Colours were... dim, distant, dark, murky. Even in the brightest light of day, the buck usually couldn't make them out very easily, but what colours he could were breathtaking. The cyan and pink of his hide, for example, and occasional splashes from flowers, too. but nothing was quite as breathtaking as the way the sun stained the sky as it approached its rising.

He must have been staring at the interplay of colours from this hill, changing from deep blue to bright pink-golds, and then–

Then, something terribly bright, and terribly dazzling, struck his eyes. The buck blinked and shook his head, stunned by the sudden blinding influence, watching it as it flicked around inescapably, following everywhere he looked with blue fire.

He picked up a hoof as he heard a noise, turning about. "W-who's there?" he called out, startled.

She had set out before the sun had ever risen to take a long walk and enjoy a little bit of solitude before the day got into full swing when she found herself running for the joy of running near a hill as the sun began to rise.

River had stopped to stare up at the sky, amazed at the colors she could see there. It wasn't often she was up early enough to see the sun waking up though she saw it go to sleep often enough.

Hearing a sudden voice though made her look around carefully and curiously, though it wasn't hard to pick out who was calling out, he stood out readily, and not just because he was the only other soul around.

"A Zikwa? Out here?" a softly thoughtful note as she moved towards the hill, recalling being told once Zikwa couldn't see well. Or was that just another legend? She couldn't recall.

"It's just me. River. I'm friendly!" well if he couldn't see best to ease any worries she was hostile, right? Right!

He couldn't see well, but he could, at least, hear clearly. "River. Oh, okay." He turned towards the source of the voice, walking forward with careful, choosy steps as he tried to navigate despite the starburst in his vision.

"Sorry. I... the sun caught me offguard."

"Well really it's By The River, and that's a mouthful, so River is a lot easier to get out quickly." there was a laugh and she came closer at his words.

"Careful there's a rock just in front of you, don't want you to stumble on it if the sun's playing tricks with your eyes." she came up closer and kicked the rock away from him with a satisfied snort. "There. All gone."

The buck nodded, continuing to pick his way forward carefully towards his new acquaintance, bobbing his head in acknowledgment as she introduced herself. "Um, well, I'm–" he stopped dead when she started talking about a rock, and then tried continuing.

"I think you'll find that rocks-" And that was the sound of the offending object being punted by his apparently rather enthusiastic, if misguided, companion. "...are no match for you, apparently. Poor thing, what did it ever do to you?"

River realized rather belatedly she had cut him off not once, but twice, and she felt rather embarrassed by this fact.

"Oh uhm... kicking rocks...is...fun...?" she trailed off lamely. Though it was fun it still hadn't been her purpose. This time.

The zikwa chuckled softly. "I suppose they are, at that,", he agreed.

"Toxin. Just fine at navigating even slippery rocks and sudden drops, I promise," he added. "I've been making do my entire life, after all."

"Rounder ones are a little more fun to kick around, but sharper edged ones can be fun too. Try to taker a chunk out of something else with a well placed kick."

Though she trailed off again staring a moment. "So it's true then? Zikwa can't see? I thought it might just be another legend, you know?" she cleared her throat a moment sheepishly again. She was forgetting her manners. "It's nice to meet you Toxin, you're up early. Not too many up and about right now."

"Oh, no. I can see– most of us can see– but not very well, and where we came from, we were as good as blind except when we came across something that made its own light, unless we were near the surface, or... so I've heard from my dad." He ground to an awkward halt, tucking his head down.

"I was born here, in the swamp."

"Ohhhh. So limited vision. Which means...I kicked that rock away and didn't need to...oh I feel foolish...." she trailed off sheepishly, hoof pawing lightly at the ground for something to focus on a moment.

"I was too, but you're the first of your kind I've ever seen." she brightened a little, and looked up at the sky. "I understand why you were standing here...the sky is really, really pretty when the sun wakes up. I think I like it better than when the sun sleeps, and there's some nice colors then too."

She shifted and lightly touched her nose to his in the process, a quiet apology from her. She was a bit high strung at times she knew, and it likely had to do something with her mother being an Acha. Still, she could tone it down. Somewhat.

"I mean, I couldn't see it easily right now because I've got a sunspot, but... even if I was blind, I'd feel it before I put my weight down," the buck explained.

"I mean, I couldn't see it easily right now because I've got a sunspot, but... even if I was blind, I'd feel it before I put my weight down," the buck explained. "I can navigate blind, even if I couldn't see the obstacle– it's how my, um, 'kind'," wow, that was awkward to say... "How they navigate the pitch-dark they lived in." He turned his head, blinking about, trying to get rid of the flare in his vision, to no avail.

"Oh right I didn't even think about that. That makes a lot of sense actually." it did! She cleared her throat a little mostly to chase away her lingering embarrassment at her rash action.

He was getting the notion that she was embarrassed, and that's not what he'd intended to do. Toxin blinked, turning.

"Youuu... must have been on your way to something else, before you saw me," the buck mentioned, scuffing a hoof. "Maybe... maybe I could go with you? Since you seem to have questions, and be interested, and all."

He was the epitome of suave.

If she had known what he was thinking she would have been even more embarrassed than she was currently feeling, really.

His question though made her laugh a little. "Actually, I wasn't on my way to anywhere. I was enjoying a bit of a run and a walk alternately before the gathering got busy for the day. I'd like it if you walked with me."

She took a step closer. "I'll try not to ask too many questions as we go."

"I wouldn't mind a walk," the buck cheerfully replied. "And questions aren't bad, either. Questions are much better than assumptions, as long as they're asked politely." As she stepped towards him, he moved off to the side, unconsciously trying to get out of the way, so she could decide in which direction she wanted to trek.

"Lead the way!"

"Oh good!" she was happy to have the company really and her tone gave away that much really. "Polite I can do. I can't promise I won't be excitable, or anything though. But I'll try to keep it at a normal excitement level." she stressed try.

"Okay off we go!" this was new for her, but in a good way. She was enjoying his company really. "Have you been to the gathering at all?"

"The gathering? Oh, uh... no, not yet. There's a lot of kin, and a lot going on, and I figured it would be easier to just... stay out of it." There was so much going on, and large crowds made the tiny buck anxious. He picked along behind her, considering.

"Why do you ask? Have you?"

She turned to gaze at him and smiled. "There is a lot of kin, and a lot going on. But there's plenty to do even without really doing anything. I've heard stories, and poems and songs. It's easy to find a spot and just...sort of be there absorbing it all."

She gave a nod of her head at his question, before catching herself and answering vocally. "Been there a few days. Decided today was a good day to spend a little time from the crush of kin though. And I'm glad, 'cause I got to meet you." which had been fascinating!

"There's some games, a bunch of kin have been collecting flowers for one. That ones easy enough, you could even do it. I bet your sense of smell if pretty good right? We could go and do a couple games together or something?"

Well, that sparked his sense of pride. "That I can even do?!" the buck asked incredulously. He wouldn't stand for this!

"Forget flowers– I'll show you what I can really do– I bet I'll even impress you!"

Oh no. She'd done it again she realized. Open mouth, insert hoof. "I...I didn't mean it like that!' She stumbled over her words (and her hooves!) in her haste to explain herself.

"There's just a lot of games going on that you have to see really well and..." her fumbling explanation came to a screeching halt as her stumbling did. When she landed on the ground. She exhaled softly sounding contrite.

"Please do." words soft, and honestly very, very sheepish sounding. She hadn't meant to be offensive!

"All right, then!" the buck said. "Show me the way!"