Smells Like Teen Spirit

At the sound of her voice Flamesong stopped what he was doing and bounded over to her. He pressed his muzzle into her ruff, and Qanik had to stop herself from jumping back in instinctive startlement. A moment's indecision, and Qanik returned the gesture hesitantly, burrowing her face against the side of his neck. Flamesong showed affection so easily, but was it because he genuinely cared for her, or because it was the way he was with all his friends? It worried her that she didn't know him well enough to know that, but her heart was unswayed by worries and logic to turn from her own involvement.

Flamesong pulled back, rubbed his muzzle along hers, and Qanik's eyes half-closed in happiness. "I've been thinking about you," he said, and her eyes opened wider to watch him as her heart stuttered. She had been on his mind, despite the distance between them? He launched into a sudden barrage of questions, then, about her injury, and Qanik could not help but let out a low laugh.

"I've improved greatly. My eyesight is as good as it was before the accident, thanks to you." She smiled at him, internally pleased that he'd have been concerned for her health even as part of her worried that it was simply the worry of a healer for their patient. "And you, Flamesong? How has the world treated you since the storm?"



speech.