Fortunately Arwen didn't try any wild antics, and Slade managed to become calm again as she listed the facts about the killer and asked him some questions. His mind began to whirl. Slade didn't know many of his packmates; Shawchert and Mars were the only males he had even talked to, and they had both been in the pack for a while. Mars seemed a little sketchy, but somehow Slade couldn't see the bicolor male as a murderer. Shawchert couldn't have done it; what reason did he have for killing his own son? According to what Shawchert had said there were three victims thus far: Valinta, a puppy - likely hers - and Shawchert's own son. Nothing made sense. Phew, being a sleuth was tough work.
Slade was about to say this when Arwen's claws flashed near his face. He jerked his head back in surprise, especially confused when she spoke. Her past, given she was telling the truth, suggested that she thought herself to be nearly perfect; apparently she was really defensive over what she saw as a fault. Arwen didn't seem arrogant, but if she was going to flip out when Slade didn't say anything he wondered if he was really willing to put up with it long enough for them to become good friends.
"Calm down," he said once she had retreated. "I'm on the small side, too; I never said anything about your size. And I don't know your age!" He didn't say it out loud, but he wanted to add, "And I don't care about how big or small I am, either!" This was true enough; his size had never bothered him. In fact, when he thought about it, he really didn't see a point in trying to look "good". Suddenly he wondered if Arwen was completely sane.
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