"I'm often wrong," He agreed, without any kind of rancor, just...an easy certainty.

---

"About being good at story telling," she continued, smiling up at him in a way that made bright eyes twinkle.  "That was beautifully done."

He shifted a little where he stood, one foot and then the other crunching against the leaves beneath. "That's nice of you to say."

---

"Definitely better than most I've heard."  An ear flicked, the does head tilting with thought.  "Better than I could do."  She didn't think she was terrible at it by any means, but it wasn't a talent of hers.  Not like doing.

She hummed a few bars, apparently lost in thought for a moment before her focus flicked back up to him.  "What's your name?"

He hesitated just a breath, like he was poking at the question, seeing if there was some secret goal hidden inside, before he answered. "Badgerlock."

---

She repeated it softly as she gave him a considering look, like she was trying to work out why that name, but after a moment she just smiled, ears flicking forward.  "Suits you, I think."

"I should hope so. Motherfather wouldn't give us names that didn't suit us...." He blinked down at her, dark eyes serious.

---

"True, but sometimes the why is more easily apparent than others."  The doe rose back to nimble hooves as she said it, giving a little shake to free dirt and debris off her pale coat.

He watched her, hesitating -- words on his tongue, but he still stood very still, thinking instead of speaking.

---

She didn't notice him watching her at first, bit when she did she gave a very curious little hum.  Brows arching and mouth twitching up at the corners into an impish, encouraging little smile.

"You didn't tell me yours." He struggled to keep it light, but -- Badgerlock had a serious edge that left his tone a little flatter.

---

She blinked, a little startled at herself.  "Serpent of Paradise," she offered easily, that rainbow tail flicking as she dipped her head.

Again, he probably meant to tease, but when he spoke it was just a little too neutral. "That's a mouthful."

---

It made her smile regardless, because she absolutely agreed with him.  "Usually it gets shorted  To Paradise, most often.  But family used to call me Merry."

"I can understand that." Merry, at least. He cocked his head, that pale strand of hair falling into his face as he did.

---

Her smile brightened with the agreement, which only solidified how accurate the nickname was.

Bright eyes flicked to the white streak, then back down to that serious face.  Stoic and quiet, but a fair been nicer than one might have guessed.  And very interesting.  "Did that come from one of your adventures, too?"  Her chin tipped up towards the white.

He blinked, slow, attention flashing upward -- and then back down onto her face.  "Just another kind of scar."

---

"Such an exciting life," she lamented, torn between envy and something else entirely.  With so many scars, the one on this throat couldn't possibly be the only one that carried unhappy memories.

She longed to hear more, but it was obvious she reining in her curiosity.

"Has yours not been?" He asked it carefully, his attention raking down over her to take in the bright colors.

---

She hummed, thinking.  Shifting where she stood in a way that put the bright colors at her side on display, which may or may not have been intentional.  Hard to tell.  "In it's own way, but not to that degree.  Lots of exploring, very little danger."

"Exploring in which directions?" It was easy, nonjudgmental, head tipped as his eyes lingered on her plumage.

---

"I've seen the deserts," she declared proudly, tail flicking with her excitement.  "Well, the edges of the desert.  I didn't want to go too far in and risk losing my way."

"What did you find?" Her energy matched his stillness, strangely, as he leaned up against a tree.

---

If she was put off by that lack of strong reaction, it didn't show at all.  She seemed to buzz with the chance to share her own exploits.  "A whole mess of sand."  It came with a musical giggle.  "And cacti with pretty flowers, giant lizards, and loads of acha.  I should have asked one to be my guide."

"And the Ache?" He shifted where he stood, slow and ponderous. "I've never pushed it, myself."

---

"Scaly and spindly, with long, pointed horns."  She tipped her head, recalling details.  "All kinds of colors, but they were very far out so I didn't see much else."

"Not the acha, the Ache." He didn't sound amused or teasing: Badgerlock was fundamentally patient. "I know about the acha all too well."

---

She blinked at him, puzzled.  "The...Ache?"  Her head tilted, tail flicking in a quick arch behind her.

He hesitated, half turning his head back to look at the trees behind. "I wanted to go up into the mountains." Which were behind them, somewhere, well out of view. "By the time I got far enough away that I couldn't see the swamp any longer, it lodged like a heavy meal in the pit of my stomach, and wouldn't go away until I returned. I've talked to others, as well."

---

She listened keenly, gaze flicking off to follower where he had glanced, and them made a soft sound of understanding, clicking her tongue.  "That's what that is..."  It was thoughtful, a little distracted.

"I thought it was bad nerves, or something of the sort..." she admitted after a moment.  "But I only went so far, and I came back quickly."