Told The Witch Doctor I Was In Love With You

"It's ok," he rushed to assure her when for one heart-stopping second it looked as though she might leave. "You aren't intruding at all. You must have been here before this was Ivory Ridge? You don't need to be afraid, I won't let anyone be angry with you just for looking." He took an anxious step forward himself before he could stop himself, one paw half raised in a pup-like appeal for her to not leave, worried that her embarrassment would lead her to leave. He didn't want her to leave. He found himself captivated by her silver eyes - the only silver eyes he'd seen were on Katja and her children, though no thoughts of his former alpha could displace this stranger's beautiful face.

"I'm Kassander," he told her shyly. "Kassander Xanilov." His attention was diverted momentarily to the lemur as she was introduced, and he dipped his head in an awkward half-bow. Having grown up in a family that had a tradition of fox stewards, it was natural enough now for him to be respectful of others' companions, even aside from having spent enough time with Rommel to see them as not so very different from the wolves they chose to make a life with. "It's nice to meet you, Tsiry."

But his gaze was drawn immediately back to the woman. Peregrine. It was a strangely fierce name for such a friendly woman. "You're very beautiful," he blurted out, his eyes widening in horror as the words flew unbidden from his mouth. "I.. I'm sorry, I..." His ears and tail dropped, eyes lowering to the ground between them though he wanted so much to keep looking at her. What was wrong with him? She was going to think he was a complete idiot. He was a complete idiot. "I mean, you are beautiful, I just shouldn't have... I'm very sorry." Please don't go, he silently urged her. He was such an idiot.