this castle of glass

The male pressed his nose against her cheek as he spoke, causing Qanik to pull back disconcertedly at the unexpected contact. "Wh- what?" was the only thing she could manage at first, her ears flattening back in confusion. But... it was kind of nice. The seemingly playful contact, the question, the very lack of seriousness... it was a nice change. There was no love here, no responsibility, no rank. Just a stranger who didn't even know her but deigned to stop and talk. On a purely whimsical impulse, she returned the gesture, poking her muzzle at his cheek as well. "You never did tell me your name, stranger. Maybe I was trying to decide what to call you."