Thunder Dome umbra

Stigmata was going to milk her misstep for all it was worth, of course. From what she imagined she knew about the man, she would have been surprised (and a little disappointed in him, even?) if he hadn't noticed and captialized upon the blunder. He spoke of using her advice against her, and the girl's tail switched back and forth in irritation-- a habit unbeknownst to the owner of the tail. Despite whatever emotion her tail was betraying, Rue was keeping her expression carefully composed... as if she was wholly unconcerned by the idea of Stigmata meddling with her pack. As if Blacktail Deer Plateau could endure whatever the world might choose to hurl. 

"Pride," she replied simply, after quickly wracking her brain for a suitable answer. "Pride and vanity." Her tail lashed once more. Anyone who knew anything at all about Rue would know that she was just about the furthest thing from proud or vain, but she was backpedaling hard here and needed to provide some sort of answer that would satisfy Stigmata's curiosity. She imagined that these were vices to which the man had fallen prey once or twice before, so perhaps he would accept this explanation without question. "My alphas heard advice from their beta once or twice, and clearly I have let it go to my head. Foolish, I know." As self-deprecating as the words might be, they gave away neither Rue's authentic fears and desires nor the true shortcomings of Blacktail Deer Plateau and Rue herself.