Bodhi, while finding these narrow canyons beautiful in the ways that the rock seemingly changed color throughout the day based on the light and shadows, found that the canyons made him feel a smidge claustrophobic and a little on edge. Beautiful but dangerous, they could be subject to flash floods from rain or snow melt from miles away, sweeping away or drowning the unwary. As such, his focus was just on passing through and getting out into the open on the other side, or finding a safe route up and out of the canyon. Periodically, Bodhi paused to feel out whether the breeze was just the wind or, in fact, a wall of air ahead of a flash flood. After another such pause, the green and yellow stallion rounded a curve in the canyon and stopped dead in his tracks. The sight ahead of him made his heart start to race in anxiety, panic making his muscles tense as his fight or flight instincts started stirring. A rabbit eared stallion and his small rabbit companion blocked the way ahead, the pair looking up at the striations in the stone walls of the canyon around them. What was it with this time of year?! It was around this time last year that he had been chased through the woods and tormented by what he had originally thought was an injured rabbit, but turned out to be an entire bloody Rabbit Shifter!
Bodhi actually felt his muscles twitch in a subtle flinch when the palomino stallion noticed him and looked his way. He knew that he wasn't exactly hiding the discomfort on his face, but still the rabbit eared, floral wrapped stallion smiled over at him brightly, looking down briefly to say something to the bonneted bunny near his paws. Bodhi didn't like this one bit. There were literally miles of narrow canyon behind him; he was nearly out, if his memory of the place was correct. The predominantly green stallion swallowed as he tried to focus on the other stallion's face, but he couldn't help but shifting his eyes between the pair in front of him to the path that continued to his exit behind them.
The palomino stallion's pleasant expression remained as he cocked his head ever so slightly. Softly, he murmured down to his companion to say something to the anxious seeming fellow who had rounded the corner. They did and the pair waited for a moment for the stallion to respond. His attention seemed torn between themselves and the way they had come. He hummed softly in thought. "I believe this fellow may be hard of hearing. I don't believe he heard us and I think we maybe surprised him?" The rabbit agreed softly and gestured for the stallion to do his thing. The palomino slowly dipped down so his lapin friend could hop on his back and make for less distance in glancing for the other fellow. Making a point to keep his face clear and facing the other fellow, he kept a warm, patient expression on his face, being sure to speak and enunciate clearly, without rushing. "I'm so sorry if my friend and I startled you. We were checking out the beautiful canyon here, though admittedly we're new to the area and are a mite lost on where to start or what there is to see... Um... Are you alright?" He asked after a pause.
Bodhi's wide eyed gaze remained on the stallion as he had gracefully bent down to allow his rabbit friend to jump up on his back. Sure, this was a trick. Picking up the smaller bunny so that the bigger rabbit stallion didn't have to worry about his compatriot getting underhoof or left behind. It had taken him a moment or two to realize that the curly maned palomino had shaken his bangs away from his face and was keeping his speaking slower so that he could read his lips. The other fellow was keeping a respectful distance and was keeping his movements slow, none of which were at or towards Bodhi, which did help get him breathing slightly more normally. Bodhi hadn't realized he had been almost alternating between holding his breath in panicked anticipation or short, fast, nearly hyperventilating huffing through his nose. The inquiry as to his state of being made him wince. He swallowed to try to remedy his suddenly dry throat. "I've had bad experience with- with rabbits... One wanted to eat me, chased me... last year..."
The rabbit and lapin featured stallion shared looks of naked astonishment and confusion; the stallion's face drifting somewhat slightly towards looking pained. The rabbit curled up more on the palomino's back seemingly to make themself smaller, while the soq stepped aside, pressing closer to the canyon wall to widen the available walking space, then turned around to face out of the canyon, while keeping his head turned towards Bodhi. "I see. I gather you were heading out. We won't block you and it wasn't our intention to do so. Would it be alright if we walk together? I swear on my life that I will leave you as much space as this canyon allows. It never was my intention to make you uncomfortable and I will do my best to try to make you comfortable. If there's any portion of the canyon that is too narrow for us to walk evenly, I'll walk ahead then wait off to the side, that way we never end up behind you. Does that sound okay?"
Bodhi processed what he had been reading from the other. The palomino's body language to loose and relaxed, while keeping his face clear and easy to see for him. His suggestions seemed reasonable and accommodating... He shifted nervously on his hooves for a moment and took a deep breath to steel himself. He'd be brave! It'd be okay, right? If the stallion wanted to try something, at least now there was a cleared path ahead to get out of the canyon. Bodhi nodded and started walking. It was just a normal walking pace. After a little while of walking, Bodhi broke the silence. "You mentioned you two are lost? That you're new to the area? What brings you here?"
The palomino let Bodhi set the pace and opted to let Bodhi helm whether or not there would be conversation, so when he broke the silence, he smiled. "A little lost. I imagine once we start learning the lay of the land, it'll all start making sense. I'm looking for a new place to call home, and my friend here wanted to come with me." He chuckled quietly, his soft expression just awash in earnest fondness. "It made traveling this far all the more enjoyable and having a familiar face with me in these new lands has been a big comfort for me... I'm very grateful for their company."
Bodhi watched the genuine, heartfelt look exchanged between the two and felt some more of the tension ease from his muscles. The pair seemed... nice. "Well... I hope you find the home you're looking for out there... Depending on how long you've been traveling, there is a small lake a little ways off from the entry to the canyon...It'd offer something cool to drink, some fresh greenery? Could be a place to rest a bit while you figure out where you're wanting to go next? I could... show you the way, if you'd like?"
The gold toned rabbit stallion smiled at the green fellow and dipped his head in appreciation. "That would be so kind of you. Thank you... Er, what's your name?"
Bodhi flicked his ears as he angled his head back and forth. "Bodhi, my name is Bodhi..."
The other perked up and nodded once more in thanks. "Well, thank you, Bodhi. I'd appreciate even just being shown the direction to head there. I'd hate to impose upon you..." After introducing himself and the rabbit friend upon his back, they carried on out of the canyon having easy, casual chit chat.
[WC: 1344]
