Two creatures, two very different creatures entered the supposedly, not-so-empty halls of the Basantha Shrine. Anyone who knew the two (unlikely) would know that not only was the species pairing a little odd, but also the personalities. Skadi was a chatty Winter Kitrell...Practically the embodiment of happiness. Rio Sangria was a Slaughter Dalma...silent...and as for the rest...Well that was fairly obvious.
The kitrell twirled around in the air, snow falling to the already cold Shrine floor. By the time she left, it would look like a blizzard hit. "Do you think we'll find a Mekkayena? Do ya? Do ya?" She cheerfully asked the dalma. Maybe he'd have a comment like most of the pets, on how Basil was a loon when it came to the robotic hounds.
It only shrugged, its expression the same desolate and sorrowful one as always.
"What about a Hunter? I mean, I still haven't decided on what I should give up. Art? Music? Love?"
The slaughter dalma only looked at her, though its expression now seemed to say, 'How about talking?'.
"Rio, you're just no fun. I bet even a Mekkayena would be a better conversationalist than you. Isn't that a great word? Conversationalist. It just rolls off the tongue. Say it! It's divine."
The dalma cocked its head and shook it. It seemed to have taken to heart the phrase 'Silence is Golden'. Maybe he was the one that needed a life-long companion like a Hunter. Although...What he'd give up...Just...What would he? He didn't talk...At least no one back at Clandestine Fates Ranch had ever heard him talk...So if he had a singing voice, they'd never know. So obviously talking and singing were out of the question. Friends? Again. He didn't talk, and thus...did not have friends.
Skadi landed with a thump on the dalma's back, much to its dismay. "What if the Hunter turns its eyes on you? What can you give up? Maybe...Maybe you could give up your music for it. I heard you playing on that special piano of Basil's and you're really good. Maybe your passion would be enough."
Rio growled softly. The Hunter would have to be the one to convince him to take it with them if it chose Rio...And wanted him to stop playing music, his passion. It was just an ice cat. Besides, it would be just another creature that would talk to him and not with him...Which was a life that was pretty lousy on both ends. Rio wouldn't keep up a conversation, and The Hunter would probably jaw his ears off, just like every other creature on the ranch. Even Basil and Coryn talked to him too much! Maybe that's why he didn't talk. Perhaps he was afraid that if he did, people would only talk even more to him.
The pair entered a big hall. Statues could be seen in the dark, but just barely, lit by fading torches. How the torches had got lit was anyone's guess. Maybe a careless traveler. Rio walked over to one of them. It seemed to be two mekkayenas guarding some person. He lifted a paw to tap the left one's nose. Skadi flicked her ears.
She thought she heard him say something....Something along the lines of 'Huh. Just like me. They don't talk.' Skadi shrugged and decided that all she had heard was the wind outside...Though how the sound of the wind had reached them...well she didn't know.