Will we ever be the same as we once were?

Her name rolled of of her tongue and he mentally played it back over and over in his mind. Her name was different, unique, and he wanted to remember the way that she said it. When the woman scoffed, he hardly expected anything but a smart answer and a coy smile. The last thing he expected was for her to pull herself from the water and show herself off to him, careful to give him a look at both sides and plenty of time to do so as well. He would be a liar if he said she wasn't beautiful, soaking wet and missing antlers or not.

When she asked if that was better, his purple eyes drew away from her body and to her own silver eyes a bit slow. While he was pleased to see that she wasn't infected with any of the afflictions that plagued the wolves of the Armada, he had to admit that it actually wasn't on his mind until she reminded him of it by speaking. He had to swallow hard to collect his thoughts, laughing awkwardly in response to her question as he failed to come up with any words. She lowered herself into a ledge within the water, asking him how he was faring with all the changes lately.

"As well as I can, I suppose, with some of the Armada wolves being infected.. You?" It was easier to answer her questions than to think of any of his own. He wasn't sure if the infection was contagious or not either, and wondered how far along anyone was with figuring it out. So far, he seemed fine, but what would tomorrow bring? He tried to limit his time around the sick wolves, but as their numbers grew, it was becoming difficult. He was pleased to know that despite losing her horns, nothing bad had happened to her.

"Speech."