Sohalia
Tarak, ever the ornery creature, hissed at Pip, his feathers fluffing out dramatically and his tail lashing this way and that; but after a moment, he seemed to grow more curious than hostile, and he leaned forward to sniff noses with the dragon. Soh raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, resigned. She adored her small companion - he was currently no larger than a kitten - but he had a rather difficult personality at times. Still, at Koa's laughter, a wry smile pulled at the girl's lips and a small laugh spilled forth despite her discomfort. It was not, perhaps, the same carefree laugh she'd had when they first met, but it was something, and it wasn't as though she didn't have reasons to be more withdrawn.
Soh made a face. 'I haven't seen any griffins before, but Tarak is decidedly not what I expected, either," she told Koa with a smile. When she'd imagined a griffen, she'd hardly considered a parrot-like creature with a very cat-like personality. Somehow she'd imagined something more... sleek? Perhaps a falcon, or an eagle, or something similarly awe-inspiring. Still, his unique features simply made him all the more adorable in her eyes. "From what I've managed to read, he's rather unique." As though in response, the griffin turned his beak up at her, flicking his tail before turning his attention back to Pip, reaching out to bat playfully at her paws.
At his congratulations, her smile turned tired. "Thank you," she said, her voice warming in spite of herself. "It's certainly been a busy Longheat." There was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to share. All of her fears and insecurities bubbled to her lips, but she swallowed them down. It wasn't fair to burden Koa with them, not now.
Then he said he missed her, and something broke inside her chest. "I missed you, too," she whispered before she could stop herself, and immediately cursed herself a fool. Meeting his gaze was a similar mistake, as copper stared back at her, genuine and soft and sweet. He took a step towards her, and she stood rooted in place, unable to move away but unwilling to move closer. Gods, why did this have to be so confusing? She loved Jude - she did, really, but Koa... there was something special about him, too, and she had to try very hard not to run into his arms. End it, a voice in her head hissed. "I, um... what did you want to talk to me about?" she hedged, still avoiding her task.
Soh made a face. 'I haven't seen any griffins before, but Tarak is decidedly not what I expected, either," she told Koa with a smile. When she'd imagined a griffen, she'd hardly considered a parrot-like creature with a very cat-like personality. Somehow she'd imagined something more... sleek? Perhaps a falcon, or an eagle, or something similarly awe-inspiring. Still, his unique features simply made him all the more adorable in her eyes. "From what I've managed to read, he's rather unique." As though in response, the griffin turned his beak up at her, flicking his tail before turning his attention back to Pip, reaching out to bat playfully at her paws.
At his congratulations, her smile turned tired. "Thank you," she said, her voice warming in spite of herself. "It's certainly been a busy Longheat." There was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to share. All of her fears and insecurities bubbled to her lips, but she swallowed them down. It wasn't fair to burden Koa with them, not now.
Then he said he missed her, and something broke inside her chest. "I missed you, too," she whispered before she could stop herself, and immediately cursed herself a fool. Meeting his gaze was a similar mistake, as copper stared back at her, genuine and soft and sweet. He took a step towards her, and she stood rooted in place, unable to move away but unwilling to move closer. Gods, why did this have to be so confusing? She loved Jude - she did, really, but Koa... there was something special about him, too, and she had to try very hard not to run into his arms. End it, a voice in her head hissed. "I, um... what did you want to talk to me about?" she hedged, still avoiding her task.
