my old aches

Aww was totally hoping he'd like try to steal her rank so she could be all awkward about it

Even as Jinx pressed the challenge, curious whether he would cede rank to her or demand it for himself, Kisu audibly spoke, taking a different route entirely. Jinx's primal self, the one recently awakened when her rational self had been left behind, felt irritation at the male's choice to ignore the ancient ritual of establishing hierarchy, but it was not irritation for long. Soon, the wolf sat himself, and believing he would not engage her in the ritual of rank, Jinx assumed his forfeit, and kept her tail aloft to dictate rank over him, though she waved it amiably and her posture visibly relaxed from an agitated dominant wolf to one better suiting an at-ease wolf.

He introduced himself as "the other male", which was enough to place him within her mental category of "ally". His personality seemed laid-back, like he enjoyed a good chat about the sunshine rather than the rawer activities of wolves like Jinx's family, who had all enjoyed sparring, tearing things apart, and lording over others. She could agree it was difficult to learn about wolves that didn't talk, but then again, she figured all he needed to know was in her scent, and everything else... Well, it was history, veiled behind tightly pressed lips.

It was his offer to help that eventually loosened her reluctant tongue; she could forgive his ignorance of her craft, since she was the only one who properly practised it here. (The thought brought a painful memory of Bon Dye, the pack she had hoped to lead until the day she died, that was quickly replaced by betrayal when she remembered how the scents of the wolves had faded from the forest; she forced the feeling away, forced herself to focus on Kisu.)

White oak, she said firmly, as it was impossible to explain this particular job of hers without using words, though had she attempted to do so, it would have been a heroic effort. Her stern glare found his as if she dared him to question her intent when she added, makes wounds fester.