It was a rare evening in which a young Enka was given a break from her studies and exploring the caverns. Typically, the young springbok spent her days in Eridanus with Rift being guided in using her plant-based magic. Eridanus had easily become her home. It was not only where she was hatched and where Rift had settled, but that cavern had the most abundant amount of plant life of all the caverns from what she could tell. Surrounded by such flora she felt secure and safe.

Today, though, she found a different yearning. She had visited Polaris once when she was a tad younger, even before the little numbs of baby horns had started to appear. It had seemed like a magical place then, a place out of dreams almost. She had even seen a wolf whose coat was such a rich red that with sparkles that it looked as though flames had danced on the land. So every so often, Enka found herself drawn to that cave.

And tonight was one of those nights. Instantly she felt a slight electric feeling through her body. Enka had still not been able to fully understand what that feeling meant, but it made her feel as though she could do anything. Well, almost anything. When she had neared the cavern she tried to use a plant sensing spell but was already too excitable to make it work.

The springbok half walked, half bounded through the cavern. Lights from the surrounding fungi danced across her brown pelt. Her tail waved happily behind her. Eventually she found a little runaway from the crystal river, a stream with tattered shores and shallow depth. At first she had missed the little stream entirely, so distracted by the energized feeling she was enveloped in, until a dark brown hoof landed in it with a splash. Enka leapt up in surprise. Spinning around, she looked and noticed the water.

Ears flicked as she looked it over, then plopped a hoof into it making another loud splash. A round of giggles followed after. With that the springbok lamb began to jump and dive her front hooves into the stream with a rush of giggles following after.

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Khes had been following the water, though never venturing close enough to fall in. And soon she found a smaller water route, though connected to the main river. So she followed that instead, feeling better about being near it. Soon enough, she slithered into it. It was quite shallow and slow, and was quite enjoyable to be in, actually. So she continued going through it.

She hadn't been paying attention, and she felt a splash in the water. Khes instinctively flinched, though the other Gembound did not seem to be directing the jumping at her. Then giggles. More splashing. She reared up her small self to get a good look at the creature in front of her. Khes did not say anything, but instead watched the Springbok. What was she even doing?

@Enka

Enka continued the routine; jump, dive, splash, giggle. It was a simple game but it gave much amusement to the young calf. The fact that she felt invigorated by the cavern’s strange aura didn’t hurt much either in that regard. Her springbok trademark rump flap even unfurled in her excitement. She wasn’t even bothered by the water splashing up and damping the fur closest to her hooves.

Then all of a sudden, she noticed sometime nearby lifting out of the water. “Oh!” she cried out, stopping and looking over her new discovery. It was an interesting thing…. Creature, she soon realized. It seemed like a water reptile of some sort but with strange feelers on its head? Very curious indeed.

Then she realized that by jumping around, she could have easily trampled the poor thing. “Oh!” she cried again, leaping back a step or two. Brown and creamy head swept downwards to better look at the creature. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know there was anything in the water!” And ear wiggled with a slight cock of her head as she looked over the reptile. “Are you a gembound bound too? Or are you like the little lizards I sometimes see in the tunnels? But none of those lizards looked like you, I don't think....”

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The timid snake again flinched when the springbok moved down to look, though she knew, somewhere deep inside her, that the creature before her ate only plants. They would not eat her, but they were bigger than her. That enough was worthy of caution.

She moved a bit closer, slowly and carefully. What was she? A Gembound, yes, but was she like the little lizards? Lizards had legs though. Right? Were there other lizards? She hadn't seen one for herself, but from what she could think of, they did. Maybe not. Perhaps she was a lizard.

"Gembound but look like lizard?" Khes whispered, though it sounded like a question. The young snake did not know that there were Greater and Lesser Gembound. Just that she was, indeed, a Gembound. "But don't lizard have legs?" the snake actually asked this time, directing it to the springbok before her.


@Enka

Enka blinked slowly, looking over the little creature. She was pleased to find out that it can talk, that meant she could be a new friend. Enka enjoyed making new friends. They were so nice and she learned so much from them. Like now! That there were creatures that were like lizards, but not. The springbok moved a step closer to see the creature better.

“You’re right! You don’t have any legs at all! All the lizards I see have legs. What kind of creature are you new friend?”

Her ears flicked in curiosity as a broad smile spread across her face. Enka didn’t really have many friends as her first cycle had largely been spent with Rift. To was fun to make more friends and she was enjoying herself quite a lot.

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Notes: Sorry it's a shorter post this time! D:

Khes watched the springbok move closer. She did not flinch for once. She wouldn't hurt her, right? It seemed that way.

Friend! The stranger had called her friend! If snakes could show happiness in some way, Khes would. The best that she could do was let out a pleased hiss.

