Blacktail Deer Plateau out of my mind

his golden eyes creased into slits with his smile at her words. not that it hurts my eyes to look at you. well, and if it truly were the opposite, then he welcomed her looking at him for as long as she pleased. forever could suffice.

she mentioned her mother, her face impassive. adi had noticed the lack of a matriarch, a female counterpart to grayday. he wondered briefly where she had gone. it was not a question he would bring up to dawn, though. he knew well the wounds left behind from mothers who chose to vanish. but still. . .he wondered.

"ordinary, yes. quite simple. but the simple, ordinary things are usually the most beautiful," he pointed out, giving her a kind look. he pointed his nose toward the horizon. "we've all seen sunrises, right? they're gorgeous. all those colors. and they're profound--a rebirth. every day."

he canted his head to one side, gazing directly at her. seized by a sudden impulse, he asked, "what do you want from life?" in case this short query was too intense by itself, adi added, "i mean, you're being groomed to lead. that's quite clear. but what do you want? who do you want to be?"