lineage was one of snow and ice, with white-capped mountains and clear, cold streams running through his veins. At least that was what he believed—or what he had been told. In truth, he was born in Atlantis, a realm of lush jungles, and he felt more akin to a jungle cat than a prowling mountain lion.

As she answered, his friendly smile lingered, but he could not shake the urge to inquire about her homeland, eager to learn where she originated. He envisioned her as hailing from a dense, mysterious forest, or perhaps, like him, from a vibrant jungle. "What is your home like?" he asked, curiosity shining in his glacial blue eyes.