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Slight edit for my own inability to calculate my character's age. Sorry, it was bugging me.
Nocht felt touched by the alpha's words, the slight softening of his stance towards her and the depth of conviction in his tone. She was slightly taken aback for a moment as she considered this. At home, in her own pack, they were of course family, a number of them blood relations with one another. But they were also intellectuals, flighty and occasioanlly eccentric, scouring Eireanntalamh, as they had dubbed it, for books and the remnants of the cultures that had conquered those lands before them. While there was a close knit core group there were also numerous visitors and travellers who settled briefly while on their way elsewhere or even for a number of seasons, landing a hand or paw while they could before moving on again. Her childhood had been a landscape of constantly changing faces, playmates and caregivers who soon disappeared from her view and so her mind. Some stayed, though few and far between and they had built a loose web of friends and family as each year another litter was born and they grew ever larger. Even her parents weren't always there as she and her siblings grew, wandering off into one adventure or another as they were left in the care of the pack, and as they grew they were encouraged to strike out on their own and explore and learn. That was how Nocht had originally ended up on a boat bringing her to only the Gods knew where, setting off on her own adventure. The crew on the boat had almost perfunctory relationships with each other for the most part, with a few of them forming close bonds. Nocht had admired the captain and enjoyed his company, but he was a grizzled old sea dog and while he never rebuffed her, he was distant.
This, here, was an honest to god opportunity to find a family away from her own, an offer not to be taken lightly. She already felt a slight affection for Deirdre and a rapidly growing respect for Phoenix. It would be all too easy to say yes without accepting the ramifications of her decision. If she said yes she was promising them to offer them her all, to treat them as kin. And somehow, Nocht felt reassured that she could do that. She nodded at the alpha, still nervous in his presence, but nowhere near as terrified as she had found herself. "I say yes. I'd be honoured, honestly." She paused for a moment to weigh her words before adding. "I can't promise I'll stay for ever either, but I'll plant my flag with Storm. And leaving would never be a decision I would take lightly. Not with all you've just offered me."
Also, she'd probably have to build a new boat to get home. She was still only four and a half though. She had plenty of time to decide to leave. For all she knew, she might never want to return. But for now she knew where she wanted to stay.