Ezra tilted his head to the side curiously as he looked at his master, unsure of how to respond. All Mother had told him was that he would go into heat, and soon. Ezra knew that meant he would need to release his seed, but that was all. Mother had told him that he was supposed to be the loyal mate of his master, so if Ezra could mate with those outside his species, other Asha shouldn't have been a problem, right? "Normal Asha?" Ezra asked, his brow knitting together. What was it that made other Asha "normal" and him abnormal? Were Belmiran Asha really all that different from him? "I think another Asha would be acceptable," Ezra said slowly, thoughtfully. "I am supposed to mate with you, however. You're my master. The keepers said nothing about having another Asha."<br/><br/>Ezra's face turned sorrowful as he listened to Reis tell him about liars. As far as Ezra knew, no human had ever lied to him, but perhaps being misled was something they had done. After all, the sellers and keepers had told Ezra that Reis would love him, but the handsome and serious man didn't seem to appreciate Ezra's company very much. Had their words been lies? If so, Ezra decided that he didn't like being lied to very much. The realization that there were people in the world who wanted to steer him away from the truth was a very sobering thought. If some people lied some of the time and some people didn't, how could one tell the difference? All words sounded the same to him, with slight variations in tone and meaning. Humans must be very complex, and very intelligent, to navigate such labyrinthine communications.<br/><br/>Obedience had been impressed upon the Asha, so he listened without interrupting as Reis explained to him about nighttime. He understood going inside when the sun was gone. The Tuloans had always retreated to underneath their thatched roofs when the sky turned dark and they couldn't see their way without fire. Perhaps this meant that Ezra would be given two homes, an inside one, and an outside one. That seemed very generous of Master, so the Asha smiled politely in response and nodded. "I will come inside when it gets dark," he replied.<br/><br/>"The seller's assistants brought in a box with me and left it by the front door, but I do not know what is in it. Perhaps you will find your supplies there."<br/><br/>Reis offered to take Ezra through the gardens and the Asha jumped up in delight. He followed Reis closely, taking in the magnificent variety of flowers and plant life Reis had scattered around. None of them were like anything Ezra had seen back on Tuloa, and although the plants on the island were bigger and more extravagant, there was a kind of sophisticated simplicity about the Belmiran plants that Ezra truly enjoyed. These plants were more soft-spoken and subtle in their vibrations, while Tuloa plants were loud and boisterous, always trembling happily and eager for attention.<br/><br/>"There is one flower that might work," Ezra replied thoughtfully, pulling his gaze away from the garden and returning it to Reis. "It only grows in the shadowy places of the island. It is a blue flower we call a myta. I do not know if humans have another name for it. It is very pretty. If you managed to get one, I would do my best to help it flourish here. It would be nice having something from Tuloa."<br/><br/>Reis asked him his name, and the Asha offered a big, wide smile in response. He rushed over to Reis' side and knelt down before him on the ground, biting his lip as he stared up into his master's eyes. "My name is Ezra, Master. You may call me that, or you can come up with another name for me if it does not please you. I am rather fond of Ezra, so I would be happy if you liked my name enough to keep it." The cool breeze combed through Ezra's hair, whipping up his curls and blowing them around his inquisitive face. He didn't mind the wild quality to his hair. He was used to its untamable nature, having worn his hair long and flowing for as long as he could remember.<br/><br/>"Master, I am curious," he said gently, Reis' slight interest in his name giving the Asha enough courage to put forth a question he had pondered since he had first learned he was being sold. "When will I receive my collar? All kept Asha have one, no? The seller showed me one once. They are handmade and beautiful, and I wish for one very much." Without thinking, the young Asha reached forward and placed his fingertips against Reis' leg, desiring to be as close to him as he could. The keepers had said that Reis wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of him, but so far Master had kept his distance, and Ezra desperately wished to close the gap between them. Perhaps humans in cold weather became cold, too, and Ezra just needed to warm his Master up. Then he would certainly love him, and their awkward introduction could be forgotten.