Moonspear You can't be too careful anymore

Their conversation came to an abrupt end, Alya's parting statement a cleaver to whatever could have been carved up. His steps stopped at once; his expression to her backside was stunned for a beat before he found a narrow smile to spread over. Evidently she did not favor his company. Though he considered pursuing her as she retreated to presumably find better company, he remained until her figure had slipped from sight through the thick timber.

With a shrug to compose himself, he thought not of her running to Hydra and announcing her opinion. His thoughts had turned back to the original plan that had brought him out there in the first place—tracking the herds—and it did not take much longer for him to set off leisurely down the slope in search of them.

thank you for the thread! ♡