like herding cats [open]

[Kilnarak]

[ Open, 'though if no one bites I'll finish it up solo later, if that's allright? Also, this is set prior to Eceph's second hatching, likely around the time of the Bravo-class riding lessons. ]

Ma'ro was busy. Hummiph knew he was busy, really he knew. There were things that His needed to do, things that were necessary and important. Things like his chores in the gardens, tending to the crops that gave the Eyrie food and tending to the smaller herb garden that he had helped cultivate. It was important to him, and it was important to the Eyrie, and really, Hummiph should not be distressed by it.

He really should not, but that did not stop that he was. Among the smallest blues of the Eyrie, Hummiph was still skittish around other people and simourv. He felt they would look at him and find him wanting, and he found that it had been easier to hide when he was smaller, when he could easily duck behind His Ma'ro to escape prying eyes. Now, however, Hummiph was roughly the size of a large pony, slender and gangly, and he was much too large to duck behind His. Every so often, usually at Ma'ro's encouragement, Hummiph would try - would really try! - to associate with the other simourv in his class. Philomeph, certainly, was very kind to him. But she was a tawny, she was so far above him. She was a graceful, beautiful creature, light and airy - and he, he was small and dark and ugly. Ma'ro had told him otherwise, but Ma'ro was biased, Ma'ro was His. All of his siblings had been such lovely colors, and the older ones! They were even more vibrant! But he was plain and dark and dull, and he was not regal like the blacks (who were also dark, but were not ugly as he was).

And then there was Clymeph... But Clymeph frightened him. She seemed harsh and angry, and she seemed to hold His in a marked distaste. It distressed him more, even, than being away from Ma'ro did now. Not to mention the elder class, they were so large and frightening, and even the eldest simourv at the Eyrie. Even Seronaph, his teacher, or Eceph, the Phoenix, or Altaph, his mother. They were all so important! But he was small and insignificant. If they were titans, then he was an ant, a worm crawling belly-down to the ground.

Now, right now, Ma'ro had to be away, with the other humans and Theirs, and Hummiph could not stand to be there. But he could still feel Ma'ro, the albino wasn't so far away - if he needed him, His would come and would protect him, would comfort him. On a level, Hummiph felt this was wrong - it should be the other way around, shouldn't it? - but Ma'ro never took any issue with it, or acted as if it should not be, and so Hummiph chose to overlook this wrongness for now. Sometimes, when Ma'ro was busy, Hummiph would play with Yu'ri - Yukimori, rather, but her name was so long! And she belonged to His, and His belonged to him, so she must belong to him too! And if he gave her a name, perhaps it would bind her to him, as well! Of course, it hadn't - the dog felt the same as she always did and did not speak to him. Still, he had come to love her nearly as much as he loved His - she could protect and comfort as well, even if it was different. And she would sleep against his side now that he could no longer sleep beside Ma'ro on the bed, and would groom his ears for him if he let her.

Sometimes, Ma'ro would leave her to watch after him and they would romp and play. But not today. Yukimori had remained in their room, sleeping peacefully in a nest of Hummiph's shed feathers. He had not wanted to wake her, and Ma'ro had obliged him. Besides, he did not mind playing by himself. So long as he wasn't alone too long...

So, Hummiph had played on his own for some time today already, since he had slunk off to this side cavern off from the garden Ma'ro worked in. He climbed up a short, rocky stairway, pretending it was a great mountain, and then he leapt off of it, playing at soaring. Of course, his wings were much too small to soar for real, but in his mind he was above the clouds - and now he was coming down to land atop some enemy - not a koxi, no, they were too terrifying. Something smaller, something more his size, but still ferocious! He moved with surprising ease, despite his gangly-long limbs and usual slouching stance - without unwanted attention, he felt free to move as the others did and not skulk about with his belly to the floor.

Hummiph was scrambling up the stairs for another leap when a sound stopped him. The young blue froze in his tracks, his ears pricked up and alert. There had been a sound, a high, wavering sound. A mournful sound, a sound like someone in distress. A cry for help? Hummiph crouched low to the ground, his ears pinning back and his tail twitching. He shouldn't go, he should let someone else deal with it - why should anyone want for him to rescue them? But for all that he waited, no one else came. Did no one else hear it? It was so loud! So plaintive! A thought touched him, questioning, but distracted - Ma'ro felt his sudden distress, wanted to know the reason, wanted to know if he needed help... He considered for a moment answering yes, yes he did need help, please come now. But then he changed his mind, It... it's nothing, Ma'ro-Mine, I'm fine! He did not want to be a burden to Ma'ro, and Ma'ro was busy. He could see to this on his own.

