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                The past week had been an eye-opening experience for Snapjaw. She had gone through life aggressively, running off anything and everything that came her way. She wanted no help, needed no one in her life. She could do things just fine on her own and had always been able to get by perfectly fine without any others meddling around in her business.

                Then Phronesis had happened.

                The female Acro had been nothing but patient as she gradually made Snapjaw grow accustomed to her presence until they had finally spent a day talking. Snapjaw wasn’t good at small talk, but that had been perfectly fine. The pair had skipped the mundane introductory conversations and had instead started to just…talk. Freely.

                Phronesis had offered to bring Snapjaw back to meet her family, but Snap had declined at the last moment. She had expected the other Acro to get annoyed with the sudden backing out, but instead they had simply gone to enjoy the night together. Something that Snapjaw had never bothered to do with any other Acro. To share a resting spot took a great deal of trust in general, but to let your guard down enough to fall asleep next to someone? She had never felt she could’ve done that before that night with Phronesis.

                As Snapjaw sat beside one of the many lakes of the islands, she took in the changing colors of leaves while she considered the brief shared moment she’d had.

                Maybe it would not harm her to actually stop running people off immediately.

                Her stomach churned almost immediately. It was a reaction that was based on instinct, not thought. Why did she have such a quick reaction? Why did she feel like she had to keep people away from her?

                “Are you alright?”

                Snapjaw’s feathers stood on end in an instant as she snapped her head around to see who had spoken to her. She kicked herself mentally for being so deep in thought she hadn’t been paying attention to the goings on around her.

                Instinct kicked in again at the sight of the male Acrocanthosaur before her as she drew her lips up into a snarl and quickly got to her feet. Starburst took a slow, careful, step away from the female as she drew herself up but didn’t charge him down.

                “I didn’t mean to startle you, I thought I had made enough noise that you knew I was here. But, are you alright? You’ve been staring at the water for a while.” He asked again.

                Snapjaw started to relax a bit, her snarl fading but her feathers stayed puffed up as she glanced him over. He wasn’t holding himself like he was going to attack, and he also wasn’t reacting as if he was about to turn tail and run. He did actually seem concerned about her. She shook her head and body, shaking the worry off like water as her feathers finally settled.

                “Fine. I’m fine.” Snapjaw replied, watching as he smiled at her reply, relieved himself that she was not in any sort of distress.

                His feathered hide suited their environment well. Browns faded into a very soft green, with darker, thicker, brown markings streaking across his neck and face and then trailing down his spine. Nothing about him screamed danger or aggression. He did not appear to be a male that would attempt to show off in any way he could, or at least that was the impression Snap got from him.

                “How long have you been…” Snapjaw trailed off, cocking her head to the side as she wondered how long she had managed to not see him staring at her.

                “Oh! Uh. Not very long. I don’t live far from here and I was on my way towards a farm nearby. Lots of cows, figured I could get something to eat. But I saw your feathers, but couldn’t quite make out you. So I came closer just to see who was here, if it was someone I knew. I was here long enough to determine you were not familiar to me, but then I realized you hadn’t moved at all so I waited a few more minutes before coming over. I’m sorry, I promise I do not just stop and stare wordlessly at people commonly.” Starburst replied and laughed. The sound was deep and warm, a sound that came from his heart. Snapjaw wasn’t sure what exactly that meant, but it just felt right.

                “At least it wasn’t accompanied by heavy breathing.” Snapjaw replied with an amused snort.

                “I do have that going for me, I suppose! You’re right.” Starburst laughed, giving a nod before his eyes widened at whatever thought had occurred to him. He quickly bowed his head and held his arms out, a greeting to show he was no threat as he quickly stood back up and smiled at her. “I’m Starburst, by the way. It’s good to meet you…”

                “Snapjaw.”

                “Snapjaw! It’s good to meet you. An interesting name. Aggressive. Are you from one of the smaller clans up north?” The question from Starburst accompanied by him raising his eyebrows before looking at the spot beside Snap and made a small motion towards it.

                She glanced over when he wordlessly asked if he could sit with her. She gave a nod and sat back down herself, watching as Starburst joined her by the water.

                “I’m unsure. I remember mountains when I was a hatchling, that’s about it.” She replied and shook her head. “What about you. I do not think you fell from the sky in a burst of flame.”

