World Walkers: Taithmarin: Zoe: Meeting the Nox Gadael

[k_a_webb]

Written for LJ user ysabetwordsmith’s prompt: Zoe discovers something in her new world that she wished would have existed in her old world.

Joel had said that getting used to a thirty-six hour day would take time and he was right. Zoe had taken to sleeping twice, taking more notice of her body than she ever had when she was living on Earth. Normally her first sleep was during the afternoon, like the Stormkin, and then she slept again during the night, but she never slept through the whole night. Knowing that the Nox Gadael were nocturnal had always been a temptation, because she wanted to meet one, even though she was worried about meeting them at the same time. Taithmarin was growing on her and she couldn’t stop herself from thinking that talking dogs might put her off.

A couple of times Zoe had thought about getting Joel to take her into town at a time when she could meet at least one of the Nox Gadael, but he had his sleeping pattern and she didn’t want to affect it in any way. She knew he would have taken her if she’d asked, because that was his job as a guide, so she kept her want to meet them to herself until she had left. Instead she focused on trying to learn about her new world. That was easy enough to do alone with the books they’d purchased, which meant Joel could sleep through the night.

Finally Zoe gave in to her urge, three long days after Joel left to take on another new arrival, and got on the tram to town. It was always a short journey from the human area to the town centre, but it seemed even shorter than normal, so before she expected she was getting off the tram. She walked the way she always walked wondering exactly where she would find one of the Nox Gadael. As she stepped into the park she liked to visit every time she went to town she found what she was looking for.

At first Zoe stayed where she was, watching them. Joel’s description of them being strangely colour labradors with horns was accurate and it was strange to hear them talking to each other. She tried not to listen to what they were actually saying, instead focusing on their voices, before deciding it wasn’t too weird. Not after meeting the Stormkin and Snow people. Slowly she walked towards them, because she didn’t want to startle them and she wasn’t sure how many humans they saw.

“Good evening,” Zoe said, as she passed them, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

“Good evening,” all three of the Nox replied, wagging their tails at her.

“Are you new here?” one asked and Zoe had the feeling it would be smiling at her if it could.

“Yes, I am.”

The one that had spoken glanced at its companions before looking back at Zoe. “As I’m sure you know we are of the race named Nox Gadael. I am Monique and my two companions are Gerald and Isen.”

Zoe smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.” As she spoke she realised it really was nice to finally meet three members of the Nox Gadael and it was something she wished had existed on Earth. “I’m Zoe.”

Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.

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[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>> strangely colour labradors <<

That should say "coloured" above.

I like this species! It would be fun to see more of them. I wonder how they are similar to and different from ordinary dogs.