Duck Lake and every day i'd save a quarter of my pay

If Thorn had not already captured Rue's rapt attention, he certainly had it after such a weighty introduction. Her apologetic look fell away to be replaced with one of intense, almost imploring curiosity. 

Come back to Diaspora with me, he growled, and his brief glance upward would reward him with an eyeful Rue's deer-in-the-headlights expression of surprise.  He began to state his case, and it wasn't a bad one-- not in the slightest. His offer of rank would be compelling to most wolves... but as it so happened, Rue possessed far different desires and designs for her future. 

But Thorn would not suffer unduly for this ignorance... truly, how was he to know that Rue was one of the few wolves who would not be tempted by rank? Rue would tell him exactly what she desired, and she would allow him the chance to restructure his argument accordingly. But first, she had to clear one thing up...

"Are you asking me to return with you, or..." Rue swallowed. "..Or to return with you, Thorn?" Her emphasis on the final "with you" was heavy with implication. Rue was quite perplexed by the idea that Thorn could simply give her his rank. She was aware that in some packs mated wolves shared a rank, just as they shared a name. Was this what he was offering? Mateship?