11/13/2025, 1:28 AM
Nate :(
"Haven't taken enough of a look in the water yet to say anythin' for myself." Cecil snorted. "But, y'know, not to stroke my own ego, I weren't bad-looking in human skin. Sure my sister would call this an improvement, but you can't trust siblings with these things."
They raised a brow. Wondered if Nate had family left behind too.
Cecil would miss their own. Was trying not to think too hard about it, and was real practiced at compartmentalizing when they had to. They knew it'd hit later when they had time to themself to mourn. Didn't want to roll and show their own belly to a stranger, friendly as he might be.
So they couldn't hold it against Nate not wanting to, either. And they weren't some naive kid. There was a lot of cruelty in the world. Always had been, sure, but it was a lot fiercer now. Wouldn't have been shot off the horse if it wasn't.
"Don't seem like it'd be that odd," Cecil said. "She's already far from home, ain't she? Just wandered in here in a fog? Wouldn't think it a surprise that somethin' else could up and walk in, unless wolves and coyotes and such are the only ones who speak."
They grinned. "You could introduce us. Could use the lesson, and I could give her the whole human talk for you. See how it sounds with a stranger before you risk your dignity."
And they had nothing else. Didn't mind admitting that. Just them and their four legs and this whole new world and no idea how to do any of it. Could do worse than following along with a friendly face, and one with much the same experience they were having.
"My people are the Diné. Navajo. Could go into clan, but I don't know it'd mean much to you." Cecil flicked an ear. "You got a people?" Lotta the settlers didn't call it that. Didn't call themselves much of anything. They would've been sympathetic a dozen years ago, but they thought they'd lost most of the space inside them for that.
english | navajo