Blacktail Deer Plateau Words in my throat.

Today was another monumental, important, amazing day. While he had grown slowly accustomed to open eyes, something else had happened. Today, his ears had opened.

It was not during sleep this time, but a slow gradual change from absence of noise to lots of noise. Everything came into the little boy's ears and fascinated him. Words passed between parents, the rustle of fur, the sound of his siblings' cries. Each one entranced and interested him.

Mostly, he listened in silence himself. With eyes closed - he had learned that trick early, don't keep your eyes open all the time - he learned and absorbed and examined the noises coming into him. It was selfish, because he mostly wanted to learn and take in what others were doing instead of letting them experience his own world. So it was that he had been silent himself since discovering the sensation of sound.

Until, that was, he heard no one else making a particular noise. Then he chuffed and he made a little mewling noise. His eyes opened and he looked to his mother - a face becoming more distinct and dear by the day - hoping she would respond to him. He missed the noises already.