[FIN]Common Greetings (Reticent Smiles x Slip Away)

[LOLLI qAq]

Reticent Smiles was not good at interacting with others. Ever. Other than the occasional "hello" that was expected of her when running into her family, she found that she was happiest when she never had to talk to anyone. Ever. It had been like that as a foal and as she'd grown up the shy doe learned quickly that there were far less kimeti roaming about at night. It had taken her some time to get used to it- But there she was. Now nocturnal.

Reticent Smiles never went far from where she'd marked as her home, as her turtle companion did not share her night time habits, and she didn't like to leave him alone and unprotected. The two of them shared a loving but distant relationship of him watching her during the day and her him at night. Silent and vigilant protectors of the only other creature each could handle. Still- With this night she'd felt the need to wander more than usual. It could have been the moon calling softly to her while it hid behind gauze like clouds, it could have been the slightly softer cricket chirping from not far off that caught her curiosity, and it even could have just been a random lark. A completely random and inexplicable want to do more than her standard routine.

She couldn't say what it was- But it didn't matter. She was moving as quietly through a patch of ankle-thick mud with only the thuck-thuck-thuck sounds her own feet made as they moved up sluggishly and then down again through the soft and wet muck. Smiling in an off-setting and childlike way as she walked the doe moved slightly faster here then slowed down there, making a sort of music with the sounds her feet moved. No one was there to witness or laugh at her foal antics and knowing so she continued her strange dance with wild abandon.  

[Maxx D]

It was a regular night, and prey was plentiful in this region. It would have been a quiet one had the crickets not filled the aural void. He hadn't seen anyone in a while, which was at once good and bad, since Slip Away had rather specific social interests that some Kimeti wouldn't take kindly to. Truth be told, it was getting a little dull.

Then the light patter; he knew it was right. He followed the sound, sturdy hooves mutely stamping the marshgrasses to preserve the silence and the continuation of carefree steps - Slip arched his neck for a look past the foliage. Indeed, it was a very pretty little doe tapping about in the mud.

He slid out and matched her steps, eyes lazily half-open, a smirk touching the corners of his mouth. After a half-circle, he whispered, "it's a pretty dance."  

[LOLLI qAq]

Eyes closed half-way through her improvised dance so up until a soft whisper told her otherwise Reticent Smiles had believed herself totally alone now as she had been when she'd started. Heart instantly in her throat she felt as though she should say something or run but instead she just stopped still and stared wildly at the buck suddenly next to her. Blinking at him she cocked her head to the side.

Did she ask him what he was doing there? Or thank him for complimenting her dance... Opening her mouth to try either one, she found she couldn't really remember how to speak correctly. It had been so long. "Hul -o?" No, that wasn't right. "W-why di- you sn-snuck up on meee?" Okay, so that wasn't really 'right' either but to the doe it at least felt like a start. Maybe if she was simply awkward enough the buck would get scared off.  

[Maxx D]

Ah, Slip thought, she's one of those. Perhaps not very smart? Not all there? He considered her question and her wide-eyed surprise, before electing to demonstrate his stealthy gait. "This is how I walk all the time - I don't like to draw attention to myself. And if I did," his tail flicked, "I wouldn't have seen you dancing. You might've run away."

He raised a hoof to lightly tap hers. "That would be a shame, you looked very happy."  

[LOLLI qAq]

As he moved next to her to show how quietly he normally moved it made a sort of sense to her and she was instantly envious and curious at the same time. Moving one hoof the way he'd moved his to walk she tested to see if she could learn how as well. It would certainly help her on other nights for sure. Blinking at him deliberately she shrugged. "Normally I d-don't like to be seen either." She was gaining confidence in her ability to speak again and though the stutter was still there, she didn't sound like she'd been hit on the head as a foal anymore. It filled her with a slight lightness- Possibly pride and it showed on her face.

"You're right... I would have run." At the sudden tap of his hoof to her's she jumped again and stared at him. All sign of pride or relaxation in her face suddenly gone. "D-d-d-do you sneak up on d-d-does often?"  

[Maxx D]

He watched her careful, slow movements with interest, nodding approvingly as she rather adorably tested her ability. Maybe she's just shy, Slip noted, as her voice grew steadier...

Then she jumped. Instantaneously, he regretted the touch as she reverted to some sort of terror, and that look on her face made him amend his new judgment: no, yes, she's one of those - else she would have run. Again.

A strange one. Yet her skittish nature was appealing, and she was very pretty. His haunches stiffened with impatience, but relaxed after her silly question. He took a couple of steps back to give her some space, she was too naive to play with. "Yes," he confessed, "but usually they like it after a while."

After a dramatic pause, he added "really, I sneak up on everything. It helps with normal prey as well. I could teach you."  

[LOLLI qAq]

Smiles watched the strange buck's physical cues, but not knowing anything about body language all signs of impatience or interest were lost over her head. Still, his words weren't lost on her ... That much. "You seem sure about t-that." Wondering if this was one of those more predatory bucks her father had warned her about in passing the doe gulped but let her muscles relax anyway.

Chewing on the inside of her cheek while he paused she tried to hide her immediate curiosity at being taught how to be stealthy like he had been. "I don't hunt ... My t-t-turtle does, but it could help me hide?"  

