"Gotta have a hobby." Briar didn't need him to take her seriously. No one ever did so it wouldn't be a change of pace. The only ones that came close were interested in what she could do, rather than her blood at least. But she didn't want him to go away, but everyone did at some point. Wren could keep him around for a bit though.
But then the temperature in the room changed. A prickliness to his voice she hadn't heard before. Her fingers stuttered as she was securing her boots for a beat, and if she had been in coyote form her head would have tilted with her ears perking up. This was the strongest negative emotion he had showed, other than minor annoyance, Kelly seemed to be the laid back sort. The fact that this was the thing that tipped him into something more intense was of great interest.
She filled it away like she would a pretty necklace in a shop window she wanted to steal later. Everything could be useful. Everything that caused strong emotions had history.
Now. How to calm him down and get back in his good graces. Her mind chewed on it for a moment, instead of words bursting out of her mouth in an elaborate lie as was her default. Partial truth then, because the real one stuck in her throat and made it harder to breathe. "You know, there was this woman back home who worked for the guards, but as like. A Consultant," Because women couldn't be guards, but that wasn't the point, "She had enhanced senses. Could smell when you were afraid, when your fingers started to sweat. Hear your heart rate pick up." Facts. Though it didn't explain how terrifying it was to feel like your own body was betraying you.
"We got better at it. But the ones who slipped even with practice? They had things to be afraid for more than a cell, things to lose. We didn't like--" A deep breath, because she didn't like losing her compatriots but they didn't mind giving her up, "Losing them." Briar stood up, dusting nonexistent dirt off on her pants with the motion, "You have a life to lose, Kelly. I don't." She waved a hand around them, stood where she was and met his eyes. Waiting.