03-17-2020, 09:53 PM
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He simply nodded along to her rambling, his own mouth unaccustomed to such jovial conversation, although he was quite familiar with the disjointed nature of her thoughts. Upon confirmation that she, in fact, did construct the netting and sanctuary on her lonesome, Beck couldn't refrain from a sympathetic smile. Many nights he worked into the morning hours, whittling useless figurines of exotic creatures or stitching the hides of local ones. The boy's hands -- er, paws were nicked from years of his attempts at occupying himself, from slipped blades and loosened splinters. Callouses roughed his pads, the skin worn with friction. Honey-brown eyes strayed from her colorful face to his paws, scars and scabs hidden beneath layers of gauze. Were hers just as rugged? Did her wrists ache too after a day of crafting?
Glancing back up just in time for her to present the newest addition to her neighbors' home, a crooked smile parted his half-disfigured snout. "A roof? That's really smart," he wheezed, investigating her handiwork before complimenting, "Good job." Feza certainly was eccentric, something noticed even before her twitches and skips from thought to thought. But there were a handful of creative geniuses that could be called eccentric as well, even more so than the festive leopard. And fortunately, she didn't seem like the type to lob off one of her ears.
Beck swivels his head in time with Feza, blurred vision flitting across the area she gestured to before focusing on the wriggling caterpillar in question. "'Jehkyl'?" he hoarsely parroted, "Like... Dr. Jekyll?" The boy grinned madly; finally, someone could appreciate his horror-inspired naming method. Then the odd phrasing struck him. "...How do you know that's his name? Can you talk to them?" Beck mused aloud, looking back to Feza with brows raised in surprised curiosity. Speaking with insects shouldn't have seemed so outlandish by now, considering the two giant spiders dwelling among them and communicating aptly even without mouths. But the idea of a novel superpower appealed to his perpetual youth; Feza could very well be the undiscovered Aquaman for arthropods.
Settling to lay on his belly with intact cheek resting on his paws, the poltergeist idly watched her squirming neighbors through the peepholes of their netting, bobbed tail beginning to aimlessly wag.
Glancing back up just in time for her to present the newest addition to her neighbors' home, a crooked smile parted his half-disfigured snout. "A roof? That's really smart," he wheezed, investigating her handiwork before complimenting, "Good job." Feza certainly was eccentric, something noticed even before her twitches and skips from thought to thought. But there were a handful of creative geniuses that could be called eccentric as well, even more so than the festive leopard. And fortunately, she didn't seem like the type to lob off one of her ears.
Beck swivels his head in time with Feza, blurred vision flitting across the area she gestured to before focusing on the wriggling caterpillar in question. "'Jehkyl'?" he hoarsely parroted, "Like... Dr. Jekyll?" The boy grinned madly; finally, someone could appreciate his horror-inspired naming method. Then the odd phrasing struck him. "...How do you know that's his name? Can you talk to them?" Beck mused aloud, looking back to Feza with brows raised in surprised curiosity. Speaking with insects shouldn't have seemed so outlandish by now, considering the two giant spiders dwelling among them and communicating aptly even without mouths. But the idea of a novel superpower appealed to his perpetual youth; Feza could very well be the undiscovered Aquaman for arthropods.
Settling to lay on his belly with intact cheek resting on his paws, the poltergeist idly watched her squirming neighbors through the peepholes of their netting, bobbed tail beginning to aimlessly wag.