"Good thing I don't plan to head home anytime soon. The weather should be nice enough, at least a little longer to not need the shelter of the cave against the weather." which was another reason he was out still, enjoying the last days of truly decent weather. Even if the nights were growing a little bit colder.

Finite would learn fairly quickly that Ease was big on family. Most of their family seemed big on family, at least that he could think of. He had an uncle that wasn't too keen on others, but he was that way with everyone so no one really paid him much mind. Not that he was close to all of his family, it was a decent size after all.

"Pretty much what happened with me. I was tired, but sleep just wouldn't settle with me." he was pleased by the others words though and dipped his head closer to lightly nuzzle at Finite's neck since it was closest. "I'm glad I found you too. I like meeting new kin, and making new friends."

"There's a lot of kin up here, I bet you won't have any trouble meeting someone. I'd say finding someone but uh...that whole seeing thing..." he gave a soft chuckle as he said that. Hey if Finite could make the lack of vision jokes... right? "I'm sure you'll meet someone you get along with really well and went to spend more time with."

If they were to become friends, he would adapt to the presence of others, though he still knew he would need his alone time. He couldn't fully explain it, it just wore him down faster when there were so many others around him but, now and again, he still needed their presence. It made him feel needed, in a way.

One ear flicked back a moment, perhaps thinking he'd heard something but he shook off that thought, he didn't think it was possible that his rare cave company had followed him out, even if it had, he didn't know what he would do about it. Only time could tell.

He hummed a little note at the nuzzling, it was new and he didn't feel any need to move away. This wasn't an invasion of his personal space in the way he tended to avoid but it baffled him because he tended to shy away from that kind of contact usually. "I don't... make friends easily. My own fault, I'm aware. So this is nice." It was.

There was a huffed laugh from him at the joke and he shook his head in amusement. "I might meet someone... but even if I don't, I don't." He wanted to be all right with the idea of not having anyone in his life but he wasn't all right with that idea at all. Not anymore.

If it became known to Ease that the other would need time to himself, or around at most one or two others, he'd ensure that it happened. He knew several kin who could handle others...but not in large amounts so it wouldn't even be strange to him that his new friend, for truly that's what they already were in his mind anyhow, needed this to happen.

Ease was glad when the other didn't move away at his nuzzling. He knew not all kin appreciated it, so it was hit and miss, really. Though there was a surprised noise from him at being told he didn't make friends easily. "Could have fooled me. I already consider us friends." to be fair he was also rather easy going too, so it was no wonder he thought that way.

There was a smile from him and a tip of his head. "I'll make sure you find someone, don't you worry. I'll help!" why yes, he planned to be wingman to the other. It would take getting information from the other, but after they got some sleep he reasoned.

It was hard to tell whether Finite would mention his need for alone time. He did have a hard time opening up to others and saying anything that would make it seem as though perhaps he was being a bother in any way tended to stop him on the spot. Only time would truly tell but it was highly likely that he would slip away, most likely unnoticed, when time came for him to 'recharge' himself. Not that he would wander far but still just far enough.

"You're also rather friendly and easygoing." The words were low, softly amused and perhaps just a little drowsy because he was beginning to realize that he'd wandered much longer than he'd first thought and, well, he was worn out. It was strange in a way, Finite knew that he was usually one to shy away from people who were too outgoing, worried about exhausting himself to no end but it really was easy with this one.

He offered another softly huffed laugh and shook his head a little, "I don't mind. If it happens, it will, but if it doesn't, it's all right too."

Sure, he longed in an almost painful way to have someone, but if he just wasn't meant to be because he was too picky to make up his mind and give someone a chance, he'd accept his loneliness as well. Perhaps roam, excusing himself away from others to sink into that loneliness until it ate its way through him but there was no planning for any of that. It was a case of one day, then the next.

It was a likely thing if Finite slipped off for alone time, that Ease would find himself more than a little concerned about the others disappearance, and end up searching for him till he was indeed found, be it by the other returning, or him literally being re-found. It was just one of those things, he'd worry about his new vision impaired friend!

Ease gave a pleased note at being told he was friendly and easy going. "Thanks. I've learned it makes things go easier for everyone being friendly, and kind rather than trying to cause troubles for all involved." well diplomacy really did work for the best in the long run as far as he was concerned.

Finally he got them to the area that his twin and others had decided to set up in for the duration out of the cave, and paused. "Okay it's going to be hard to see, so stick close, so we don't step on anyone. There's room by my sister and I for you to sleep. You can lay by me. I was near the end anyhow." and there he was carefully leading the way, sometimes telling the other to lift his hooves a little higher to avoid someone's legs, that sort of thing before finally he was near Swallow Your Pride, and saw his twin look up at him with a tired note and a soft "Who's that?" "Tell you in the morning. For now, we all need sleep." "M'kay Ease." a yawn and she was shifting and rolling over to go back to sleep. "Alright we can lay down here. You here between be and Swallow where you'll be warmer." his voice kept low so he hopefully didn't wake anyone else.

