<blockquote>She had said his name, and his attention had turned towards her accordingly, but it had not been followed up. Momentarily intrigued, he nevertheless respected her obvious change of thought, and shrugged it off as nothing. It soon drifted from his mind when, a few minutes later, the conversation took a sudden but not unwelcome turn.
<b>"I haven't really planned anything,"</b> he admitted, with a sheepish smile. <b>"I don't - I mean, since I'm technically a nomad, I don't really have any responsibilities, you know? I'm here as long as I'm able, really. I can't stay forever -"</b> as tempting as the thought was <b>"- because I have family down there, and, well, Alexander was always really nice but I don't think I could stay."</b> His voice had significantly trailed off by the end as his train of thought had slipped too easily into his mouth. He really needed to learn how to filter what passed from his mind to his tongue.
In an effort to redirect her attention, he perked up and looked right at her. <b>"So, you're hoping to stay here for good, or just, uh, passing through? A lot of loners didn't stick around in my old pack."</b> He regretted saying it the moment it was out, but it seemed too hasty to take it back immediately. Some of Alexander's words - not having to be blood to be family - did ring in his ears, but he had yet to see real proof of it. Not even being of the same blood had kept Swift River together, as they once had.</blockquote>
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![user posted image](http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j320/alleybomber/CRC11.png)
<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>