Wild Berry Meadow It was all she had

At the repeated mention of the male’s name, she cocked her head, one brow arching in quiet inquiry. She hadn’t asked him to say it again, did he think she was deaf? The thought flickered through her mind, then just as quickly, she dismissed it. There were more important matters at hand. Her name.

Ya can call me Kaiaka, she said, her tone simple, matter-of-fact.

Vambrace and Vixen, unusual names, perhaps, but she tucked them away without much thought. Names were just that.

What brings ya here? she asked, though the curiosity in her voice was faint, more a gesture of politeness than any real interest. Small talk was tedious, unnecessary. Yet others seemed to crave it, as if silence were something to be filled rather than appreciated.

Her gaze drifted, taking in the land around them, stirring with new life. A wry smirk tugged at her lips.

The world's wakin' up again, she mused. ’Bout time, if ya ask me.