Far From Home

Shiloh Dawnbringer · 09-24-2012, 12:26 PM

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Word Count → 564

Shiloh treated most individuals with suspicion, even if it never seemed like it. She was quick to smile and was unfailingly polite; this was, from her experience, the best way to receive information from others and to keep the meeting civil even with wolves inclined to be aggressive. Sometimes it wasn’t enough, at which point her courteous mask would slip away, and other times there wasn’t a need to be on her guard. Unless she’d known someone for years, though, she wouldn’t dream of dropping that guard, even as she slowly and steadily warmed up to them.

It was difficult with Harvey, just because he matched her warmth and politeness. She decided that it was okay to be charmed by him and return his compliments, though, as long as she kept a sharp mind underneath all the enjoyment. She loosened the reins on her smile and let it blossom again as he complimented her beauty; it was something that another might have demurely rejected, or taken with suspicion toward his intentions, but Shiloh was vain and only murmured a thank-you while trying to keep her face from flushing.

“You’re quite handsome yourself,” she replied after a moment, innocent, “if a bit ruggedly so.” It was clear from the gleam in her blue eyes (quite unfabricated) that she didn’t mind the rugged types one bit. Her brothers and cousins were strong and sturdy types, and being in their arms made her feel safe; the one boy she’d crushed on back in the Solbjorg had been the same, able to protect her even if she very rarely needed protected. Harvey himself looked broad-shouldered and strong, and the spiderweb of scars across his body told a story of survival no matter what their cause.

“Harvey, then,” Shiloh agreed lightly when he confirmed he was okay with it. She didn’t mind being formal or informal with others, even if she erred on the side of cautious when meeting outsiders. Everyone had a certain level of familiarity they allowed, and she wasn’t going to fault him for wanting to be on a first-name basis even while he prefaced her name with “miss.”

Her ears perked when he mentioned Halifax, though her memories of the city were dim. She’d like to have scavenged there a bit more to get jewelry and fabric for dresses and whatnot, but there were other benefits of living there, too, such as the few truly sturdy building left behind by humans. It was nice living in her cozy home in Jordheim, and if Harvey had found such a place in the urban sprawl, she didn’t blame him for wanting to stay there.

“I wish I could wander too,” Shiloh admitted after smiling at his additional compliment, leaning on her staff and letting her eyes rest easily on his handsome face. “I used to live in the south, actually, in a pack called Dahlia de Mai. But since coming back to Nova Scotia I’ve stayed in the north, and circumstances haven’t permitted me to go back south again to my old lands.” She wasn’t sure whether she should show her frustration at that or not; it might lead to interesting conversation or it might be unpolite. She settled for an awkward pause before venturing, “If you’re lonely, why don’t you live with a pack? Or do you enjoy meeting new people every day?” She grinned softly.

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