Kaj has always proven easy to communicate with, and for that I am grateful. He grasps my message quickly, and without even needing to be asked in some round about manner of pictograms, he immediately sets himself to the task. He is the type that enjoys labor. Personally I've never been into the whole sweating thing.

His wings cocoon me for a moment and I am blinded by tawny feathers. It's a strange experience that causes me to seize up with the unfamiliarity, my muscles wound tight and body high and thin like a stretched out skeleton by the time he unwraps me. Somewhere along the way my feet shuffled over, but I don't recall.

Amid the chaos of motion I become aware that Kaj has introduced me, though I admit I am thoroughly shocked he knew my true name. Thus far only the gryphon Merakerr, what a lovely accent she has, knew what substance I produced and thus what namesake I am given. Until now it has always been a myriad of uncertain nicknames heralding my arrival, which although cute, had always been frustrating. I wonder if Kaj knows of ink substance as well, or if Merakerr has been flying around whispering it in the ears of those who met me. I like to think it's the latter, just for fun.

I glance slyly back at Kaj, the curiosity burning like dark fire in the pit of my gut, shining through my abyssmal eyes. I am distracted by the softer humm of my name from the larynx of the mare, Ree. I turn instantly, ears sharp with their alertness and eagerness to hear more of my name being murmured shyly by pretty girls. I tilt my head as she says nothing more and slowly my excitement begins to recede back into crushing self-doubt, but then she does something I hadn't expected and scooches closer. Just as I'm debating doing the same, she bends over the ground and begins to dig for me. Well, I think, there went that shot.

With my lower lip jutting out in mild disappoint I go to turn my own attention back to the dirt, but I pause, recognizing a difference in the sounds made by Kaj and Ree. Where his is a rhythmic thudding, Ree's is like a constant whine as hoof scours earth. I glance back towards her, unconsciously creeping right up beside her to watch what so intensely holds her focus. Before long she draws back. I am perplexed still, so I move back with her, more absorbed in this scenario than the abrupt proximity beside her.

It dawns on me then when I see it from afar and a happy quiver shudders from my nose. A butterfly I think with blossoming delight, and its as if they've all flooded into my gut and have begun to do summersaults with my soul. I glance excitedly back to Ree and with a few strokes of my tail have filled the vicinity around us with black butterflies of all kinds.
For the first time in my existence, I mourn the lack of color to my art. It has never bothered me before, but this mare, she deserves something a bit more pretty than the hue of shadows.

I smile at her as my drawings dance.

An unfamiliar noise just then causes my ear to tilt back, head soon following as I spy Kaj has discovered something. A gem, I think, and hope. Oblivious stallion that I am the butterflies disperse into black rain plummeting to the ground and I pull away from the mare at my side to investigate Kaj's dig site.