Sunspire Mountains Meet Cadeau
223 Posts
Ooc — Wolf-Chalk
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#1
All Welcome 
Cadeau wasn't sure what she was planning on doing, her initial plan was just to go as far as she could until there was no sign of civilzation to be seen. She was a danger to them so long as she was near any and Cadeau couldn't forget nor forgive the blood she had on her metaphorical hands. It was cold as winter was here but Cadeau was not scared of the chilly wind nor the snow that stung her paws with each step she took. Her mind was only focused on one thing: "Get away, get as far away as you can." She wondered what her mother must be thinking right now and the thought made Cadeau's breath catch, knowing there was no way she would ever see Maela again, no... she was a danger to her mother. She couldn't control herself, she would only hurt Maela and perhaps draw more humans towards them focused on capturing the stray half wolf pup. A strong breeze ruffled her thick brown fur and Cadeau chanced a glance behind her. Of course there was nothing there but a tree line, Cadeau however could still see in her mind the place she left behind, even beyond the roving hills and forest. She kept walking, ears perked for any danger and stance weary. Cadeau had been traveling for days and the adrenline alone kept her from stopping for long. Keep going... you can't stay here...
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#2
Talos's paws were toughening up, and her muscles bulking out, with all the lone wandering she'd been doing. She'd had a lucky find that morning of some big cat's leftovers that she wasn't too proud to scrounge, though she made tracks out of there once she was done gorging. On impulse she had headed toward the peaks she'd never before climbed. Proudly she noted that while her limbs felt the strain of the ever-more-uphill climb, they didn't complain about it overmuch. Tail flagging high, Talos pushed herself intently onward, wanting to see what the view from the top of the next hill looked like.

Before she'd got there, however, she met a stranger coming down the hill. A somewhat extra-strange-looking stranger with sharp markings Talos had never seen on anywolf before. Talos craned her sturdy neck out to get a better sniff, and was surprised at the sudden covetous pang she felt within—it had been awhile since she had spent overmuch time with other wolves, and though she didn't really want to admit it Talos was starting to feel kinda lonely. Hey! she called out. Who're you and how come you're all the way up here?
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Ooc — Wolf-Chalk
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#3
A voice startled Cadeau out of her thoughts, causing the halfling to pivot around to see the source. Through the thick snow and trees she saw what appeared to be a young wolf on the cusp of adolescence. Still awkward and plump yet the firm build of adulthood as it began to set in on her young bones. Cadeau pinned her ears at the directness of the juvenile's tone. "I'm Cadeau and who gave you such a big mouth?" The tone in which Cadeau spoke was not one of mocking but one of bafflement. Cadeau arched a brow as she returned the question, lips pursed at being spoken to so upfront. Didn't this girl understand the phrase 'beware of strangers?' Of course, she'd been breaking that policy lately too but still...!
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#4
Talos arched one sardonic brow high. I like t'think of it as direct, she said, baring her teeth in a grin that flashed against her inky fur. Unlike some wolves I coul' name. Tha's Talos Fros'fur-Mayfair's ques'ion yer rudely dodgin' I'll haveya know. Like this brat oughta be even mildly upbraiding anyone else for rudeness, especially as she herself continued forward, her outstretched nose arrowing right past what would be generally considered the line of a wolf's personal boundaries as Talos boldly sought a deeper and more informative sniff of the other.

There some reason you di'n't answer, anyhow? Her voice was overly forward and nosily curious but not threatening. In fact, it turned what might have been accusatory in other paws into a downright eager and enthusiastic pressing line of interrogation: 'Re you in trouble o'some sort yer hidin' from up here, Miz Cadeau?!
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Ooc — Wolf-Chalk
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#5
Cadeau curled her lip indignantly at the jab to her avoidance of the younger's question. Why did she need to awnser herself to a wolf pup of all critters? It wasn't like she was going to stick around long anyway for the girl to need to know. Also, that had to be the longest name she'd ever heard in her life. A big name for a even bigger personality, I guess. Cadeau couldn't help but smirk, it fell away as quickly as it came.

