It was difficult for Aiden to peg the exact moment, but, at some point, the girl had switched from panic to embarrassment, her posture falling and her voice an apologetic hush. Aiden’s ears flicked forward when he heard her reasoning behind the panic, but the confusion remained blatant in his expression. “Them”? Who was “them”, and why were they so scary? Did wolves often run around in this forest, hurting and eating other wolves? That was kind of a scary notion. Maybe it was best to avoid this place in the future…
A good amount of tension noticeably faded from Aiden’s shrunken, rigid frame when the girl said she was okay, his posture straightening and expression softening. It was a relief; he hadn’t meant to hurt anyone, and, with all the panic and talk of eating wolves and stuff, he was worried. She had let out a shriek when he hit her. Gosh, would he have felt awful if she was hurt. Well…more awful than he already did. After all, he did fall into her, and rather forcefully, too.
“No, it’s okay,” Aiden spoke in soft encouragement, letting the last of his wariness fade away as he lowered himself humbly before taking a step closer to the wilting girl. She was so small compared to him, but she really couldn’t be that much younger—he was only in his first winter. Maybe it was a boys and girls difference, or maybe she was just small. Aiden didn’t know, but he did try to not look so big. He didn’t want her to be scared, and he didn’t want her to be sorry. “I’m the one that’s sorry, okay?” he told her with a warm smile and gentle swish of his tail over the snow. “You don’t have to be.”
The girl asked if he was okay, and Aiden’s head tilted to the side with bright eyes and another wave of his tail. “I’m fine,” he assured the girl. Sure, he had a bit of soreness, and one of his paws had a small, sharp twinge, but nothing too serious. It would go away on its own. Nothing to worry about.
A small amount of caution returned to Aiden’s face when the girl asked him if he was alone, and he gave an automatic glance around. “Yes…” He might have asked why, but there was no need as the girl gave her reason freely. Any thoughts of caution or worry, at least in the immediate sense, dissipated as he laid eyes on her marred hip, his jaw going a little slack with surprise. Aiden wondered how he hadn’t noticed it before, but, then again, he had also been a bit preoccupied, what with the shrieking and apologies.
Aiden blinked away his shock, giving his head a small shake as the girl covered her scars with her tail. He felt bad for staring like that, especially with the sheepish way she covered the marks up afterward. Aiden wondered who or what had done that to her – and apparently her mom and…sibling? – but wouldn’t ask. Clearly, she was a bit self-conscious about the marks, and talking about it was probably hard. If she wanted to, she would. Until then, he would just swallow his questions and think about the more present problem at hand.
“But…you’re alone,” Aiden pointed out with realization. Suddenly losing sight of his own, identical predicament, the boy was thinking only of the small girl’s safety now Where was her mother? Or Masque, whoever that was? It wasn't safe for her to be out alone in a forest where wolves ate other wolves. She wasn’t safe. “Where’s your mom? I… I’ll stay with you until you find her again, okay?”