Jacinda did not seem to question the presence of a civilian in the van, but Tenzin said nothing. She did watch her though, with her paw latched firmly onto the inquisitor’s leg, fuzzing up his scent with a strange mix of smells. Exposing the woman put her at risk, and if her practise was unreasonable she did not deserve to die for it. A complication though, certainly. Depending on what it was she wanted. She would not allow herself to be touched again.
“Injured?” she interrupted. “Why in hospital? If known. Advantage maybe.”
She had never met him, of course, but Tenzin did not relish that Nox Durante had once been considered pack. Fractures and splits had been all she’d seen since crossing the ocean, a society in turmoil and without identity since the loss of their Regus. Wolves rarely turned on their own. Jacinda acquiesced easily to protecting the child, and Tenzin suspected her own past might have influenced the judgement. What she wasn’t sure of was whether the woman had considered it the whole way through in those short seconds -- that the kid might be spirit-touched herself, and enemy by default. The thought of that budding confrontation did not gladden her, but it was bound to come up sooner or later. She did not want to lose the family she had gained, but she would not betray her own integrity to keep it. Silver called her stubborn, but even he would stand behind her in this.
As for Durante, she was not sure what could be done, but at least he was grown. Her own senses would tell her what she needed to know; she trusted those primal instincts more than she trusted Athari laws. Whatever they said he was, Tenzin would protect those that needed protecting, whoever that may be, and she would kill those that needed killing. But she would do it without judgement. The inquisitor had far too much anger for her liking.
As the van rumbled on, her mind unfurled to reach the wolves she knew dwelt on the outskirts of the city, seeking the comfort of a familiar touch. They were too distant to really feel clearly, and they did not understand the mournful conflict she projected, but a nuzzle of warmth returned -- too faint for her to even really get a sense of who it was.
“Injured?” she interrupted. “Why in hospital? If known. Advantage maybe.”
She had never met him, of course, but Tenzin did not relish that Nox Durante had once been considered pack. Fractures and splits had been all she’d seen since crossing the ocean, a society in turmoil and without identity since the loss of their Regus. Wolves rarely turned on their own. Jacinda acquiesced easily to protecting the child, and Tenzin suspected her own past might have influenced the judgement. What she wasn’t sure of was whether the woman had considered it the whole way through in those short seconds -- that the kid might be spirit-touched herself, and enemy by default. The thought of that budding confrontation did not gladden her, but it was bound to come up sooner or later. She did not want to lose the family she had gained, but she would not betray her own integrity to keep it. Silver called her stubborn, but even he would stand behind her in this.
As for Durante, she was not sure what could be done, but at least he was grown. Her own senses would tell her what she needed to know; she trusted those primal instincts more than she trusted Athari laws. Whatever they said he was, Tenzin would protect those that needed protecting, whoever that may be, and she would kill those that needed killing. But she would do it without judgement. The inquisitor had far too much anger for her liking.
As the van rumbled on, her mind unfurled to reach the wolves she knew dwelt on the outskirts of the city, seeking the comfort of a familiar touch. They were too distant to really feel clearly, and they did not understand the mournful conflict she projected, but a nuzzle of warmth returned -- too faint for her to even really get a sense of who it was.