"It's enough for now, at least." Riley replied with a small shrug, and leaned back in the chair - not his chair, the chair. He had to stop thinking about Tao's things in terms of ownership. Maybe then the dreams would stop. He swallowed. "Our settlement isn't anywhere near that side, no. Hunting's not that great either, since it's downriver of the city. Deer know better than to drink that water." He ran his fingers over his jaw and chin, there was stubble there - had he forgotten to shave again? He really was losing it.
Riley set his elbows on his knees, "We could set up a fake rite of passage ceremony. Make up some ritual, maybe play into that myth about leaving our young one alone in the deep woods so that they prove themselves." He knew that there were rumors about the shifters among other supernatural creatures, that they treated their children in an almost Spartan-like manner. "It's bullshit, of course." He muttered, "We would never do that, but those humans believe we're animals, so why play along with that."