scarlet begonias

The beautiful stranger lifts her head, narrowly missing the rock with her head, and the man immediately winces in sympathy. Not because she hurts herself, which, thankful, she didn’t, but because he has bothered the woman while she was looking at something. Ricin’s head ducks slightly as he offers a sheepish grin and inquires if she needs help. The grin slowly morphs into a friendly smile as he realizes that the stranger is on edge, and he drops his head and slumps his shoulders, folding into himself. It is a stance he had learned when he was pup and his mother would scream foul, cruel things at the weak boy. It helps to make him look smaller and that is exactly what he wants to do; be smaller.

Ricin has a kind, caring heart that is beating fast in chest as he hopes the woman will not attack him. As she looks him, her first answer is short, the word clipped and he nods absently to himself while sinking further into himself. She quickly follows that up with a kinder phrase and the smile wobbles but returns to his lips in a slightly duller way. He stands close enough to talk with the woman but far enough away to not be bitten if she wanted to attack him. At her next question, the blue man’s eyes widen and his stutters out, “Wha… what? No! Uh, no you’re not.” The question flusters the already uncertain male.

Taking a deep breath, Ricin calms his inner conflict that tries to berate him and remembers the encouragement that his brother, Chade, always gives him. Finally, he straightens up, unfolding himself until he is standing at his full height. Head dips in an apologetic manner as he admits, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you. I only asked if you needed help because I usually hang out in this land. I know pretty much everything that you can find here.” Head lifts back up and warm smile plays across his lips, the uncertain boy who been walking in his skin moments before now replaced with a more confident man.

Lifting a large paw to his chest, the man offers the stranger a respectful bow as he says, “My name Ricin Dauner and I am the Master Wayfinder for Elysium.” Hopefully, that explains a little bit about why he knows the land so well. Paw falls back to the ground as the smile warms further and he adds, “I must admit, I didn’t just want to help you.” He pauses a moment, allowing his crimson eyes to fill with merriment as he bashfully adds, “I wanted to get to know the beautiful woman that was walking in this land.” Heat floods his cheeks and he has to work to keep himself from ducking his head shyly.


"Ricin Dauner"