Redtail Rise To the Bone

Lilia kept her gaze focused on the path she intended to take, sniffing out markings and reinforcing ones which had weakened, making new ones where she felt the markings were too far apart. She trusted Masque to do the same, and didn't turn an eye in the red-faced wolf's direction. She continued to chat, though, content that someone let her talk without interjecting and opposing her. 

"Hopefully that jutht nevuh happenth, tho it nevuh becometh a problem." She continued with a flippant roll of one shoulder. Her interest in pursuing the wolf had dissipated over time. She could barely even remember the wolf who had been killed at their borders at this point; she remembered more vividly the attack, and the several pack hunts they'd had along the way. "It wath kinda fun gettin' to go out on a big hunt like that, ekthauthting ath it wath- huntin' them hortheth wath definitely pretty-" 

She looked back when she realized she couldn't hear Masque's feet over the sound of her voice. Masque looked fairly woebegone, and had begun to fret over the injury again. Lilia turned, and closed the gap between them, allowing her head to fall and tail to wave. She gave Masque a soft smile. She didn't want Masque to feel pressured to keep going, but she didn't want her to feel left out, either. She exhaled, and squinted, triggering herself to yawn. 

"Y'know, I think I'm gonna jet off to Thapphique, thee how Anthelin'th doin' over there." She said. "Might thtop by the den on the way. Wanna come with?" It would give Masque the opportunity to duck out of border patrol without necessarily quitting.