[ There's something sharp on his tongue about how if he was a weirdo angling to stab a visitor, why wait until later? But Maruki swallows it back easily – just because he's on edge with all of this doesn't mean he needs to take it out on those who are even more confused than he is. ]

Alright. Here, walk beside me so we don't get separated.

[ A gentle tug to the guy's sleeve to get him to fall in line, and then they're off, skirting along the treeline to get toward the distant entrance of the farm. Damn Eren for getting such a massive property.

Maruki chatters idly to fill the air, glancing over every few seconds to make sure Adachi is still there. ]

If you've been over near the crystal at all, I'm the guy who has a tent set up for counseling there. I've been here for half a year, so I feel some amount of responsibility for ensuring you all settle in as easily as possible... Ah, which isn't easy at all, I know. I'd like to tell you that things get less strange, but they really d–

[ And then, as his eyes rove from Adachi to the wooded area before them, he catches a few glints of reflected moonlight.

One arm flings out, soccer mom style, to stop Adachi in his tracks. ]

Do you see that?

[ Maruki knows the shadow wolves. Killed enough of them in their war-torn future, with brutal efficiency. But in the pitch black of sudden night, catching sight of them is like trying to pick out a single whisp of smoke in open air. There are only occasional glimpses of their eyes, shifting bright through the darkness, coming closer. ]