Larksong Grotto “No trespassing” that’s what it said

Bah, sorry for the wait!

With each complaint he uttered, and fault of her’s he pointed out, her ears fell flatter against her skull. Although he had trapped her, he’d yet to do anything else that might suggest ill intentions. She was the one fully at fault, having allowed for fear to control her actions—and lack thereof. “No, no, no,” she rushed out with, her head shaking with each no. “You have done nothing wrong. It was wrong of me to assume the worst—I am sorry.” Oh, if her mother was there! Surely, she would have been scolded for her lack of manners, her rude behaviour. Her actions were inexcusable but rectifiable—and she had in mind already a way to do so.

“Would you like to come in with me?” she asked, ears eagerly popping back up. “It might be a tight fit, but I am sure we can manage.” She had not sought out an especially large location to nestle into, having expected to be alone. Still, it was not impossible for them both to fit. To better show her seriousness, she wiggled over to one side of the burrow, giving him the room to enter, should he choose to do so.

He gave a name but it was not his first, which piqued her curiosity. “What’s your first name?” Kaori asked, gazing at him expectantly. Was it something whimsical? Or perhaps it was a name not meant for the ears of anyone other than himself. Considering that to be a plausible possibility, she added, “You do not have to tell me if you don’t want to.”