Two Rivers Isle [M] What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you

Ulrich could not help but laugh at Adylaide's fountain of words that burbled up from her mouth like music. She talked a lot when she got excited, and he had to admit he found it charming. And it was strange, to allow himself to find her charming at all. He smiled at his paws, his ears pulled back along his skull in bashfulness, and told her this. Now that we're... courting, I don't feel inappropriate telling you that you are... endearing when you talk so much. When you get excited like this. He still did not look at her. It had taken everything in him just to say this much, for inside him, a war was raging between the old and the new. One month ago, saying this to her would have resulted in severe punishment--possibly death. It was hard to let the thought of that go, hard to grow new habits. But he would try.

Clearing his throat loudly in embarrassment, he squinted off into the distance to look for her mentioned two rivers. Are there two rivers? he asked, mostly to himself, but it was difficult to tell at this distance. I believe you have better eyesight than I do. The comment about birds he left alone, for he had never given much thought to birdsong. They were tasty, though.