Iskandor’s ears twitched eagerly at his mother’s nuzzle, her touch pulling him out of his book with a reluctant but curious lift of his gaze. Huh? Ignita’s promise of a new discovery made his eyes gleam with excitement. “Okay!” Closing the book gently, as if sealing a precious thought between its pages, he rose, nearly matching her stride with a surprisingly determined pace to see what she had in store for him.
As they reached the storage den, Iskandor’s sharp blue eyes swept over the shelves, lingering on the lanterns and rucksacks. He picked up a lantern with careful jaws, handing it to Ignita before turning to the jerky with a small, thoughtful tilt of his head. With almost reverent concentration, he placed the snacks into the rucksack, making sure everything sat neatly, the way she had shown him before.
–
The cavern loomed ahead, its dark entrance like a gateway to a world brimming with mystery. At Ignita’s question, Iskandor’s brow furrowed in thought, his gaze growing intense as he considered the possibilities. The boy tilted his skull slowly, eyes moving high above his mother’s head as he wondered.
“Mmm… maybe gemstones?” he mused aloud, a spark of wonder in his young voice. “Or old bones… or, or herbs that only grow in the shadows. I read about plants that need no sun to grow. Some of them evolve properties that allow them to glow—biolumiii-nescence!” he added with a slight song in his voice, glancing up at her, his little chest puffing with pride over the tidbit he’d just shared.
He adjusted his grip on the rucksack with growing determination, nodding toward the cave as if already envisioning himself navigating its depths. “Shall we go find them, Mama?” he whispered, his voice a blend of anticipation and awe.
"Speech"
