Word Count → 491 :: I had no idea Ata was going to do this until I wrote this post. o.o
Ataxia while smiled when the slave agreed with her assessment of the elk's apparent deliciousness, but did not comment further on that specific matter. Instead, she considered the woman's accent, and where she might have come from - and whether she might be able to explain such to Ataxia with her limited speech capabilities. She wondered whether it would be worthwhile to teach her, or whether a slave with a poor grasp of English gave an advantage to its owner; the slave couldn't repeat what it didn't understand. Ultimately, though, this woman was not her personal slave, so Ataxia did not get to decide whether she learned or whether such was beneficial.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the slave's suggestion that they set the elk free. Ataxia's face was an expression of shock, which quickly into a mischevious grin. "Ah, I'd love to!" Barking laughter followed her words. She did not so much desire to hunt the creature as wanted a chance to cause mischief. Salsola was a strict place, and occasionally she longed to buck the rules but dared not try, for fear of the consequences. "I'm too old to claim I didn't know better, though..." The laughter died. She stared at the elk for a moment longer, and then the gate. "Best not to dwell on what you can't do." The hybrid turned her head to the black wolf. "We should leave before we succumb to temptation," Ataxia said. Although she said 'we', her voice implied that the slave was more likely to do so than her. They were lesser beings in her mind, after all.
It occurred to her how odd it was that she was talking casually to a slave. Wrong, somehow. They were soulless and beneath her notice; she should've ignored the woman and left her to her own devices - and yet, there might still be a certain value in knowing someone so close to Salvia. The slave, if nothing else, might notice her master's moods. That could be advantageous, in certain situations...
An idea formed in her head. It was one she was almost hesitant to use, for it might have terrible consequences if it was found. On the other hand, it could provide her with some stability and certainty - things she had longed for since her father had died and everything and everyone she had known as a child had drifted away. Ataxia paused to consider everything that might possibly go wrong - and then decided to do it anyway.
"If your master has asked no other tasks of you, I would suggest that we hunt. It will take your mind off the elk and keep you out of trouble." Although her words were almost friendly, they were also paternalistic. Ataxia could not help it; she simply couldn't think of the slave in a completely equal manner - even if her plan involved getting to know the woman and earning her trust.
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