Niernan couldn't help flicking his eyes to the bird perched on the wolfs shoulder, it really was unfamiliar to him and he itched to ask all about it. Yet, he knew what he became like when wildlife was involved and he didn't want to break his almost stony façade of politeness and manners. He withheld his enthusiasm and flicked his cerulean eyes to the golden wolfess's shoulder. She nodded her head slowly to acknowledge his skill, and he felt pride pulling at his chest. He squashed that emotion as well, only now, as the lake water smell lost its hold on his nose and he scented the other wolfs pack scent for the first time. Hackles and growls were controlled and suppressed with an iron will as the scent of Sangi'lak permeated the air between him and the other.
He was distracted from his control over his bodies reactions when she spoke and suggested that he would interfere with her packs hunts. That raised his hackles and made his tail twitch, his face contorted into one of shock and horror before settling on disgusted. I would never even dream of interfering with another creatures hunt. That is entirely dishonourable! He shook his head slowly, disbelieving that such a thing could be suggested. He and Vinatta had enough self respect to provide for themselves and not steal kills from others.
The piercing gaze of the odd bird rested on him as the wolfess switched her gaze to the forest that held his home. He flicked his eyes to meet those of the birds and found the sharp intelligence there a little unsettling. The bird suddenly looked away, his eyes scanning the environment and Niernan became momentarily disorientated, the voice of the wolfess bringing him back into the moment. She offered her title within her pack but not her name, he felt the tiniest of frowns crease his brow for a moment. He had no knowledge of Sangi'lak's idea of respect so he didn't know if not knowing each others names meant something in their pack. He found her refusal to give her name frustrating, the fact that she gave only her title meant that he would have to refer to her by that. He would have preferred it if he hadn't had to refer to her in the same way, perhaps lacking in tone and meaning, as her pack members. He actually found the situation rather distasteful, but with no other means of naming her he would have to use her title.
His ears pricked then, Sauls name falling from her lips. He could not recall Saul ever mentioning this woman, but then he remembered that when Saul and Lilin had returned from the discussion with the Sangi'lak emissaries neither had mentioned a female, only a black male and a scruffy looking and somewhat hostile wolf. He resolved to ask his leader about this wolf when he returned, he had promised his cousin some personal time, it seemed a good enough conversation starter. He allowed the mention of his leader and his plans for later to slip to the back of his mind, refocussing on the meeting at hand. He wasn't sure but he thought he could sense disapproval or some similar negative emotion coming from the Issor and he felt his shoulders tense. His eyes flicked to the bird again, the tightening of its grasp on its master and the fidgety wings did not go unnoticed by Niernan and that made him a little nervous. If the bird was tense his master was tense and he did not want this meeting to escalate into something more.
She spoke again, calmly and quietly, as if her emotions didn't even touch the surface. She asked about his name and relations and he felt his chest swell, pride at being a Stormbringer filling him. I am a Stormbringer and I am related to my Virding, Saul. We are cousins by blood, but brothers by bond. He paused for a moment before adding a little more on his family, The Stormbringers are many and we are soon to be more. He didn't want to reveal pack knowledge and news to this rival pack leader, but the happiness he felt at pups being born into the pack made his tongue loosen. He cursed himself internally after saying it, but was glad that he had not revealed all that much with his words.
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