Ever since she'd been a little girl, making friends had always come so naturally for her. It was almost as though there was always some sort of light that would shine within those eyes of early morning frost, warm and bright and inviting, always drawing in those from her birthplace. There, it had been all too effortless to bring a smile to a dreary or tired face, and it was always when she could brighten someone's day that gave the young woman an immense amount of joy that it often left her brother rolling his eyes. But even with his remarks on how she should learn to be more careful, that not everyone out there would find the sugary-sweetness she carried in every step and ushered in practically every word to be appealing. Goodness knows that if there was one being almost entirely immune to warmth and kindness, it was the dark hunter that she could never cease to love with all that she was or ever could be. If ever there was a soul that needed a smile most, it was her brother. And, while it was terribly rare for Ellie to be able to coerce him into something so un-Lazaraus-like, it was not impossible. This she knew. And oh, the elation that would nearly have her heart bursting when she could give him the very thing that she believed every soul should have! There was no feeling that left her warmer, made her happier than the feeling of seeing a truly genuine grin find the lips of her brother, the only piece of her almost perfect childhood that she could still reach out and touch. Even when it was fleeting, that genuine smile living perhaps only seconds before the man realized what she'd "tricked" him into and replacing it with a weak attempt at a scowl as he would turn away from the honey-blonde and state that he was going to go out for the night, telling her to stay out of trouble while he was gone â€" which, let's face it, she was terrible at finding in the first place â€" only to disappear from the townhouse and return just before the sunrise, it was something that Ellie cherished more than anything in the entire world. After all, the dark hunter was an enormous part of her world and perhaps the most important being to the young huntress. No amount of grumpy remarks or drunken ventures would ever see her love and loyalty to the man falter. He was her brother, and that was that â€" not that he would have it any other way, despite not once telling her that he would be lost without her.

So, when the young woman first moved to Sacrosanct, to see the difference in the people that lived here, it was quite alarming at first. While the idea might seem naïve, thinking that where there were more beings, the likelihood of making even more friends could not be any better, it was still a hope that she clutched tightly to her heart. Ellie had been aware of the vast differences between the races, the distrust and cruelty often electrifying in the air that it was almost a tangible static that crept across her fair skin, but it had been far from expected. Was each and every soul not at least a little different? How was it that one could be so distant, so cold to their neighbors whom they did not know? In her hometown, yes, there had been primarily humans, The Darays being the dark hunters deemed the largest known family of dark hunters that kept the increasing population of weres and other races that sought to harm the innocents within the confines, so there hadn't quite been the conflict that there seemed to be here in this large city where all races collided with one another through those tight and busy streets. But still the idea of such... primal unwillingness to give those around oneself a chance, the near-instant tensions that were so evident between mere strangers... it was unsettling. Needless to say, it had been a swift and rather merciless lesson for the young huntress, learning that it was simply the way that Sacrosanct was. And so, she always tried to be more careful to stay out of the way of others, to pay better attention to the close proximity of those she walked alongside, but even her best efforts were often futile. All she knew how to do was apologize, to smile sweetly and try and make up for the very thing that hadn't even been her fault. However, it hardly ever seemed like it was enough, the young woman still earning those icy glares and sharply spoken words. One would think that by now she would have learned that all the kindness and warmth that she could offer would not always be able to chase away the cold, that there would always be those beings who wanted nothing to do with the world around them and those in it, believing that it was the responsibility of all others to get out of their way whenever they would be walking through the streets. She's never witnessed so many with such self-entitlement and a lack of patience and warmth, and it was untrue to say that it had not shaken her quite a bit when she'd been so new to this place, because it had. She was a little more wary, a little more self-conscious.

Yet, even with this effect that had made the young woman all the wiser for it, still she refused to give up hope that there was still warmth in others. Even here, in a place so diverse and restless for that very reason. It was moments like this, standing there with a complete and total stranger who had been the first in weeks not to act so offended by what had only been an innocent mistake, that only further fastened that hope within the young woman's heart. And, for him to smile and even dare to say that it had been partly on his fault that they'd bumped into one another, it was the very last thing that she would have ever expected from an encounter like this with someone inside the city. Had it been any other man or woman, Ellie was almost entirely certain the other would not have smiled and offered to take some of the blame. It takes her mind a minute to even register his kind words thick with an undeniably charming southern accent, as if it was just as startled by his gentle smile as the honey-blonde was. Is this actually happening? Is he just being condescending? Finally she comes to, inwardly shaking off the initial shock â€" which his toned frame, bright blue eyes, and altogether handsome appearance certainly didn't help â€" only to suddenly find that familiar brightness surging forth, offering him those sweetly spoken words. When she mentions her favorite market, there is a smile that warms his own features, revealing to Ellie what is perhaps the most exciting thing that she has heard in goodness knows how long."So do I! They always taste so much better, too. Especially for Ratoutille", she replies radiantly, her own smile reaching her eyes as she giggles, glacier blue eyes glittering with excitement. What were the chances!? The collision is entirely forgotten at this point by the huntress as she stands there with the man to the side as the crowd moves around them, none too surprised either with the answer he readily gives her."Oh! Well, welcome then! I hope you're finding everything okay. I know when I first moved here, it was fairly overwhelming", she remarks happily, her sterling voice warm, thinking to herself how she wished that the first person she would have bumped into within Sacrosanct would have been someone like Ashton instead of the less than happy individuals that the honey-blonde always seemed to have luck finding in those fleeting moments where her attentions were directed elsewhere.

