Off Kilter

Her scent was there. Mikko knew exactly where he was going and what he was doing, but that didn't stop his chest from sinking as he spotted her there upon the ledge. This was always how things went. Even his best intentions seemed to fall through, and now he wondered if he'd just made the most heinous of mistakes by betraying her, a healer whom had sacrificed time with her family for a then dying heap in the middle of the woods, possibly the last one in whom he could ever hope to instill some level of hope or trust.

But then...he'd warned her. Mikko had tried to shoo her off, but it had been in vain. He'd warned her of the risks she was taking, but she'd persisted. And now here they were. She'd known what she was getting into.

No. Shiba didn't deserve that. Mikko shook the bitter thoughts from his head with a wrinkle of his maw as he finally stopped before the silver woman. She wasted no time with him, her voice a whip in the air as her words sent his head sinking a little in begrudging defeat. Apparently, during his absence, she'd gotten herself into her own kind of predicament...which, however convenient it was to have happened in time for her to use it against him now, was still many times more believable than his own excuse for not being present, even if it had his ears perking with curiosity. He could somehow grow to believe she'd survived an encounter with a bear, sure. But how would he even begin to divulge his experience in the house?

It wasn't like showing off his new tail would be good enough. Not after the mess she'd had to clean out of his eye socket.

He inhaled deeply, slowly, before letting it all back out in one swift, resigned breath. "A missed opportunity indeed," he rumbled. "You look like you handled yourself well. I'm...sorry I wasn't there." A genuine albeit awkward, puzzled apology, spoken from nearly uncooperative lips. Seeing her now, would fighting off a bear even have been worth it? Or would it have just been a favor wasted? It seemed his debt would be better utilized in other ways. She'd made it clear that she could hold her own. He thought a little longer on his next words before setting them free.

"I can explain myself if you want, but if I told you about a place full of spirits and wooden figures that wanted me dead, you'd probably think either one of us has gone mad." If she was going to go the blunt route, then he supposed his own alibi was probably better out than in as well. He regarded her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction as he waited for her to process the tidbit he'd offered.

""