Enka’s eyes widen as Khes asked about her home. The fluff of her rump twitched in tangible excitement. It was great fun talking about the things that she enjoyed. And what she enjoyed most of all was that of her home and all the beautiful plant life there. She was ecstatic to share that with her new friend.

“Eridanus is down that tunnel there,” she motioned with a toss of her head before looking back at the snake. “It’s the next cavern over. I really like it here in Polaris. But Eridanus is beautiful! I hatched there, and then met Rift there, that’s where he lives too! There are so many plants there! Flowers and berries and trees and all sorts of things! I like the plants there! Not just because they’re tasty though. They are really tasty. But they’re so pretty!”

Then Enka paused, just barely catching the second question that Khes asked. That was a question that perplexed the young springbok. In her mind, a mushroom was a plant. It looked like a plant. It acted like a plant. So, she didn’t understand really why Rift didn’t consider it one. She had also found that her sensing spell did not really pick up the mushrooms in the caverns well so there had to be a difference. She made a mental note to confer with her mentor later on the subject.

But her new friend had asked a question and she didn’t want to keep her waiting for an answer. That seemed rude. And Enka most definitely did not want to be rude to her new friend. So while she didn’t really understand the difference herself, she was more than willing to give a good sounding attempt at it.

“Mushrooms are a plant, but not really. Kinda like how you’re a lizard, but not really because you’re a snake. There are mushrooms all over the caves! The ones in here are very pretty though, since they glow and twinkle a bit. Oh! And plants grow on the ground, but the mushrooms grow all over the place!” As she spoke, Enka tossed her head around to indicate the vast caverns around them filled with shimmering and glowing mushrooms.

---

Speech
Thoughts

Tags: @Khes
Notes: Attempting special ability: bullshit an explanation! XD

Khes looked in the direction that the springbok gestured towards. So that was the direction of Eridanus. She wondered what it looked like. She tried to picture it, but nothing was really coming to mind. What were flowers, exactly? She was having trouble picturing just one, as there seemed to be so many varieties, and every one seemed right.

Khes did not mind if the springbok couldn't answer. She had asked a rather difficult question, after all, so maybe Enka couldn't answer her. But the snake was not disappointed when her friend managed to explain them. They weren't plants, but they almost were. In the same way that Khes was almost a lizard. This explanation satisfied the young one. She looked around, indeed seeing the mushrooms. She hadn't even noticed them before, somehow. But they were beautiful.

"Can you take me to Eridanus?" she asked. "Sounds pretty," Khes added, watching Enka to see her response. She would love to see Enka's home! The antelope was making it sound so beautiful.


@Enka

Enka became quite pleased with her ability to answer such a difficult question to what seemed to be a satisfactory level. The springbok nodded sagely, following the snake’s glaze around the cavern walls to take in the variety of fungi that lived there. Polaris was a very beautiful cavern even if she still preferred her home in Eridanus. It was hard to compare the two though. Eridanus and Polaris were so drastically different from each other, with such a different feel, it was almost harder to compare the two than comparing mushrooms to plants or snakes to lizards.

When asked about showing Khres her home, the excitement finally became too much for Enka to contain. The springbok swiftly lifted up and sprang up into the air with a gleeful bay. Her rump rippled with joy and her tail flicked. Enka leaned her head down and smiled broadly at her new snake friend.

“Yes yes! I’d love to take you there! Polaris is really pretty! But so is Eridanus! And then maybe I can show you Rift too! He could tell you more about plants. He’s really smart. And I can show you some tasty berry bushes! They’re fruits, kinda like the magical bananas. Do you know about the bananas? They’re tasty to, but I like the bushes better.”

Enka stopped, largely because she found that air was still important to talking and being alive.

---

Speech
Thoughts

Tags: @Khes
Notes:

Khes watched Enka spring into the air in glee. How much did this little antelope contain? The poor snake felt slow and rather sluggish; though that could likely be attributed to the fact that she had been in cold water.

"Don't know about bananas," she admitted. "Would love to go with you though!" she said, raising herself up a bit higher to look at Enka. Her enthusiasm was contagious; the more that Enka talked, the more Khes wanted to see. The more relaxed the nervous snake became.

