Blackfoot Forest A flock of metal creatures fleeing the onslaught of rust

Another wolf might have quavered beneath his leering gaze and wilted in response to the questions edged with animosity. He simply did not scare Pied. This was not becase she was some thick-skinned "bad ass" who claimed to fear nothing. Even with his frightening appearance and slightly hostile demeanor, he simply had nothing on some of the paranormal creatures that lurked around Pied, day and night. Many ghosts did not inspire fright—especially now that she was quite used to them—but there were a few that far surpassed this wolf's fearsomely macabre presentation.

"To be honest with you," she replied in an even tone, "I'm not overly familiar with the meanings of the Loa yet. I chose the one that seemed to suit me best, from what I do know about them." Her eyes flicked upward but only for a second or two. "I have a lot to learn," she admitted, sounding modest but not self-deprecating about the matter. As before, she spoke factually.

His comment made her blink. There was the literal explanation for her strange eyes; it was part of the same genetic code that gave Pied her piebald coat. At least, she'd always assumed as much. She found the male's interpretation very intriguing, though. Raised by a family who didn't put much stock into gods, spirits and their ilk, Pied definitely knew better on that front.

"Would I know it if there were two spirits in here?" she wondered aloud. A fox's piercing wail sounded from nearby and she waited for it to ebb away. "I think it's only me... unless I have another personality I'm not aware of," Pied stated in a tone that clearly implied that she was thinking out loud. Again, her heterochromatic gaze flicked to his face, her own expression one of bald, wondering curiosity.