Silver Creek Part One: Be Humble

Cas' returned smile brought a wag of her tail, and she was content to stalk beside her friend, smiling all the way and keeping an eye out for anything she could grab on the way to bundle in. 

The Beta's mumbles drew her attention, and it took a moment to process what he meant -- when she understood, a soft and almost sad smile claimed her maw -- before she answered quietly. It was a story she could recite without much effort, stuttering, or emotion -- she'd made her peace with the fact that it'd happened, and she couldn't change it, but people were still going to ask. 

                           "My father, he wasn't so nice to women, believed they were good for breeding, raising, and being training dummies for sons -- this is what happened when I tried to run away, after my mother was killed for standing up for me. After that, my adopted mother found me, socket shattered and bleeding to death. She saved me and taught me all about herbs -- she's the reason I couldn't leave the Tiaga with you guys, not after she'd finally found me again." 

Grace noted the care in which he surveyed the area around them -- it was much more comforting to be going away from Silver Creek with a friend by her side, knowing that should she run into trouble outside of howling range, she would still have help.