"Well, I'm Cadeau Nun Uvya-Beesnus the Second if we are going to be so formal and all." She crinkled her muzzle. At being asked about what she was running from she got defensive, scowling and furrowing her brows close to her eyes. "I'm not hiding from anyone, maybe you should run back to your mom instead of nosing your way into a stranger's business." Cadeau turned so her back was to the younger wolf, huffing.
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#6
Talos gave a disgruntled twitch of one ear at the other's response—"run back to your MOM" particularly stung—her enthusiasm fading back rapidly to make way for the snark train to come roaring through. She'd hoped this wolf would be fun and interesting but her optimistic estimates of the chances of this were rapidly dropping. Oh yeah? Well whur's your pack then Miz Hoity-Toity Cadeau Nunuvya, hmm?! flashed back Talos. Whadda YOU think yer doin', runnin' roun' tryna tell others what ta do near their packlan's! Okay, near was probably a bit of a stretch, sure...but hey, Cadeau didn't have to know that. Right? She was just some dumb loner, and Talos told herself that this totally justified her own rudeness and taunts. It wasn't like some packless freak could outrank her or anything, after all, so what respect did she owe this brat?

Even though Talos herself hadn't been home much in quite some time, and it might be stretching the truth a little too to be so proudly holding herself above others as a loyal packwolf... but, well. Again. What the loner didn't know wouldn't hurt her; so there. Y'oughta know how it works b'now if yer so big and smart Miz 'Nunuvya BEEEEeeeznuss,' roun' 'ere. Your bizness is our bizness, blustered Talos, puffing herself up to increase her already hefty size, and placing one huge black paw assertively forward as if staking her claim.

...homg. That last (properly spelled/pronounced) sounds like the really cheesy tagline for some faceless giant corporation, Talos, wth...lol.

TALOScorp: your business IS our business.  >.>
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Ooc — Wolf-Chalk
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#7
Cadeau was not expecting this reaction to her words but she was not going to cower away from it either, only gave the pup a pointed stare that spoke volumes that this was being far too soap opera like for her tastes. "You have enough air in there to keep this up?" She inquired as Talos continued to rant at her, Cadeau pinning an ear at the loudness of her voice. "My pack?" Cadeau sounded a touch insulted, only wolves had packs and she did not identify too closely with the wolf part of her blood. "I left them behind, I'm a traveler, kiddo. I don't need one." As she said this her heart longed to see her mother again, it felt so long now since she ran away from home. Being alone meant she could keep others safe from herself. "I am not your business, if you have a pack than where are they? If they were nearby they would have chased me off themselves, wouldn't they? Hence I'm not trespassing on your turf. So lay off." Though... no pack nearby and yet this younger girl was possibly all alone? Against her better judgement, the Cadeau who aimed to provide and protect stared Talos down with visable concern in her brown eyes. "You're all alone out here, aren't you? Isn't it unwise to act so big when your family isn't here to back you up?"
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#8
Talos's silvern eyes narrowed. This Cadeau did not seem at all impressed by her theatrics...harrumph. Talos wrinkled her nose as Cadeau sarcastically enquired about whether Talos was going to run out of air, and then the Frostfur-Mayfair tossed her head in proud and disbelieving disdain as Cadeau claimed to not require a pack. Whuddareya, a cat, mumbled Talos with a bit of a sneer.

Again though, it wasn't as if Talos herself ought to be pointing any fingers here. The "kiddo" put her back up a little more yet, though. Mebbe they know I don' need no help t'chase off some weird-col'r runt like you, said Talos, bristling as she glared sulkily at the "intruder." Maybe I don' need a family neither! All at once some of the hot air did indeed go out of her, however, as she sat down with a grumpy thump. The jig was obviously up anyhow, which made her planned bluff to threaten to call her pack rather transparent, but additionally Talos unexpectedly found that her own words were disheartening her. Not only was this other girl unimpressed by her bluster, but it also felt a little...disloyal...somehow, to be speaking so while familial things were indeed so on the rocks. I wa' lookin' for m'brother though, too, she admitted, at least slightly less snottily. You ent seen a white wolf roun' 'ere 'ave you?
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#9
Cadeau worked a brow at the taunt, a cat? She would have much preferred being part cat, least those beasts were hardly dangerous to others as she was. Her instincts were beyond her control. "Cats are quite agile and independent, you know. Not really a thing to be ashamed of."

Maybe I don't need a family either. Those words made her chest clench as she found herself trying to convince herself of the fact since running from home. Of course, she wouldn't tell a stranger this. She chose not to react, knowing this younger wolf was all bark and no bite, Cadeau had nothing to fear from her. At her inquiry, Cadeau tipped her head. "Is that your brother then? A white wolf? It might help if you give me a name um... Talos was it?"
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#10
Talos's derisive snort said all she needed to about Cadeau's kitty commentary. Yeesh, this wolf really was either a feline in disguise herself or at the very least being paid off by the kitties’ PR committee from the sounds of things! What a shill.