But now onto the question. What was she? The tentacle snake began to go through the list of creatures she could think of at the time; this list was broad. Cats and dogs were sorta like one another, but not quite. Lizards had legs. And then it came to her.

"Snake!" she declared, voice getting slightly louder than her usual whisper. "Snake have no legs. Lizard have legs! Snake like... lizard with no legs," the snake said, happy with herself. Indeed, she had figured it out on her own! She couldn't help but feel somewhat proud. But what kind of snake? There were other kinds, right?

Khes could figure that out later. That wasn't important right now. She felt a bit more relaxed around this springbok, even if she didn't know that was what species the Gembound before her was.


OOC: No worries! Happens to all of us :)
@Enka

The legless lizard-like creature made a strange noise, a soft hiss. This was a new sound for her, but it wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, it was kind of nice to her large ears. Enka shifted, lowering herself to lie next to the stream’s banks so that she could more easily see and hear the smaller creature without straining her neck so much.

Though as the creature responded, it was hard not to immediately jump back up with glee. The snake, as she now learned, was so proud and happy of itself that it was nearly contagious. “Snake!” Enka repeated, grinning and flicking her rope like tail happily. “Snake seems good.”

“I’mma springbok! It’s a…” she paused for a moment, locating the next word in her mind. “Oh yeah, an antelope! I’m an antelope! Which is very different from Rift, he’s a cat. Well, he’s really a cat plant, though he says he’s not a plant. But he’s got plants all over him all the time! So he has to be part plant, right?” And alas, it seemed that Enka fell into the trap that is all too common of young ones, of rambling on about their lives and everything they enjoy. Enka didn’t even realize how much she was rambling or that perhaps this snake didn’t know who Rift was. After all, she did. Why would she expect that others didn’t?

“I’m Enka. What’s your name?”

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Khes slithered her way out of the stream, lowering herself back to the ground. She settled by the springbok, looking up at her. This was much easier on the snake as well. It wasn't as far up to look.

So the lovely creature before her was a Springbok! And it was a kind of antelope? Cool! And Rift.. she had not met him. Then again, she hadn't really met anyone; she had only hatched recently. She hadn't even left Polaris yet! But the little snake listened to the antelope's ramblings. A... plant-cat? Was that possible? He has plants on him? That was interesting. She almost wanted to meet him. Maybe he was not really a predator, if he was part plant?

Enka was this Gembound's name, it seemed. "Enka," Khes repeated quietly, testing it. And then she answered the question proposed to her. "I am Khes," she responded. The name sounded not unlike a hiss, which was fitting for a snake in itself, though the name was admittedly strange.

@Enka

She was pleased to see the snake come out of the water and rest beside her. It was a reassuring action from the reptile. It meant that she was comfortable around her. This gave the springbok quite happy feelings. Rift was a nice friend and mentor to her. She loved spending time with him and learning about plants and magic and everything! But it was nice to meet others for they were nice in their own ways too. Like Rift was a berry bush, but this little snake was like a small flower, both very different but very nice to see and be around.

“Khessss,” She repeated the name, trying to imitate the hiss that the snake gave. Unfortunately, an antelope’s mouth is quite different than that of a snake and the sound made was much less elegant. It was an amusing attempt for her though and she couldn’t help but giggle softly at the sound she mad.

“Khes the snake. I like that. I like you. Are you from here Khes? This is a pretty cavern. I like all the shiny lights everywhere! And it makes me feel a little tingly when I first get here. It’s not like Era-Ero-Eridanus though. Eridanus has plants and trees and flowers EVERYWHERE! I’m not sure what kinds of plants there are here. Well, other than the mushrooms, though Rift says that mushrooms aren’t the same thing. But they look like plants, right? Rift is confusing sometimes. Do you like it here?”

And once again, Enka found herself rambling on before finally stopping for a breath. The springbok lamb looked at expectantly. She liked talked to her new friend.

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Khes listened to Enka's attempt at speaking her name. It was actually pretty good! It hadn't even occurred to her before that her name would be a bit difficult for others. But the springbok did pretty good on that pronunciation, even if it was a little awkward-sounding.

If a snake could blink slowly, Khes would have. Enka started talking quickly, asking questions, some of which were about things the poor snake couldn't even answer yet. What was she supposed to say to all of that? She could try.

When the talking stopped, and she was supposed to respond, she took a moment to register everything. Not all of it really registered fully, but yes, she could definitely answer the questions to the best of her ability."I am from here," she confirmed. "I don't know if mushrooms are plants. Rift maybe is right though. She curled up slightly. "I do like it here. But haven't been anywhere else."

Now she had several questions that she wanted answered. "What... where, is Eradanus?"she asked, pronouncing the name of the cave incorrectly. "What is a mushroom? What's it look like?" Khes questioned the lamb, asking several questions of her own.

@Enka