Her scarlet eyes, for once observant, noticed the hairs on the back of the male's neck raise and bristle ever so slightly. Surely she hadn't offended him. After all, that was what she was barely controlling herself not to do. She could have spat in his face and bitterly laughed about that other day at the border, though knowing him, she would have started a brawl. If she hadn't stopped herself, she would have done just that. Her mind was a mad battle between her reasoning and impulses. Some days she could fight it better than others. Today was one of those days, though his hackles almost put her off. Did he just enjoy aggravating her, especially when she could be so easily tipped over the edge?
He went on to answer her inquiry, and instead of answering with a simple yes, like she had expected, he had to give her an entire history lesson. Oh well, she couldn't just tell him to shut up. Might as well listen in. Flicking her ears absently, she did her best to take note of his words, though she had to admit, his voice wasn't as pleasant to hear as her friend's. She could listen to her friend talk for days on end. This man? Maybe not for so long.
He had met her friend back in Sonticus, when he was only a pup. Ah, of course. It all made sense now. She had met Rivaxorus when they were a few seasons old, just after her mother had stepped up to create Borealis. Though she hadn't done it alone. Originally, the leader had been Cypress, Riv's father. And where had he come from? Sonticus. Now she understood everything. That was where all the strangers had come from. Borealis was just Sonticus with the addition of Marina's family. Well, wasn't she smart?
Green-tipped ears perked at the Hellstrom name, lips curling in a small snarl. It sounded all too familiar, and for all the wrong reasons. Sin Hellstrom - the devil of a canine who had won a death match against her friend's mother, the one who Cypress had challenged to the death. She never thought she'd hear that name again; she hated it. How ironic it was for one of his former followers to be right here right now, talking to her about it. "Sin," she hissed the name under her breath, disgust dripping from her cold words. "You really followed him?"
"Speech"
