Word Count :: 400+ Oh Liliya, pay more attention next time.
Icy blue eyes scanned the smokey Optime before her for a moment, and it was clear that she was confused. She tilted her head as she ran through their conversation again, wondering if there was something she had missed. Then she realized what was happening. She held up her palms to Eris, trying to backpedal on their conversation. Shaking her head, she started, “No, no, no...” and then her voice died.
Liliya thought she was only offering to help the pack for a few days, to return what supplies her mother had used, and probably with interest. But the woman either thought she was offering to join, or was twisting the situation so Liliya would. She didn't know, and she couldn't tell by the woman's face. She knew nothing of this culture, and even though it was similar to her own the woman's body language was almost as hard to understand as spoken English.
There was one language that she did understand – that primal language that ran through all canines. Suddenly it dawned on her, as she glanced Eris over once again. Her posture, her stance, the lilt in her voice; this was no border guard she was speaking to. Liliya's eyes flashed up to Eris's face and caught the briefest glance of the woman's yellow-green eyes and gasped, jerking her head to the ground so fast it might have given the woman whiplash. That quick glimpse of the Auxiliary's eyes delivered to her the severity of the situation she was in. If not for knowing her mother was in the lands, the Russo girl might have tried to defy Eris. But family was everything, and the only reason Verusha was in this situation was because of her – she would not abandon her.
“N... no,” she tried to say it as though she was continuing what she began before. “I would not leave. I am Russian woman; we are strong and loyal.” With her eyes now downcast it was easier to hide her doubt, but Eris might sense it on her anyway. Verusha and Liliya had come back to Nova Scotia to seek out their family, Liliya's brothers. Just days ago they had planned to set out on a fact-finding mission in hopes to discover their whereabouts. Was she now pledging that she wouldn't do that? Liliya didn't know for sure. How could she leave them behind? Something could be done... something... She just needed to buy herself some time.
Image courtesy of mnshots@Flickr; table by the Mentors!
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