                The question threw Starburst off for a moment, his brows furrowed before he laughed and shook his head. “No, you’re correct. I don’t come from the stars. I was born and raised not far from here, actually. I settled down here because I have always loved the way the leaves turn colors at this time of year. For a few weeks, it is simply stunning, before everything then dies. But the snow makes this place just as beautiful when it falls and when ice covers the trees. It is a white so pristine, I have never seen such a sight anywhere else on the islands.” Starburst replied, smiling softly as he looked around.

                Snapjaw couldn’t help but be drawn to whatever it was that Starburst was remembering. With his expression alone, she had half a mind to ask if she could stay nearby so she could witness the winter months there as well. This place, this little valley of trees and rivers, brought Starburst something. She could see it in his eyes as well as that small, kind, smile. Whatever happiness he re-lived when he looked around the area, she wanted that.

                Her little spot among the rocks on the beach of Kela was home. But it wasn’t home like this place was to Starburst.

                “Are you hungry? I could show you around more, if you’d like.” Starburst asked, his attention returning to Snap.

                Phronesis had been kind and understanding. But Starburst?

                He was warm. Warm in a way that Phronesis had been, too, but he was warmer in a deeper degree.

                The quick feeling of her stomach knotting up was what got Snapjaw to her feet.

                “I am not hungry, but I could do with some food. And I wouldn’t mind seeing more of this place, if you’re sure?” She replied.

                “Very sure! Come on. I’ll show you over to the farm.” He replied, getting back up as well and motioned for her to follow along.

                Snapjaw was nothing but ears as they walked, listening to all the little stories that Starburst had to explain the area. The farm that he had shown her to was old, run down and broken. The barn that sat a few hundred yards from the main house was in the same condition, the door leading inside had been broken off years ago. But she was still impressed with the sight. The land around the farmhouse and barn were clear, no trees or thickets of bushes. Work went into maintaining the area, a lot of it. And it paid off greatly.

                Surrounding the farm was the forest they had come from. Snapjaw had to stop and stare when she had reached the front of the farmhouse. The trees that guarded the area on all sides were splashes of yellows, oranges, and reds. The grass that came up to her shins moved blissfully in the wind, a serene sea of yellow.

                It was beautiful.

                Food came in the form of Snapjaw helping Starburst run down a crow. The creatures were free, and had been for years since the disappearance of the humans. But for some reason the herds never bothered to move too far from where they had been kept years and years ago. It made for easy meals for things like Snap and Starburst as they brought the carcass to the front of the barn where they sat and ate.

                “Starburst. I have a question.”

                The male quickly ripped the piece of meat from the carcass that he’d been working on and threw his head back to swallow the bite in one swift movement. He quickly leaned his head down, cleaning his face on the grass before looking over at Snapjaw.

                “Everything okay? You look worried. Or maybe just serious. It’s the look I saw on you earlier, by the lake.” Starburst asked, lowering his head a bit as he looked up at her.

                “I believe everything is fine. Would you be alright if I stayed here over the winter? This place is like nothing I’ve seen before.” Snapjaw asked, eyeing him carefully. His expression went from concern to a smile as he gave a nod.

                “That’s fine with me. I don’t own any one place. You are free to come and go wherever you want, whenever you want, Snapjaw. The farmhouse and barn here are not inhabited, as far as I know. I don’t stay here, I’ve got a clearing nearby that I stay at. But, I have to admit that this place is one of my favorites, too.” He replied and watched as the smallest of smiles came across Snapjaw’s face. Though, when he blinked, it was gone.

                She sighed, rolling onto her side a bit more to lounge beside their kill, the feathers down her spine just barely touching Starburst’s side.

                The man was no threat. He was welcoming and kind, gentle. A welcome change from what she was used to. Though she was starting to consider that maybe she just never gave people the time of day to allow themselves to show a kinder side to her.

                “You are a breath of fresh air, Starburst. Thank you.”

                He smiled and emitted a soft rumble, the sound conveying his happiness for her words.

                “I’m happy you think so. It was nice to see your reaction to everything today, too. I don’t often meet people that enjoy wandering around and letting me talk their ear off about the countryside. I could show you more tomorrow, if you want?” Starburst asked and tilted his head so he could better look over at her.

                “I would very much enjoy that.” Snap replied, closing her eyes as she arched her neck back and rested her head gently on top of Starbursts back.

                The smile that came across her features that time permanent as she enjoyed his company.