Xin had been travelling for some time since he hatched. He had managed to stay in the same room the whole time, a room filled with bones. Something that Xin found to be quite fun. He would play and play and play with the bones. He wished someone else would play with him, but this would have to do. For now, anyway. For now, the little marten tossed bones around, chasing after one before going after another. There were only few moments where he would stick with a specific bone for longer than a few seconds. After some time, he began to get bored. Bones can only be interesting for so long. So he began exploring, seeing what else there was in this cave of bones.

As far as he could tell, there weren't any gembounds nearby. So he continued exploring until he came across what appeared to be the middle of the room. The roof nearly touched the floor here. He stared at it for a bit, poking it some before quickly losing interest. He continued walking. The room was small, so it didn't take long for Xin to get back to where he started. He didn't really know what to do now. Maybe someone would come in soon? He hoped so.

Maybe, while waiting for someone, he could try and speak! Many other gembounds seem to be able to do so, so surely he should, right? Maybe he just wasn't trying hard enough. So the little marten opened his mouth, and tried to say something. Nothing came out. He tried again, trying to put more effort. But still, no sound. He made a soundless growl of frustration. Why could he not speak? He tried again, trying to yell. But still, it was all to no avail. With a sigh, he lay down. Clearly he couldn't speak, and would never be able to, much to his disappointment.

It wasn't often that Magdalena left Monoceros on her own. In fact, it very rarely happened, especially if it wasn't for the express purpose of fetching someone. As far as she knew, Nemesis and Hestia were still safe in Monoceros, and her children she had left tucked away in the cave. Word had reached her of a crippled canine living within Canis that spoke of legends, a deeply beloved inhabitant of the bone room by those living within it. She didn't know if the cripple was considered a part of the Bonebound, but her curiosity was getting the better of her, and she'd wanted to satisfy that low simmering wonder. She knew that traipsing into the bone room would quickly draw the attention of its brutish residents, but her arrogance convinced her that if she did encounter them, she would be able to talk her way out of it.

They had never met her, after all. Their problems were with Diamondfang. Magdalena was as innocent as a fresh flower growing in a ray of light.

She had woven through the tunnel between her home and Canis, and as soon as she entered the room, she felt the air was different. It was stagnant, warm, almost humid, and the smell of stale water quickly crawled up her nostrils and settled. Magdalena hesitated there for a moment and closed her eyes, reaching out. Unfamiliar cultures throbbed in their subtle environments, some of them slowly moving, others lingering, and one of them nearby. Magdalena remained close to the wall, her shoulder brushing the dusty, cool stone, traveling along its length. As she did, she could feel it - closer and closer, and its thriving bacteria told her that it was young. Perhaps a juvenile, untarnished by the tragedies that wrought the cave, would look upon her with mere wonderment rather than accusation.

Magdalena hesitated and pointed her nose in their direction, sniffing, straw eyes staring just above their head. "Hello." She probed; a low, mature voice riding the wind in an elegant breathe, producing but the ghost of a smile. "Do you live here?"

@Xin

Xin was lying on his side when a sound alerted him. Scrambling up, he looked around. He didn't really see anyone. Sitting down, he titled his head and raked his gaze across the cave. Occasionally he would hear the sound of fur brushing against stone, maybe the occasional bone rustle. But that was it. He sighed and lay down again, head resting on his paws. He made a half-hearted attempt to speak again, but was met with nothing once more. Maybe he would be able to speak as he got older? Despite thinking this, he knew there was no hope. He would never be able to speak.

He continued to lay down until a sound reached his ears once more. He blinked. Was someone nearby? After some time of no more sound, he lost interest. If there was someone here, perhaps they had left. He decided that maybe he would sleep when a voice startled him, making him jump. He flailed while lying down, paws going every which way. He landed on his other side and faced white paws. Looking up, he saw a tall dog looking down at him. He opened his mouth in a soundless squeak and quickly scrambled up. He gazed up at her as she spoke again.

Did he live here? He had certainly hatched here. But was he to continue living here? He wasn’t really sure. Sure, he liked this place. It has bones, which were fun-something he quickly learned. But bones got boring. Part of him wanted to explore. But for now, he supposed that yes, he did live here. Not that he could ever tell her that. Although, he mused, he figured he could nod. That would work, right? Surely it ought to get his point across. So he nodded.

@Magdalena

...There was no response. At least, none that she could hear. No indication of an acknowledgment. This was another Gembound, right? Another creature capable of thought? She wasn't just talking to a bone, right? Magdalena furrowed her brow. "Well?" The canine asked again. Her voice was careful and quiet, devoid of the impatience inferred by her words. Just to be careful, she reached forward with her magic. She could feel him. Another creature there before her, alive and breathing, complete with his own culture of bacteria. So why wasn't he answering her? The dog stared blindly just above his head and sealed her lips.

@Xin

Xin frowned as the dog showed no signs that she had seen him. He nodded again, hoping this time she saw him. ...Nothing. Clearly him nodding wasn't going to get him anyway. Was...Was she blind? That certainly changed things. He sighed. What was he to do? He couldn't speak, she couldn't see. How could he saw that yes, he did live here? Or just say anything? His paws scuffled the floor as he shifted. Ok, let's see. She couldn't see him if he nodded, or really moved at all. Right? She certainly seems to be blind, considering she didn't acknowledge his nod, and even asked again. He couldn't speak, and had tried multiple times, all to no avail. The tiny marten wasn't sure what to do. He finally met someone, and turns out, they can't even communicate! Xin has to communicate with body language-something that he is, admittedly, not very good at-and here he is, face to face with a blind dog.

@Magdalena

And there was still nothing. But the strange creature, whatever it was, was shuffling in front of her. It seemed to be reacting to her words despite not saying anything. So maybe it could understand her, just couldn't speak for whatever reason. She couldn't recall ever meeting a Gembound that couldn't speak - she had never encountered this problem before and needless to say it was... distressing. After all, here she was in Canis, practically enemy territory, blind and unable to communicate with one of its inhabitants. But maybe they could make this work. Her gaze softened slightly and Magdalena ever so gently reclined to her haunches. "You can understand me, yes?" She asked softly, curling her tail around her flank - the image of prim and elegant. "Can you make any noise at all to let me know?"

@Xin

Xin shuffled his paws awkwardly. He blinked as she spoke again. Yes, he can understand her! Could he make any noise to let her know such a thing? He could most certainly try. He wondered what he could do to let her know. Scrape his claw against the floor, maybe? Or would that be too soft a sound? Could he move a bone? There weren't any that were very close to him... So he decided his best bet was to scrape his claws against the stone floor. So he did just that, his claws making a sharp, scratching sound against the floor. Surely she had heard that, right?

@Magdalena -Sorry it's so late-