Bearclaw Valley mesmeric revelation

Ash-lar, she repeats, drawing the name out into two syllables. she gives him a hard, studious stare, as if fastening his face into her memory accompanied by the word. after a moment, she's satisfied, and pauses for a heartbeat. Avicus, she finally says.

is it the first time she's said it aloud? it must be. she has heard it only once or twice. she is more fond of her father's 'blood flower,' but those are two words that share names with other things;

Avicus shares her name with no creature, no object. and Ashlar's name is similarly unique.

she rests her head upon her outstretched paws, regarding him lazily, coolly. it's nice to have something to know him by, although it's not as if she would use the name very often. still, she feels as if they have a newfound understanding—a connection she shares perhaps only with her parents.