Noctisardor Bypass Come on, let's savor what we're falling for

Arbiter wasn't one who felt bad for anyone really. Stuff like this was a learning experience. It wasn't something to shame, it was just learning, just life. Not everyone was honest, not everyone would be kind. So it goes. Learning to spot those not meeting social norms was more of the skill. Most wolves in the Teekons are relatively honest from what I've seen. Merrick is the exception rather than the rule. I don't know how he approached you or how he might have acted that might provide a clue. To me, he seemed unstable with a tenuous grasp on actual events. 

She gave it some thought. Without that background information on every stranger, it was obviously harder to tell who was actually worth believing, Generally, asking more questions will reveal holes in stories -- truth and reason are easy, lies and uncertainty take more effort. How much did you ask about his pack? Did anything strike you as a little odd? Did that count as critical thinking? Possibly? But it would be a good starting point for how he should approach things, Arbiter figured.