It was time to get motivated. Things in The Hallows were changing - not necessarily for the better but he didn't want to think it was all that bad. Either way he knew wolves in his pack, wolves that he cared about on some level, were struggling. He wanted to relieve some of that suffering, even if only the most minuscule way. He was hardly the greatest hunter and truthfully he made a dreadful fighter, but he was good at doing grunt work and helping with menial work wherever he could. If anything, Sota was a hard worker and humble to the core. There wasn't a single task that was too lowly for him to do. And today, he had one task in particular, and he wasn't quite sure how he'd accomplish it but he was determined.

First he started by slipping into the courtyard and surveying things. It was a mild day, pleasantly warm considering how the weather had been heading lately. The breeze had an undeniable bite of cold to it but it was definitely bearable. He wore a small grin as he skirted around the outskirts of the open courtyard, moving nimbly on small paws across the worn cobblestone as his claws scraped audible against the stone. His gaze darted to and fro - to a few stray rocks that lay nearby, to the tall tree at the corner of the open space. He had ideas, he just wasn't sure how to execute them, and he hoped his aimless wandering wouldn't draw attention to the plan he was quietly hatching.

She was learning the layout of the castle and it's grounds slowly but surely. As long as she stayed within the courtyard, Gypsy felt relatively safe. Her father couldn't get her here and if he did come, there was always someone within hearing range to come and help her. Now that she'd gotten a taste of kindness, of a life that wasn't abuse and pain, she never wanted to go back. Every day she went out into the courtyard. Gypsy counted the steps from one end of the castle to the other. She felt around for different landmarks that would tell her what location she was in. The tiny woman was getting more and more comfortable with each outing. Today she was just coming around the corner of the castle when she slammed hard into another furred body. A soft gasp pulled from her as the slender lady fell to the ground. "I'm sorry," she instantly offered in whisperish tones. She didn't know the wolves of the Hallows. Perhaps some of them had tempers. Rather than rising, she stayed on the ground, mismatched ears tucked against her pale crown. If she had a tail, it would have been tucked against her belly, but as it was, she just made herself as small as possible. "Gypsy"

Suddenly wrapped up in his own thoughts and trying to figure out just how he was going to accomplish the task he'd set for himself, Sota barely noticed when the form of a woman cross his path. Well, he did notice - he'd just been moving too quickly and he paused a step too late. The small little woman collided with him and fell to the ground, and he let out a little yelp of surprise. "Oh! Miss! Don't be sorry, I should've been watching where I was going," he hurriedly explained and pulled back from her, silver eyes frantically scanning her for signs of visible injury. She sounded terrified, something that made him instinctively think she might be hurt, but visibly she seemed untouched.

Her posture confused him, and he paused for a moment as he watched her crouch low and stay there. He noted immediately that she was quite small, just a bit taller than he was. She was perhaps the smallest woman he'd seen since leaving his homelands, and despite his confusion and worry he felt immediately drawn to her. "Really, it was my fault. Sometimes I get a bit lost in my thoughts and forget that there might be others in my path. Oh! I'm Sota, by the way." The little tribal-marked wolf offered a bow, oblivious to the fact that her eyes were hazy with blindness, feeling a bit flustered at her submissive response to his own absentmindedness. "You must be new to The Hallows? I was just - working on a little project today. Maybe you'd want to join me?" Anything to get her to stand up and not look so scared of him. His eyes were almost pleading as he rambled on and waited for her to respond.

