She agreed to the walk, and Shandom gave her another tentative smile. It would be nice to explore and engage in conversation with someone from his own pack – perhaps he could make, if not a friend, but a good acquaintance. Terra seemed innocent enough now that his heart had stopped racing, though he was still a little wary of her. To be fair, he was wary of all wolves he deemed youthful – in his mind, they reminded him of Xyvi and Kora, and he didn’t want to think about them too much. Ever, in fact. He never wanted to think about them.
“Unfortunately, Terra, I am new as well. I came here today to observe the water, as I’ve never seen it in this quantity. Perhaps we could just stroll along the beach?” His voice was lighter than before, and there was no antagonism in his words. Shandom meant to make her feel more comfortable, though he was sure his negative reaction earlier would tamper her perception of her. “As we walk, you could tell me how you came to choose Cours des Miracles, and how you like it there. I have found myself quite absent from the backlands lately; I am remiss to admit I find the pack dynamics a little strange after so much time alone.”
Internally, Shandom winced. He knew his speaking was extremely formal in comparison to many wolves, though it was a product of his childhood. In being trained to assume the Alpha position within Etienne, he had constantly been reminded to keep his words dignified and succinct – it was expected of someone from the Qi’Vaex line.
