[PRP] Hello, Darkness, my new friend... [Night Bird x Beneath the Surface] [fin]

[SerinaNight]

Following Night Bird to the bush, he tilted his head to get a better look, listening to her explanation. Beneath the Surface chuckled as well, he couldn't find any fault with that logic. Approaching the bush he took a few bites himself, mulling over the taste. He pauses, letting the berries sit on his tongue when the doe speaks again. They were quite tasty. He glances at his back, rolling the berries around to savor them before swallowing.

"I'm not sure, if you mean my turtle shell marking I got these from my mother.." The buck ponders this, taking another mouthful of berries as he does so. Bouncing back and forth a bit he finishes his bite and glances back at Night Bird with a smile. The buck seems to settle on an idea, "If I knew a bit more about him I might be able to tell you." he says, nodding to himself. Maybe he'd heard someone mention their name, after all, some of his herd had travelled quite a bit.

@Jynk

[Jynk]

"My great uncle with the markings like yours is called In the Darkness I Have No Name. He doesn't share a dam with my grandsire, though," Night Bird mused, munching on more berries. "I don't remember her name since we don't see that uncle as much and never seen the other uncle or aunt. I think it was.. something.. rock?" She shrugged, shaking her head a little. "It was a long time back."

[SerinaNight]

Beneath the Surface took another mouthful as well, pondering as Night Bird spoke. He didn't specifically recognize the name, but it might sound vaguely familiar? It was hard to tell. He didn't personally know any kin with names like that, but maybe someone he knew did? The buck mused on this as he enjoyed the berries.

When Night Bird got the the part about the mother's name, he paused, coughing a bit as a berry went down the wrong pipe. It couldn't be, right? It was the only thing that made sense... the buck stuck his tongue out a few times to clear his mouth, mostly to clear his throat before speaking since he'd almost swallowed that berry wrong.

"I think that might be my mother... her name didn't happen to be Sunlit Rock did it?" The buck asked tentatively, shifting a bit closer to the doe again and rubbing his shoulder against hers once as though to comfort himself with her continued presence. Beneath the Surface didn't want to be wrong... but it made sense.

A buck with his markings with a mother named something Rock couldn't be anyone else, could it? It would be awkward if he was wrong but he didn't think she'd think less of him for it. The buck took another mouthful of berries and shifted his weight a bit. The longer he thought about it the more awkward he felt. If only he'd talked to Star Spattered a bit more! Than again, did she even know her siblings? Lots of kin never met their clutch mates... and his mother never cared much for learning about her offspring so there would have been no help there...

The buck sighed to himself, well, it would come down to whether or not Night Bird remembered the name based on what he's said. If he was right, then they had more in common than they first thought. If not... then he had done something else embarrassing during their first meeting and luckily she was nice enough to forgive him for it.

Well he assumed anyway. But based on what he'd seen so far she seemed much too nice to judge him for something like this... that's why they were here.

@Jynk

[Jynk]

"Sunlit Rock," the doe said slowly, feeling it out. "Yes, I think that might have been it. What a small swamp." She laughed softly. "At least she is the mother of the uncle I'm not directly related to." She bumped the buck's shoulder back companionably. "I have never met her, though. What is she like? She must have been a pretty nice doe for My great-grandsire to want to mate with her."

@SerinaNight

[SerinaNight]

The buck nodded in agreement and smiled, a small swamp indeed. Things like this seemed to happen surprisingly often, something a few of his herd mates would call The Will of the Swamp he'd imagine. Like him, and other herd mates, managing to stumble upon the herd that their parents were a part of by pure chance.

Like meeting Night Bird.

The buck flushed at the thought, especially since the doe had returned his shoulder tap at the same time. He laughed under his breath, a short exhale. Taking another mouthful of berries he glanced back at the doe, chewing while she spoke, when she asked her question he specifically took his time, especially once she commented on her thoughts on the matter.

Beneath the Surface faltered a bit, glancing away at her comment about Sunlit Rock. Nice... wasn't exactly the word he'd use to describe her, and he highly doubted that was the reason for their breeding. The doe wasn't mean, well, not... specifically but she was definitely an acquired taste. The buck shifted his weight a bit, pawing the ground and thinking.

"It's... a bit hard to describe?" He said questioningly, tilting his head and looking off into the distance. "She's very... unique..." The buck sighed, and tapped his hoof on the ground. There had to be a good way to describe this, he didn't want her to misunderstand, in either direction. Tilting his head back and forth he glanced at the berries and nodded suddenly, an idea clearly striking his as his dropped ears perked back up.

"Imagine... she is like tart berries. Some kin like them, some don't. Nothing wrong with them, specifically. But often they are... something not everyone likes. Maybe you like them after trying a few times, maybe you never do." The buck paused, seeming to ponder if he should continue. Beneath the Surface decided that was probably enough, it seemed a good description.

@Jynk

[Jynk]

Night Bird tilted her head a bit, listening to his words. "Tart berries. Well, that does explain my great-grandsire's inclination toward her. He's adventurous; a trait many of my familial herd share. He definitely would appreciate a challenge and it sounds like she was quite the challenge for sure." The doe nodded her head, gesturing off a ways. "I think there's a stream here if you'd like some water. We could walk together and talk more, if you'd like." She gave an amused smile and walked off in the direction she'd gestured, letting the buck trail after.

[SerinaNight]

The buck chuckled, a challenge indeed. That was another nice way of putting it. Swishing his tail a bit the buck danced back and forth slightly while listening. Conversations were turning out to be much easier than he thought, though the company was likely to thank for that. This night was turning out to be quite nice, and likely long, he hoped. A long night of talking finally didn't seem like a chore.

When the doe offered to take him to the nearby stream, he beamed and nodded. "I would enjoy that." Beneath the Surface said, looking down and glancing up at the doe, the glow in his eyes bright. His tail swished past her as she heading off, and the buck happily followed. This long night of talking was only just beginning, and he was looking forward to every minute of it.

[FIN]