To pique someone's interest is to cause them to become interested in something. When you pique someone's interest, you get them excited about something.
When you are wary, you are cautious and you are worried. You are probably feeling wary because you don't know what is going to happen.
A sourpuss is a person who is usually unhappy and frowns a lot. They are usually not very happy or friendly.
The lifespan of a species is the number of years that a particular species is expected to live.
A barkeeper is someone who works in a bar. They are usually responsible for preparing and serving drinks, and they usually have a lot of responsibility.
To quip is to say a joke or to make a witty remark. When someone quips, they are trying to make their comments feel light and fun.
To conflate two things is to mix them together. Sometimes this is done accidentally, but sometimes it's done on purpose to confuse or mislead people.
When people are loners, they are not very social. They may not feel comfortable around other people, and they may not enjoy being around people.