More importantly, this Cadeau didn't seem to have any further information on Viinturuth's whereabouts either, though. Talos slumped a little further in on herself in dejection, her tail lifelessly flopping out sideways like a caught fish's pathetic last death throe there on the earth as her ears and whiskers drooped. Yah, that's m'brother. Viinturuth's 'is name. Her silver eyes flickered up and sidelong to eyeball Cadeau more-directly once more. Unlike much of the rest of her speech, the youngster's enunciation of her brother's name was deliberately paced loud and clear. This was important, after all; this stranger needed to know exactly how her sibling's name was said if she did by some chance miracle happen across the boy. Such a happenstance seemed less and less likely to his sister as time went on though, and as his scent continued to fade from not just the outskirts but also the heart of his old packlands. N'yeah, I'm Talos. If y'see Viin tell 'im— Tell 'im we're worried! 'N that 'is sister misses 'im. Tha' we all do. ...Even mom and dad? Talos was a little less certain there, as the hesitant scuffing of one forepaw indicated, a nervous habit while she reconsidered her words, but she said nothing aloud to contradict this. It might be a bit of a lie if she was being totally honest about her mixed feelings, sure, but if that was what it took to coax him back into her life then so be it. And despite her parents' fighting Talos thought they missed Viinturuth too...she just wished she was 100% certain of that. (Of course, if she'd actually talk to either of them, that might help, but Talos shied away from that suggestion even in the privacy of her own mind.) 'E's been missing for ages now, said Talos softly.
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Ooc — Wolf-Chalk
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#11
Cadeau couldn't help but arch a brow at the name, not that it sounded familiar to her, oh no no, more so the fact of how long and complicated it sounded to say. She hoped she could remember it, Cadeau mused to herself, it was important she didn't let the name slip her mind. 

"I will keep an eye out for a wolf of that name for you, Talos." She paused, letting the youngster countinue her heartfelt message to Cadeau. She frowned a small bit, knowing with a guilty pang she was probably making her own mother and brother feel similarily to how Talos felt for her own lost sibling. All this talk was striking too close to home for comfort.

"How long is ages?" She inquired, tipping her head to the side. "Is he the same age as you?"
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#12
Thanks, said Talos, sincerity ringing in her voice. Good: that was one more set of eyes looking out for her wayward brother, then. One more shot at finding him and hauling him home.

Months ‘n’ months, said Talos, quite probably not reaching quite the level of exactitude Cadeau had been angling for. Oh well. An’ yah—’e’s from my same li’er. ...I’m bigger’n ‘im, though, she added, some of the sorrow tingeing her voice giving way to a burst of pride. Better-looking too, right? Not that Talos was biased or anything.
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Ooc — Wolf-Chalk
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#13
"You're welcome but... I can't make any promises I will find him." She did not want to get her hopes up but Cadeau also didn't want to see a pup feel hurt either, even if Talos was more mouthy than she was used to.

"That is a long time to be gone," Cadeau said with a frown. At her statement she let a rare smirk cross her tan colored jaws. "Oh? Are you now? You must eat everything your parents tell you to. Green food and all."
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#14
Talos's ears flattened back against her broad skull in discontent as this Cadeau wolf admitted she wasn't certain she was going to be able to find Talos's missing brother. It was really only as much as the adolescent expected, and she knew it was only the truth... but that didn't mean Talos had to like it.

That's all right though, she tried to tell herself bracingly as she resolutely straightened her shoulders and puffed out her chest a little. Don't matter if Cadeau runs across him or not, because I'M gonna find him myself anyhow, one way or another! Even inside her own head such stout reassurances rang somewhat hollow after all the fruitless time and effort Talos had already dedicated to the search, however. It had been months and months of searching too with no sign of the boy. Talos wasn't about to let herself think about what might have happened, or what might yet happen, if Viinturuth was never found, however. That would be as good as admitting her family was stuck being forever broken, after all, wouldn't it. And Talos wouldn't let that happen. Because sheer willpower could glue shattered packs back together, right? Right?!

