Life on Mars
06-21-2020, 01:59 PM
Well, the candid disapproval was new. She blinked, quietly registering the change in him. The reaction to naming her pack had been immediate and negative. Had he simply heard tales told of the Armada? Or had one of her packmates bumped into this stranger, and rubbed him the wrong way? ...To be fair, though, it was becoming more and more apparent that this man -- Askan, as he had called himself -- was probably the instigator of such an encounter.
Probably. Mal had no qualms with identifying him as a surly little troublemaker, and the Selwyn played right into that role.
Maybe she should've been a bit more forgiving, but the woman believed in first impressions. It didn't stop a confused little grin from spreading over her muzzle, though, when he suddenly looked back at her. Touchy, touchy. And that little quip was pretty mild.
She exhaled suddenly through her nose, eyes rolling skyward at his snort, his tone. As if the very idea of taking a goddamned walk was an insult. Mala took a couple of heartbeats to look at him again. She was sure they hadn't met before.... but somehow, someway, he was peeved at her very existence. Green eyes narrowed, pegged him with a silent Really? before she moved to her paws.
Malalia crossed the short stretch to the river and took a few laps at the icy surface on the east fork, letting the question hang in the air.
She pulled away, a few stray drops trickling down her chin. "Would it be so bad if I was? There are worse things a wolf can do to occupy her time." More seconds passed before she finally graced him with an answer. "I come to the river to hunt or train or think. Or jaunt," she shrugged. "Sometimes it's nice to get away from everything, pack-wise. If that's alright with you."