The Heartwood and i pray to god you dont come back here anymore

"a place called kaistleoki, last i knew," merrick volunteered with an eagerness he could not hide. "i tracked him there." to prove himself, to no one other than merrick alone.
the woman had not asked for introductions; the young wolf saw no reason to hinder their progress by decamping to small talk. and so he kept up his pace, vengeance trailing the two silently.
for the first time, merrick truly appraised his companions, her wounds, the general malaise that cling to her like a tick. "are you coming with me then?" he wondered aloud, eye slanting sideways. she wished the girl dead as well; how had she come to command his trust so quickly?