Lost Creek Hollow I can’t take one step out of your world anyway

merrick watched xan carefully. the pale man was quiet, appraising the young coywolf for a time, and the boy was reminded of how frequently others in the hollow had tried to engage him in worthless small talk. it was a blessing to find someone who did not. xan's tone beneath the empty words hinted at a greater questioning, and merrick was silent, bearing the the inquiry with the same emotionless facade he usually wore.
"i am content here." happy was not a word the boy used often, or ever, come to think of it. but so long as nunataq seemed pleased, merrick found his own desires sated. he skipped the second of xan's questions, leveling the older of the pair with a long look. how could the other not know? but perhaps he was asking if indra had confided in merrick before her departure with laurel. such a nuance to overlook; the boy was beginning to hate speaking aloud.
"they left here three months ago and headed south," he answered quietly, directly, hoping it would satisfy xan's curiosity. why had he asked, if he was not going to follow? and why would he follow? but merrick kept his own wonderings aside.