... Maybe.

The cry came again, and Hummiph moved. Still slinking low to the ground, the blue followed the noise to its source. After a bit of searching, the source proved to be a small crevice in the rock face, off to one side of the corridor. A natural formation, it was just large enough that his head might fit inside without getting stuck, but only barely, and just high enough on the wall that if he stretched he might see inside. So Hummiph did stretch, putting his paws up and hooking his talons into the rough stone of the wall to peer inside of the small nook...

A pair of tiny blue-gray eyes met his pale brown gaze, and he blinked owlishly at them. The tiny blue-gray eyes were set in a tiny silver and black head covered in soft down, and crowned with a pair of soft tufted ears. The small creature blinked back at Hummiph, having quieted at his sudden appearance. Hummiph merely stared, trying to make sense of it, but after a moment the tiny thing toddled over to him and touched his beak with one of it's tiny taloned paws. When he shifted slightly to get a better look, the little thing fairly bounced backwards and made an uncertain hissing sort of noise, before slowly toddling back. The little thing sniffed and batted at his muzzle, then began to lick at the edges before mewling piteously again.

It took him a moment, but Hummiph suddenly came to a realization: He had found a hatchling! And she was hungry! But of course she would be hungry, if she was a hatchling - he had always been hungry when he was newly hatched! And she was a gray! Her down was silver (mostly - marked with black and an orangey-copper here and there), which meant she must be a gray! He had found a gray hatchling! But where was her mother? And her clutchmates? Hummiph squirmed to peer about the rest of the empty crevice, then drew his head back to look about for Eceph or Altaph. But neither of the two mother-simourv were anywhere nearby. He looked back to the mewling hatchling and tried to speak to it, warbling soft and hoarse. Where is your mama? Or did you choose Yours already? where is she? I can get them, and bring you food...

The kitten flinched away a moment, then came back only to bat at his snout again and mewl. She did not answer him. Hummiph was confused. He bumped his beak gently against the kitten, cooing questioningly. What is your name? Do you have a name? I'm Hummiph, he tried to sound friendly, helpful - but still she did not answer him, merely cried again and again for food. He whimpered softly in the back of his throat. Perhaps there was something wrong, perhaps she could not speak? Mine! he called to Ma'ro, his soft whisper-voice made urgent, Mine! Help me! There is a gray here! But I think she is hurt, I think she is lost! She won't tell me here name!

Back in the gardens, Ma'ro brushed dirt from his hands, his pale brow furrowed. He didn't understand what Hummiph meant - a gray? Was it Laraph? But Hummiph should know her name, and there were no other grays here aside from Eceph - who most certainly would not have fit in the corridor Hummiph had hidden himself in. The albino boy glanced about to the others currently on chore-duty with him, seeing if his absence would be missed before calling to the nearest, "I'll be right back." Of course, by now they were likely used to him leaving in such a way - off to play nursemaid to his blue...

[winged]

Laraph had been warned against staring, questioning, and/or otherwise pestering the little blue. He was young and fragile and not accustomed to being gawked at. I'dou's threats had become like mantra, and they persisted on rolling in the back of the gray's mind as her keen, dark eyes picked out the littler male while he slipped away from sight. She was trying her very hardest not to make such a fuss. But her rapidly ballooning size made it difficult for the fledgling to roost with the other simourv whose riders were on garden detail, and I'dou was busy - the young woman's head was buzzing with thoughts steeped in irritation and it made for an inhospitable space to linger in.

And she wasn't really doing any harm, honestly. Hummiph was distracted and therefore unaware that the gray's attention was fixed solely upon his swiftly disappearing backside. Or that said gray was now carefully, cautiously levering herself onto her scaled feet, shaking out her feathers and creeping conspicuously in the same direction he'd chosen to take. She just wanted to ask him a few questions, and she'd be very gentle! It was just so curious that His looked like...

Pause, as I'dou sensed that Laraph was shifting and inquired with a certain curtness as to where she was planning on going. The gray hesitated a second, one taloned foot half-raised in expectation of another step before her boundless imagination provided a flawless excuse. I promised Dionyph I would visit him. She took a moment to proudly dwell on what an exemplary little lie she'd just fibbed, a nuance that I'dou didn't fail to pick up on.

