Pupils fletched and narrowed upon a face soon crinkled, Gaal regarded the gawking ensemble as someone with practiced annoyance. Of his kind, he had strayed more than most to the realm of hairless humanoids, and had done adequately in acquainting himself with the language and culture. He contoured to their strange customs, abided their straw-sour regulations and went so far as to befriend those with open and accepting minds. That did not however, stop the gapes he would receive: jaws lowered in horror and eyes bulged with shock, urgent whispers of discomfort and shaky limbs quivering with terror. The three of them looked on as if in disbelief, like they could not fathom the reality of their sight and were without certainty. He eyed the snibbling brownies first, now freed of them himself, and then in an all too leonine blink, his gaze tracked to the female. It was an impressive fight in which she had made, and if there was anything to be appreciated, it was a soldier waging the good battle. That would not excuse the pointed sharpness interlacing ignorance he imagined to come, and so, Gaal erected his shoulders and stood ever more human.<br/><br/>The female retreated a step, and he reciprocated. An entity to fear was most certainly what he could be. He was a predator of apex form, seasoned with experience and power granted over years of bloodshed and carnage. He was not a threat to all however, and the small act he copied from her was meant to illustrate. She spoke, and his sensitive panther ears made strong note of her tone, as if to never forget. With blade lowered to the earth, he took this as easement, but in slight, knew better. As a feline raptor, he could taste apprehension when it appeared, and that was the sensation gently tickling his tongue. She had all right to be cautious around him, and he of her. Gaal may have been potent physically, but he was not invincible, and wordlessly, he decreed that the woman could pose a danger, should she wish it. It currently wasn’t looking so, and though ever watchful, his burly fingers went to adjusting his apron.<span style="font-weight: bold">“It was hardly my intention,”</span>he responded, trying to subtract the beastly rattle from his voice. Had he meant to help her? He had only stepped from around the tree and had then been engaged himself.<span style="font-weight: bold">“But you are welcome, human.”</span>He trailed her focal to her hand, and this made him think of blood. The metallic and meaty tang was quite tantalizing, and Gaal swallowed. He had better control than that.<br/><br/>Quiet furnished their encounter, the kind that was barely broken by the harp of distant birds and a satyr’s flute. She was studying him it would appear, touching eyes on his anthropoid physiology, maybe trying to make heads of tails or whatever else. Gaal was tolerant and took the time to look at her as well. Truly, he hadn’t come upon a woman like this one. Was she an unnamed warrior class? He was assured there was more to the human world than he could know, and he might have just stumbled upon a mystery still raveled. He scratched absently behind an ear at her question.<span style="font-weight: bold">“Oh yes, the local village is my home,”</span>he was being sarcastic to hell, and if his mother had been nearby, a rock would have found its way to the side of his face.<span style="font-weight: bold">“<span style="font-style: italic">Others</span> of my kind, you mean. No need to coat anything.”</span>He wasn’t unfriendly, only snippy with what would be his normal demeanor. Gaal wasn’t the most pleasantly tempered, he had a mouth that habitually oozed verbal venom. He clasped his jaw as she rambled forth, perhaps trying to lessen what had already been said. Did he mind? Not a lot, really. He was just a perpetual grump.<span style="font-weight: bold">“Beastkin tend not to visit human land. It is said to be accursed, perhaps in regards of the cowing bird and spiders.”</span>He half snorted, and for a moment, took his eyes from her and looked into the nearby greenery. His kind had their own monsters to battle.<br/><br/>His tail twitched, crooking idly here and there. Why was the woman about here, by her lonesome? He had not known smooth skinned warriors to travel alone. Maybe she was better than the rest and didn’t need a shield brother? He scented the area, and nothing strong came to his nose from nearby.<span style="font-weight: bold">“Why are you here by your lonesome, human?”</span>This question came off less raspy than his former responses.<span style="font-weight: bold">“Are you not fearful of forest lurkers and bandits?”</span>He blinked and then faced back to her.<span style="font-weight: bold">“I have known few women willing to venture as yourself seems to have.”</span>Truly, she had him quite curious.