Words: 700+
Aw, don't worry 'bout it! C:
Coli kept her soft features impassive, watching through the veil of her long eyelashes as Svara snarled and stormed off. So, Haku had saved the girl's life, had he? How long would it be, before he tired of her antics, she wondered. Would it be when she reached adulthood, still with the same childish temper? Would he merely cut the ties, or would he hurt her, too...? Coli actually felt a wave of pity for the vulgar-mouthed teenager, knowing that it could not last for long. The pressure of keeping an attention-seeking child in his cabin, with the looming responsibility of his own children on the way - he was sure to snap soon. Coli's presence would only fan the flames, she knew. Could she pick up the pieces, when Haku tears apart everything he wrought?
Firefly had calmed down when Cercelee arrived, though whether it was out of deference to her rank or if her mood swings had simply lost the anger, Coli wasn't sure. The pregnant woman no longer wished to contribute, though, since the fun was over, and kept watch, her sharp gaze making the hair on the back of her neck stand up uncomfortably. Should she fear Haku more, or this woman, his mate? Surely anyone Haku would promise himself to would have to be his equal... Heaving a sigh of resignation about the enemies she had made so unexpectedly, Colibri Haki brushed the loose hair from her face, shyly smiling as she got to face her friend one-on-one.
Time had treated Cercelee well, it seemed - she had matured, gained strength of character, and grown beautiful. Coli felt like she paled in comparison, even though the reality wasn't as she saw it. Her smile faded as Cer confirmed again that she had appointed Haku to one of the highest positions in the pack. Why? Because he had looked after her? Firefly said they both knew about his darkness within, so why, why trust him around the lives of innocents? Coli hadn't heard the news about the war with Inferni - if she knew the atrocities Haku had committed, even to coyotes, she would have vomited then and there. She was queasy enough as it was, and couldn't venture a reply. Yes, she'd have to bow her head to him. It wouldn't be the first time.
Cer lowered her voice to a conspirator's whisper, leaning in close to ask a question. The question. Her bright blue eyes grew dark, her fingers clutching at her sides. What could she say? Why else would any daughter be so terrified and hateful towards the man who raised her? "It... could have been you," she finally gasped, feeling like she was about to shatter into a million shards. Cercelee was the last person she wanted to admit it to. She was like a best friend and a sister, and Haku had raised her too. Coli knew the storm had been coming, and intuitively forced Cer to set out on her own. Perhaps that very act was what made Haku snap. Perhaps he didn't even remember what he did, blinded by rage and his own twisted brand of darkness. "He... he... We were fighting, and... he threw me, hurt me... I couldn't get up, so..." Coli turned away, not willing to say anything more. It was bad enough to relive the nightmare, and being left for dead afterward, alone in the abandoned house, no food or companionship. Her long silken fur hid the scattered scars that had never really healed. She used to dream of falling in love, raising a family of her own - that dream, above all else, had been crushed. Now that she was sullied so, who would want her? Now that she knew what really ran through her veins, how could she knowingly pass that on to her innocent offspring? "I guess I was lucky... that I didn't die for real, when he left me there... and... that I wasn't old enough to..." Her shaky voice failed her, and she made a vague motion towards Firefly, the woman who claimed to love him. Had Coli's monthly bleeding started a few moons sooner, Haku might have impregnated his own daughter.