You better not set one scaly toe near Hummiph! You hear me, Laraph? The young woman broke her concentration from the task at hand to gaze in the gray's direction, eyes narrowed and exceedingly bright in her tanned face. She wasn't raising a busy-body, and she personally didn't want to have to be the one to explain why she couldn't keep her simourv from pestering another. Especially not to Ma'ro - it was troubling enough to share a chore shift with him, especially with this bum leg of hers. The albino might have no qualms or concerns with their uncanny resemblance, and I'dou might not be as forward as her well-intentioned simourv, but it was a hard task to keep her eyes from wandering in his direction.

It was a bone of contention, and something she would much rather bury than openly confront. It didn't matter what his or her background was, or where they'd come from. It shouldn't matter at all. It was shameful that she couldn't keep her thoughts from dwelling on it at the most inopportune moments, and she was privately concerned that her own misgivings were fueling Laraph's drive to investigate.

I won't! Chirping, the gray made a point to stray from her straight foward path, detouring long enough for I'dou to reluctantly withdraw and before too long, return to more personal ground. The moment she did, Laraph veered right back around and made a beeline for the caverns which she knew Hummiph to be exploring right that moment. She hadn't trekked more than a few feet into the dusky interior before Hummiph's alarm traveled the circuitous route that connected all the simourv of the Eyrie, and Laraph's tufted ears came to a point as she strained to listen for any other sounds of disturbance. Hummiph? Are you hurt? Her tail swished as an after-thought, eyes dilating as she peered into the darkness, hesitant to proceed and yet unwilling to turn back.

I'dou had successfully returned to her agitated weeding for a few moments reprieve, before Ma'ro rose smoothly from his spot not so far away, excused himself and headed suspectly towards the far caverns. It didn't take much more than a hop and a jump before I'dou's furrowed brows took on a much more menacing look as she reached out, growling and groping wordlessly for the gray's attention. Laraph! I told you to stay away! She was already reaching for her crutches - gardening be damned.

I didn't hurt him, something else has startled him. She was very sure that she'd done absolutely no harm to the hatchling, she hadn't even seen him yet. Don't come here, it might be dangerous and you're hurt... As frustrated as Hers was, it was more a plaintive suggestion than a demand, one backed with as much sweetness as the fledgling could muster.

It didn't appear to be enough, as I'dou awkwardly hobbled some distance behind Ma'ro, face ruddy as her blood pressure began inching its way up the charts.

[Kilnarak]

Hummiph's tail swished behind him in agitation as he fretted over the tiny gray kitten. He had noticed the source of her injury when she had leaned up upon his beak and scrabbled at it - there were no wings upon her back. Perhaps some foul monster had torn them off! He nosed lightly at the small creature's back, whining softly.

Mine, she has no wings! She- he cut off abruptly as a different voice sounded in his mind. Not His' voice and not the kitten's, it was a feminine voice and familiar. The small blue froze in place, his ears flattening and his tail stilling and drooping to the floor. Laraph's voice. He had attracted her attention? He didn't deserve it. She shouldn't worry about him, he wasn't worth the time. He drooped further and lifted his head away from the mewling kitten. La-Laraph... I... I'm fine. It... it's just there is a gray here, and I need Mine to help me... His tail swished once against the floor as a thought dawned on him. Oh... oh... is it not my place? I... I should have found a black or... or a red? He whimpered softly to himself in distress, and the kitten cried at him, mewling and scrabbling at the side of the crevice in an attempt to get up to him. He lowered his snout toward the kitten, uncertain if he should, but the little creature seemed to think it right; she thumped her head into his chin, purring.

Hummiph's sudden surge of distress moved Ma'ro more quickly - the blue was going on about a gray, and then suddenly he had a sense of Laraph. Of course, Laraph had been near - I'dou had been on the same chore duty as himself. He's seen her looking at him - but of course, that was nothing new; most had a tendency to stare a while until they grew used to his ghastly appearance. But if Laraph had been injured, that might prove to be a great tragedy - he wondered that there weren't any others rushing to see to the injured gray; certainly she would have called out and would have the entire Eyrie up and scrambling to be of assistance.

