His chuckle and resulting bow broadens the near constant smile on her face but the glimmer of light reflecting off his horn startles her and it fades. What is that? She stares hard at the sharp looking object affixed to his forehead but no memories of such a growth appear in her mind and she leaves the thought be for now. More important ones form as her eyes dance back to his in time to see his wing approaching seconds before it tickles her forelock and a peal of laughter rings out dispelling any notion of him as a danger. Wide eyes track the graceful movements of his feathered appendages and subconsciously she tries to extend her own bleach tipped wings back. They stir slightly but do not move from her sides, the muscles aching in protest as she has not trained them in the months she has been on the run.

Helovia She tastes the word mentally, rolling it around on her tongue as chocolate ears twist forward to listen. ”Whoa!” She exclaims, shifting excitedly closer to further inspect his vine covered limb. ”Yes, you do! Where I come from, no one has markings like ours.” Where normally her words would be tinged with sadness at that remark, her fascination at meeting another like herself overrides the unpleasant feelings and she laughs again. Features wreathed in pure delight she nearly dances in place at his invitation to find a home.

She stops her prancing though when her family’s faces dance before her green eyes. Even her mostly useless wings seem to droop a bit, the idea of a new family..a replacement, breaking an already broken child’s heart. What if they return to find her with a different family, as though they never existed? A thousand worries play over her russet face but this time his words do not fly over her head and her gaze snaps up to his. ”You would teach me how to fly?” The enthusiasm returns to her and she bounds to his side attempting to lift his right wing up with a soft nose to hide under and inspect it. ”Wait.” Booming voice now hesitant and quiet as wrinkles crease her forehead. ”What if they made it out okay?”

Forest gaze attempts to find his, voice hitching slightly as the fear and aching loneliness she forced herself to hide away for three months comes rising to the surface. ”What if my brothers find me?” Hollow’s voice fades to the whisper of a frightened girl as she attempts to press herself into Ilios’ side, already trusting him more than almost everyone else she has ever met. And for the first time since that awful night, she allows herself to stop being brave.