A few final licks as she deemed herself fed, then smoothly seated herself on folded haunches. Skillfully, she fitted the bone of the limb between her forepaws then lowered her maw to grind her teeth against its top. Though her present state did not convey her care for grooming, she was mindful of her need to see her teeth cared for. What was a wolf without teeth to hunt… to reprimand… to bite? Now able, she took care to rid the surface of some of its plague but without a larger, more hollowed bone to assist, she could only make due with a minimal scraping. Though even for that, she was grateful.
Her ears had remained bent forward as he spoke, explaining both his actions and the status of his pack. There was no need for apology, as she had learned to cater to near all dispositions and attributes. She could change them no more than she could change the flow of a river. The instance of her bartered rights from one pack to another conveyed this truth painfully well. As did they raise her suspicions of communities as whole. However she would have been foolish to believe that she would not come to need one for her survival in time.
“…Xi’nuata.”
She let the bone fall away from paws as she pushed herself to stand joined by a swift ruffle of matted fur. “…thank you, Peregrine,” she uttered softly in turn. At least it could be said that some semblance of manners remained. |