Alpine Lake i'm just looking for something to soften the blow

"About as much as I told him, to be fair," which really was not much to begin with. "We really didn't chat long either, he seemed to have something else to keep him preoccupied." Whatever that was Dirge had assumed was anyone's guess, though he supposed Ceara would know. He didn't ask.

"But as for myself, I came from somewhere quite a way from here. More recently I've taken up to staying in the forests east of here however," and as ever he kept things vague intentionally. Truthfully, that too came without much thought as well; he had learned to be guarded with things as long as he could remember.

Reclining to his haunches, his gaze turned towards the beat of the thunderstorm on the stones outside as he continued.

"I guess I picked a poor day to visit this place again," he said, "we both did. Are you a scout as well?" Perhaps second best to her cousin? That remark he saved; she had been gracious enough to share her space than set teeth to him and tell him to bugger off.