The albino was still wondering at that when he turned a corner and nearly walked into the young gray - her swishing tail thwacking into his legs. She did not seem to be particularly distressed - or at least, her posturing did not seem so. Also there did not appear to be anything wrong with her wings, despite Hummiph's worried exclamations - but it was dark inside the corridor and his eyes were still adjusting, perhaps it was something more subtle that he did not see yet? "Laraph," he murmured, inclining his head and lowering his eyes in a mix of greeting and deference, "Where is your I'dou? Hummiph said you were hur--"

No! Not Laraph, Mine! This gray, here! She is much smaller! Hummiph's whisper-voice cut him off mid-speech, a sense of embarrassment coloring his words. There was a sense of here as well, further along the corridor, and a glimpse of something with fluffy gray fur and giant ears and eyes. Ma'ro blinked and shook the image from his head, a slight frown tugging at his lips. "Ah, not you. I am sorry," he nodded to the gray, then, as he heard the sound of her crutches in the hall, he turned back to spy I'dou following and nodded a greeting to her as well; but his speech and his gestures held a sense of distraction. He wondered absently if there were any specific way one took leave of grays and their riders, but then Hummiph's mounting distress set him moving on down the hallway before he could do much more than wonder it. Perhaps they meant to follow? If not, then at the very least he would have to apologize later, once the source of Hummiph's distress was dealt with.

[Fox]

L'nan liked gardening. She liked planting things in good, solid earth and caring for them as they grew into things that could feed or soothe or just brighten up her little garden. When she had come to the Eyrie, so many months ago, she had been rather sorry to leave behind her much-beloved and carefully-tended plants, but in the rush of arrival and bonding and subsequent classes and lectures, the yearning for her little home-cum-clinic had faded into little more than a dull ache. She hadn't really thought about it much, actually, but since she'd been placed on gardening detail, the tawnywinglet had been reminded of how soothing she had found the simple act of gardening to be. Quietly, she hummed under her breath, an old Terran song that her mother had taught her as a child about a fair in a place named Scarborough. Perhaps, had she been home, she might have sung aloud, but as it was, L'nan did not have the garden to herself and she wasn't confident enough of her singing abilities to broadcast it to the world at large.

Still, though, the words to the song drifted idly on melodic wings to Eoreph, where she roosted a short ways away from her gray sister, Laraph. The tawny's head bobbed gently to the lilt of the old folk song, lulled half to sleep by the ditty. She didn't really understand why someone would seemingly write a song with such nonsensical words, but the tune was slow and mournful and almost like a lullaby. With a faint thrum of satisfaction, Eoreph resettled her feathers comfortably, opening her half-shut brown eyes to watch Hers pull weeds, the somewhat onerous chore still managing to remind her L'nan of home. A home that was not Eyrie.

The tawny might have happily gone on in silent contemplation of the garden, had she not spotted the large form of Laraph inching forwards somewhere to her left. Her gray sister looked almost comically, obviously surreptitious, and Eoreph turned her head slightly to watch this spectacle. In mild confusion, she tilted her head as Laraph paused, then proceeded to slip off in the direction of the caverns where Eoreph was fairly certain her cousin Hummiph had disappeared to a short while earlier. Perhaps Laraph wished to speak to Hummiph?

A short distance away, L'nan looked up from her weeding, her simourv's sudden awareness stirring a similar attention from her. What is it, love?[/b] She inquired, her gaze darting from the large beige-brown form of her simourv to the caverns in whose direction Eoreph was staring. Where has Laraph gone? For the gray was certainly a presence that could not be missed; her size alone drew the eye. I'dou, her rider, was another matter, as L'nan had found that the other woman was more given to silence than her dreamy simourv. I'dou could probably disappear into a crowd, if she were not so recognisable as the second Eyrie grayrider. L'nan did not envy the other woman in the slightest.

I am not sure, Mine. Laraph has followed Hummiph into the caverns. He is alarmed.[/color] Eoreph shifted slowly from her roost, stretching languidly before beginning to retrace Laraph's and Hummiph's footsteps, just as the gray form of the former disappeared from sight. The tawny had no need for stealth as Laraph had; rather she simply got up to follow Ma'ro as he also abandoned his chore with a polite excuse, acting as a rather large brown shadow, as compared to his usual smaller, bluer one. L'nan simply stared after her simourv, perplexed, before deciding with a shrug that she might as well go and see what was happening too. She could just have Eoreph show her and employ the shared vision they had learned in lessons long ago, but there really wasn't too much fun in that. So when I'dou began to hobble awkwardly after the other disappearing members of their group, the tawnyrider removed her thick gloves, dusted herself off, and caught up to the grayrider.

