Phoenix Maplewood a banjo with a missing cord

For @Ukko - continuing from her acceptance thread.

After meeting with the alpha female, Tavi hadn't wanted to linger on the borderlands. She didn't want to be around anyone really, being so shocked by the entire turn of events. Her heart was still pounding; she felt light-headed and addled. Somehow Tavi's flippant responses hadn't alienated the lady. She was accepted, this was her new home. Tavi swallowed a lump in her throat as she sped along, hastily making a retreat from the borders - but not at an all-out run, as she wanted to avoid being too weird. When she felt like she was sufficiently distanced from the lurking alpha, she let out a shaky breath and looked around for @Ukko - he had followed after her, right?

With Saena in the process of leaving, Tavi had turned tail and disappeared from Ukko’s immediate sight.  He stands a little awkwardly on his feet, shuffling his weight back and forth in indecision.  There isn’t much reason to tag along after Seana, that’s a ridiculous idea, and he takes off after Tavi.  He tries to make it look like a leisurely gallop.  He doesn't want to draw unnecessarily attention from his leader if he could help it.

“Tavi!”

He comes to a stop, taking a few deep breath before he continues:  “I didn’t think it would happen that fast.  I was just—”

"Just tongue tied, like a little bitch!" She shrieked at him, turning around sharply when his voice hit her ears as if to strike him; but the girl deflated almost as soon as she began moving, still trying to catch her breath and let her brain process what had just happened. "I'm - I didn't mean that." She did, but she didn't. This was her one friend here (if she could call Ukko that), and alienating him right after being enlisted wasn't a smart move. Tavi wheezed a breath through her grit teeth, her tail lashing behind her, betraying her anxiety.

"I guess this means we're bunk-buddies," there was a note of apprehension in her voice, and the girl tried to plaster a playful smile upon her face, but it was too hard not to look overwhelmed. "So - so you better help me get settled, or.. Something." For all her playing around at the border, Tavi wasn't that interested in sharing her space with Ukko. Not now, anyway. She looked away from him and began to observe the forest, waiting for him to take the lead - either to show her the ropes, or get to work digging her a den. It was his fault she was here after all.

Tavi cuts him off and his eyes widen.  A space appears between them as Ukko takes a few steps back.  She tries to backpedaled her words but all she can do is more damage at this point.  Ukko shakes his head as she tries to play it off and put a fake smile on her face to ease the tension.

“She doesn’t know how much I know you.  I didn’t vouch for you,” he reminds the girl.  “Stay or not, it won’t look poorly on me.”

He narrows his eyes to cement his point before he turns, leaving her to her own decision.

FAST THREAD IS FAST. B) Fading.

When he turns and departs, Tavi remains rooted to the spot. She is flustered and frustrated, but not eager to draw attention to herself all the same. For a moment her jaw is slack and wide, she has to take a moment to collect her thoughts, and by that time he is practically out of ear-shot.

"Well fine, you... You jerk! I guess I can figure this out on my own," like a strong and independent woman - yeah! She could do this. Screw him.

With a huff, Tavi thrusts herself in the opposite direction and heads through the trees, indignant.