Swiftcurrent Creek I know what I like and you're the only one of you

And just like that, whatever patience Ibis had tried to utilize was nuked; the woman withdrew from the den and turned upon her with a spiteful glower, sharp words, and immediately Ibis felt out-of-place, belittled. Had she any sense at all, she would have turned and abandoned whatever urge had caused her to linger; this woman was swift to dismiss whatever emotion had pooled in her eyes, becoming more like a patch of dangerous black ice while Ibis watched—and then with a stutter not befitting a leader prowling through the wilderness, she simpered and drew a step back.

I'm — I didn't mean — There was enough distance between the two of them that Ibis wasn't afraid of being harmed, and truthfully she did not think that to be an option, except something revolting sprung to life in the stranger's harsh gaze and it made Ibis' skin crawl. She was accustomed to finding goodness in others, but to find this — whatever it was — made her all the more perplexed, which played out across her face. I wasn't um -- staring, she shakes her head frantically, I just didn't want to startle you, um... I'm sorry, do you live here?

Ibis felt like she'd interrupted something; she wasn't aware of how personal the area was for the stranger of course, but was intrigued, and that youthful curiosity rivalled her revulsion. It was a stupid question born in haste; Ibis knew that this place wasn't home to anyone anymore, that it was ruined by the quakes, abandoned by Kavik and his people—but she forgot all about that when put on the spot.