Iktome Plains no snow here

This is reminding me of The Little Mermaid

The dark beauty opened her mouth, and Dag had not been holding his breath, he would not have heard what little came out of her pristine throat. Although he had never encountered such a thing before, the dark youth knew at once what afflicted the mysterious girl before him.

"You cannot speak," he said, made almost breathless by the swiftness of his empathy for the fine creature before him. His throat tightened in uncharacteristic despondency at the tragedy before him. It seemed almost... vulgar that such a fine creature should be robbed of something so innate, so neccesary. It was like one of Laerke's stories in its horridness. The awful, poetic injustice of it made his heart twist in a pain that was very real.

It was so much more terrible to see stories in action than to hear tell of them later on.

"Nevermind," he murmured, face heating as he realized how painful his price was to the young woman. "There is no price, pretty one. You have paid enough." More than he could even imagine. What was it to go through life without being able to sing? Without being able to share your burdens, your worries, or even your joys? And how could this girl, this beautiful woman have come to this place alone? Was it not enough that she must be alone in her muteness?

A burgeoning protectiveness of the woman overcame him, and he was... angry on her behalf. It was not right. It was not fair.

He moved toward her again, ears lying back as he crawled forward on his belly. "A story, then? Or another song?" he asked softly, speaking slowly enough to read her response to each suggestion.

The woman, however, seemed to have other ideas. She was going somewhere, and he was invited to follow. His decision was made almost as soon as it was presented to him - he would keep her company, if she allowed it. Several steps in her direction made this clear.