Long-post-derp >_> (Nootau: Not visible)

In her mind, Ralla sighed in relief: The time had finally come, however long overdue.

The poisoned raven had been detained, but the end outcome had not been what she had expected. She had expected that Dawali would reascend to Kalona and that the Great Tribe would come to exact more palpable retribution upon Maska. But, no... Dawali was imprisoned with Maska, having kept to the belief that he was in the wrong, and the alphas of Crimson Dreams and Cour des Miracles had occupied the tribe with Claudius as AniWaya's only representative. Not intimately acquainted with Claudius but quite aware of his origins and position, Ralla trusted the wolf with his task, even if others saw him only as a stuttering boy. Ralla was far wiser in judging people, and knew Claudius to have a good heart if he could endure the things he had undergone. Yes, she was aware of his tactics during the war--it was hard not to overhear a conversation or two while milling about.

Having just finished her preparations, Ralla heard the summons from King Vigilante and answered, finding that Ayasha, Aleu, and Alaster were already there. She walked up behind her children and greeted them, a sad smile on her face, as they already knew that she was to depart that day after the congregation. King Vigilante began to speak, and yet Ralla's attention was split between hi and those behind him. There was Claudius and the Crimson Dreams Consul--a woman named Savina--but there was another woman who was unfamiliar to her. Her garb and scent suggested Great Tribe origins, certainly, and trepidation began to take root in her mind. Quickly the woman dashed it, having to stay true to her earlier statement of not judging on appearance...

The words the King Vigilante spoke were a relief, and yet there would be consequences that she could no longer cry out against or deny: Dawali would no longer be their leader, and Crimson Dreams and Cour des Miracles would effectively be monitoring the tribe from then on. AniWaya was no longer independent--had not been, honestly, however much it had first seemed--and the trust of the other packs was lost. Ralla's ears went back in understanding and reluctant acceptance; secretly, Ralla had hoped that this war would separate AniWaya from the Great Tribe and found AniWaya as its own tribe. This was a false hope, and one she had not held in very high esteem or opportunity--it was merely a thought, and had no culminated.

Ralla laid a hand on Ayasha's shoulder and squeezed it slightly, shaking her head a little at her daughter's outburst. The girl was working on propriety and place, but she was still too young to be recognized as having a substantial place in the tribe, harsh as that sounded, since Ayasha was already a skilled scout and of age. If this new councilwoman that King Vigilante spoke of was anything like Maska (in terms of social value, which she hoped was the farthest extent that the newcomer would share with the tyrant) then she likely would not acknowledge Ayasha's question as that of direct importance. Still, Ralla wondered the same thing: How she longed to have her place next to the Great Fire again, where she could commune with the spirits and reach spiritual enlightenment. It was a connection that was strong, and tending to it had only bonded her closer. Due to the long absence, she was sad and emotionally drained. Hopefully her sabbatical to make peace with the other tribes would not be without remedies.

The woman stepped forward, and Ralla listened intently. She had a feeling that the entire mess was out of greed and ignorance from the beginning, but Ulilohi's words only confirmed it. One one hand, she felt sorry for the woman who had to be used as the face for the tribe while being watched carefully. On the other hand, Ralla, too, would watch her and ensure that another Maska would not be hiding in the grass. The woman called Ulilohi stepped back, obviously unsure of where she stood as well, and Ralla then leaned toward sympathy for the woman. In all truth, not all of those from the Great Tribe were as bad as Maska--they had only had a few bad incidents with only a few bad wolves. One could not judge based on the minority, now could they? Dawali's leaving struck a chord in Ralla, and how she wished she could at least say goodbye... The man, in her eyes, had been mistaken that he was at fault for anything, but he was still the man that had taught her and sheltered her in the tribe; he had been a savior when she was alone and homeless. How could she not feel for his loss and torment?

The Consul's tone was not harsh, yet it was not gentle either; it was like a warning and a burden that the AniWayan's should bear, and in some cases it was. Certainly they would never let it happen again, but the Consul seemed reluctant to forget or let it go. Ralla stood a little taller, burying her sadder emotions for the moment to look strong. She was not Maska, and neither were the other tribes members or her children. She believed in justice and the righteous, not the self-righteous; she refused to be penalized for the mistakes of a man--mistakes that she had striven to correct and foil. Ralla did not dislike the Consul, but she did not know her either. Still, peace was necessary, and Ralla would make her way to Crimson Dreams that day to see Anu--the only Crimson Dreamer that she could claim connection to, however unfortunate the circumstances of the connection had been.

Unlike the wounds on her left arm that had healed, Ralla knew that the wounds between the tribes could not be so easily mended. From his position, Ralla could see Claudius lift his arm and touch something--a scar or ache, most likely. The shy boy knew exactly what Ralla's own thoughts meant.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.