Reis' rejection was kind enough, though it was still a rejection, and that was not lost on the Asha as he dipped his hands back beneath the water, directing his gaze away from his master. The caramel colored skin on Ezra's face deepened. “Oh, I understand.” His voice was soft, gentle, tinged with a hint of sadness as Reis made his exit, leaving the Asha alone in the too-large tub. He dragged his fingers through the mountain of bubbles that had collected along the top layer of the water, creating gorges and valleys, things he only knew about through books his keepers has shown him during his schooling.<br/><br/>As instructed, Ezra bathed alone, scrubbing the parts of his body he could reach with the washcloth and dunking his long, silky locks beneath the warm water. With his scalp cleansed and his body rinsed clean of any lingering dirt, grime, or sweat, Ezra returned to his master. Cool and naked, with his thick hair twisted into a plait, Ezra took Reis' vague commands as permission to delve into his master's closet. His own “Asha” clothes were back in his bedroom, but Ezra had little desire to return there after his encounter with Mister Andras. After fingering through Reis' clothes for a few short minutes, Ezra chose a pair of light colored trousers (they reminded him of the color of the tree bark back on Tuloa), and slipped them over his legs. The material was incredibly strange to him, thicker and heavier than anything he had worn back on his island or even the clothes he had been provided with once arriving on Belmir. Unlike his Asha clothes, which were loose, billowy and drapey, Reis' trousers clung to his muscular thighs and held tightly even on his own narrow waist. Walking around in Reis' clothes felt like he was moving with a burlap sack wrapped around his legs, but the young creature was grateful when his master said he could leave the rest of himself uncovered.<br/><br/>A thin layer of salve was applied to his wound and the two descended the stairs down to breakfast where Andras was already waiting. The Asha kept silent as they joined the unpleasant man, focusing his attention on the spread of Tuloan food that had been provided just for him. Fruits, nuts, creams and spreads adorned the tabletop; Ezra picked from them randomly, wanting to taste them all. He paid little attention to Andras' slight and the conversation between the two humans, only jumping from his seat when Reis directed him outside. To Ezra, it was as if Andras had not even been there, and the Asha would have been quite comfortable with not having to address the bad man again anytime soon.<br/><br/>Reis' beasts were magnificent, noble creatures. Ezra attached himself to them quickly, stroking their luxurious feathers and speaking to them respectfully, as if they were his intellectual peers. He watched with rapt attention as each falcon was run through its paces, listening to Reis' explanation of what he was doing and way, making mental notes for the future. He wished to learn about the falcons, of course, but most of all Ezra craved to be a competent helper for his master. Any information he could absorb that would assist him in this endeavor was soaked up eagerly and tucked away to be used for later. Unlike his master, the young Asha did not even seem to mind if the falcons ate their catches near him, instead staring with bright and fresh curiosity.<br/><br/>“We hunt on Tuloa,” he confirmed, smiling as the raptor on his arm swiveled its head back and forth. “Humans are not so good at finding food that comes from beasts. At least not on my island. They do not understand the animals that live in the oceans or jungles, how to tempt them and trap them. Humans are far too loud and aggressive with their methods. You scare everything away.” Tentative fingers cautiously dragged themselves along the feathers on the bird's back. “We do not use birds. But there is an animal Asha are very close with. It is like your dogs. Four legs, long tail, pointed nose and big ears. Small though, and lean. Can weave between the thick trees and brush very easily. They hunt with us often, and we share the meat we catch with them. We do not own them though, like humans do with your dogs. They are our friends, and they come and go as they please.”<br/><br/>The sun was bright today, standing out from the usual gray, wispy clouds that seemed to constantly dot the Belmiran sky. Ezra sat still beneath the warm rays, soaking up every bit of light that graced his skin. “Reis, Mister Andras was doing something at the table this morning. Writing something. What did he say... Invitations? What is an invitation? A type of letter?”