Hushed Willows i won't let you fall tonight

"For once I think being forgotten about is a mercy."

Her heart lurched while she fought a very hard internal battle not to react.  She knew that feeling, being.. being forgotten about.  When she'd been separated from the now-gone Captain and spent a number of weeks alone in the depths of a hunger-induced raged that lasted hours or days or eons.. it was a mercy that no one came to find her.  Stark still harbored guilt about it, but they didn't speak of her time in between their birth pack and Marauder's Keep.  Banner had little to no memory of that time, but she knew it had been bad.  Mercy.  Yes, it was a mercy to be forgotten and a mercy that she hadn't done any real damange.

Her thoughts had passed by in a second and thankfully her features were kept smooth.  Somehow.  She blinked at Ghost when he asked if her pack would mind.  She grinned suddenly and chuckled.  The reality of the Keep wasn't at all funny, but she thought of who would be there to stop her had anyone voice an objection to a sanctioned visitor.  The pack's numbers were so low that puppies were practically more numerous than the adults.  And if one discounted the wolves currently away or missing?  She shook her head.  "I'll handle it," she said, her voice light.  "And you're welcome."  Banner strongly doubted that anyone would be out and about today, though the pint-sized terror that was Tambouine could be lurking around any corner!
 
She turned as he closed the distance between them and moved back toward the willow trees slowly at first to allow him to catch up to her.  Banner knew she'd have to double her pace to make up for her stocky little legs, but she'd felt a side-by-side entrance into the Keep was best.  If any wandering eyes happened to observe the pair they couldn't possibly think anything untoward was going on, right?  Once the dark male was at her side, she picked up her pace a bit and lifted her head to meet his eyes.  "How did you know?" she asked curiously.  Banner didn't remember telling her about her affinity for feather collecting.  And oh, she'd forgotten just how tall he was.  Her breath caught and she quickly turned her bright green gaze forward, her head held high though a small smirk played on her lips.