Blackfeather Woods phoenix; you can't touch her without burning

the gamma draws in a deep breath and lets it out in a slow, measured exhale. the air in wolfskull cave is stale and in some far off place putrid. something has died in this cave recently, left to rot. a woodland creature that has gotten lost in the bowels of the cave, perhaps. he does not focus upon it for too long. not when he wants answers that fate does not seem so inclined to give him. she shakes her head at him. whether it is in denial or an inability to speak wintersbane doesn't know. she draws nearer; just a step, an apology weaved in the movement. he's gotten better at reading body language ( and lips ) since spending time in the listener and her dark daughter's presence. "you can't speak?" he asks as an idea strikes him. "that's ok," he assures her, if that's the case. wintersbane is only assuming at this point.

he tries not to be so indifferent but this is a delicate situation until the dark council decides what should, if anything, be done with her. it's not up to him to decide anything but that doesn't mean he won't offer up his opinions on the matter if given the chance to. first, however, he needs information; and whom better to get information from than the victim? if wintersbane's learned anything it's that there's always two sides to a story and it's beneficial to listen to both before drawing any sort of conclusion. his anger and weariness is borne of the knowledge that her family and pack will no doubt come looking for her and with the actions of past blackfeather leaders still fresh in everyone's mind it could be their (attempt at) extermination part two (nevermind that he was willing to play a part in it the first time 'round).

"i'm used to wolves who do not speak," he gives her a tidbit of information about himself. a small, if temporary, olive branch. it means little in the end, coming from a peon, however. "one of them mouths her words," he is careful not to give information about relmyna specifically. he's protective despite that the flame-kissed captive is not the one who is a danger in these woods; and if she is it is only because another sought to bring and keep her here. "maybe you could try that." he suggests.