Bearclaw Valley One year later...

Icarus spared the swarthy female a glance as she started and jumped, his red gaze scanning over her face with a certain sort of gentleness, before quietly asking, "Are you alright?" in his lilting accent. The wolf noticed her bristling hackles and her defensive posture and almost instinctively, shifted his own to a neutral, bordering submissive one, lowering his head in deference. She was not his master, but she was not his mission either which made the wraith unsure of how to act, though for the most part, he was completely respectful. "I'm.....sorry," Ica said, red eyes widening in what appeared to be confusion, the word of apology slipping easily from his tongue. "I did not mean to startle you, miss."

Icarus took a step forward, then another, closing the distance between them before stopping abruptly, cocking his head as he analysed her expression. She looked confused...but why? The ghost fixed his eyes on her, his gaze searching, as if by looking he could somehow find the answer to his question. It was soon apparent that he did not need to, for the next words to slid out from her open maw answered it for him. Icarus breathed out softly and half lowered, half turned his head away in a gesture of apology and deference, "I'm sorry," he said once more, unsure of how to act for she did not seem happy that he resembled her mother and bowed his head. "I...I...Is it a bad thing?"