just a little unwell

Akhlut's initial impression of the girl warred with Kennedy's strange report; the only was to know for sure was to assess her himself. And yet Akhlut was not fool enough to think that she might'nt put on one face for him and another for others in the pack. It had occurred to him as well that perhaps she was testing the boundaries and trying to prematurely jostle for a rank in the hierarchy. She was a bit young for that yet, for he'd estimated her age between six and nine months, difficult though it was to discern by her underfed frame.

Still, Akhlut was an optimist, and he was loathe to think poorly of the waif he'd personally brought into the pack, and so he was perhaps inclined to think more highly of her than an objective observer might. He took in her simpering with the slightest wariness, but she had answered his summons promptly and more or less appropriately, and he could find no fault with her behavior in and of itself. His voice was gentler when he spoke, as he reminded himself that she was young, and had lived alone and packless for goodness knew how long, and had likely never had anyone to teach her how to behave within a group.

"Are you adjusting well, Roz? One of the adults was worried about you. He thought you might be coming down with something... " He tried to treat the subject lightly, as if it meant nothing, as if Kennedy hadn't implied the possibility of mental illness more so than physical.