The scoff of sorts the white woman is given to offer him sees that man of gleaming gold turn his pointed muzzle towards her, eyes so strangely black meeting her own unique gaze as the barest hint of a scowl manages to cross his features in some attempt at understanding this sound. She is correct perhaps, in her understanding, her own mind having managed over time it would seem to wrap itself around the manner in which his own is given to function upon a plane so high above all those around him, a boy, now a man, grown into a creature so often misunderstood and yet perhaps in her own silent methods of contemplation she too had found some way to tolerate his often obnoxious efforts to merely render the assistance he deems those about him entitled to hear. Yet it is the small things, the scoff within her throat, this barely audible method of subtle communication that so seems to send his mind into a flurry of contemplation in some attempts to permeate the very reason behind such a sound. Why it matters so much remains to be seen, for to Pan, at least, Salem has always mattered, the third member of their doomed pack, the girl whom had travelled so long beside himself and his brother and as such had woven herself a place beside him in turn- the sounds she makes judged and harshly so by a golden creature so gifted in knowledge and yet so wholly incapable in the matter of emotions and colloquial mannerisms, deciding at last to merely offer her a frown for daring to so subtly suggest what he has suggested was laughable.

For a moment that short and yet muscular creature merely continues to observe the one before him, eyes as black as coal and so seemingly soulless within his frame resting upon her as he offers his own answer to her question, perhaps not entirely appreciating the emotion intertwined with her desire to ‘find herself’ a fanciful notion to his mind. One cannot lose themselves anymore then one can lose their shadow, the very notion of a soul already disagreeable to the boy whom still refused to acknowledge Niviaq as his imprint, entirely preferring to believe that within her presence he is merely afflicted with some terrible condition. Not that it has been without it’s benefits of course, Niviaq had allowed him to conduct a rather fascinating experiment, one that had led to the births of his children, Pandora, at least, having proven herself a useful being. Galileo on the other hand was something of a lost cause, a genetic puzzle to be further studied when he can be given to find the time. His mind, for now, taken up with the problem posed before him.

He had never truly taken his long-time companion for fanciful before, never truly believed her to be of the sort to lose herself to the tales of frivolity that so often seemed to lead to these meaningless life journeys in which no one ever truly found themselves and yet of all the females he knows he is given perhaps to find Salem the most puzzling of all, the girl a veritable enigma with which his mind was constantly fascinated, her behaviour never constant, the patterns of her speech never assured a trait he both loves and loathes in equal terms, her question seeing his head tilt ever so slightly as he seems to offer it thought once more.

“You make yourself valuable, you find what you are good at, you exploit it, sell it to others and make them believe they cannot live without it. It is how I achieved my rank after all, although really why you believe you hold no value I hardly know. I value you if not only for your ability to survive- a genetically superior trait might I add that nature itself values, but also because I do not find your company entirely disruptive to my thoughts nor do I loath your presence as I do others. In fact I find your company rather agreeable, not only are you well-proportioned physically and thus suitably designed for usefulness- But I find your mind intriguing where I find others lacking and thus you have use and value to myself. If you went looking for someone to tell you that then really Salem I do believe you went about that expedition entirely wrong.”

That he may well have been attempting to compliment both her body and mind remains to be seen, her words both praising and chastising all at once and yet somewhere within the depths of his often long-winded ramblings he had, perhaps, been attempting to inform the female he did indeed value her, had missed her even and took pleasure in her companionship once more. Emotion never truly was his strong suit.

“Your not planning to leave again are you? If you are I truly feel we should construct a graph- or at least a mind map on how you could prove more successful in your quest next time although I find the notion of soul searching to be utterly whimsical- wolves often miss what is entirely in front of them, you don’t need to go on a rather long walk to find it. Am I making sense or has your mind failed to access my point?”

Ever the romantic that he is he has forever wondered why women find him so entirely baffling when he is entirely sure he is being so very clear.