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After he had gotten past his initial excitement at finally being able to taste the tea at an acceptable temperature to his tongue, Saul's lapping became more intermittent and calm. A pace and manner that would be considered acceptable, were he partaking of the drink her home country. Tsukiko could well understand his excitement and enthusiasm with his first series of laps though. She, too, had been quite eager when she was allowed her first bowl of tea as an older pup. Her whole life she had been around as her parents drank the plant drink and she had always yearned for the day when she would be allowed to have it. Her first occasion she had quickly reigned in her overzealous excitement though and drank at a more acceptable and refined pace. She was a noble daughter, and expected to have impeccable manners.
Saul's words of sympathy were kind, and touched her. She was glad that he did not ask the specifics of her story though. The only one here that knew was Conor and she trusted the alpha male to keep her confidence in that matter. Perhaps someday, if she and Saul were to become friends, she would tell him of her past but for now the less said the better. It had been draining to tell even Conor her story and she had no desire to do so again so quickly afterwords. Tsukiko was not accustomed to letting many people get too close to her. His offer to help her return made her ears prick forward a bit, a tiny seed of hope and desire planting itself inside her heart. "I would like that very much Saul," she replied, her smile growing wider.
They continued to drink silently and she noted that the boy's gaze settled again upon the curled form of Setsuna. He seemed quite intrigued by the cat, and she wondered what it was that he was thinking of as he looked at her. Curious as she was, the Shimazu femme knew better than to ask. If she did not want someone prying into her private thoughts, then she must not pry into someone else's. She was sipping politely at her tea when he asked a rather unexpected question that managed to catch the woman off guard. What was she good at? What did she do in the pack? These were questions the Japanese noble had never been asked before. They were asked of lower people, but not of her. How was she to answer such a query? "I have only been here a short time, I have really only arranged my home," she answered to the latter question. "I was born and raised to be a leader though. That is what I know." There was no shame in her that she did not know how to do simple tasks such as hunting or fishing or making things. That was for the other people of her estates to do, it was her job to keep things running smoothly.
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