Stone Circle that's a feeling you'll get over overnight

The arrival of the boy did not go unnoticed by Kincaid, who placed him mainly by his scent rather than by sight. He shuffled back a step, as if to show he wanted nothing to do with any of the packs young, and then Valette was strolling toward them, every bit the woman she had been last time Kin showed his crooked whiskers here.

Ma'am, he said in respectful acknowledgement, obviously chagrined to face her once more. This only worsened when Merrit spoke up, asking just the question Kin had no desire to answer. Not in company, anyhow.

Well, sir he said with another soft laugh, I don't know if I gave myself half a chance to belong. I met some folk who were havin' troubles with some fellas called themselves the Saints, except they ain't none, to hear folk tell it. I stuck by them a while, just to see things through. And then... Here, his ears flew back in embarrassed contrition. There was a fortune teller, see? I know I'm a fool t'believe in that sort of horseshit — pardon, ma'am — but she knew things about me — or it seemed that way — and told me t'meet her at the next full moon t'hear the rest, only she weren't there. So I went lookin'. Got turned around in all that rain. Took the long way 'round once it stopped.

He turned his face away for a moment, just to give himself a moment to fight down the shame. Anyway. I thank you for takin' a chance on a fool old wanderer. I don’t expect forgiveness, but I hope you'll take this as a token from me, and we can part as squared up as that makes us.

He was speaking mostly to Valette, and wished he could do so without an audience — but he was not too proud to say these things in front of Merrit, or in front of the nameless youth.