Felltree Marsh i was in darkness

His response in the negative gave her pause, as did his steps back.  Banner's tail lowered a bit - she was unsure.  The feeling washed over her like a splash of cold water, so unlike the warmth she felt when her anger took control.  It was confusing.  Generally in situations like this she took her social cues from those around her, but that didn't seem to be applicable here.  There was something about this male, something she recognized fleetingly in herself, but it was more subtle with him.  Ah.  It clicked for her then, the distance he kept between them.  That was something she'd practiced in the past, too, though with her it'd been more overt and awkward.  Clumsy, even.  He didn't have that problem.

His explanation made sense to her, though the Marauder knew it shouldn't.  Her mind was buzzing with questions she didn't dare voice.  Wolves didn't kill without purpose - it just wasn't their way.  But, she reasoned, with life finally recovering from the devistation of the famine, perhaps he was simply enjoying himself.  Stretching his hunting muscles?  Keeping spry?  Adding another species of bird to his kill list?  One of her ears flicked.  Why she was attempting such mental gymnastics to explain the situation was beyond her.  She didn't even know him.  He had no pack - he'd just admitted as much.  Her green eyes shifted down to the mud between her paws, noting with a barely-there grimace that this was no place for a pack, anyway.

"Well," she began, her voice quiet, ".. thank you."  Her eyes had moved back up to his face.  "They will appreciate it," she added, her tone warming up a few degrees.

She hesitatied again.  Then, suddenly, "I'm Banner."  Ah, another graceful introduction from a socially well-rounded individual.