Ocelot watched her carefully, ready to leap in for the rescue if he needed too but it seemed she was managing on her own. He smiled at her as she smiled back at him. ’Is....is it too soon...?’
“You....you got a little something there. Here let me just...”

Ocelot slowly leaned in and pressed his nose gently against hers, slowly he closed his eyes and lowered his head slightly, still touching noses as he embraced the feeling, then hesitantly Ocelot gave a quick lick across her muzzle. He slowly pulled away and shuffled his paws in a small giggle.

@Rast

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Thoughts Here

You got a little something there...

She tilted her head. Something where? Had he forgotten she couldn't see anything. Rast scowled for a moment.

Here, let me just...

The young leopard jumped at the contact. Her only warning was the feeling of his breath on her whiskers before his nose touched hers. The action felt... intimate. It made her ears burn as a flurry of emotions ripped through her. No less than a day ago she had been mauled and blinded, and now here she was sharing an intimate moment with the perfect stranger. It was all so confusing, part of her wanted to jerk backwards. The other part of her wanted to be swallowed whole by the feeling of safety he provided. She hard;y had time for either reaction because it seemed as soon as it started, it had ended. Ocelot had pulled away, and with it the feelings that had filled her mind.

Rast sat for a moment, staring at the blackness ahead of her. No, staring at the blackness that still contained Ocelot. A quick, and breathy laugh had escaped the male cat after the brief encounter. Did he feel what she was feeling? Confusion? Frustration? Warmth?

"Did you get it?" She blurted suddenly, "What I had on my face, I mean." Confusion had caused her to fail at finding an appropriate response. Her chest tightened, what if her discomfort chased him away? I am a fool... Rast could only hope that her reaction would not be read as disgust. In fact, she was the opposite of disgusted. She was enthralled.

@ocelot

Ocelot shuffled his paws again until she finally said something. He stayed quiet, not sure what to say. After a minute of silence he slowly walked back up to her. He licked at his nose again, still relishing in that moment they just had.

”Uuh, yeah. It’s gone now. So.... uuh...”

He literally couldn’t think of anything to say. He shuffled his paws awkwardly. Part of him wondered if he made a mistake.

”Was.... uuh, was that uum.. was that too... uuh... too soon?”

It was funny, now he was afraid of the answers. He looked at her long and hard and sighed softly, closing his eyes. What he said before was true. Despite everything, she still held beauty. As long as she stayed motivated, as long as she had help, she could have a happy life. He shuffled his paws awkwardly then looked up at her.

”I have an interesting idea. What if I went a full day with my eyes closed? Complete darkness for both of us? That way we can have some fun together, and maybe.... I don’t know. I could understand you better and help you.”

It was a crazy idea, but it was a idea so crazy it actually might work. Ocelot smiled at her softly. That moment forgot now. He wasn’t going to make that mistake twice.

@Rast

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Thoughts Here

The tension between them was almost palpable. Was he mad? Oh, I hope he isn't mad... The wall of silence was almost too much to bear. Luckily, it was Ocelots voice that broke it down. Even though his low voice rumbled with uncertainty, she was relieved to hear no anger. She would take awkward conversation from him over any type of anger.

"I just... I wasn't... So much has happened-" Rast struggled in vain to find an explanation for herself. How was one to explain such complex emotions in words alone? Luckily, he had spoken up, cutting her off. She took no offense to this, once again she felt relief. Perhaps this was a moment to put behind them. But I won't forget that feeling...

"You know, I really like that idea." A short laugh slipped from her. Rast could only picture the two of them bumbling around like lost bugs in a wind storm. At any other time this would probably upset her, but the wounds were still so fresh they almost didn't seem real. A small voice in he back of her mind kept telling her that this darkness was temporary. She would see Orion again, she would see the waters of Fornax, she would see. But never again would those dreams come true.

"I think that would be fun... in a way!" Once again she offered a smile, this one cast towards the ground. "I think... I think I am too weak to play a game like that right now. I hurt too much." Rast murmured softly. "But when I don't hurt, we can do that!"

@ocelot

Ocelot smiled, glad that she would do the little game. He laughed though when she mentioned she didn’t want to do it yet. Of course she wouldn’t.

”I know that ya silly goose! I didn’t mean right now! When you are all healed up, we can play but you have to get better first.”

There was one thought that flowed in his mind, one thought which he knew he shared with her and he just had to speak it out loud.

”I wish you could see me Rast.”

He fumbled his paws again before looking around. He had an idea, he just didn’t know if it would work. He got real close to her, inches from touching noses again and stared into her eye, well her eye.

