Morningside Cuesta the music's too loud

To his credit, Kigipigak picked up the thread and continued weaving without missing a beat. Haunt wished he sounded more convincing, though she couldn't blame him, since this was entirely improvisational. He even added in some details she felt sure Arbiter would appreciate, regarding safety and training.

Of course, she should've known better. The children's mother not only flippantly rejected their plan, she went on to patronize them so thoroughly that Haunt's ears practically pasted themselves to the back of her head. Resentment welled up inside her, so strong that she took a step closer to Kigipigak. She was so tired of being collared and leashed like this, weary of her mother overruling all her wishes as if they simply didn't matter. She would actually take this asinine stranger over her mother at the moment.

Vex beat her to the punch, countering Arbiter and declaring he was going with their "uncle." Heartened by this, Haunt swallowed and tried to think of what to say, though she was honestly a little choked with rage over Arbiter's presumptuous speech. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts and come up with a rejoinder that wasn't simply petulant snarling.

"I don't want to train to fight. I want to train to hunt and track," Haunt said. "And I don't care about Kaertok. I don't miss him." Arbiter hadn't said that, though the implication was enough that Haunt sorely needed to correct it. These statements were only partially true too, though no one but her needed to know that. "I want answers. Don't you?" She paused, letting that question hang for a beat before three words ground out as if against her will: "Come with us." Haunt took a sharp breath. "Or let us go." Otherwise, they would all come to regret it.