Xingyu looked down at her and smiled. It was a warm, albeit uncertain smile. “Yes,” he agreed. He was still not confident in speaking her language, and he was even less confident in her gods. His gods… And yet… He blinked and lifted his muzzle to the sky. There was no sense in thinking about it. This was his life now. His people, his gods, his language.

Do you miss your family?

Words that made him look down at her in surprise. It felt as if she had looked right through him, for he had not even noticed that her eyes had been upon the collar he wore. He glanced away, embarrassed, quiet as they walked. He did not like to reveal so much of himself…

“Sometimes,” he admitted quietly, still keeping his eyes anywhere but on her. Although he wasn't sure if he missed his family or missed the familiarity more. Both…

A petal fell, dancing on the breeze, and landed on his nose. He sneezed.