Word Count → 302
The strange beast remained where he stood, replying with a strangely formatted string of words. Vaguely confused, Kesho simply stood and stared, crimson eyes burning brightly in the midday sun. The old coyote took rigid posture, head lowering in suspicion, large ears straight and erect. He let a low growl roll out from his throat, being sure to let this stranger know that he was not welcome, but that he would at least listen. The man's patience was not long-lasting these days, though.
Enkiel, he said. Well, that was a shame... Kesho hadn't seen the weird little jackal in a few months, since the boy had assisted him with a rather nasty wound. He remembered the encounter and scoffed at the thought. The medic had relieved his pain a bit, but the old coyote was used to feeling pain, now. It haunted him. Enkiel had said it was needless suffering, but was it really? Kesho didn't think so; he considered the pain of age to be something that he should wear with pride. The Hydra had been alive for a while, and seen many rough days; his pain was only proof, only a reminder of memories that were disappearing.
"You may wait a long time. He's not around much," Kesho said roughly, red eyes remaining cautiously on the slight, seated frame of the smaller creature. "Who are you?" he asked simply, eyes narrowing on the jackal. Who was this little weirdo, hanging out around Inferni without a word, in the middle of the day?
Kesho had already assumed that the boy was an oddball; his pattern of speech made him wonder, but asking for Enkiel, another creepy, monotonous, nearly robotic creature? Maybe these similar boys were drawn together by nature, connected by their strangely magnetic, mechanical parts.
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