10-08-2009, 09:05 PM
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~420 words.
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Eliza glanced at Sofia askance. It had been pretty clear that she didn't intend to join -- she would have stated that intention earlier if it had been the case, or so Eliza would assume. There was something which seemed almost insulting in the way the other denied her interest in Dahlia de Mai, but Eliza couldn't say that she was thrilled with them either, at the moment. "That's fine," she said evenly. "Even if you were, I wouldn't be able to help you." Perhaps it was unwise to admit to her low rank, but it was the truth. While Eliza could see the benefit of trying to appear more important than she really was before knowing if the other female posed a threat to the pack, she could never condone outright lying, especially since no such threat seemed present.
Eliza nodded slowly as the other answered her. It seemed implicit that the unspoken ending to Sofia's narrative was that she had never found the pack she had been searching for. "I'm sorry," the white wolf murmured. She didn't know the other wolf well at all, but there seemed to be a sadness that hung around her, and Eliza didn't enjoy seeing others in pain, regardless of her connection to them. Sofia's brief story reminded Eliza of her own burden to carry, and she looked down and to the side, a moment of private sadness. Perhaps she was being over-sensitive, she thought, but the pain of Ava's death, even months later, was not much dulled. Reminders were everywhere, and usually unintended. It would be silly of her to take issue with this one and not the others.
Sofia spoke again, and Eliza shifted on her feet again, knowing she had been fidgeting a bit too much in her awkwardness but being unable to stop. She met Sofia's gaze before answering, feeling rude for having indulged in self-pity in public. "I've been here for about a month, but don't know the area or the people very well," she answered. Almost as an afterthought, she hurriedly added, "Yet, that is." She was hoping to know the others in her pack better soon, but she was having trouble staying optimistic about her chances. "What do you plan to do now?" It was sort of a personal question to ask, but the worst the other female could do was not answer. Eliza wasn't terribly skilled at making conversation with strangers, so she was mostly at a loss as to what else she should say.
Eliza glanced at Sofia askance. It had been pretty clear that she didn't intend to join -- she would have stated that intention earlier if it had been the case, or so Eliza would assume. There was something which seemed almost insulting in the way the other denied her interest in Dahlia de Mai, but Eliza couldn't say that she was thrilled with them either, at the moment. "That's fine," she said evenly. "Even if you were, I wouldn't be able to help you." Perhaps it was unwise to admit to her low rank, but it was the truth. While Eliza could see the benefit of trying to appear more important than she really was before knowing if the other female posed a threat to the pack, she could never condone outright lying, especially since no such threat seemed present.
Eliza nodded slowly as the other answered her. It seemed implicit that the unspoken ending to Sofia's narrative was that she had never found the pack she had been searching for. "I'm sorry," the white wolf murmured. She didn't know the other wolf well at all, but there seemed to be a sadness that hung around her, and Eliza didn't enjoy seeing others in pain, regardless of her connection to them. Sofia's brief story reminded Eliza of her own burden to carry, and she looked down and to the side, a moment of private sadness. Perhaps she was being over-sensitive, she thought, but the pain of Ava's death, even months later, was not much dulled. Reminders were everywhere, and usually unintended. It would be silly of her to take issue with this one and not the others.
Sofia spoke again, and Eliza shifted on her feet again, knowing she had been fidgeting a bit too much in her awkwardness but being unable to stop. She met Sofia's gaze before answering, feeling rude for having indulged in self-pity in public. "I've been here for about a month, but don't know the area or the people very well," she answered. Almost as an afterthought, she hurriedly added, "Yet, that is." She was hoping to know the others in her pack better soon, but she was having trouble staying optimistic about her chances. "What do you plan to do now?" It was sort of a personal question to ask, but the worst the other female could do was not answer. Eliza wasn't terribly skilled at making conversation with strangers, so she was mostly at a loss as to what else she should say.
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