Porcupine Ridge amygdala

ma?
the edges of teya's mouth downturned in consternation. she hesitated only a moment before slithering out into the rainwet air, breathing in the droplets as ash-orange ears cupped forward. "ma." her turn to repeat it, sitting unfamiliar and round and half-swallowed like a lump of unbaked dough in the back of her throat.
gaze pressed to the stranger. something weirdly familiar in the sound bouncing from the other. she folded her lips around it once more, silently, and waited.