Otter Creek trickle down the spine

his toying was not well-received; the dancing fire in her mismatched eyes burnt the gargoyle back a step. and yet in the next moment her expression was chased out by the cobwebs of sorrow. "no need for apologies," came the rough bound of his voice.
"i have novhwere to be right now, maegi," mahler ventured a moment later. "i vould listen, if you vant to tell it."  she had no such obligation; they scarcely knew one another, having only met once before. but he was nothing if not a wolf made to listen.