The Sunspire (Angst! Angst! Angst!)

There were plenty of excuses that would have been fine -- that would have easily hid cowardice. Even a simple "nah, I'll come on the patrol" would have sufficed.. But no, Zane went a bit over the top and picked something particularly unlikely. Lying wasn't the way out when it practically reeked of his irrational fear -- or so was her conclusion at least.

She gave him a long look, How disappointing. And that was apparently all that needed to be said. In a way she said it almost blandly. Like it was expected. Zane had met her expectations by utterly failing the ones she expected of her wolves. Did she have do the equivalent of saying she expected him to fail his math test? Had he been her child, that would perhaps be the most cruel response she could give.

But part of the thing about watching, waiting, was to see what he'd do. Did he really "have" to go? Would he actually stick to his guns or would he suddenly have a change of heart when Arbiter saw right through him? She did shift her weight forward, but that was all. She'd only remain to deal with his antics for so long though.