^^ okay let's see how much of this I can type before I need to go.


Kaye had fallen silent after a few moments of speaking, mostly to nudge the yellow flower with her nose. The flowers rarely upheld their end of the conversation, but she didn't care. It was better than talking to herself or trying to make sense of her thoughts. She really didn't want to open that pandora's box. Only anger and confusion would follow, and she didn't want to experience that. Not again. She was above that now. At least, she tried to be.

She turned her head ever so slightly to watch a flicker of movement by the pond. Her first instinct said to let the dandelions hide her. That might have worked if the dandelions were taller by several feet, but they were just tiny little plants. They weren't anything close to miracle workers. They couldn't save her from everything; she had to help herself every now and again. The doe forced herself to exhale the breath she had been holding in, simultaneously mentally reminding herself that this was just some random deer-possibly a stag by the antlers- and they were most likely just passing through. The pond was, afterall, a water source. Most just come to drink, stare at the fishies and leave. Her ears perked toward the other, as if hearing their whereabouts would somehow give her the better edge and remained where she was. It seemed like a better idea than just bolting into the forest. She didn't know how fast they could run.

It's all good!



Kaye remained frozen in place until the buck wandered down to the water to take a sip. If she was going to slip away...now would have been the time to do it. Slowly, she gathered her hooves under her to stand, wishing in that moment that she was a tiny fawn again and could easily flee without many taking notice. But she wasn't a fawn anymore.

Kaye rose to her hooves, her body tensing to run as she started to slowly back away from the stag.

No, wait! I won't hurt you. The doe's ears flew back at the strange voice, her eyes widening in surprise. She had never heard a voice like that. She glanced toward the forest behind her, but remained frozen in place. He said he wouldn't hurt her...
She nibbled on her lip, debating. Stay and risk being lied to and hurt...or flee and be safe. But what if he was nice? Like Hra, or Noa? She didn't mind the weird voice, her voice had been off when she had had a beak. He didn't have a beak, but maybe something else was making him talk like that. She took a breath and nodded, taking a few steps back to her spot to nose a dandelion. Kaye remained standing though, keeping the stag just within her field of vision. Maybe he was nice.

"It's okay," she watched him a moment before averting her gaze, "I'm not really alone though," she muttered, poking one of the nearest flowers gently with her hoof "I have my dandelions." She looked at him a moment more before tapping the ground before her and settling down in her flower patch, "...sit with me?" She still seemed uncomfortable, but she was trying her hardest to mask it. She'd never get back to normal if she didn't actually try. And he seemed nice enough.

Certainly!

[[Sorry, sorry! My phone wouldn't let me post all day. >.<]]

He didn't want to admit that he had missed a small part of what she had said, but she seemed very fond of those dandelions. He personally didn't much care for them but that wasn't important. No, her very visible discomfort was the important bit. But she wasn't leaving, in fact she seemed to be inviting him to sit with her. Who was he to say no?

"Oh, yes..." Keeping his movements slow, he approached the edge of the flowers, close enough to be companionable, but not crowding her. He didn't sit directly by her side, choosing instead to face her at an angle. At least that way he should be able to watch her talk and see if anyone was approaching from behind her. He had faith that her nervousness would let him know if anyone appeared behind him.

"Sorry if scared you." He really hadn't thought out the logistics of a good conversation where he didn't sound like a creeper, but he was going to try. "Only curious."

[[Ah, it's no trouble. I'm slow as a general rule so I think it'll work out. And I hope you're doing alright?]]

Kaye. Her name was Kaye. At least, he was certain that was what she had said. It was a simple name and for that he was immensely grateful. He really did not want to go through a fumbling display of idiocy in an attempt to understand something more complicated. He had been through that disaster enough thank you kindly. But now she wanted his name, which was more than reasonable and he was doing it again, wandering off in his own head instead of joining in with the here and now.

"Ah, Benedict. Ben is fine. I know can be trouble to say." He hoped she wouldn't think him slow or stupid for his stunted sentences, but it was so much easier to keep things short. At least, it kept his mistakes to a minimum. "Hope I am no bother. Just like company." He gave her a small, friendly smile as if to say, 'See? Harmless!'

[[Ah, that I can understand. I wish you luck on them!]]

"As long as not a bother." His smile broadened, brightened with these words. Shy was okay, he could work with shy. Fear was not a thing he was any good at dealing with but shy? Just be slow and cautious and shy wouldn't stand a chance.

Though now things were beginning to seem awkward... "You like flowers?" Brilliant conversation starter there Benny-boy.

[[Welcome! ^^]]

The temptation to point out his fairly marked disinterest in floral anything vanished instantly upon Kaye's obvious joy. She liked them, it seemed to make her happy so talk of flowers he would. "I had a feeling they were."

He nosed idly at one of the many yellow stars about them, wrinkling his nose at their smell. Pungent and far from pleasant. "Like them better as puffs."

"Not flowers..." He winced the second the words left him. What had he just told himself?! She liked them, so he could keep his idiot opinions to himself. Struggling to think of anything to cover that little social blunder, he chose to go the very route she had. Change the subject.

"I...sorry. I, um...like watching things?" No, no! That wasn't right either! "Other deer I mean. No! That sounds bad. No...Oh..." At this last failure to not completely embarrass himself, he tried desperately to bury his head among the very dandelions that had started the whole mess. Which only succeeded in getting him one tiny yellow flower in the eye and the rest tangled in his antlers.

[[A talented conversationalist isn't he? xD]]

His head lolled to the side, just catching the end of the words leaving her lips, realizing quite suddenly that he may have missed a whole conversation in his embarrassment. But the only word he caught struck him immediately, "Observing! Yes!" He whipped his head upright in his excitement, trailing a few of the small yellow flowers on his antlers, one falling to hang over his ear adorably.

Then concern quickly flashed over to cover his excitement at her correction of his bad wording. She was smiling at least, a small smile but he still knew he'd made a fool of himself and hoped that she wouldn't hold it against him. "Do not think me strange, do you?"