Sink beneath the surface and you are free

[size=medium]Nakai watched in silence as the russet female jumped in surprise at his voice. He hadn't meant to startle or frighten the thin, clearly distressed wolf but it seemed that he had succeeded nonetheless. Then she snapped at him and he could make out at least a touch of wounded pride and frustration in her voice beside the clear annoyance. Sighing deeply, he trotted a few steps closer and cocked his head slightly sideways as he bowed down in submission. The stranger was a mangled thing, thin and in dire need of food, which the sea seemed to deny her. For a second, he thought about leaving her to her own devices, since she had declined his assistance, but the idea was quickly banished in favour of a new approach. She was after all a proud Ankyran wolf and he was not going to disappoint.
"I didn't mean to offend," he offered, nudging her shoulder with his head. She was much smaller than him and he was quite aware of the skeletal structure protruding beneath her awe-inspiring coat of fire. A strong urge to usher her back to the den and offering her a fresh kill was unbearable to the caring male, but he knew well that neither of his superior sisters would accept such treatment. Still, he tried his luck.
"Again, I do not wish to offend, my lady, but I worry about your well-being and offer my indiscriminate assistance. What do you require?"
Maybe if he could coax her into assuming authority and order him to bring her whatever she needed, she might surrender the stubborn facade that she was currently showing. [/size]