The first step

She listened to him prattle on politely, though he was sure he was divulging far too much information for a stranger. Still, he hadn’t talked to one so similar to him in a very long time. Living among the herla he sometimes felt as if he was losing his wits. Devolving into a creature of pure instinct. Talking to Lumi now, he felt invigorated and renewed. "I wouldn’t have guessed.” He offered with a light chuckle, doing his best to overcome the melancholy. She went on, mentioning her parents wished for her to make a return after a year. However she did not seem so certain that was the path she desired to take.

"You should follow your heart. There aren’t enough deer that are able to do that.” He offered his snippet of advice, thinking to himself that he should have followed his own advice. She turned her honeyed eyes back to him, brimming with curiosity as she asked why it was he did not return to his homeland.

He frowned slightly, but not at her. Rannoch shook his heavy head to clear his thoughts and once he was finished there was the hint of a smile on his lips. "I was a young, curious fawn. The simple truth is, I was late.” He sighed at his own folly. "My herd returned to my homeland over an ice bridge and by the time I went to follow them it was gone, and I was forced to remain here.” He looked away, but tried to keep his smile. "The last of my kind.” He said again, realizing he was being far too open once more.

"Speech"