Arrow Lake henneth annûn

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smoke stared at her a second longer than before. not offended. not bristling. just… taking it in. the way she spoke like the world listened back.

shit, he muttered, almost to himself.

his mouth tugged at one corner — not quite a smile, but close enough. he shifted his weight, snow crunching under a heavy paw.

i don’t know much, ma’am, he said, voice rough but honest. but you sure seem t’know a lot.:

no sarcasm in it. no challenge. just a plain-spoken admission, touched with something like respect, as he stood there — big, quiet, and suddenly aware he was sharing the mountain with someone who heard things he’d never learned how to name.

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