"Hummiph found something?" L'nan asked with a cautious smile, noting I'dou's red-faced ire. She slowed he pace slightly to match the injured winglet, eying the crutches but declining to offer help. It wasn't as if I'dou would accept it anyway. And Eoreph, meanwhile drew level with Laraph and, after a brief nod to her gray sister, sent her own soft mind-voice slipping to Hummiph. Hummiph, cousin, what is wrong? Is there something the matter?[/color][/size]

[winged]

There were so very many crossed wires criss-crossing this intersection of interaction. Laraph was very much attempting to sort Hummiph's feelings from the angry snarl of anger that beat mercilessly upon her own disparity and concern. Perhaps not her brightest idea, as her tail shifted from a gentle sway to an agitated thrashing which happened to catch Ma'ro as the rider arrived on the scene.

Oh, I'm sorry! She'd felt something whisk past and had twisted (quite painfully) to ascertain just what she'd struck. Now she hunched to make herself as compact as possible to provide easier access to the stressed blue, perfectly functional wings plastered to her back while her talons scraped against stone. One enormous brown eye was turned on the pale man as he spoke into the heavy silence that surrounded all of the internalized mayhem, a peculiar paradox that made the situation all the more disconcerting. Hurt?[/b] Her voice had slid from its calm, even keel as any sense of balance she'd once held swayed with I'dou's mounting frustration, and the effort to keep herself from fretting - in the midst of all the mental confusion, the gray swiveled her giant head to gaze wonderingly at her wings, before doing a general sweep of herself. No, she was fine...

She mistook his inquiry as to the whereabouts of I'dou with some sense of delight. I'dou is coming, though it's getting very crowded in here.[/b] Maybe there wouldn't be room for all of them - that wouldn't be very conducive to a nice conversation. With a disheartened cluck the gray peered into the darkness once more, turning back to continue a conversational thread...that apparently was disconnected from the other end, as Ma'ro plunged further into the caverns. Oh, well then. The fledgling didn't have long to dwell on her disappointment, at least.

Hello Eoreph! ...are you coming to talk, too? Her greeting was warm, if not entirely whole hearted as she eyed their increasingly cramped lodgings once more. Eoreph was not so small anymore, either. This might be a bad idea.

You might've thought of that before you went scuttling after him, you big chicken. The retort was hilariously composed, but I'dou didn't have the heart to use stronger language. Laraph was a massive pain in the ass, but she meant well at heart. It was becoming a daily mantra as the gray continued to heap stress on her exasperated rider, who was by now red-faced and huffing for breath as she gamely hobbled on with her flimsy crutches. Absorbed in both physical and mental exertion, L'nan was ignored entirely until the other woman spoke up, and I'dou fumbled a step as the quiet was so concisely broken. Disconcerting, indeed.

"I don't know, that numbskull bird's been after him for whatever reason." The words were delivered gruffly, the winglet's throat feeling mighty raw as her shallow gasps for air wore her raw. She didn't particularly feel like chatting, not that she ever did, but her irritation made it all the more unpleasant a notion. Still, she made the effort to be civil - her feathered monstrosity of a conscience would hound her if she didn't. Said monstrosity agreed wholeheartedly with a welcoming chirp for both new arrivals.[/size]

[Kilnarak]

Another voice, another simourv joined the fray, intruding upon what had been a nice bit of solitude for the young blue. Eoreph now, a tawny; her voice was soothing, more soothing than Laraph's, but still it made him flinch and cringe. He was drawing so much attention! He didn't mean to, didn't want to! To know that he was distracting these, his elders and oh-so-important to-be mothers of the Eyrie, from their duties with his dilemma! If only they hadn't noticed him, he was sure he and Ma'ro could handle it - he felt bad enough for needing His' help, but he could not puzzle out a way to dislodge the tiny-gray from her crevice and His had such useful slender hands and arms that could reach easily down and lift her up. Perhaps His could carry her to the infirmary, as well, so that the doctors could see to her missing wings! He would do so himself, of course, but it was awkward for him to fit inside of the infirmary now, and besides that the doctors frightened him - they smelled strange and pungent, like the plants His grew in the garden all mixed together.

Still, Eoreph was speaking to him, and he had to answer her however much he wished she would go away. There... There is a gray here, Eoreph... she is very small and she is hungry and I want to help her and her wings are missing and she must be hurt and I need mine to get her out so... so... so we can take her to the doctor-man and get her fixed? His voice was still hushed and quiet, but the words spilled forth in a veritable flood. He only began to slow when he game to the end of this speech, his mental voice trailing off awkwardly a moment before finishing uncertainly. Perhaps he really should have gotten a black or a red, they were more qualified for caring for grays... But this one seemed to like him so! Her paws were soft on his beak, and after he had flinched she came to sit directly beneath and behind his muzzle, nestling herself comfortably between him and the stone of the crevice wall.

