Harsh winds

"Speech"

Eltrys sighed with relief as she waved his vocal blunder off as inconsequential, he did notice that the cadence of her voice was different than his, hers was an easy speech, his words were practiced, perhaps stiff. Would he find a way to let this world's rhythm affect his habits?

When Bramble mentioned the title of the shore they stood on, Etrys roved his frost blue eyes over the waves sparkling in the night. An apt name... he mused to himself.

She invited him to join her pack and indicated the castle high above them towering on the cliffs. As she pointed it out it was the first time he let his attention be seized by the image above him. The spires and stones reached the cloudy dark sky of the night like the stalagmites of his home. Instead of comfort, they filed him with dread. His ears swiveled and pinned back for just a moment, his tail swished briefly hopefully to brush off stubborn anxieties.

"I... appreciate the gesture." He pushed the words out, as if his mouth had suddenly filled with sand, "I'll explore these lands a bit more before  I'll land somewhere, I think. Thank you." He curtly nodded his head, hoping he hadn't tipped her off to his sudden rush of fear he swallowed back.

He could barely hear the rest of the conversation as the ringing and cotton in his ears from the sudden panic filled them.
This rush of adrenaline fell into his pads, making his legs itch to wander.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Bramble Carpatrys--thee-us, I'll remember your kindness and welcome for many moons." He easily shifted into the ritualistic salutation, finding a hint of comfort in the old script, kicking himself for messing up her name again for just a moment. "I'll be practicing your name, also." He chuckled sheepishly before continuing, "I like to sleep in the open air as much as possible, so I'll be off to look for a place to wait for the morning." He dipped his head in farewell, perhaps being too hasty, maybe even rude at this juncture. Unfortunately upon noticing the castle rising over them, he felt like he needed to get as far away from it as possible. Shallow dens and dugouts were fine, utilitarian even! Caves... Anything reminding him of caves... He just couldn't do it again.