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Plains Night had given into his ache and gone to explore the swamp area like the rest of the kiokote flocking there. He had been there, he had seen things, but his ache wasn't quite sated. He hadn't really been curious about the swamp in the first place, and he preferred his homelands of the plains, but he didn't want to go home and have his ache turn him right back around.

He stood at the edge between the swamp and the plains, lurking among the trees, and staring across the waves of grass. He had time, he didn't need to go anywhere, or make this decision now. He would content himself with looking at the plains until something happened, either his ache calling him off or some kimeti cousin happening upon him.

"And there's the distraction." He turned his head away from the plains and toward the forest, still not seeing the apparent herd that was thundering toward him. Suddenly, the kiokote running toward him came into view along with her cat, and she didn't look like she was about to stop. In fact, she sped up, clearly for a jump. Black dropped to the ground and flattened himself, allowing her to cleanly jump over him. It was a pretty impressive jump. He turned and watched her cat tumble past him.

At least it was one of his kiokote sisters instead of a kimeti.

"It's alright," he grunted. "Nothing like a run. Nice jump, too."

"Plains Night. Black." Suitable names; they echoed of their homeland. He eyed the cat, regretting that he hadn't yet managed to tame his own. At least then he would have something to constantly remind him of the plains.

But now he had this kiokote female. He eyed her own black fur, her own lightening-like stripes. Hers actually glowed, though. They looked... awesome.

"I haven't met another kiokote in a while. Will you be my traveling companion for now?"

He hoped she would. It was nice to see creatures of the plains, although her cat reminded him more of the leaves on swamp trees than the plains. Having something of the plains might even keep him here long enough to quell his ache.

Siblings, even more of his kind. That would be wonderful, to travel with other kiokote once more.

"No," he answered simply, "I haven't. The Plains call, but my ache won't leave. Maybe if you showed me these interesting things, my ache would be soothed and I could return home."

He hadn't spoken this much since he had come to the swamp, but if it would help him get back to the plains, then he would talk as much as he needed. She seemed nice anyway, he could do much worse on traveling companions.

Black had no more to say. Anything else would just be elaborating on what he had already said.

So he simply stared at the doe and hoping she would begin to lead them somewhere interesting soon.

He would love to meet the myriad of kiokote that were apparently here. He felt dissapointment with himself when she had said that there were lots of kiokote here, and he had been so obsessed with returning to his homeland he had never noticed one.

Except for the one that had almost ran over him. It had take that much to notice her. But she was here now, and he had what he wanted.

It was time to soothe his ache.

Black stiffened at her touch, shuddering slightly, but quickly turned to follow her.

She continued to talk, but he only half listened, taking in warnings she gave.

He forced himself to look around at the surroundings, hoping to catch glimpse of the things she was talking about, though he quickly got bored and focused instead on the glowing marks of the one in front of him.

He hadn't met a Kiokote that glowed, though there had been plenty of glowing kimeti. She must have inherited her glowing marks from a kimeti. He found the idea fascinating, and wondered if he would ever find a kimeti that interested him.

His hoof knocked against something, and he realized it was a small root, like Flare had warned him about. If it had been bigger, he probably would've tripped.

The swamp still disinterested him, with all its roots.

"There's not always a need to talk." He said plainly. He sped up his pace to keep up with her, choosing to walk beside her.

He watched the trees as the passed. They grew so weirdly, all crooked. He missed the waving grasses. But he wasn't going back to them any time soon, so he might as well get used to this.

He bent his nose to sniff at a passing wildflower. It smelled vastly different from the plains flowers, but not bad.

He looked once more to his companion. Maybe she was right.