420 words.
Kæ had been eyeing Jefferson with a demeanor that was a rather strange mix of wonderment, apprehension, and aversion, but the tension pulsing through him had steadily been slacking. Looking up at the ogre of a man, the border collie merely chuckled. “Yeah, I guess not.” There was little else that he could say, but at the same time, he felt that simply by being a stranger he was treading on thin ice.
“A hundred percent with you there, man,” was all the Kvæsir said in reply, getting his point across with as few words as he could. He didn't want to rush the Alpha, but in all truth sitting still while still in a decent mood wasn't exactly his niche- he wanted to get moving, make progress. At least figure out if he was allowed in or not- if not, he supposed he'd backtrack and try and find Naniko, say his goodbyes and head off. Still, Jefferson wasn't too bad to handle, it seemed; all bark and no bite, perhaps? He gave an uncomfortable grunt, nodding in agreement- “Odd names kinda run in my family. I wasn't born too far from Souls territory. Four or five days worth of walking, maybe? My great-great grandmother was from some other country- Iceland? Something like that. You can call me Kæ, if it's easier.” A crooked, half-amused smile crossed his lips, and he chuckled once more, motioning with his muzzle in the direction that Naniko had gone. “Too bad she ran off. I made it sound real great when I told her; she asked the same thing.” He fell silent for a moment, wondering the best way to speak of his “skills” without making himself sound like an incompetent idiot. “Like I told Naniko; I'm only average when it comes to hunting, but I'm quick and can travel over a territory faster than most, if you're in need of a scout, or something of the like. I could be an excellent herdsmen- it runs in my family as well- and I read a lot, so I suppose I just have a a lot of information on a several topics. And,” Here he grew somewhat embarrassed; it was far easier talking to a pleasant female than it was Jefferson, “I can do magic tricks, and play a recorder...they're pretty neat. I know it doesn't sound like much, but I'm a quick learner, so if there's anything you want me to train in, I'll give it my best. And that's usually enough.”