Why was it that a single smile, such a simple expression, could set off an explosion of butterflies in his belly? Bright and colorful they fluttered around in his gut, feeling slightly giddy even as his own dark muzzle stretched into an answering grin. The breeze ruffled his feathers, smelling of everything new and exciting - yet there was a dry quality to it, which was quite natural, since they were in a desert. He just wasn't quite sure if he really liked deserts, since he'd come from a lush mountain vale. But as long as she was here, smiling her beautiful smile and having that look in her blue eyes when she looked at him, it'd be okay. Because how could the world not be okay around her? Without thinking he began to trail after her towards the lake, until she suddenly stopped at his query - and that was how easily he got an answer to his rhetorical question. All it took was a stupid Moth, and then the world wasn't okay around her anymore. Something very uncomfortable slammed into him, guilty and shamed, and he swore it spread between them too, hanging in the air. It was a wonder it wasn't visible for the eye to see.

Stupidstupidstupid! If he could've, he would've kicked himself, and hard too. Her voice, so carefully detached, her head turned away, and Moth's teeth ground together in some unidentifiable emotion of frustration aimed at himself. How could he have been so careless and so stupid, so spoiled? If the water was good enough for Onni, he'd drink the whole damn lake and eat all the fish! Damn it.

"No, I, it's just-" he began to stammer out, before just shaking his head and nearly banging it against her hip before backpedaling. How many times in a minute can one fumble? A great deal, if you were Moth, since he nearly tripped over his own legs trying to back off. Onni continued to the dirty lake's surface, splashing a hoof in it before drinking. He couldn't help but think of those bloating, rotting fishes, the sea weeds which had let go of the bottom and risen to float at the top - of all those nasty things seeping into the water, coming in to shore, touching her pink muzzle and flowing down to her belly into her body. Oh god. He clamped his jaws shut and jerkily began to advance on the shore, eying it much the same way one eyes a busy bear - quite convinced it wont eat your head off, yet not entirely at ease either. She offered to take him to that other source of water, and much as his mind wanted to scream yes and roll in a stream of cool crystalline water, to actually take her up on that... it'd be like saying her home wasn't good enough for him. Moth swallowed. Besides, he was tired from the long flight, and with his earlier mishap, he really shouldn't go longer without water.

Though, if this was water or not was debatable.

"No, it's- this'll be fine, it's great, thank you," he babbled stupidly, nearly frantic, and pranced the last few steps to the waterline. Don'tthinkjustdo. He thrust his pink muzzle into the filthy waters, trying to ignore the thought of bloating fish particles polluting it, and in a reckless, hasty fashion gulped down several mouthfuls. His shoulders kept twitching and he looked everywhere but at Onni, and it was unlikely he would've stopped anytime soon hadn't he managed to inhale it instead of swallow. Coughing, water dribbling from his mouth, he jerked his head up. And in some ways, it served as a bit of a wake-up call. He'd been acting like a bloody fool and now he'd nearly gotten the bloated fish particles in his lungs instead! Snorting shakily, he peered at her from under his thick forelock, wondering if she'd laugh or just hate him. Because after all, he'd been a terrible jerk to her poor lake, and his attempt at drinking it hadn't exactly been good either.