All That Glitters

Even the quiet Gwyn was usually less socially awkward than she was being at the present moment. She was all too aware of it; in a corner of her mind her pride whispered mean things to her about how she could do so much better. It sounded oddly like her mother's voice, actually.

A smile painted the other woman's maw, an action once more mirror unconsciously on Gwyndolyn's own face. It wasn't to be a fight then, and that was good. The name offered didn't quite match Gwyn's expectations. "Twig"? What kind of name was that supposed to be? Perhaps a nickname, or pet name? An alias? Or perhaps none of these things... and someone was really strange enough to name their unfortunate pup "Twig." Still, before Gwyn could make any such comments that might be rather rude, the cross-marked one continued, offering more information. Gwyn's ears perked curiously as she was presented with the very unique marking on the other girl's shoulder. Gwyn's head tilted.

Had she noticed the marking sooner she might've said something then. As it was, she hadn't been able to see it quite properly 'til now. Even in the bright sunlight she could make out the lines of darker fur running down the other woman's left forelimb, creating a marking that was hard to miss. Alas, she could not disown her clan even if she wanted to... but she snapped herself from her own musings when Twig presented Gwyndolyn's own question back to her. The question was simple, but begged for more than just a name. Gwyn's smile remained, but within she felt that defiant wall that refused to allow her to share more than was needed. So she offered a truth - or at least a half of it - she knew might suffice:

"I'm a traveller. I'm going north, just... north," she lifted her shoulders in the wolf equivalent of a shrug. Her answer was half-hearted. Was there not more to it than that? ...wasn't there always? A polite smile remained on Gwyn's dark lips as she kept going, the subject changing as smoothly as she dared make it, "I made it to this place," - she gestured with a whip of her tail to the grassy plateau around them both - "and well... would you happen to know anything about this place, Twig? I find it rather strange..." Her green eyes strayed from the other wolf to the round metal that had first caught her attention a few minutes before then flicked back up to Twig.