Instantly the stranger apologized, but it didn't help the anxiety that flared in the little blind woman. She was now faced with someone that she didn't know and he'd thrown off her count enough that she didn't know where she stood in the courtyard. That amplified her anxiety. Should she... just stay in this spot until someone came to find her? A moment later the man began speaking again. Once more he apologized and then gave his name. "Gypsy," she offered softly, mismatched ears still tucked against her skull. She didn't react to his bow, though she heard him moving. Instead she continued to stare straight ahead with her odd milky eyes. He then asked her if she wanted to help him with a project. Couldn't he see that she was blind? "I'm sorry," she replied in her whisperish tones. "I don't think I'd be much help." Hesitantly, she reached a paw out in front of her, feeling the ground to see if she recognized the space that she stood upon. "If I make it back to the castle, maybe I can send someone better to help you?" The tiny woman's head tilted slightly as though she was asking for permission to leave, send him help... permission for everything. "Gypsy"

If anything at all, Sota was eager to please, and seeing her fears bubble to the surface so painfully obvious - well, it pained him. He wanted to sweep it all away and assure her that he wasn't the least bit upset. If anything, he'd done wrong and should be apologizing! "Gypsy!" He exclaimed softly, echoing her quiet tones, not that he was a very loud wolf to begin with. "What a lovely name." A lovely name for a lovely woman, he thought to himself. Sota was a gentleman though and was only silently remarking on her beauty in the most well-intentioned way even in his mind. He'd never seen such vibrant purple hues before, a stark contrast to his own extremely muted purple fur. Only when he got a better look at her did he notice her hazy eyes, though rather than feel bad he just gave a timid little laugh.

"I think you'd be great help, actually. You know what flowers are?" He raised a brow despite knowing she very well couldn't see him. "I was just trying to decorate the courtyard today, that's all. I know things have been really hard for everyone -" Maybe she didn't know about all that, Sota really wasn't sure. "I know a lot of people are feeling pretty sad lately about things that have been going on. I wanted to find some things - maybe flowers and vines - to line the pathways here. Brighten up the place a bit. Anything, really! I just thought it'd be a nice gesture." It was a small little thing but he thought even if it made a single wolf smile it'd be worth it. "But! If you want me to walk you back to the castle I can do that. Anything you need!" He added hastily. Gosh, he hoped he wasn't sounding too eager to please - but he was, that was who Sota was deep down. He'd spent most of his early life hiding that part of him but he was beginning to realize here, in his home, he didn't have to do that anymore.

Sota gasped and whispered her name and a little tingle ran up the young woman's spine. He complimented her moniker and the barest of smiles lifted the corners of her mouth. His mannerisms helped to ease the tension within her. He sounded small. Smaller than Indigo, for sure. That in itself made her less nervous. Her father was a big man as well and large wolves put her on guard. Sota explained what he planned to do and the reasons behind it. The generosity and thoughtfulness of the man's plan touched the tiny woman. Was everyone here kind? Never had she run into so many kindhearted and compassionate wolves. She found herself nodding in agreement before she could even open her mouth. "Yes," she whispered, then put a little more force behind her words. "Yes, I'll help you. I just..." she gave a light shrug as she stood, still not able to detect just where Sota was standing. "I might need a little help. I'm sorry." Ears flattened and she looked a little ashamed. "I can still go and find someone else to help you if you'd like." Gods, why was she such a spineless wreck? Oh right, because she was raised that way. A gentle breeze blew towards her and her hypersensitive nose twitched as the scent of flowers struck. "There's hyacinth nearby," she informed him softly. She was a little hesitant to ask a favor of him, but he wanted her help and she felt that his goal was just. "If you stand close, I might be able to lead you there." The woman tilted her head ever so slightly, wondering what Sota might choose to do. "Gypsy"

She seemed to relax slightly in his presence, which pleased him. The last thing Sota wanted was for anyone to feel uncomfortable in his presence, let alone afraid - he certainly wasn't worth feeling frightened over, he was sure of that! "Only if you want to!" He insisted firmly. He didn't care who helped, or if anyone helped at all, he just wanted everyone to feel included, and he had a feeling this blind woman needed a little confidence boost. "I just... thought it'd be something fun to do. Maybe not the best use of my time ever, but I think everyone needs a little smile sometimes, don't you?" Both himself and those he was trying to cheer up. He'd seen a hint of a smile touch Gypsy's lips and he hoped he could elicit that expression once again, his own smile audible in his voice.

