Sleepy Fox Hollow Take you to my hometown where I grew up

Being the true paragon of small talk and simple pleasantries that she was, Wylla was terribly tempted to snark in response to Takiyok's sympathy. ("Oh, really, it's a struggle? Hadn't noticed"), but Mahler's advice was in the forefront of her mind. If she meant to get anywhere in this pack, assuming she didn't find Tiercel in short order, she needed this woman's approval. She naturally railed against this, believing her merit to be worth more than anyone's opinion, but as good as she was at throwing matches on her own life, Wylla was going to be good. For once.

Yeah, well, she groused, I'll catch it next time. She was a little surprised when the Kapitän called her by name, but then, why shouldn't she? After all, Mahler had shared Takiyok's name with her. She was even more surprised when she asked how Wylla knew Mahler, which made her narrow her eyes just a little. Suspicious, as always. Her go-to response for this kind of unforeseen question was what's it to you, but she was supposed to be playing nice.

So she softened it a little by first saying, We're old friends. That wasn't quite right, but it was the simplest way to put it without getting into all the specifics. And when she asked, What's it to you? she was careful to keep her tone lifted, curious, rather than the deadpan or outright judgmental way she might've delivered it otherwise.