vaporous

Vesper · 02-05-2012, 11:06 AM

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Sorry for taking so long to start this! / +3

The morning was bitterly cold, and the crunch of snow underfoot was driving the Optio insane. Her frustrated stomping did nothing to quiet the noise, though at one point she broke out into a sprint to get to her destination faster—as if she’d had a destination in the first place. After returning from her northern patrols and reporting what she knew to the Aquila, she had dragged herself to her cavern and fallen asleep, and now that she was actually home and free to do anything, she had intended to do nothing more than patrol.

But this weather was killing her. Her coat was winter-thick, but the scars riddling her pied body left patches and ridges that she couldn’t ignore. It was all she could do to shift into her bulkier secui form, looking more properly built like a wolf other than the telltale coyote signs in her angular face.

Vesper angled northwest in the general direction of the village, wondering if she might take up Myrika on the offer to visit; now was as good a time as ever, anyway, and the thought of a cozy human house was tempting. Her thoughts haltered there though—her paw pads felt warm.

Not hot from embarrassment and nerves, though—warm from the ground. Blue eyes widened, and the hybrid stared down at her feet as if expecting to be standing on a blanket of coals. Coals were too hot, though, and not wet; the confusion permeated the female’s mind until she lifted her gaze and spotted the springs.

Steam rose into the freezing air from the water, whose was broken by various wet rocks and outcroppings. The snow in the immediate area around it had melted, leaving an almost marshy ground until one finally reached the pool. Her ears swiveled forward curiously, and she made her way to the edge of the water, dipping one paw in and almost melting herself.

Optio of Inferni and you overlook this wonderful piece of land, Vesper chided herself as her eyelids fluttered in a decidedly girlish and un-Vesperish way. She sank into the water, paddling a little bit until her paws hit rock and she was at the perfect depth to simply lower her entire frame into the springs. A contented sigh escaped her scarred muzzle, and she decided that patrolling or visiting could wait a while.

Wraith Creed · 02-05-2012, 11:17 AM

That's ok! c: (WC: 349)
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[/html] As an ongoing series in Wraith's quest for belonging, today she was spending her time patrolling. Or, she was doing what she was pretty sure was patrolling, but then she had gotten bored and decided to wander further inland in Inferni territory. After hiking up the foothills near Halcyon Mountain, Wraith figured it was time to do something else. She headed south toward the mansion hoping that she would find someone interested in going on a hunt. She didn't have any plans today, but after the successful hunt with Ithiel and Symera, and later, trying to hunt all of those white rabbits with Symera, Wraith realized she needed more practice. Even if it was instinct, she could still learn how to hunt in better ways or in different forms. Now, as a shifting luperci, she wanted to learn how to hunt in her secui form.

As she ventured south, the sun occasionally broke through the clouds, causing the sky to look like a pied combination of blue, grey, and blinding white. Wraith blinked for a few seconds as she tried to re-adjust her vision. She realized she was nearing the Grotto dei Avernus and in this cold weather, she wondered if it would be worth sinking in to the natural springs and letting all her worries ease away.

As she neared the grotto, she noticed the scent of another coyote mingling with the salty air. Wraith rounded the springs from the east and picked her way up the rocky outcropping in search of a good foothold. As she loomed over the springs, she saw another coyote, one whose name she couldn't quite remember, resting in the water. Her eyes her closed and she looked very comfortable, so Wraith didn't want to scare her. Wraith let out a quiet bark to warn the other. She carefully picked her way down the side of the rocks and slowly descended into the water. It was warm and toasty! Mmmm. Wraith sunk into the water and cast a furtive glance over at the coyote, hoping she wouldn't be upset that Wraith was here.[html]

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Vesper · 02-10-2012, 11:14 PM

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Oooh this counts as a thread prompt. Big Grin

/ +3

A rumble of contentment left the secui-formed coyote as she sank into the springs, the warm water soaking through her patchy fur. Her front half pressed up against one of the smooth heated stones sticking out from the water, her chin rested on the crest of the rock and her forepaws folded underneath her. Her tail made languid movements through the pool near the bottom, a happy wag that spoke for itself. The grotto could not have revealed itself to the Optio at a better moment.

Pale lids fell once more over cornflower blue eyes, and Vesper had very nearly drifted off into sleep before a quiet bark caused her ears to twitch. Slowly, she lifted her head from the stone to glance over at the coyote that had joined her, her expression lazy and content rather than startled.

The ruddy-tawny youth was unfamiliar to the woman, but that didn’t surprise her; despite her rank, she had only been in Inferni for a short few months and hadn’t taken the time to know each and every one of its members, especially the young ones. Pups always made her uncomfortable—not necessarily in a terrible way, but she was acutely aware of her awkwardness around them.

This one seemed old enough to be part of the adult ranks, though, and she only watched through half-lidded eyes as the other Infernian slipped into the springs. Relaxing in the heated water was as nice a way as any other to meet new clan mates, Vesper supposed.