So with such disturbing thoughts lurking at the doorway to her mind, as Talos stolidly leaned against the door and refused to let them in, it wasn't with much reluctance that Talos found herself getting distracted by Cadeau's next statement. She wrinkled her nose in dubious distaste at Cadeau's smirking words. Green foo'? the youngster repeated. If food's gone green don' tha' mean i's bad t'eat? Talos certainly wouldn't touch a green deer carcass unless she had absolutely no other choice. Ha'n't you ever smelled food gone green? Ain't food no more then!

After a brief pause, Talos did doubtfully add however, I guess I ha' eaten some grass now 'n' then... but...
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Ooc — Wolf-Chalk
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#15
Cadeau could see there was a thought process going on in the young wolf's head, causing the halfling to stay quiet so she wouldn't disturb whatever Talos was thinking about. Most likely that lost brother of hers. Cadeau felt her heart go out for Talos, even if she knew on a personal level that she'd done the same to her own family. The somber thought made Cadeau frown to herself, wondering if Maela was as sad as Talos was for her sibling. Once the girl spoke up again, seeming to miss the humor in her green food comment, Cadeau chuckled.

"You know, roughage like the green leafy stuff," Cadeau told her, her mind drifting to that odd vegetable the humans use to eat, a tiny tree of some kind. "I'd hope I would not eat moldy green meat, my mama taught me what was good and bad to eat like yours probably does. Moms." Affectionately she rolled her eyes, shifting her weight.

She gave a smile, feeling strangely at ease. "Least you know what's safe to eat. You don't touch the yellow snow too, right?"
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#16
Ruff fage? repeated Talos, crinkling her nose up dubiously and then giving her wide head a vigorous shake. Her expression soured further as Cadeau dared to bring up Mother. Talos did not want to think about Mother right now, not at all. Talos was far too busy trying to pick up the pieces of her family that Mother had let fall apart thank you very much. Supposedly Durnehviir was out looking for Viinturuth too but Talos held steadfastly to stubborn skepticism there: she'd hardly even smelled her mother around here where she was virtuously oh-so-busy looking, never mind actually seen or spoken to her. Talos probably wouldn't give the poor woman much credit until and unless she actually found Viin and returned him to Talos in person, and well, even then...who knew.

Mmm, she said aloud in slightly-rumbly noncommital pseudoagreement with Cadeau, however. Moms indeed. But o' course I know not t'eat yella snow, she said scathingly. I'm not some stupi' puppy, y'know! Don' erryone know better than tha'? I mean, all ya hafta do's smell it 'fore y'dumbly stuff in in y'mouth! Sheeeesh. Cue Talos's own extremely sarcastic eyeroll.
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#17
"Easy there, tiger." Cadeau shook her head at the hard edge Talos' tone had taken. She wasn't phased by it but she didn't want her to think Cadeau meant harm with the playful jab. "I'm only yanking your leash." She paused, realizing she was using dog talk again and corrected herself. "I mean pulling your tail." She gave Talos a smile.

Cadeau looked momentarily thoughtful. "You aren't with your pack, are you? No offense but you seem young, should you really be so far from them? It's not really safe out here, Talos." Cadeau was an entirely new face in the wild and she despite the minor survival skills she had was barely scrapping by as is. She didn't want to think how a teenager was possibly getting by alone. In winter especially. "You really should run back home."

Cadeau inwardly frowned at her words. If only she could run back home too.
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#18
Talos cocked one fuzzy black ear curiously at Cadeau's turn of phrase, though her fellow wolf hastily corrected and clarified. Her seeming eagerness to change out her words made Talos rather suspicious. What was this "leash" thing she'd never heard of before? And what part of her was it supposed to be attached to? Was this one of those dumb double-entendres so many of the adults seemed to find so inexplicably amusing? Talos filed it away in her mind as a mildly interesting and likely quite dirty word that she might whip out herself if she needed to shock some sedate elder at some point.

Talos allowed one corner of her mouth to quirk upward in response to Cadeau's smile, however. But her expression quickly flattened out again. She gave Cadeau a long, measured stare from her watery blue eyes. I kin tek care o'myse'f, she said in what she hoped was a withering tone. Talos remained blissfully unaware of how her slurred retrograde manner of speech and obvious noobishness worked against her; few observers were likely to be convinced no matter how brusquely she asserted herself. Whadda you know 'bout i' anyway? An' besides, she sneered, black lip upcurling to disdainfully flash an eyetooth, if i's sssssooo-o-o dang'rous then whai're you ou' here on your own? Talos jutted her face rudely forward to invade Cadeau's personal space, her tail flipping upward and fluffing itself assertively out. Mebbe you're th' one 'oo should be runnin' 'ome... oh, e'cept I fergot. You don' 'ave a home now do you. Talos pulled herself up to her full height and stared superciliously down at the overly-interfering girl.