She hesitated for one moment though. "Don't know if I could keep up with you.." she said, more to herself, as she pondered her options. The springbok had so much more energy than her!

@Enka

“Oh, bananas are weird! They’re long and yellow and squishy inside. And when you eat them, you sparkle! I’ll have to show you sometime!” If possible, Enka was growing more excited. She was happy to have new things to show to her new friends. Plants and fruit and Eridanus made her happy. She was most certain that they would bring her new friend happiness too. And indeed, Khes seemed pretty happy about travelling.

At least, that was until she pointed out that she couldn’t move as fast as the springbok. Enka frowned, taking another look at the snake’s underside and recalling that Khes had mentioned the absence of legs. It was a bit of a surprise that she could move as well as she could without them. Enka couldn’t imagine not having legs like that. How would she spring into the air without legs? It was nice she’d never have to know. This was a bit of a problem.

Enka fell into deep thought, ears twitching. Then all of a sudden, an idea hit her. Enka gave a broad grin at the snake. “I can take you there, if you’d like! I can carry you!” The springbok laid down once more, going as flat against the earth as she could. “See? You can get on my back and then I’ll take you over there.”

---

Speech
Thoughts

Tags: @Khes
Notes:

Khes attempted to picture a banana. Like a berry, but yellow, and longer. It was the closest thing that she could think of. What a strange world! She wondered how all of these things tasted, at least to the springbok. Then Khes wondered something else: could she herself eat them? She didn't feel like berries were what she ate, but maybe she could. She'd have to see.

Khes watched Enka drop down, pressing herself flat to the floor. It was a good idea! The small tentacle snake could not keep up with the antelope, but like this there would be no issue! "What a good idea!" she said, voicing her thoughts. Her voice was still quiet, but it was a bit closer to regular speaking levels. No longer a whisper. Khes could now be properly heard.

The snake carefully slithered up Enka's back, settling down just below her shoulders. "You can move," she said, letting Enka know that it was okay for her to stand. Hopefully, though, she wouldn't jump into the air. That would not go well for the little snake. Not at all.

@Enka

Enka attempted to keep still while the snake slithered up to her. Khes felt interesting to say the least. Different than the leaves and other things she had felt before. Plus, the snake was still a little damp from the puddle. But it wasn’t a bad feeling and Enka was happy for the new experience. And she was most excited that the idea was satisfactory and would allow them to travel through the tunnel at a good pace.

Once the shifting stopped and the snake spoke up, the springbok moved to stand upright. There was a bit of rocking as first the back end and then the front rose up. While Enka was starting to develop a sense of grace while moving, this did not reflect in her rising up from a lying down position.

“Are you okay?” she asked, worried about the snake shifting. She came to realize that the poor snake had nothing to which to grab on with. She was excited but it was clear that she’d have to take it at a fairly easy pace to avoid toppling the poor creature off of her.

Slowly Enka lifted a front leg and moved forward. It was clear that she was being extra extra careful with her new friend. Ears flicked as she focused on making each movement of her leg as gentle as possible. If it were possible for her to walk on the tips of her hooves, she probably would have. Slowly and gently she moved forward. Still, this pace was more likely faster than if Khes was slithering beside her. Still it was difficult focusing on each leg in front of her when her eyes were more to the side, leaving the direct front as a blind spot.

---

Speech
Thoughts

Tags: @Khes
Notes: Enka leaving thread now

Khes got as comfortable as she could. If she had hands, or paws, or really any kind of hand or foot, she'd be holding on. But this would have to do, and it seemed like Enka was being very gentle. Khes felt safe around the antelope, as Enka was moving so carefully that Khes was certain that anything that happened would be an accident.

"You are good," she said, meaning it in more way than one. A good friend, a good Gembound, the snake was even telling her that she was doing fine with her movement. That it wasn't jarring. "Am okay," she added, seeing as the last words to leave her mouth were rather vague.

@Enka

//Exit Khes! Off to Eridanus with the new friend!