He's focused on assessing her as an ally against the wolves and passing her the straight facts, and her reaction takes him entirely by surprise, even more so when he can feel the truth of her words in that little ribbon of shimmering heat that's wrapping through her now. Alice has felt that way about him, so had Maria, but he's never, not once, had someone react to his decidedly military manner of speech in such a way. It surprises him how much he immediately enjoys it. It's another way they're similar, he thinks, another reason this might really work.

"No ma'am," he says with a slow smile, "I do not much care for them. Acting against them would only turn the rest of the tribe against us, or I'd've done it already. Which," he glances outside, toward the woods where Alice is no doubt running through the branches for the joy of running, "we should keep to ourselves, if you'd be so good. As far as the other, I certainly can't speak for what's weird or not, but I'm far more in favor of it."