Like a flower waiting to bloom.
Okay, so the kangaroos didn’t hold her attention for the full one hundred percent. Maybe it is like 75/25, since she’s obviously interested in hearing Ivar’s answer. Just to tease him, nothing more, nothing less. Or so Kylin tells herself. So perhaps it’s more like 50/50. After all, she ís a girl, and the season does some strange things to her.
And Ivar’s words just happen to flatter her. ”And you happen to count me as one of those?” Meant to tease, but there’s a slight tremor in her voice, one she cannot stop. Was it hope? A little, but also some kind of envy. With Kharon she had been his number one, well, until Father got himself involved and ruined things.
It is a good thing that Kylin cannot see his face, meant that he couldn’t see hers too. She doesn’t want him to see this, her visit to Loess was meant for her to escape all terrors of Ischia. As she takes a deep breath, she tells herself to focus on the kangaroos.
The kangaroos, and that makes her realise just in time that Ivar was talking to her again. The corners of her mouth curl up a little, shaking her head slightly. Where her life had stood still, his obviously hadn’t. ”So, seems you’ve been busy. General ánd collecting your own herd? What else have you been up to, Ivar?” This time there is amusement in her voice, only partially forced.
Soon her attention is fully on the kangaroos again. Close as they are she can see their grayish fur and the muscles that move under their skin. ”Seeing them like this.. I can almost imagine one of them kicking something to death” she mumbles softly, glancing at Ivar out of the corner of her eye. The thrill of danger doesn’t scare her away, but it does make her press closer to his side. She’s once again more excited too, smiling wider now. ”I guess we won’t be able to touch them, like the turtles” she whispers, humouring herself for thinking that.
Then, she gasps and her eyes widen. ”Oh!” she excitedly squeals, still a whisper but clearly louder than before. Both her lavender ears are forward again and she’s bouncing on the spot. ”There are babies, Ivar! See, they are there, hiding behind the bigger ones!” Kylin wants to step closer, to inspect the babies up close, but something tells her the adult ones wouldn’t really like it if she did that.