There is something about the quiet moments they spend assessing one another, trying to determine if danger lurks in their individual and youthful ways, that allows Vital to relax. To grow into the bolder, more confident colt he’d been before he and his twin had been set upon by a feral dragon. He had always been the more confident of the two. The one willing to take risks. He’d felt guilty because he is the reason they’d been in the meadow that day. He is the reason they’d been attacked.
But now, with Zephys safe and the possibility of new friendships, Vital allows a little more of that guilt to slip away.
He watches her with avid curiosity as she tells him of all her relations that can shift like her. Vital’s brows furrow as he considers this. As far as he knows, only he and Zephys could shift into the birds. But he also doesn’t really know any of his relatives.
Maybe his dad is also a casanova - whatever that is - and he has lots of unknown siblings who could do what he can. With a sigh, Vital slumps briefly in disappointment before straightening. It isn’t his new friends fault he doesn’t know of anyone else like him. Offering her a small smile, he says, “You’re so lucky. You must’ve had lots of horses teaching you how to shift.”
Maybe he could shift as easily as her if he could find someone to teach him. Something to think about, he supposes.
Then she asks if he has any siblings and he stills. He should have expected it of course, given her talk of them. But then she tells him of her own twin and something inside him relaxes. Maybe he could tell her. She would understand. He considers her thoughtfully for a long moment until she gives her own name in a rush. He blinks, realizing they hadn’t actually introduced themselves yet, and grins.
“I’m Vital,” he replies quickly. He stares for another moment before adding. “And I… have a twin too. I don’t know if I have any other siblings though.”
@Iliana