Redsand Canyon We didn’t bleed back then

Atreus squinted at the question. How should I know? he wondered, though he knew better than to say that out loud. He took a moment to ponder just how to word his reply, though before he managed to come up with what to say, she spat an insult at him.

He immediately thought of “Jodie” and his companion. Atreus wondered if the hostile reactions to his presence had to do with the newness of their claims. Maybe they felt more vulnerable and thus overly defensive. The stranger declared the opposite, though Atreus sensed—maybe not a bluff but certainly bravado.

Okay, he replied, his blank expression giving away none of his inner thoughts.

He really wanted to ask her some questions about her pack but remembering how the aforementioned pair had reacted, he decided against it. At the very least, he could inform the leadership of Akashingo that there was a pack called Tikal now residing in Mereo’s previous territory.

I’ll just… go, he said, beginning to retreat.