Nova Peak ❇ Tēnsha

a flicker of confusion flashed across her face, followed by a soft exhale through her nose, as if the foreignness of the language puzzled her, but she understood the intent.
kwitsi’nawa… she repeated slowly, her voice soft and rough like wind scraping over ice. she wasn’t sure she could say it right, but the word felt like an echo in her chest. something old, something tied to the land, to the people who had spoken it before her.
her ears flicked back slightly as she let the word sink into the air, then she shook her head lightly. err... dark... bird. she repeated again, the words coming easier this time, though her accent thickened the sounds.
she caught his look and gave a nod. not... like... you. not loud, she added, her gaze steady on him. wise, listen... not speak much.
her tail flicked once, twitching in thought, then she returned to the ground, lowering herself back down onto her haunches, leaving a respectful distance between them. we speak... how needed. her voice was soft, not defensive.