Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life Is But A Scream [AW]

Immediately following his words, the woman's head snapped up, his own eyes locking with a pair of striking gold ones. The first thing he noticed was her unique marking, a bold streak of white surrounding one eye, in stark contrast to the dark earthy hues covering the rest of her. As Hugo quickly took stock of her, he noted that she had a pleasant face, feminine with a certain hardness that alluded to a strong personality beneath. He noticed the layer of lean muscle covering her body. She was clearly suited to (and experienced in) combat.

When her lips split into a grin and she responded to his invitation, his smile broadened and warmed to cover his features as he answered, "No, ma'am, nothing but fish and the company of a traveler." He moved a bit closer and waded into the water himself, scattering the fish which had returned to their normal activities after she captured her morsel. He watched them, perfectly still, as they swam back around him, the fish not noticing the subtle shift as he readied his muscles to strike. When one of the larger fish ventured near, his head plunged into the water in an instant, jaws snapping shut and holding tight to his slippery prey. He whipped his head violently once to break the fish's spine and end its struggle, placing it on the sand near the larger wolf, before turning to wait for his own, snout hovering inches above the surface as the fish gathered their courage again. "I hope you don't mind my fishing for the both of us," he said in soft tones to avoid startling the fish. "I have very little doubt about your capabilities, but I feel inclined to assist an expecting mother out of respect."

Once Hugo had a meal of his own, he exited the water and quickly shook himself dry before shifting into a sitting position on the sand ring facing her. "My apologies; I haven't introduced myself. I am Hugo Glass. To whom do I owe the pleasure?" He kept his expression set to a placid mask, his face open and amicable, presenting the casual interest expected when meeting someone new as his mind analyzed what he could gather from merely seeing her. She was strong, possibly had a mate (she didn't become pregnant by herself), most likely not completely alone since most mothers required some help in successfully rearing a litter. His impression on her could affect his relations with anyone she associated with, so he would do his best to leave a good one.