"That's okay, I'm happy to help!" It was obvious now she wasn't comfortable navigating on her own. For a moment he felt bad about potentially interrupting where she'd been going, but he decided against dwelling on it for too long. Sota just had to trust she'd say if she didn't want to join him and encourage her to be honest. That was all he could do. "Hyacinth sounds perfect. Off we go!" He moved to stand beside her and help direct her there, not wanting to get too close and make her uncomfortable. At least he could help steer her clear from any obstacles. He hoped he didn't sound too cheerful, but he wasn't really acting; this was just who he was, eager to make those around him comfortable, with a desire to see the good in everything and everyone.

Sota's kindness and patience worked wonders on Gypsy. As the moments passed, she felt more and more at ease in his presence. His joy was kind of contagious and even after being joyless for so long, the little woman found herself smiling even more. She knew that he was smiling as well and could hear it in his voice. The little nub of her tail reflexively began to sway back and forth in accompaniment. With the go ahead given, Gypsy slowly moved in the direction of the flowers. She hoped that Sota would know to tell her if she was going to walk off of a cliff or into a river. She could feel the warmth of the man's body as he stood beside her and it was a welcome warmth. Comforting. She liked to know that someone was there beside her in case she tripped up or got herself lost. As the footing became unfamiliar, the cobblestones shifting into uneven tussocks of grass, Gypsy became a little more unsure of herself. Hesitantly, she took a sidestep closer to Sota, pressing her shoulder gently against his for added reassurance. Her pace slowed, but having him there with her kept her going. In time, the rich scent of the flowers enveloped her senses and she questioned softly, her head giving the slightest tilt, "Can you see them?" "Gypsy"

Bolstering up those around him was something Sota enjoyed doing. Though he'd been raised to value his own self-interest, and part of him certainly did, he'd grown to learn that there was much more to life than that. Forming real, genuine connections and working toward a greater goal was far more enjoyable than looking out for only himself. Moments like this only reminded him of that. He was glad to guide Gypsy along and out of the courtyard, occasionally giving her insight into where they were going, noting important features like the archway that led outside. Whenever they met even the slightest shift in terrain he'd mention it, not wanting her to losing her footing on something he might not realize might be precarious for her.

He welcomed her touch, leaning into her slightly for encouragement. Once she spoke up, asking a question, he tilted his head and sniffed at the air. She'd noticed the flowers long before he did, and it took him some navigated through the long grass to find a pocket of pale blue and purple flowers. He saw them before he smelled them, helping gently guide her toward them. "Well, your nose is quite impressive. I would've missed these if it wasn't for you. There's a little patch of them here!" Sota leaned in to get a better whiff of them before he began to gingerly collect some, not wanting to take too many and leave the flower patch depleted. Wildflowers were not terribly hard to find, but he'd been on the search for something extra special like this hyacinth - dandelions just wouldn't do for this little project. "These are very nearly the same color as you! Well, at least parts of you," he added with a chuckle. Was talking about things she couldn't see okay, or would these topics bring her pain? Sota had no idea, but he watched carefully to see if he might upset her, deciding he'd reel back quickly if she showed signs of discomfort.

Sota didn't pull away when she touched him for added guidance and that brought a small smile to Gypsy's face. She used the subtle cues of his movement to alter her own steps. In addition, the man gave her verbal cues when there was some oddity in the terrain to look out for. He was pretty good at this, she mused. Not everyone was a good guide for the blind, but Sota exceeded her expectations.

Together the pair made their way towards the flowers. She could smell their scent grow richer with each step. In time, Sota's steps stopped and he told her that he found the flowers. Gypsy's tiny puff of a tail swished back and forth lightly as he praised her nose. The young woman hadn't done much good in her life. She'd always been dragged from one place to another. She'd never developed any skills other than singing, so being helpful was a nice change.