Mebbe y'oughta get yer cat frien's t'help... if you c'n find any frien's, of any specie' tha' is. Hah! I bet you dinnin' even leave yer las' pack...you prolly got chased ou'! Talos sure hoped she had hit upon something of a sore point, here. It was only a hunch, but she ran with it. What kind of wolf would be proud to be catlike, anyway? No, Talos was convinced Cadeau was only trying to put an unconvincing mask over her own inadequacies, here. Not that Talos could possibly be projecting here, at all: nope, not one whit. And certainly she wasn't lashing out in hopes that Cadeau would stop pressing so very near her own sore points in this barely-civil conversation.
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#19
Cadeau willed her face to remain passive despite the sharp twinge of annoyance and hurt that shot up her spine. She furrowed her brows a moment, sharply shaped brown eyes looking at Talos as the wolf spoke with callouses on her tongue. Cadeau had hunch it was her own emotional anguish making her lash out but it did not give the youngster an excuse to speak as if she were dung. Cadeau could admit she liked the kid's spunk but her attitude needed some serious adjusting, then again what had Cadeau really expected from wolves of all creatures? 

No, don't think that way, Cadeau told herself as she kept her cool, even if on the inside she wanted to wrinkle her muzzle and expose her teeth at the youngster. The wolf in her wanted to show who was boss, give her a piece of her mind... It wouldn't be right, Cadeau let her lips thin into a line. "I didn't say you couldn't fend for yourself," Cadeau said with flatness. "Just that you should go back to your family if you got one, what's the point of having your little wolf pack if you aren't with them?" 

She wouldn't give the girl the glory of getting under her skin, if Talos wanted to play mean Cadeau could play mean too. "You talk about me getting chased out and being packless when right now you're acting pretty bold for someone all alone." Cadeau scowled, looking at the youngster sternly. "What about you? I'll cut you some slack because you're a kid. Stupidity can't be helped with youth, now can it?" 

Cadeau flashed a bitter smile and began to turn away, fur laying flat against her spine. "I'll tell your brother to come home if I see him, Talos." She wasn't heartless even if she was hurting on the inside from Talos' words, the halfling beginning to make her departure. There was no point in talking to someone so willing to disregard her. Perhaps the next time they crossed paths Talos would grow some wisdom alongside those longer legs and stockier adult build she had sprouting now.
Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
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Ooc — Bryndel
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#20
Talos muttered resentfully under her breath, not quite at a volume to require a reply but enough to at least vent some of her dissatisfaction. It just didn't feel fair that this stranger kept needling Talos about her own family and pack, when the youngster was trying to turn the conversation away from any flaws of her own and onto Cadeau's. Stubborn bitch wouldn't take a hint, dangit. At the very least if this uncomfortable course of conversation was going to continue being insistently pursued Cadeau could turn it into a physical confrontation instead; Talos would in fact have preferred even that to...this. Euargh! But while Talos would be as rude and condescending an overgrown child as her innermost resources could summon, she didn't quite want to be the one to actually start things and escalate into that fight. But Cadeau wasn't cooperatively either backing down or escalating things herself, here—it was so frustrating! Talos screwed up her face and glared sulkily at the other girl. It wasn't until Cadeau started going on about the stupidity of mere kids that Talos's lips began to draw back from her teeth again, however: oh this really was too much.

She started to stiffly take half a step forward, thinking maybe she would be forced to teach this brat a lesson. Before she could quite make up her mind to start that fight after all, however, Cadeau had turned away even while offering to keep looking for Viinturuth. Talos, floored, froze where she stood. She was rather glad Cadeau's head was turned away now and wouldn't catch the younger wolf's facial expression. Aih... you... uh... th-th-thank you? What the hell was she supposed to make of this? You— you weren't supposed to be nice to people who were this rude to you! Talos really didn't know how to cope with this turn of events. Her mouth worked open and shut, but for once could find nothing more to throw after Cadeau as the other girl walked away, leaving Talos smarting and bewildered in her wake, with the younger canine feeling very wrong-footed and very much uncertain she had come off the better in this whole exchange. "...Go back to your family." Well shit. Maybe she should. What was left of it, anyway.