He watched and she stopped eating and his heart ached a moment knowing that he had to follow through.  

"You will work under the Barduk until the cost of the life has been paid off.  It will not be easy work.  It will not be fun.  But I need you to learn all you can from it.  You've a rage child.  There is strength in it, but you must learn to rein it in."

Her stillness at his words gave him pause.  For one so young to be so difficult to read, clearly she had been learning well from her lessons.

"I....  will do my best father."  

Her voice was meek and soft, an act no doubt.  Veiling her true feelings with how she wanted others to see her.  In hopes of reaching her, truly reaching her, he held out a hand towards her.  Her little hand sliding into his warmed his aching heart.

"You don't need to hide here.  Tell me how you truly feel."  

He squeezed her hand a bit hoping to give her the confidence to lower the emotional mask she had put on.  Thankfully, it had worked but what he saw was nothing like he had expected.  He had completely expected her to be awash in anger and sadness.  Sadness, at being sent away in a fashion and anger at the punishment.  But instead there was nothing but elation.  

"Thank you."

It was all she said and it floored him.  She wanted it.  That wasn't possible.  She was choosing to be filthy most days out in the heat and cold over being here with them.  He caught a glimmer of Alana's eyes hovering in the doorway to the kitchen.  A knowing look flashed in them and he yielded.  Taking in a long slow breath, he released Sasha's hand.  

"You are very welcome.  I don't know why you're excited for punishment but I suppose it makes things easier that you are."

He made sure that his tone was a pleasant one as he settled into the chair and watched as Alana brought out a couple cups of blood for them to have.  The woman was never one to disappoint.  The funk that flowed up from the cup told him exactly which one of the handpots she had chosen for them this evening.  It was one of the older ones and was just on the edge of turning.  The result was a pleasantly complex flavor that he savored.  Taking a deep breath of the aroma, he let out a little sigh.  

"Thank you my love.  It is exactly what I wanted." His warm words were given with a gentle smile before his attention moved back to Sasha.  "Now, why is it that you are so thankful for the punishment?"

His words brought another pause to her small frame and he watched her stare into what remained of her sausage. 

"I want to hunt...  I feel it a lot sometimes.  I want to run and chase...  and bite..."

When her attention moved back to him, he could see a crazed and wild look to her eyes.  This girl clearly had the hunger already and his heart ached at the sight of it.  To be stricken with the hunger so young...  It was no doubt to him why she had been so fixated on Tekor.

“Those urges are normal.”  Alana’s subtlety sweet words filled the space around the table.  “You will have to learn to set them aside though.  Not forever.  No one expects, or intends, for you to stop being who you are.  But there is a time and a place for things.  Until the arrangements are made, and if your father allows, I believe that our lessons after the midnight meal will be on a different topic.”

Vidar was quick to nod his agreement.  “I think that that is a wonderful idea.”