Finally, the other seemed to chill, to control and contain the anxiety, the buzzing thrum of emotions, and I was grateful for it. I was infinitely more interested when he began to speak of my attunedness, of how it represented who I was, and something about our souls.
I was a scientist. The concept of souls was… questionable, to me. While I believed that something within us gave us sentience, the ability to process thought, I would never know if that was a soul or something else. What else? That was the question.
'Oh,' I say affirmatively, 'Yeah, my profession on my homeworld leant me a vast knowledge of animal species - this shift is called a Clouded Leopard, on my world, at least.' I could go on, but I hardly wanted to overwhelm him with information of how my world saw animals as a commodity, of how we hunted things to near extinction, all for exploitation, money - such a hollow goal.
'There is a saying from my homeworld, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." It means that one who is filled with a desire to learn may push the bounds of safety in seeking out their answers - but when they have their answers, their satisfaction is immeasurable.' It certainly felt right for me, a scientist who travelled to the most dangerous, most remote place on Earth in the name of knowledge and learning - and in the brief time I have known Oliver, I can see how it fits him too.
'The Clouded Leopard is not just any old cat, either - they are tough, and extremely rare, and each one cloaked with a unique pattern, differentiating them from the next.' My words are offered with kindness, and a quiet hum of happiness, for I have learned something today too - and I do love to learn things. 'Is this the first form you shifted to?'
I was a scientist. The concept of souls was… questionable, to me. While I believed that something within us gave us sentience, the ability to process thought, I would never know if that was a soul or something else. What else? That was the question.
'Oh,' I say affirmatively, 'Yeah, my profession on my homeworld leant me a vast knowledge of animal species - this shift is called a Clouded Leopard, on my world, at least.' I could go on, but I hardly wanted to overwhelm him with information of how my world saw animals as a commodity, of how we hunted things to near extinction, all for exploitation, money - such a hollow goal.
'There is a saying from my homeworld, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." It means that one who is filled with a desire to learn may push the bounds of safety in seeking out their answers - but when they have their answers, their satisfaction is immeasurable.' It certainly felt right for me, a scientist who travelled to the most dangerous, most remote place on Earth in the name of knowledge and learning - and in the brief time I have known Oliver, I can see how it fits him too.
'The Clouded Leopard is not just any old cat, either - they are tough, and extremely rare, and each one cloaked with a unique pattern, differentiating them from the next.' My words are offered with kindness, and a quiet hum of happiness, for I have learned something today too - and I do love to learn things. 'Is this the first form you shifted to?'
Chulane
fridooh & whimzi @ deviantart
