with a graveyard tan carrying a cross

He had never really given death much thought. Mordecai understood it was an inevitably, but had never considered whether or not something lied beyond it. Then again, he had not been exposed to a lot of death in the world either, and did not think about the lives that he took from meager things like prey. Her statement gave him pause, but only briefly. He had no rejoinder for it. Whatever would happen, would happen. If something existed beyond the earthly bounds that they walked on now, then he would discover them when his time was up.

Her next question posed an interesting topic though. Mordecai did not see the harm in telling her all the same. “It was a combination of things. Deserters who stole our resources. Nearby packs encroaching on our hunting grounds. We left because we didn't want the competition come winter.” And besides, living on a mountain was beginning to sound like a bad idea come winter anyway, he thought. More importantly for himself, he was only then realizing that he thought himself a local from a prior statement of hers. Local had such a permanent tie to it; Mordecai had never thought of himself as a permanent anything.

“Either way, where we are now is better. Terrain is better, game's not bad. You know, if you're looking for a place to stay before it snows, we could use an extra body or two.” Lessons over, he blindly returned to his intial thoughts.