He startled at the touch, jerking backwards and away--the softness as much as the contact was what jarred him; he wasn't used to anything less than a punch. The edge of anger, fear that had ebbed away with the healing was starting to sharpen again, and he pulled his lip into a snarl.

"It doesn't matter," he said, and behind him he heard the scrabbling of the NPC standing up and fleeing. His fists clenched. "Talking about it won't bring them back."