Eleanor’s footsteps fell softly with Sky’s excitement warming the back of her mind as she wandered her way down the path towards the bar, but she slowly came to a stop. Sky looked to her expectantly, and she stepped off the path with him trailing after her with a happy boof. Eleanor’s eyes flickered to the dog in his growing excitement at the scents around them, and she bided her time until the town was at a safe distance. Eleanor took a deep breath as she found her center, and in her exhaliation the dullness of the world evaporated into undying vibrancy. 

    Sky’s untamed bliss saturated her mind, and the leaves erupted into brilliance, along with every other aspect of the world. The air was sweet and crisp with splashes of mist greeting her in the sight of the river where a short waterfall cascaded into a pool of life.

    Scaled lives shimmered in the shifting light that beamed through the water’s surface. Little flickers of fear sparked within Eleanor’s euphoria as small creatures fled her presence, but Sky’s bounding excitement buried any other emotion so long as she gave it at least a fraction of her attention. 

    She reached into her pocket, retrieving her phone, and she quickly navigated the menus to the music stored upon it. Soft keys of a piano sparked her heart as it played through its speakers, and when the symphony ignited she spun in delight, earning a boof from Sky with an irrepressible grin spreading over her face. She playfully jumped back from Sky, and he hopped towards her before she spun away from him.

    Joyful barking filled the air, and Eleanor laughed freely as she ran from her fluffy friend, dancing along the water’s edge. Their chase splashed through the shallows, and ran through the trees as Eleanor allowed herself to live in the blessing her power could bestow. The whispering spooks of lizards and deer barely managed to register as Eleanor played with Sky in the forest until irritation rippled with a growl at his barking. 

Eleanor froze as she threw her focus elsewhere to still her heart, and her eyes darted about the trees. The song of the river was just at the edge of her hearing, and her heart waited while Sky heeled to her, nudging her hand.

    “Mm...” she gave a thankful hum as she refocused herself, exposing herself to the thoughts around her.

Unintelligible ones of unfathomable languages flickered through her mind with emotions guiding their meaning to her. It was nearly overwhelming to be so open to the world, but no mind could escape her in this state.

“Hello, small one.”

    Eleanor jumped, and Sky barked before the sound of the beast moving reached her.

    “He-Hey Guile,” she raised a nervous hand in greeting as she spun to meet the dragon.

    “I should have known you’d be with the beast,” Guile commented as he moved closer to her before sitting on his haunches, and allowing his tail to circle them.

    “Did… we wake you?” Eleanor pressed with a crooked smile, and Guile’s irritation whispered at the back of her mind in the sense she actively dulled.

    “I would have awoken shortly if you had not,” Guile sighed with a slow flick of his tail, brushing her once with its feathered end, and she frowned slightly.

    “Don’t do that,” Eleanor politely requested, and Sky sat next to her.

    “Why not?” curiosity rose in Guile’s mind.

    “I don’t appreciate being tested like that,” Eleanor answered, and amusement flickered through Guile. “My space is my own.”

    “Fair enough,” Guile laid his tail flat, “Many think it a mindless action without intent…”

    “But it takes purpose and energy for that control,” Eleanor hummed, and she sat on her knees beside Sky.

    “Exactly.”

    “Horses do that too,” Eleanor commented with a slight smile, and irritation clawed at the back of her mind, “Not that you’re a horse!” she blurted while waving her hands in surrender, “They uh… they just… test you to see if you’re worth following.”

    “Mmhmm…” Guile was unimpressed.

    “I- Uh… moving on,” Eleanor mumbled, “I wasn’t… meaning to run into you out here, but since I did,” she rubbed the back of her neck while looking away, “Thank you.”

    “Is it that hard for you to look me in the eye?” Guile pressed, and she sneaked a peak to find his head within reach. His aurora opal gaze was fixated on her, and she froze beneath it.

    Guile was worth his name and more with the calculating weight of his gaze boring through her. He could swallow her whole with only a flick of his head to assist it if he so wished, and his relentless irritation sparked fear in her, but his unending curiosity of her was all that threatened to devour her. She was an enigma to him.

    “I…” she gulped, and his bat-like ears of leather flickered to focus on her, “It… makes it harder to discern what I feel from what… you feel.”

    “I see…” Guile hummed in thought while he retracted his head, allowing her some space to breathe, and he laid himself on the grass, “Is that a trait of all empathic mages?”

    “I… don’t know,” Eleanor sighed as she leaned against Sky, and the dog sniffed her head while Guile tucked his clawed paws beneath himself.

    “Empathic mages are rare, but so is your… condition,” Guile shifted his wings to settle his feathers further, and Eleanor blinked at him, “Heterochromia.”

    “I… wouldn’t really call it a condition, it doesn’t really bother me,” Eleanor mumbled, “Except for… some people staring. I mean… it's more of a difference in shade than color… so yeah.”

    “You ramble like my bonded…” Guile sighed in irritation, but Eleanor felt the fondness in his words for Carter, “But unlike my bonded… your confidence is separate from you like a forced necessity.” There was no fondness in his words for Eleanor, but it was thoughts that fell her eyes to the ground.

    “Maybe… because it is,” Eleanor sighed, “I don’t have the luxury of feeling my own emotions alone. I almost have to convince myself that they’re mine…” her voice trailed off with a tired smile, and she slowly stood while brushing herself off.

    “You feel that you are an imposter?” Guile pressed curiously, and she paused.

    “I… guess so,” Eleanor gave a reluctant nod. “I can cut myself off from the other emotions, but if I cut to deeply then I start losing my own… and there’s no clear line. By the time I realize I’m that deep… it’s passed.”

    “I see…” Guile looked to her before his eyes fell to Sky, “And that is why you walk alone with the dog. Simple happiness.”

    “I…” embarrassment colored her cheeks, “Sky is a good support dog, heh,” she gave a nervous laugh, and Sky boofed in agreement.

    “Are you sure you’re not the dog?” the dragon taunted.

    “I’m gonna go now,” Eleanor pointed back towards the town.

    “Mmhmm…” Guile hummed as she began walking away, “Small one…” he pressed, and she glanced back to him, “You are welcome. If it had been any other unbonded I would have refused.”

    “I… thank you,” Eleanor offered a soft smile, “Have a good evening.”

    “You as well, small one.”