[Maxx D]

"I have experience, it always seems to work," he relented a smile, a mix between the charismatic flirt and mentoring older brother mood. Besides, he was also amused by the thought of the little doe standing by watching her turtle (slowly) hunt. Or hiding in the bushes watching her turtle (slowly) hunt. Why, if there had been a buck more unscrupulous than him...

...which was somewhat difficult, but if there were a buck more unscrupulous than him, she would be in big trouble right now. Instead, some strange form of altruism and possibly defeatism in regards to his doe-charming capabilities manifested, and he felt the urge to help.

He almost touched her again, but realised just in time to keep her calm. "Close your eyes," he instructed, "and listen to the sounds of the swamp. Pay attention to what you can hear, what is the level of noise each sound makes. You can stop and tell me when you're ready."  

[LOLLI qAq]

Before she knew it Smiles was asking the first question that came to mind - "Work t-t-towards what?" Eyes going wide she could swear she felt her face grow hot in shame and instantly closed her eyes to do as she'd just been instructed. Anything to not get an answer to her incredibly rude question. But why do I think it's rude? The whole situation was confusing and she wasn't sure if she liked this buck very much.

He made her think and wouldn't go away.

So instead of telling him to leave(that would be confrontational!) she simple snapped all of her thoughts away to the back of her head and concentrated on the noises around her. It instantly surprised her how much louder and closer everything felt with her sight gone and even though it was strange it felt somewhat calming. "Oh! I can hear Hidden snoring!" She hadn't realized that her turtle was so close by.  

[Maxx D]

So maybe she had a little bit of a brain after all, he found, as she anxiously shut her eyes post-awkward question which he'd have been willing to answer had she not been so...skittish. Her segue into deep concentration was rather cute, she looked very earnest, and...

"Hidden?" he said, confused. "Oh is that your...your hunting turtle? That's a good start. Anything else?"  

[LOLLI qAq]

Smiles smirked and nodded. "He's not really a hunting t-turtle so much as my companion ..." Things with Hidden were complicated, and it was probably best not to get too much into it. Or wake the shelled creature. Keeping her eyes closed her ears flattened and twitched about as they focused on different sounds near-by and far. Taking a step forward she inched her way towards what she thought was possibly a steam not too far off.

"T-there's water close by, do I go t-t-t-towards it?"  

[Maxx D]

"Alright," he said soothingly, it sounded like something not to go into (nobody likes to ask girls about their companions) and drifted along. "Very good. Now, there is a frog, turned away from us." Indeed, a somewhat sleepy little croaker was seated there, mostly unmoving. "It's on your right of the stream, and I want you to listen for the stream, and walk slowly, softly, so that the sound of your steps never exceed the sound of the water."

He murmured, hunched, "you're the closest to yourself after all, and if you can barely hear yourself, others probably won't. Now go. With eyes open, if you need..." It would be really inconvenient if she fell into the stream and/or broke a leg five seconds later.  

[LOLLI qAq]

Nodding in turn to each statement or instruction she slowly opened her eyes, turning one pale one to Slip. He looked determined to teach her and she appreciated it. It wasn't that she often had interaction with anyone, but as far as she could remember most kimeti were impatient with oddities but this buck seemed ... Accepting? Patient. Her muscles were still tense and sometimes it felt as though her hair was on end, but for the most part this was the most comfortable around another soul in a very long time.

Taking a few steps forward she kept them as soft and quiet as she could- It was hard, but she didn't hear her own footsteps unless she strained so maybe that meant she was doing it right. Going forward more and more she made her way to the stream and as she got there she smiled brightly. "I d-did it!" Gently stirring the water with a hoof to swish at her reflection she exclaimed her triumph a little bit louder. "I did it! Right? Did you see that, I thought I did okay! What did you think?"

She turned to look at Slip expectantly and as she did so, her hind hooves slipped in the mud and she fell over backwards into the water with a very large splash. The grin still refused to leave her face.  

[Maxx D]

Slip found it very hard to keep a smile off his face, watching her crouch and move most earnestly - hilariously adorable. Much to his surprise [or depending on how unfussed it was], the frog did not move, but remained stoutly croaking away even as she arrived, only hopping off at her glee.

He was about to call across the field before catching up, but Smiles' tragically comic tumble had him galloping over and chuckling along the way. "I saw that, and I think you did great. Right up to here." He leaned down to push damp strands out of her eyes. "I'll let you off on that though. Congratulations! Do you need help getting out of there?" He dipped a hoof in questioningly.  

[LOLLI qAq]

Smiles had been trying to get up as Slip had made his way over to her and congratulated her. The combination of mud on her hooves and in the stream should have meant double stickiness and an easier time getting up but as was her luck it really just meant extra slipperiness. Unable to properly frown she gave up and laughed. Halfway through it shocked her that she was and she stopped abruptly. "Oh, y-yes!" It was awfully nice of him to help her again and for once she didn't feel as though his smile was demeaning or cruel. This was a strangely nice buck! ... For one that stalked does around like a creep.

She remembered her manners just in time and ducked her head. "Yes, please."