Neverwinter Forest can you ever really know?

as the ribbing of the women, who were both older than him, turns to him; atausiq supposes that, in the end what matters is that he accomplishes what he'd set out to do. at least, in part. they weren't teasing the poor stranger at their borders anymore ...even if he doesn't appreciate them turning their words — and death glares to him.

a band of misfits indeed.

from his pack-mates does atausiq's attention lift once more focusing upon clover, she introduces herself as. her introduction is followed by the fact that she found out she wasn't going to die — good — and that she was in her heat — questionable, but if only because atausiq isn't sure what that is. again, a whiff of the strange scent emitting from clover — her heat? atausiq wonders, stringing two and two together — and once more something archaic and primal stirs from its deep status slumber within him. though highly tempting despite being unable to reproduce ( yet ) he wards it off in a way that he will not be able to do in a year.

so focused on clover, it barely registers that mal had long since entered the scene ...yet, when it does, atausiq feels another spike of ...something. irritation? mal is another male, after all, and biologically in this situation despite atausiq's lack of sexual maturity his instinct register his alpha as competition ( if not the ultimate competition ).

despite the rational part of atausiq's brain — now reduced to the meek squeak of a mouse unfortunately — protesting that he should slip away, separate himself from this scene so the fog in his brain would lift he doesn't budge; especially not when he considers that maybe he could partner with clover on a hunt sometime if she got accepted ...and he remains, favoring the role of a silent sentry.