Greatwater Lake Teufelskreise

Words cut whereas he had meant to reprimand. Inwardly, he sympathized for the girl but made no show of it. Callous words might do her some good. Make her grow a second skin to lashings of tongue and wit. Kapvik could see a younger version of himself in her. Like all things, his kindness and fragile demeanor suffered adversities both large and small. The wolverine had been forced to grow up in the span of a few short weeks. Never would he forget the snark, the backstabbing, the general nastiness and manipulation of Sakuya's brethren...When reality turned to dream did he relive those moments. Perhaps he came out better for it. All the physical and verbal abuse...
INDENTNo. No one should go through that. It was this realization that smoothed his handsome features. Once Ayana hunkered down to sit, Kapvik eased up on the rigidness. A readiness yet remained in his muscles. If she moved suddenly, he would not hesitate in bull rushing her. Tiny though she may be, she could not withstand a full bodied tackle from the Epsilon.
INDENT“I would be surprised if it did ring familiar.” The blood that coursed through his veins varied from region to region, but the Masuyos did not gather here. Mayhaps one of his lineage walked these lands in the distant past. Or maybe...another roamed Teekon Wilds in the present. Truly they were not so scarce as to not happen upon these lands. Nothing of interest here for those of his strong willed blood. But I'm Hibiki right now. He wasn't family, as far as I know. Nonetheless, the departed shared differing origins very similar to Tatsuya's. Unknowingly, Hibiki might have been a distant relative of his. Awesome. More crap to carry.
INDENT“I'm not native here, if that's what you're implying.” Conversation came easily to him now. Just like fibbing. “And your name – Ayana, was it? You're not from around here either, are you?” Her timidity, her hungriness for fellowship, her expressed regrets...Overall, she did not jive well with Blackfeather Woods. Having witnessed Burke's wrongdoing against a wee lass did not paint the pack in an upstanding light. To rope Ayana into that mess would not do her justice.