To Ezra's horror, Master had come in, another look of irritation and disappointment on his face as he took in the mess Ezra and Andras had created. The young creature was still huddling by the bed in fear, though he shifted toward Reis longingly, wanting to be touched and soothed by his master, if Reis even knew how to do such a thing. He trembled on the floor when Reis yelled, though he shook his head in gentle defiance, his voice faltering as he attempted to defend himself.<br/><br/>"I-I didn't," he began, though he stopped himself quickly, looking down at his quivering hands as he felt the hot glare of his master. "I didn't do anything." Ezra wasn't sure how much he should say. A heavy feeling in his gut told him speaking against Master's family would certainly be forbidden, but Andras was making things sound ways they were not. Ezra didn't like it, and he didn't like the way his flesh still sizzled as he slowly crawled across the floor at his master's command, avoiding looking at Mister Andras entirely.<br/><br/>Though they were merely exploring, Ezra calmed significantly at the touch of his master's fingers. He sighed softly as Reis tipped him to look at his damaged skin, wiping at the dark streaks that covered and tarnished his pretty face. The two men bickered over Ezra's head as the Asha knelt quietly, though his chest was becoming warm with anger the more Andras spoke. Why was he making it sound like Ezra had been bad? Master hadn't wanted him to go wandering around the house, and Ezra had been determined to keep to that after last night's unfortunate episode. Andras was the one who was trying to break Master's rules, not him. Weren't guests required to follow the rules of the house, too? Ezra was unsure about this aspect of human culture and etiquette. Andras had mentioned something about him being in charge when Reis wasn't around, and perhaps that was true and Ezra had been bad for not recognizing that, but if listening to Andras meant disobeying his master... It seemed like an impossible situation to him, something wholly unwinnable. Perhaps he was simply doomed to be punished.<br/><br/>Steady feet touched the cold floor as Ezra stood, thought his master's ominous words left him with a sinking feeling he didn't have the words to describe. Soft trills began in his throat, raindrops against hard ground, as Ezra attempted to hold back more tears. "Please, Master," he whimpered, willing to follow though he suspected where his master intended on leading him was no place he wished to be. "Please, I didn't do it. I am trying very hard to be a good Asha. I am sorry for messing up the floor. I will clean it." He didn't know how, but he would figure it out if it made Reis happy.<br/><br/>"I do not want to go in the cage again, Master. Please. I do not want to be sold. I like your house. I like Mister Yhet and Miss Ita. I like your old parrot. He is funny, and he loves his treats. We are supposed to fly your birds together, remember, Master?" Ezra didn't know what he could say to soothe his master's worried brow, to convince him that he<i>would</i>be a good boy, once he figured out how. But their first few days together had been nothing but a disaster, even Ezra realized this, and he lamented at what a terrible pet he was turning out to be. Reis would lock him up. Throw him away. He would never get proper affection, or a collar. Maybe they would even send him back to Tuloa and let the wild jungle animals kill him like they did the other undesirables. They wouldn't even keep him for breeding stock despite his intelligence and beauty, not if he were cursed with a disagreeable temperament.<br/><br/>"I ache to please you as a budding flower yearns for rain. I need your tenderness and understanding to grow, Master. Please forgive me."