The broken is no fool. As he slowly learns to feel, he quickly catches on to when the emotions become present in his newest (or is she his first?) friend. Ever hogging the limelight, Manhattan refuses to leave him be. Any other day, one not comprised of an afternoon of such turmoil, healing, and hurt, he might have scolded her for her ill manners, but today he thinks first. He realizes who it was that taught her such poor behavior, and who it was still that had left her alone in these woods to face the rain and cold.

No, he decides, he will not stop her now. He lets her have her moments of a pleasant reunion, lets her wrap her forepaws around his neck and lick the last remaining specks of salt from his dappled cheek. She searches his mind for the images of where he has been, and he sends them in return, along with snippets of Aylin's own wisdom.

Knox flinches as the upset radiates from Aylin. There is something on her mind, he is sure of it. As long as he has been alive, he has been cold and calculating; watching for signs of emotion, what had once been for him the most elusive of beasts, has become a skill. Manhattan seems to know what to do, and instantly she leaves her bonded's side. Her head presses against Aylin's cannons familiarly, as if she has known the young mare for as long as she has trusted her master.

The young mutt moves forward to weave in between Aylin's legs affectionately and patiently, hoping to urge her down to rest as Knox has already done. She catches snippets of understanding, but struggled to piece the mare's word together.

She likes you, Knox explains to his bonded, catching her eyes for a moment when she settled to rest beside Aylin. In her broken language, the pup replies: her too

"No, I have not been alone," Knox begins with a pressing of his nose to the earth to beckon her. "But, Aylin... I have felt alone. I think, maybe, everyone does sometimes," he continues, his blue gaze flickering from Manhattan's to catch Aylin's emerald eyes. His tone grows somewhat graver with seriousness, with gentleness. He is a quick study, his father reminds him. He has always been a fast learner, just like his ancestors were in their own time. "Stay with us, Aylin. For as long as you need to- don't isolate yourself," he offers with surprising depth and warmth. "Besides, I know for a fact my father would throw a fit if he heard I didn't offer you my company for a while longer," Knox adds with a slight upturn of the lips and a congenial nicker. He is feeling, so much and so fast. He is bright, shining within, cleansed by the rain and almost newly awoken. He is beginning at last to find himself.