It was working on adding details to the river, as it was a very detail-oriented creature, when other Gembounds began to curiously gather around it. First it had painted fish, which swam in the water seemingly of their own will, and avoided the painter's fingers as it continued to paint details on the river. Then it added leaves, which floated off with the current the moment they left the painter's fingertips. They disappeared at the end of the painting, and reappeared at the opposite end, continuously flowing down the river.
A nose entered the scene, one it hadn't painted, and it lifted its arm away from the wall while it let the curious wolf inspect its story so far. It was smiling behind the mask, eyes closed in arches in a soft and warm way. The wolf was speaking to it, and its long ears hung forward to listen to her. Deep black eyes opened again and it processed the words she spoke, head tilting. The language was similar to what it knew, so it didn't take it long to understand. It nodded, but its eyes were elsewhere. It wasn't truly listening to her past her question of what it was doing. Instead, it had grown absorbed in the cloak on her back.
It towered over her at eight-feet, but it swept into a crouched position and reached out delicately to touch the blue fabric draped across her back. Empty! Its eyes widened behind its mask, its hands recoiling to the plush fur around its neck. How to speak to them? Already they were attempting to use such things, but did not know of itself? It was repeatedly stroking the fur on its neck, a nervous habit; but eventually it pointed to its robe with one hand, and to the wolf's cape with another.
It patted the robe, which glittered faintly under its touch. The wolf's fabric was simply fabric. It was done analyzing her speech, also, and so tried projecting a vocal sound using the language that she had used.
"Imbued," it said as it patted its robe again, though the sound of the voice was not from under its mask, but just in the area of the room. "Your cape, empty. Blank canvas," the creature went on, and patted itself on the chest. "Job," came the voice, excitedly. It reached up and touched lightly at its earrings, which shimmered differently than normal metal. "See," the voiced urged, "Not empty."
Its eyes flicked to the other Gembounds that had gathered, catching sight of the partially hidden feline who wore a necklace. It pointed gently and said, "Empty." It did appreciate the added feature of the glowing, baubled stones. It reached into its robe and pulled out a necklace of its own, letting it lay on top of the robe instead of behind it. It was beaded, and hung around the creature's neck loosely. It was long and reached the middle of its chest when exposed. It pointed to the serval again and then to its beaded necklace. "Each, imbued," it said, making jabbing pointing motions toward the cat while tapping its beads. "Not as strong, small material," it noted, but then added, "still worth it."
A splashing sound came from its painting and it glanced up. A fish had jumped in the river, and they seemed to be growing impatient. Ah, it had gotten distracted. It waved a glowing hand toward the painting, and the fish seemed to calm down. It was excited to think that these lives it had come to study were already interested in items! Its attention turned back to the wolf with the cape, its eyes closing happily again. "No gem," it finally answered. Putting its hands together by her paws, it conjured a mini-version of herself. Its hands began to glow, and as they parted, tiny cape-wolf stood no taller than the middle of the original's leg. It was ethereal and light blue in color, and dashed between her legs boldly, sitting finally at her side.
The painter stood again, gesturing to the painting. "Story is child," it laughed, wiggling its fingers over the surface of the moving light-river while the fish attempted to chase its fingertips. "Grows tired of waiting," the voice continued, and the figure turned back to its work. "This one tell you of its swords, is happy you are here to watch," it said as it added small details to the riverbank, its voice growing more solemn. "One is sword of life. Other is sword of death."