days of greys

Her words were like hammerblows, but then again, had he really just expected to be accepted so easily? Something vague tickled the back of his consciousness. Something about this situation right now was familiar, but he couldn't put a finger on it. Pushing it from his thoughts for the time being, he kept his attention focused on the lady with the burning gaze whose words cut through him like a blade, though she spoke with neither harshness nor cruelty. It was only the cold reality of them that stung so much -- he had let his isolation go on for far too long.

"My name," he said after a moment, deciding which questions to answer first, "is Petrichor. I have been on my own since the leaves still clung to the trees, resplendent in shades of fire and sunset -- like your eyes." He searched for answers to her questions, such as what his strengths and talents were, but the truth was that he simply didn't know. He had no memory of his life prior to his head wound. He didn't even remember getting the head injury. And the hardest part of his condition was that he didn't even know he had a condition -- he was completely unaware that there was a whole different life he'd forgotten about. So as he reached for answers that simply weren't there, it became apparent he was going to have to talk his way out of this because 'uhh, I dunno' certainly wasn't going to sweep her off her feet. "I'm not unhealthy or invalid, and I will pull my weight. You needn't worry about that. I don't even need time to recover. I've just missed too many meals, that's all. As for skills, well...I don't know how to toot my own horn without sounding like a pompous dick, but consider this -- I've survived, on my own, in winter without the support or protection of a pack. Even you yourself must know that's not easy. A weak wolf wouldn't have lived long enough to make it to your doorstep. I might look like hell, but give me a chance and I'll show you what I'm made of."

It was the most he had spoken aloud in quite some time. He hadn't realized how lonely he'd been until just now, and it surprised him. The look on his face just then probably gave it away, too.