Kleo thought for a moment. "I think that sounds about right," she said lightly, still smiling.

Maxim nodded and finished the bowl quickly. "Good. I'd rather not have to sleep by these mutts." He smirked and lowered his head. "What are you exactly? Was your mother a fox-kind or what?"

"My father, actually," Kleo said lightly. "Lycantrope. Of a fox." She shrugged, glancing at him. "I guess I got some sort of piece of that..."

"You guess? You mean you're not sure? I thought that the ears were a big enough tip off." He quipped.

Kleo stuck her tongue out at him, her ears falling back a little at the expression. But she quickly smiled again. "Oh shut up," she said lightly. "If you saw my parents, you'd think it's weird I only have ears."

Maxim snorted and strugged. "Well, as long as your father doesn't try to eat sheep I might meet him on more respectable grounds someday." He laughed a little, setting aside the bowl of stew. "You're rather peppy for someone so different. Usually the freaks like to stand alone in the corner and sit with the dogs."

Kleo laughed and shrugged. "I guess I just don't care," she said lightly. "And why should looking different make me hide? Everyone looks a little different from everyone else."

"If you are too different, they fear you or avoid you. Then you learn to avoid them. It's how the world works. You seem to have luck with those ears of yours but when it comes to my face people don't know what to think or say. I don't understand why, honestly. But I've grown used to it."
He looked to her with both of his eyes, one clear and sharp as needles, icy and pristine. The other was just as cold, but glossed over and scared, although, the same sharpness of the iris was visible.

Kleo's smile didn't fade in the slightest. She shrugged. "So you got hurt," she said lightly. "So what? Maybe I've just been raised by different people but I just don't think looks matter."

"Oh but they do." He said slightly. "If I was rich and well groomed and weath-looking and invited you to a ball this saturday would you accept? Probably. If I was shady, wore a hood and had a terrible scar on my face and I asked you to a ball this saturday, would you accept? Probably not. See, looks matter."

Kleo smirked a little, shaking her head. "You're the one putting answers in my mouth," she pointed out. "I am sitting here with you. Maybe I would say yes. I might ask where it was and what it was for. And your name, probably. But I never say no to balls. They have great food."

Maxim chuckled slightly and nodded slowly. "My name is Maxim Dhalvar. I've recently been invited to the court ball at the Lord Goliden's Manor. It's in the High district, just uptown. Tomorrow night."

Kleo blinked at him and then laughed. "Sure," she said lightly. "I could do that."

"Well then." Maxim smiled wide. It was kind of offputting with his scar though. "I suppose you'll be my date then."

Kleo smirked a little and glanced at him again. "So... you're not going to mind getting stared at for wandering around a fancy ball with a girl with fox ears?"