Only time could tell as far as his alone time was necessary. He was so used to feeling unnoticed by most--another reason he'd left, he knew--that he didn't know whether or not it was going to be any different here, in the end.

"I suppose that's one way of looking at things." A low snort at what wasn't quite a pun but still nearly had been. He knew that not everyone felt that way about diplomacy. Some would rather just bulldoze their way through everything and be done with it all and some others were more like this one and willing to be friendly and outgoing, though perhaps not to a fault. Surrounding one's self with too many people... well that went right on back to needing some alone time and Finite tried not to think about it too much.

There was another softly amused sound from him at the mention that it was going to be hard to see but he kept quiet otherwise, he merely tagged along, keeping close but not in the way. Hooves were lifted at the mentions and he even went around one particular obstacle also as instructed before he paused. He now felt worn almost to the bone, taking note of the second voice and telling himself that he likely would meet its owner after some much needed sleep. He was careful in his shifting down, his settling where he was told.

With a mild shiver, he did relax then, comforting himself with the thought that while he was around strangers, he somewhat knew one of them and he trusted said one to keep him safe. It was a strange thought, seeing as he barely knew Ease, but it felt, well, easy, to trust.

Once Finite had settled, Ease did the same, moving a little closer to ensure the Zik stayed warm out here in the open. Oh sure the area was semi sheltered by shrubs and trees, but it was still chilly, and he'd mentioned he'd come from caves so it was likely cooler out here than he was used to.

Ease was close on one side, and behind, Swallow ended up settling close as well, the twins sandwiching Finite between them in their sleep. It was as the sun started to come up that Swallow woke and found herself snuggled close to the stranger, that she remembered that her twin had brought someone back from...somewhere. She yawned a little, and rolled over a little longer, not quite ready to be away.

It was as the sun was rising a short time later that Ease was finally waking with a low yawn, a smile seeing Finite there by him. So it wasn't all a dream. Good! He yawned again slowly sitting up then, seeing others stirring, and some giving curious looks his way due to Finite. He'd explain. Later.

This settling, close between two warm others, it had been different, mostly due to his own loner nature. The only one he'd ever really shared his sleeping spot with had been echo who'd settled now and again with him. That particular thought had kept him awake for a little while. Unmoving, merely listening, ears twitching just slightly. Finite had held some vague hope that perhaps his flying companion had found him again but he just wasn't sure.

Eventually, he'd let himself drift to sleep, feeling warmer now than he had in a long time, even in the caves. It was a different sort of warm however and he couldn't complain. The sun coming up was what brought him to partial awareness, the lightening of the sky as it were. He couldn't see it, not in the literal sense but he could still sense something was different.

That, or the fact that there was a giant bat flopped out along him, nose nestled close along his neck. It had been like an extra, albeit still thin blanket but it was the presence more than anything else that had comforted him. With that in mind, Finite had settled again, letting his mind drift back to the darkness of a well deserved sleep.

It was the mild rumbling in his stomach that pulled him back to awareness and his sight, poor as it was, did pick up that there was a change in the brightness around him.

Once Ease woke more, and was sitting up he realized why there were odd looks being shot their way, even his own twin was looking more than a little surprised, and he found himself staring at the bright blue bat hanging onto Finite as he slept. Ease hadn't ever seen one before and his head tipped to the side, hair falling as he did, a confused look on his face.

It was Finite finally waking that had Ease sort of clearing his throat. "Uhm... uh... Finite...there's.... something on you...sort of holding on...and pressing its face to your neck...I...havenoideawhatitis!" and there, the concern in his voice speaking volumes. The bat hadn't moved, hadn't looked to hurt Finite, far as he could tell. It was just there sleeping on him as far as he could figure out...and he was more than a little confused to say the least!

So was most everyone else to be honest. Swallow spoke up finally. "It's...not dangerous is it? It's hard to tell..." her voice was soft, afraid of startling the creature. Or Finite!

(2606 words for Ease as of here)

Finite was sure he'd been dreaming. There had been soft sounds and comforting noises in that dream, perhaps even colours? He couldn't tell. Those were faded and were fading still as he shifted his weight, carefully sitting up, mindful of the bat still settled ever snuggly on his back.

He blinked at the words, mostly at the run-on end of them and fell into silence a moment. Just a moment. Seconds later, he laughed, a low sound from him, soft and gentle before it drifted off back to silence. Instead of answering questions, however, he moved to nudge one of the wings still settled over him and was rewarded with a chirp that made him grin brightly, "Echo!"

Finite hadn't been quite absolutely certain that it had been his companion but he knew that sound and only Echo sounded like that. He could imagine that to others, all bats would sound the same but just that very moment, Finite knew this to be his companion and he was going to be damned happy about it!

