stargazing [Marx]

Elkryn hardly remembered leaving the abode of the rat mystic. Had he gone in a flurry or a friendly exchange of words? Flashes of the phantom shadows on the walls kept leaping to the forefront of his mind as began the winding trail back to the Colony. How had the rat not noticed them, the clawing demons? Was he drunk or riding some sort of high? Both? Indecisive anxiety made his pace quicken on the trail, still leading alongside the creek, soon to be back amongst the tall grasses normally shielding their woven barrows and nests. 

Even in such a state he moved as quietly as possible. The New Moon gave no glow to paint the world but this tracker  caught the scent of nearby kin with little more than a flick of his whiskers. This was his talent after all, the ability to see that which was unseen, spying creatures based on a spore, a print, a sound. Elk halted alongside the creek and screwed up his eyes which were still reddened and dry from the smoke against the dimness of the night in hopes of finding this lone figure. No matter how strange the scenarios that had surrounded his passing by here, Elk felt as though he needed to heed his duty as herald of Willheart, to protect. Even if it made of him a nosy fellow. Abandoning his path home he chose a smaller trail that lead right down to the water's edge picking along much quieter than one of his bulk could usually manage. Whiskers atwitch he found himself gazing upon a minuscule doe who gazed at the water as if in a trance. She was no warrior and surely not a scout or forager. 

Elk's tenor dropped to a raspy whisper calling out to the doe along the shoreline. "I appreciate the stars as much as any mouse, ma'am. But it's not the best idea to be this far out alone." His huge form folded from the darkness, but he kept his weapons on his back and tried to keep his body stooped and low to remain a bad target for unseen predators. His time with the rat Seer had truly rattled his brains, probably making him look a right fool. The beast crept a bit closer... "I just cannot leave Colony-Kin alone out here. I apologize for sneaking up on you, my name is Elkryn Stump and I would escort you back. But if you've still got much to see, I can remain quietly."

He watched her with red-rimmed eyes, stilling buzzing from his brush with true magic. Nothing would let him leave before he knew she was safe.

In the blanketed dark of the New Moon sky it was hard even for the keen, danger-seeking eyes of a mouse to discern anything from the gloom except imagined dangers. Elk himself, a trained warrior felt wary enough coming out here with a weapon on his back, it was hard for him to imagine a mouse who did not exist within the warrior caste to be out and about so readily. The tiny doe acknowledged him well enough and though he could not see the blush of pink going into her ears in this gloom he could sense the sudden rush of blood. He frowned a little, having never wanted to cause embarrassment.

Her response, accompanied by a musical sigh left the soldier quiet and contemplative, content to listen. Such a response was not one he had expected, the whimsical nature of it, the sadness that rode on the edges. Evident enough now that this doe found little comfort in the confines of the Colony. In ways he held a kinship to her, for did he not day after day to strike out beyond the safety of their community in search of some sort of high adventure? Was he not roaming just roaming along the outskirts alone to satisfy some outlandish desire when he came upon this lone figure? He opened his muzzle to say something when she stepped away from the edge of the creek and turned to face him, the huge buck could not manage any words. Even in the scant light of an only star-clad night he could see the brown depths of her eyes and the faint gold of her pelt. His dark, fluffy tail curled up about him subconsciously as she approached. 

She bequeathed her name, told him she would not make him wait. Elk shook his head a little, clearing a fresh fog from his skull - a remnant of his otherworldly experience with the rat seer no doubt.

"Rosewood," he repeated, as if testing the weight and flavour of the name on his tongue. He found it much to his liking. Gazing down upon the doe he smiled, hoping that she could see it in this near stark blackness. "Your compliance is well appreciated, M'lady," he whispered, his throat ragged from inhaled smoke. Still keeping his voice low "I must apologize for cutting your night short.. but really it astounds me to see the bravery of someone of your stature out here all alone. I have much to learn from your fortitude. Let us be off then."

He then swept a paw forward allowing her to walk next to him. He did not want her out front or behind him, defending from unknown dangers in the grass would be so much harder.