Tsuchil, the Kirin-rukel, hardly speaks. Everyone knows he can, because when he does choose to speak he enunciates perfectly and uses the big words. And a voice like molten gold, which is why he rarely does so. That voice seems to attract more females (of any species) than Dolores' cakes.

He flies, though how is a mystery. And sometimes, he vanishes from sight entirely, only to reappear somewhere behind his audience. On cement, his bright red hooves cause sparks to fly, though when he runs on fertile soil flowers are left in his wake.

He is currently being asked to help recultivate a part of the landscaping on Carramba's main campus, making it pretty in mere days instead of months. He's glad to help, too. Tsuchil often seeks out intellectual folks, and is appreciated at any gathering of literature professors. Where he learned all his knowledge, no one knows. He is after all a rukel, but still.

Tsuchil would probably make an exceptional instructor - though it is hard to concentrate when his voice is so melodic and hypnotizing...

***

It hadn't been too long since Tsuchil had finished up his work on the campus grounds, when he spotted something in the bushes that he'd recently had a hoof in growing.

Though he didn't speak, he cleared his throat, and the pointy-nosed creature widened its off-colored eyes and sped away. Down into a burrow, Tsuchil followed. Now he could smell her - it was definitely a her - she was afraid, but curious.

"I will not harm you," Tsuchil said.

Then why did you run after me? Her mental voice was timid, light, like small chimes. He was absolutely charmed by her voice.

"Because you ran," he replied. "Come out where I can see you better. I did not know we had foxes on campus."

I am not a fox... not really.

When they emerged back into the shade of the shrubs and trees, Tsuchil got a better view.

"And you have wings..." Tsuchil breathed. "So you are not a fox after all. What is your name?"

He probably asked more to hear the music of her mind's voice than anything else. Though she spoke more in symbols, feelings and images than words, she replied, "He Xiang," and Tsuchil knew it meant 'fragrant lotus'.

But she had more than just a pair of wings to show off, when she glanced around and then...

"You are a shapeshifter too!" Tsuchil exclaimed, and the girlish fox-tailed Xiang giggled.

She nodded, it would be a while before she would be properly able to speak - she'd never done so, only hidden from view and watched from the nearby bushes. To some it seemed odd that Tsuchil would become so enamored of a girl-fox who didn't actually seem all that intelligent, but she was just so adorable.

She did have to watch out - she often was surprised by loud noises, and when that happened she might accidentally touch her tailtip to a dry leaf or two. Not normally a problem, but Xiang's tail sparked fires! Tsuchil and she worked on meditation exercises to fix that issue. It seemed that they would enjoy more of a student-teacher relationship for some time, though it was pretty clear that Tsuchil was more interested than just that.