"Echo is friendly, or... well, friendly with me. Helped me with food back home. I didn't..." a pause, a soft, content sigh. "I didn't think it would follow me."

"Echo?" "Mom's here?" the twins were both looking around at the same time, both more than a little confused at the idea mom was there, when she hadn't come along. Even several others in the group were looking around in confusion looking for the doe. But it was the clarification that it was the bat, that made everyone settle down.

A few wandered off, a few continued to look at Finite, and now Echo curiously and Ease smiled. "He's my new friend, Finite." and hearing that, the others went on their way, only Swallow remaining. "Okay time for introductions. Finite, this is my sister Swallow My Pride, Swallow this is my new friend Finite Infinity."  "Nice to meet you Finite." the doe's tone was as warm as the bucks, just as friendly, really.

"So this is a friend of yours. Never seen one." Ease was curious then and leaned in to sniff at the bat curiously. "It's pretty." the bat was, she liked the color of it! "So how did you two meet?" "I couldn't sleep and went for a walk, and followed the pretty stars." a grin on his face as he looked at Finite. "Pretty.... oh! Yeah he is pretty stars!" she could see it when he put it that way.

He could hear the confusion more than see it, of course, but he remained still, waiting a moment, trying to wrap his mind around... oh. Was one of theirs also named Echo? That was bound to get confusing, he was sure. He'd get around to that part when the time came, he had a feeling. Not that now seemed to be that time. He shifted his weight a little more, easing to a more comfortable stand and stretching his limbs a little, even as the bat remained flattened like a tapestry on his back, only seeming to add to the stars on him.

Finite tipped his head lightly, basing himself on the source of that voice and he nodded a little. "It's nice to meet you too." She did sound nice and he didn't feel the need to run off just yet, so just maybe this new 'friend' thing could work out. It certainly would have been nice if it did!

"Echo's been with me for as long as I can remember." Words soft, thoughtful though he couldn't help but grin slightly. "I wouldn't be able to tell you whether or not it's pretty and I told you that I wasn't stars. You said so yourself." Now he was amused and shook his head a little, earning a little chirp and finally a small shift from the bat. Not enough to move from his back but enough to resettle more comfortably. "Lazy flyer."

"That's going to get confusing. But in a funny way if you're ever around our mom." Swallow sounded amused, honestly, and Ease chuckled. "She's right. Our moms name is Echo. So it's bound to cause some amusing confusion." at least the twins could see the humor in the situation!

"That's really cool that you have a little companion. Never seen one of them...what...is it?" "Yeah I've never seen one either." "You're pretty not stars then." Ease chuckled softly, so did Swallow. "I don't know about you two, but I'm hungry." "I could eat how about you Finite?"

"It's just... it's the sound it makes. I can usually sort of call for it and it answers in a sort of echo, it's been soothing to fall asleep to the sound." See, there was a reason to the name after all! Then again, there were reasons for a lot of things, in the end. "I'm a little afraid it might fly off now that we're in the open but seeing as it followed me all of this way, it might just stick around." And that would certainly be very nice.

"They're bats. They're pretty common in the caves. Help with food every so often. Not as common when they decide to adopt one of us as their own." And oh he'd been in a happy place when this one had clearly 'adopted' him as its own. He didn't want to think of it in terms of male or female. He wasn't interested in knowing, let alone checking. He wasn't even sure as to what the difference was meant to be.

Finite shook his head with an amused smile. "I am sort of hungry." And that was an understatement, he couldn't remember last he'd eaten.

He did, however, finally tip his head up to the sky, not scenting, this time, no. He was letting the light he could discern just swallow him whole. It might not have been much and later in the day he'd be in awe, but it was enough for someone who had never been out in that light before. He breathed out a deep sigh, a sound of absolute content before straightening once more. "Lead the way."

The twins listened to the explanation about the name, and there was a dual 'Oh!' from them, understanding why the other called his little friend what he did. Ease gave a warm laugh though at the concern. "Finite, as content as Echo there looks, I don't think you have to worry about it flying away. Looks pretty content to just hang onto you all day." well really.

"Bat, huh that's really neat." She was suitably impressed by the bat and peered at it again with a smile. "Ease is right though, it's pretty. Sort of like the sky, but also looks like stars on it."

"Oh good. We have plenty of food. Some of us went hunting yesterday, others were doing some berry collecting, plus plenty of greens to eat, all depends on what you want." "And a few of our group managed to get some fish, if you prefer those!"

The twins flanked him, one on each side, talking easily to him and one another as they joined a few others from their little group for something to eat, and discuss plans for the day. "I was thinking of showing Finite around. Well to the best of my abilities. Lots of describing." "Room for another? Can get a different perspective on things that way." "It's fine with me, what about you?"