Phoenix Maplewood i marvel at the stars / and feel my heart overflow

"can't say i'm familiar with the place," aditya said, giving the girl a rueful smile. "i'm still getting used to the new surroundings."  he followed her gaze--to the south, toward where he understood easthollow to be. he'd need to explore there, and soon. remembering his manners in time, he dipped his muzzle and added, "welcome back."

he regarded the ostrega for a short moment, the two of them standing in silence, the hoot of an owl in the trees and the rustle of wind through the branches the soundtrack to this starry night. finally, he said, "i was a nomad for a while. most of my life, actually. are you thinking of settling down, soon?"

aditya felt an instant connection toward larkspur, simply by virtue of her lifestyle. to move from place to place, never settling anywhere for more than a short time--that had been his existence for so long, and it was easy to imagine getting sucked into it once more. indeed, he sometimes wished he could embark on that journey himself. . .but he was anchored here, now.