your post was perfect, no worries!
A faint wisp of sea salt ticked his nostrils carried upon the perfume of the Vale’s newest member Seabreeze, as if the sea, stubborn in it’s delights clung stubbornly to her fur. Perhaps, Mato muses she would always bear the salty tang of the coast upon her, which again spurs his desire to pay the coast a visit. The sound of her approaching footfalls did not come as a surprise and there is a twitch of his ears given as he holds tight to his earthly tether and breaks his concentration to glimpse at her from the corner of his eye for a moment. Yet, when she speaks the starlit empyrean’s gaze lowers in full to give her the proper amount of attention, processing her question. Up close he notices, as his emerald gaze moves over her, that her fur is not just pale: it is threaded through with sandy blonde and russets, as well and her eyes are the color of a perfect, cloudless day.
He is amused by her question, wondering if he’d ever been asked that: or so boldly before. “I believe the question is who looks at the night sky and does not find the stars bewitching?” He inquires with a playful coyness, a soft hum in his throat. “The night sky is radiant with beauty and each star has a defining role to play, especially in their constellations, and each constellation has it’s own tale.” Some, admittedly, are much more sad than others, he thinks but does not voice this aloud. “Constellations and their positions change with the seasons and so long as you know how to read them correctly and remember where they sit each season you can navigate by them.” So long as one knew how to read them they would never get lost, Mato believes: they would always guide the navigator back home. “And if you are inclined to believe such things some claim that soothsayers can be predict futures by the stars but I imagine a master astronomer could be the only one to pull that off.” Mato remains on the fence about that, but is not totally inclined to write it off. He is no master (yet), after all.
Speaking about the stars is an easy way to lose Mato if one did not remind him that they were there; but Seabreeze does not yet need to draw his attention back to her for he offers her a glimpse to see her reaction to his words in his plight to prove that being an astronomer was an extremely useful trade.
The yearling watches as his gaze fixes on her and for a moment she is worried that she has pulled him from something of deep importance, but he addresses her with respect and a familiarity she did not expect.
Bewitching they are... perhaps the stars would be a better mistress than the sea.
Her lips pull back into a smile and a chuckle falls from between them, dancing in the peaceful night's air. It is now she moves closer to him, standing next to his rock to get a similar view. She cranes her head skyward and her jaw drops, slightly, eyes widened in awe for it is the first time (in this lifetime) that she has gotten to view the stars so clearly. "How bright they are!"
She ripped her gaze from the stars and her eyes bore into Mato. Though she did not feel a desperate need to fill the silence, she did have the desire for more of this. And have you a favorite story? A constellation in particular that moves you?
Quietly, she hoped he would go on forever; the way he described what she'd already heard had fascinated her.
She needed no convincing that this trade was undoubtedly useful — but the way he spoke of the stars, fondness like a lover's, could surely convince someone who didn't believe they were sure. She appreciated how he spoke so openly of his trade with her, for all intents and purposes, an outsider.
For the better, perhaps, if you touched the stars you may never leave, and it seems like you like it here!
She watches Mato lost in thought, and then crosses her paws contentedly as he weaves the tale of Orion.
The stars are so many that to become one of them is to be lost, forgotten if the eye isn't directly upon it.
She mused for a second, worried that she might offend him. How fortunate we are to be blessed with the bodies of wolves. We may come close to brushing the stars, enchanted by them, but never swept away.
The woman does not look back at him to guage his reaction and instead prepares her own tale, sating his unspoken curiosities. The sea is beautiful to behold but she is a wrathful goddess, easily angered.
Her mood changes with the pull of the moon and the wind. One may read her and be confident of her temperament, journey into her arms only to be crushed by her embrace the next minute.
She realizes she has rambled on without invitation and embarrassment creeps up on her. What intrigues you so about Orion?
And then, unintentionally bold — Have you tasted such sorrow?
They are called tides, when the sea rises and falls it is because of the moon. I suppose our kingdoms are more alike than I initialy assumed.
She heaved herself up and climbed the rock that Mato had perched on, laying next to him. The view of the heavens was even greater here. It struck her that the druid was lucky; his trade allowed him such a lovely view and what impressed her more was that Mato understood the stars, their positions, and what they meant.
One day, I hope for you some kind of love as strong as that of Artemis and Orion, without their untimely demise. Thank you for sharing this with me.
Seabreeze did not realize she could be intruding until he moves to make room for her. Since her arrival (although it was not long ago) she had been taking up the least amount of room she could spare, making herself small, and here was someone she respected making room for her. Still, she intruded on him. She could have at least asked first.
Of course. You may always come to me, seek me out when you feel inclined to talk about your passions. I am happy to listen.
Much like Mato she was very young and knew not what romantic love was or felt like (still a yearling and needing to find herself first), but she was intimate. She enjoyed the company of others, the feeling of fur on fur or the varying shades of conversation. But she knew that love was apparently a good thing, which meant a kind and gentle soul such as the druid would deserve it!
She would muse on these thoughts the rest of the night, watching the stars with her friend and eventually dozing off there at the rock, grateful for the time he'd spared her that evening.