Welcome to Gaia! ::

Twice Shy was happy to be praised, smiling at the zikwa until he realised that she couldn't tell, then looked back at the mound with a mix of relief and embarrassment.

"Maybe I should do this more often," he hoped the awkward smile reached his voice, "come and pray for them. Do you think they'd mind?"

He was slightly nervy, but patient, and eventually delighted.

"I will then," he said pleased, tail swishing, "I'd like to offer this sac my mongoose too, but..."

He picked it up in his mouth and put it on the mound, but then looked at it resting on the mound and thought to ask again: "uh...I would leave it here, but, it might take a while to rot and return to the Swamp and you'd have to clean it up so...maybe we can share it now? In honour of the little one buried here?"

"I've eaten these delicious flowers off the river a little way from here," he said eagerly and stopped talking to pick up the mongoose and follow along. A pretty little patch of grass, alone, with her! He settled, trying to match her neat seating, and nudged the mongoose towards her.

"After you," he said meekly, "thank you for sharing this place with me today."

"I'm not very good at talking, but I don't care about being judged if it's the sentiment that counts."

He looked out to the distance, at the mounds littered about. The atmosphere, besides the silence, was comfortable and almost kind. He would visit again.