Willows
05-13-2020, 02:18 AM
Mal only shrugged at Cairo's gentle tone, as yet unaware that the hope that resonated there was for him, too. She gave a wordless, rueful little half-smile, not meeting the man's eyes. It's not that she assumed her aunt was dead, or held out some hope for their unlikely reunion. Pia was suspended in the unknown, a happy memory frozen in amber.
Truthfully, it was easier for the young one to not think of her past at all. It was more than likely the very reason she'd thrown herself into training with such vigor. It gave her mind something to latch onto, something to gnaw at that wasn't the home and the family she'd lost.
Still... that part he mentioned, about working it out, tickled at her mind. Mal was passionate, but she wasn't obstinate by any means. As much as she would've liked to let the past be forgotten, that one little comment whispered that perhaps it should not be so. It certainly wasn't healthy, to keep it all boxed in, though the young woman's own discomfort with the subject hadn't let her do anything else. Until now, maybe.
That was something to chew on later, though. Slowly, her mischief returned. "Well you can still frown about your worries and not let them drag you down, can't you?" She raised an eyebrow. "Like... like if you step on a thorn and curse, it feels better than holding it in." She shrugged again, noticeably lighter. "I'm not saying all the time, but there is definitely a time that moping is warranted." Truly, now, she was arguing for the sake of arguing.
She was nearly back to her enthusiastic self upon hearing his last offer. "You've got a deal." No jokes or teasing here, but genuine happiness at the offer. She was happy she'd made a friend in the Valhallan wolf.
It was then that she noticed the shift in shadows, and glanced upwards to see that the sun had moved well along its westward course since she'd first stumbled upon the brute. She pursed her lips. It was a strange feeling. Mal didn't want him to go, but -- "You were looking for your family, right? Don't let me keep you."