When he chuckles, it is smooth and warm, light-hearted and kind. The huntress was not unfamiliar to such a reaction to the way that she did nothing to hide the feelings that so often illuminated her face and eyes of early morning frost, and so there is no offense taken in his chuckle but rather her own sweet smile seems to bloom upon her lips as long lashes flutter of her gaze that cannot help but see the man before her, hardly realizing the way that passerbys would glance at them, likely wondering when they might get out of the street so the current of people would not need to move around them. All that mattered to the young woman was the handsome fellow in front of her and the way that he was perhaps just as warm as Ludo had been towards her, if not even warmer. There was a gentleness about the man that had her enthralled and eager to learn more about this new face she'd literally run into. His reply to her name and greeting carries that same warmth the rest have, but her eyes glitter brightly as he offers her his name."It's a delight to meet you as well, Ashton", she says radiantly in turn, his next string of words having the honey-blonde giggling, much like the way water trickles and bubbles over its rocky riverbed."That's perfectly fine. I don't mind reminding you. It's not the most unique of names, after all", she remarks, her own words light-hearted, hardly faulting the man if he did forget. Although, her own mind was simply excited at the possibility his words could have implied that this wouldn't be another "meet, greet, and never see again" sort of encounter. Besides, the huntress did love making friends! And despite the wary looks others would give her, likely reading her as a dark hunter which instantly seemed to earn her a label of suspicion, Ellie hardly cares about the origination of those she met and befriended if they might give her such a chance. Perhaps somewhere in the back of her mind, the huntress registered this man as something other than human, but she cares so little about this small detail that the vast majority of the woman does not even take a moment to really acknowledge it. Why should it matter what he was? And yet, while Ashton shows no outward recognition of what she was, for the smallest fragment of a second, she finds herself wondering if he did and what reaction he might have when he did find out. Would he push her away? Did he care as little as she did?. She hopes for the latter, but in the same moment he was absolutely entitled to feel however it was that he would towards her. That does not stop her from clinging to the faintest suggestion that perhaps this could be the start of something new and exciting. Oh yes, Ellie was nothing if not optimistic.

Ashton looks down to her coffee for a moment before returning those bright blue eyes to hers of glacier ice."It's just a iced vanilla latte with whipped cream. If you like sweet things, it's probably right up your alley", she answers readily, that beaming smile remaining upon her bright lips before something dawns on her, having that excitement only growing as those winter blues nearly sparkle like ice would shimmering the sunlight."If you'd like, I can show you where the little café is", she offers brightly, doing her best not to let herself get overly eager, trying to keep in mind her brother's point that not everyone could handle the huntress when she got too excited and bubbly. And oh, the effort it takes for her to keep that giddiness under control! Maybe he was only asking to make conversation, or maybe he was just as much a coffee lover as Ellie was. Or, just maybe he'd never had coffee before and wanted to explore this new thing much like how the huntress did when it came to something she hasn't seen, heard of, or experienced. Trying new things was always exciting for the young woman, this much she was sure seemed rather apparent if not for the simple excitement illuminating her gaze as she watches Ashton curiously in turn, entirely unsure of how he would feel about going on such a venture with someone he'd only just met. She has to remind herself that not everyone was as eager to be spontaneous as herself."We can drop off your groceries so you don't have to drag them all over the city, too!", she adds then, hardly forgetting that the man was still holding those groceries in his hands and might be tiring of standing there on the sidewalk with them. She certainly didn't want to seem invasion, but it was impossible for her not to offer to show him where the cafe was. If he was new, maybe he would like some company from someone that knew their way around? It wasn't as though she were trying to learn the whereabouts of where the man lived so that she could stalk him or something, and yet she forgets entirely to offer meeting him somewhere if she'd caught him in the middle of errands or plans that he might already have. It was easy for her to forget these things in the midst of her excitement, but she is hardly fearful that he would turn her away. Heck, part of her even expected for him to decline her invitation, the huntress was understanding enough. Plus, just maybe she could help prevent him from getting lost in this huge city. She hardly ever got lost anymore, after all. Well... for the most part.