Ouroboros Spine xii. it's spiraling down

She did not come for him. If anything, his dispay had cowed her. The woman backed off and for a moment Nuak felt powerful — also, confused. It was rare that anyone take him seriously. What should have bolstered the boy's ego only perplexed him.

No assault, and no escape, from the woman. Only the sinking of her posture and some words to try and ease the tension from Nuak; he did not like what he did not understand, and this was new behavior. Was he a threat to her, or not? If he was, where were the teeth? She only humored him as a plaything, he reasoned — unreasonably suspicious — and when she named herself, he only met the word with a sneer and a low hiss.

Nuak would not say anything to her. He could not trust what she would do with his name, and backed away through the shadows, unwilling to turn his back until he had wound his way apart from her safely. The glower of his dark gaze -- catching a shaft of light, glimmering like rueful fire -- was all that could be seen, prior to fleeing.