Hummiph truly wasn't sure what he should do, and it was while he was trying to decide that Ma'ro found him. The albino had continued past Laraph until he found the smallish blue's hunched form, his head shoved into a nook in the wall. The pale man frowned slightly and reached out carefully to the blue - a hand finding Hummiph's leg shortly after a mental nudge to announce that he was here. He tried to keep the worry from his thoughts, but Hummiph still felt it and abruptly withdrew his head from the crevice - or tried to. For a moment, he seemed to be stuck, and a surge of panic set him to squirming - it didn't last long however, and with a somewhat painful sounding screech as his budding horns scraped against the stone wall, Hummiph managed to free himself. Within the crevice, the gray kitten cried after him, and Hummiph flattened his ears in distress. Mine! Help her please! I can't!

Ma'ro sighed at his Hummiph, and offered the blue a slight smile as he stroked the feathers of his neck, shoulder, and leg. He was relieved to see that Hummiph was all in one piece - he knew the blue played here, imagining monsters to slay and princesses to save, and he had been half afraid that Hummiph might have injured his head, sticking it in the wall like that. He also expected this to be merely another fantasy, as he drew himself up to peer in the nook in the wall - he was surprised to find a pair of iridescent green eyes staring back at him from within. "Hummiph, shadow... what is this?" he murmured, keeping his voice low. The blue loomed up, peering over His' shoulder. It is a gray! She needs food and help, Mine! His ears twitched against his skull, and he ducked his head slightly. You didn't believe me...?

Ma'ro frowned as he reached a hand carefully into the crevice toward the glowing pair of eyes. He was rewarded with a kittenish hiss as the little creature scuttled away from his hand. "Ah, I... believed something distressed you," he answered, distracted by the puzzle of the small animal. Certainly it was not a simourv; it was smaller than any hatchling he had ever seen, even smaller than the rainbow that had hatched during the first hatching, that he had viewed from the stands. Still frowning, he reached for the creature again and was rewarded this time with a slight sting of kitten-soft claws on his hand, and also with a handful of fur and loose skin. Ma'ro drew the kitten out of the crevice by the scruff of her neck, and gathered her carefully in his arms - he was ready for her to squirm and try to bolt, but instead she kept fairly still after she had been drawn out. Perhaps it was out of fright, or perhaps it was because of Hummiph's scent on him and the blue's looming presence not far away. Once the kitten was settled, Ma'ro turned his puzzled frown up to the blue. "Hummiph... this is a kitten."

A... kitten? Oh! Is that her name? Did she tell you her name? Is it Kittenph? Hummiph's ears perked up briefly, then after a moment fell back again. But why wouldn't she tell me that? I asked what her name was... Mine, does she want to bond to you now? He turned his wide brown eyes to Ma'ro, waiting for His to tell him yes, yes she had and now he would be alone. Because of course she would want His, His was beautiful and strong and surely deserved someone as important as a gray. But Ma'ro only stared at him a long moment, his thoughts confused and concerned and perhaps a touch distressed. No, shadow. I don't want any other than you, not a gray, Ma'ro returned the thought, awkward, but perhaps a bit less awkward than if he had said it aloud.

After a moment he shook his head, glancing up toward where the two female simourv and their riders had been. "It isn't... She's a kitten, Hummiph. She's gray, but she's not a Gray. She's not a simourv... She's a cat." He winced slightly, trying to find a way to explain to Hummiph - he could sense that the young blue had felt a sense of importance in hoping to care for this 'gray' and he didn't want to quash that. The kitten finally began to squirm in his grasp, trying to pull herself onto his shoulder and bat at Hummiph's beak. She had begun purring, loud and strong, when she had seen the blue. It gave Ma'ro an idea. "Ah, shadow, she did not choose me. She chose you. Like Yukimori is mine, she... wants to be yours?"

Oh... but... You are Mine, I can't have two Mines...

The albino laughed softly, carefully stroking the kitten's head with a fingertip as she brushed up against his cheek in batting at Hummiph. "It is a different sort of 'mine,' Hummiph. You can... ah... you can have both, because they are different..."