”You can’t see me right now but I’m looking into your eye. In that world of darkness of yours, try to imagine me, to see me. Try to look into my blue eyes.”

He stared at her intently and slowly but surely, moved his paw slightly above hers.

@Rast

Speech Here
Thoughts Here

His laugh made her smile even more. He called her a silly goose. What is a goose? She thought. If it was silly it must be a strange looking thing! Her own lighthearted laugh joined his. It was bitter sweet, she would never know what a goose looked like. Well... maybe she would with Ocelot as her eyes. There was hope for her yet. And that hope burned like a small flame in her chest. It mustn't go out.

"I wish I could see you too." The laughter in her voice had gone now. It was replaced with a deep sadness. It was the kind that crept on to a creature at night, so cold that it seemed never to leave the bones. Just as she would never see a goose, she would never see him. At least, not who he truly was. There was an image, but it was a blur.

Rasts sightless gaze had been cast down after she had spoken. It was the feeling of Ocelots breath on her fur that made her turn her face upward ever so slightly. His words poured from his mouth and washed over her like a warm breeze. It was almost hypnotizing to have one so close, speaking such soft words.

The snow leopard inhaled deeply, trying hard to picture the cat in front of her. Blue eyes... Eyes the color of the bluest water opened in her minds eye. A white muzzle... A smile appeared below the eyes. Spots and stripes, smooth fur... A clearer image formed. Was it really him? She would never know. But the face she saw in her minds eye matched the low voice of the cat ahead of her.

"I... I can see you." She whispered, her voice was shaking. A scent and a voice and a touch was all she had, but to her it seemed to all come together to make some sort of sense. "Ocelot, the ocelot" She laughed shakily, but it was still a laugh of joy. "I can see you."

@ocelot

Ocelot knew she shared the same wish as him. He smiled brightly as she tried to imagine him and smiled even more when she could see him, even if it was just her imagination.

”That’s great! Rast, I like to ask you something very important. You have to answer me, please.”

Ocelot licked her ear softly before slowly getting up. He brought out his claws and dug then in the ground.

”Who did this to you? Who hurt you Rast? I want to make them pay. I want to do to them what they did to you!”

The conversation had changed. Now the tension crackled like lightning in the air. His voice and tone had changed, now it was rough, angry, hateful, violent. Ocelot wanted payback.

@Rast

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Rast was purring as Ocelot praised her. It felt good. But the subject had soon changed. The snow leopard straightened up as Ocelot took on a serious tone. What is he going to ask? Was it going to be about what happened earlier? She had hoped not. She still couldn't figure out how to put how she felt into words.

"Oh... Ocelot I don't want you to get hurt trying to make up for what happened." His voice had turned bitter with the venom of hate. Rast could tell he wanted to avenge her. But she did not want him to get hurt. "But... I will tell you what happened to me. You have been nothing but kind to me, so I can do this."

The cub took a deep breath, preparing to retell a story that was still so fresh in her mind.

"It was a creature. I don't know what it is called, but it's body did not raise more than an inch off of the ground. It was covered in scales and has awful teeth. I-I was trespassing. I-I-I was just trying to go home to see Orion. I th-thought I could take him on..." Her voice had started off with confidence, but as she continued the images of the fight started to become all too vivid. The snow leopards body shook with fear and her voice wavered. "I just wanted to go home..."

@ocelot

Ocelot unsheathed his claws as he listened. Slowly he walked up to her and licked her ear lightly. His pelt pressed against hers, his head resting against her shoulder.

”It’s ok, I am here. I can take you home. Do you know his name? You don’t have to tell me anything else, but do you know his name? I promise he won’t hurt you. Never again. Not while I am here.”

He nuzzled her shoulder softly, trying to comfort her. If she couldn’t tell him, then that was fine. Revenge would have to come later, but it would come. He would make sure of it.

@Rast

Speech Here
Thoughts Here

As Ocelot leaned against her, the shivering in her body ebbed and her heartbeat slowed. The vivid visions of the gruesome fight began to fade. Once she was able to catch her breath, she mustered a reply. "I don't want to speak his name. It is cursed to me. He lives in tunnel N with a group of others who are just as cruel."

The idea of a whole group of gembounds that were so ruthless made her want to curl up into a ball. Bringing back the memories had worn her out, moving had worn her out. She slowly lowered to a crouch before relaxing enough to lie down again. Rast tried to be careful enough as to not disturb Ocelot too much. She had to keep her movements small anyways, movements that were too big left her feeling lost again.

@ocelot