Gypsy could hear as the man began plucking the flowers and she stood by, ready to carry some back as well if he would place them before her. His playful words, comparing her to a flower, made Gypsy blink. She looked like a flower? One brow raised just a bit as her head tilted and a little heat filled her cheeks as she softly asked, "Are... are they pretty flowers?" Gypsy really had no idea what she looked like and how would she know? She'd been blind her entire life. She didn't know colors. She knew the idea of 'pretty' though and was curious whether or not Sota thought the flowers that looked like her were indeed pretty.

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

It was often difficult being so worried about those around him; he was just as concerned as her comfort in their close proximity as he was worried that she might stumble upon some obstacle. Fortunately she didn't seem deterred by his touch, and he was glad he was able to assist her. He wasn't overly skilled in this but he hoped in time he would be able to help her navigate more easily, assuming she intended on remaining in The Hallows - he could only hope she would. Carefully he gathered up a few more flowers, wanting just enough to make it obvious they'd been placed there on purpose. Perhaps he could spread them along the sides of the courtyard walkway and up the steps? He'd figure that part out once he gathered them and made his way back.

Making a little pile next to them, Sota grinned and found himself nodding at her question. It struck him suddenly that so many methods of communication weren't visual; her world must be a lonely one sometimes, he concluded, without people actively trying to include her. "They're very pretty," he answered gently. "The color fairly bright. It's like.. hmm...." Sota paused and considered. "It's both bright and deep somehow. The color reminds me of something vast and deep, but it's somehow a very peaceful color to me. I don't know if that tells you anything," he admitted with a slightly bashful laugh. Colors were not easy to describe, he decided. "I think I have enough of these. Any idea where we might find another flower?" He scooped them into a pile, ready to carry them to their next destination.

The small woman listened to the sound of the flowers being plucked and a small smile rested on her face. When Sota began describing the color, she didn't really have any idea of what he was talking about, but at least she knew that the flowers were pretty. Color would always be foreign to her, but it didn't bother Gypsy. She had all of the smells, sounds and feels to make up for it.

Once Sota had collected enough of those flowers, he asked where they might find more. "Hmm," the lady hummed softly. Her small pink nose lifted and she scented the air. It was difficult picking scents when the hyacinth were so fragrant, but she managed to latch onto a trail. "This way, I think." Slowly and with careful footing, Gypsy led the way towards the less robust smell of gardenias.

"Can you see them?" Again she asked as she believed they were coming close. As she moved, Gypsy's paw rustled a bush. The bobtailed fae stopped and gently felt around the bush. When her pink pads swept lightly across the soft petals of a flower, she lowered her nose and inhaled deeply of the scent. "These are the ones that I smelled. Are they good enough?"

"Speech"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

All Sota could do was try to make sure she was comfortable and enjoying his company. His upbringing had never stressed the importance of taking care of those around him, at least not in this manner; those who could not fend for themselves were often just... left behind. Altruism was something done quietly, and it was shameful to be noticed for doing good deeds. He had subscribed to those ideals for so long that forgetting them was difficult, but he'd begun to realize there was immense joy in helping those around him. This was what Sota felt he could contribute to The Hallows. He was not an excellent fighter, nor did he have any natural talents toward healing or other crafts. He could simply fill in the gaps where he was needed, and he'd long since decided that this was the life he wanted to foster here. A simple one, one filled with smiles and flowers wherever he could find them.

Sota gladly followed, scooping up the flowers gingerly in his mouth and heading after her, glad she'd found the strength to lead on her own. He'd be there beside her if she needed, carefully steering her around any potential obstacles as they went. Before long she'd led them to another patch of flowers. Sota grinned, proud of her achievement. They hadn't been that fragrant to him from far away but he started to notice the smell once they got a bit closer. It really was impressive how her senses overcompensated for her missing sight. "These are perfect! They'll look nice with the others," he admitted, setting down his bundle to begin picking a liberal amount of flowers. "Want to help me carry some back? I think we have plenty." Once she agreed he'd retrieve the flowers once again and make his way back to the courtyard to scatter them at the edges of the cobblestone.

-end?-