Outside the ancient gates, little more than two stumps of stone far enough apart one could drive four wagons abreast through them, the silence in the old forest was somehow deeper. Perhaps it was that de Kestle's once-influence didn't extend this far, or perhaps it was that the pack didn't roam here unless it had to, but the young witch felt alone here. The overwhelming waves of feeling didn't knock xir free of the equilibrium xi'd worked so hard to achieve.
Sera and Guan Yu weren't far, of course, but they were far enough xi couldn't hear them without uncoiling xir Aura to augment xir senses, and xi wasn't willing to do that. Perhaps that's how the stranger managed to sneak up on xir, or maybe it was just that xi was so lost in xir meditations that xi simply hadn't heard him... Either way, xi didn't move just yet, or open xir eyes.
"Ja? Kann ich dir helfen?" After a moment, xi remembered to translate - the language was fairly uncommon here, outside the town itself. "Yes? Can I help you?"