ORIGIN

After playing with that stinky hyena in the mud the calf was thoroughly caked. Muck splattered all over the youngster’s hide and stretched up onto his back. It almost looked as if the kid had gotten down and started rolling, which wasn’t a lie. But none of that mattered to the mud caked child after the deed was done and he’d settled himself amongst the foliage at the end of that tunnel hours ago. And now it was time to rise from that slumber.

A yawn stretched out the chocolate coated child’s features as eyelids slowly began to peel back. At the outer reaches of the boy’s vision a haze clung desperately and no number of blinks seemed to clear the bleary vision turning out towards the caverns. Kharis’ mass shifted till a limb was fought from beneath his body and wiggled up next to his face. Neck bent quickly as closed eyes were alternately rubbed against the knobby join providing a service for other than support of the growing boy.

The mud caking his hide crumbled to the ground while the bits that were still wet beneath the crusting mess smeared upon his face. Rubbing over and around each eye till the young bull’s face was pulled away and a streak of mud was run down his snout. But all that mattered to the boy was the haze was disappearing! Tail flicked at his haunches as the decision to rise was quickly made.

With struggle the buffalo was able to get to his feet, hobble forward a few steps, and then gain the balance that was needed. The gait started off slow but quickly turned into a few bucking hops before twisting into all hooves back on the ground and the little creature bolting through the foliage. Small bouts of laughter rolled off the youngsters tongue as he jumped up towards some of the arching plants, butting his hornless head against the great leaves.

Dark was in Eridanus off and on to gather nesting materials. Why he was making a nest wasn't exactly clear, even to him; he hardly had a mate, or a family to raise. He did know, however, that he enjoyed the feeling of security and the snug sort of solitude that it gave him.

Of course, being blind made it harder to fly, let alone to find good things to line his nest with. Eridanus made it easier, despite the nest being off in Cetus; this cave had plenty of fluffy grasses, mosses, ferns--even lichen.

He was on the ground, thick in cover, clicking his beak happily as he pulled a few strings of grass from a dead clump he'd found. He was happily sifting through pieces, discarding some and selecting others on the basis of touch alone, when the soft sound of a large creature's laughter reached his sensitive ears.

The blind owl turned, staring toward the sound; there was something crashing through the undergrowth, joyous. A moment later he heard it just in front of him--about to trample him?! The thing was bolting, leaping, and with a screech of fear, Dark fluttered blindly out of the way. Then he turned, settling his wings, peering unseeing toward the stranger.

"Hello?!" he croaked, heart racing in his chest.

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The bounding play came to a screeching halt as a strange and rather horrifying screech pulled through the still air. Kharis himself bellowed out in surprise as hooves scrabbled against the earth due to the sudden movements of rapidly moving wings coupled to the scream. Wide eyed the young calf stared towards the holder of such a noise, one who croaked out a hello. Whatever this was it was fat and feathered, it could also fly!

Fear still bubbled within the boy though if asked he’d deny it as fear and instead say it was only surprise. It faded with time before the youngster was able to dart back with a reply. Gathering enough courage to stare through the foliage and speak loudly. “Hey yourself! Watch where you’re, uh, standing!” Yeah that was the right thing to say. It was totally this guy’s fault that he got scared and almost stepped on! The little calf puffed up in putting on a brave face, “Who are you?”

Dark lowered his blind gaze to stare unseeing at the ground beneath him, chirping in brief contemplation. Watch where he was standing? But why? And... Well, there was the obvious problem! He looked up, blinking his gem eyes at the stranger; it was talking to him, at least, so hopefully it wasn't planning to eat him. He wished he could see him, see what sort of stranger it was, but he had to just hope for the best.

"I can't watch where I'm standing," he replied, friendly and matter-of-fact. Realizing he'd done something wrong, he shuffled more to the side, and explained. "I can't see anything, 'cause I'm blind. Was I on a path? I'm sorry!"

Oops. I'm lucky he didn't trample me! He sounds big.

Dark looked up again, listening to the stranger. He sounded large, indeed--his breaths echoing in a broad ribcage, judging by what he could hear--and he sounded as if he'd been running. His footbeats had sounded quite heavy, too--hooves?

"I'm Dark. I'm an owl," he added, perhaps unnecessarily. "Who are you? Am I still in your way?"

Bit by bit, he kept shuffling backwards, hoping he wasn't about to get run down by something else.

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