Turning languidly, rolling half on her side, Vesper eyed the newcomer for another moment then smirked faintly. “Surprised the whole of Inferni hasn’t gathered here already,” she remarked lightly. Her tail flopped out of the water, sending a few drops in the other’s direction accidentally—not that she thought the kid would mind. Still, she lowered her ears somewhat sheepishly and added, “I’m Vesper, the Optio.” Her rank was added without much authority, though it would be a useful enough detail so that the other female would know who she was. She still wasn’t altogether comfortable being at such a high rank, at least as far as where the other members were concerned, but she supposed she would adapt soon enough.

Wraith Creed · 02-11-2012, 12:16 PM

Oohhhh man we are so good ! I didn't even realize! (WC: 317)
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[/html]Wraith felt bad when she saw the other coyote open her eyes. She looked so sleepy, so Wraith was worried she had woken her up from her nap. But when the coyote made no movement to shoo her away, Wraith let herself sink even lower into the water and enjoy the warmth. Even if she had woken the other coyote up, she didn't seem to mind too much. The other coyote turned onto her side, watching Wraith. Not sure what to do, Wraith glanced away just in time to see a burled stick float toward her. She grabbed it between her teeth and began chewing on it just as the other coyote spoke. Wraith nodded enthusiastically in response, the stick wagging comically in her mouth. She had passed by this area before, but had never ventured forth. It was so warm! She never wanted to leave.

When the other coyote introduced herself, Wraith spat out the stick (as gently and politely as possible, of course) so that she could introduce herself.

"I'm Wraith Creed," she replied. She folded down her ears as politely as possible. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss. Optio Vesper. I'mma a Praeses," she replied. She added her rank as an afterthought seeing as Vesper had mentioned it too. As an Optio, Wraith wondered if Vesper would be able to tell her anything about Inferni's ranks. Wraith still wasn't sure what she wanted to be now that she was almost grown up. Speaking with Valkyrie had helped, and so had hunting with Ithiel and Symera, but she didn’t know if hunting was what she wanted to do as a rank. She already hunted as a regular pack member, so she didn’t think it would be that fun to do it all the time. Although she had crossed one rank path off her list, she still had a whole lot more to think about.[html]

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Vesper · 02-16-2012, 10:05 AM

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I don't feel like writing fluff to beef this short post up so... short!

She nodded as the girl gave her name, holding back a dry remark about the title of “miss.” Respect was something that she desired, but she wasn’t the type of coyote to tromp around demanding deference. Her loose posture now hopefully hinted at that, as her tail continued to swing through the warm water.

“A Praeses—one of my own tier,” Vesper remarked, more for the benefit of the younger female than herself. “How do you feel about it? I suppose you haven’t done a lot of real scouting yet, but I could help if you needed it.”

Surprisingly, she was sincere in her offer. Others had taught her a lot since she came to Nova Scotia, and other than a few mock battles with Blind and others, she hadn’t done a lot of teaching herself. It would help her standing with the clan members if she could mentor the lower scouts like Wraith, and better yet it’d give her a sense of duty and perhaps a few coyotes she could call friends. Yes, she would be glad to extend her help.

That is, if she could be stolen away from the luxury of this hot spring…

Wraith Creed · 02-20-2012, 11:31 AM

Oh but I love short posts, so that is super c:
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[/html]When Vesper identified herself as a part of Wraith’s tier, Wraith perked up and pulled her head out of the water. That was right: Optio, eyes, and therefore a part of the scouting tier. Although Wraith found most of the names to be rather confusing, she was slowly starting to get the hang of it. With every morceau of information, Wraith realized that she understood more and more of how things worked in Inferni. She’d always heard the words before, but never quite made the connection. Now, it seemed so obvious! She supposed it was just a part of growing up.

“My dad used to take me with him on patrols,” she replied. “I never realized that was what we were doing. I just called them patrols but thought they were just walks. He used to tell me how to do them right, but I only just became a Praeses. I’d really like to go patrolling with you if… if you wanted to.” She offered the other coyote a small smile, hoping that Vesper wasn’t just offering to be polite. She had done a lot of hunting recently, but now that she was a Praeses, she figured it would be best to work on her scouting, tracking, and patrolling.[html]

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Vesper · 02-24-2012, 10:12 PM

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Dipping her narrow muzzle in the water, Vesper noted the younger coyote’s reaction but didn’t move until she spoke again. Lifting her nose and taking a breath, she listened as Wraith described her father taking her on patrol-walks when she was smaller. It sounded like the right thing to do; Ves would do the same if she ever had children (which was an impossibility, but the languid thought came anyway). She didn’t think she knew who the girl’s father was, however, but it didn’t truly surprise her. If he was still around, she’d figure it out sooner or later, and if not, she didn’t need to bother learning his name.

The suggestion and tentative smile made the Optio lift her head fully from the water, and she nodded once. “That’d be fine. Just give me a second to bid this warm pool farewell.” Her voice was coated with feminine melodrama as she looked down at the water, quickly dunking her head in it before skipping out from the rocks onto the snow. She shivered and shook her tattered coat quickly, regretting the decision but knowing that the cold shock would be easier than trying to drag herself out slowly.

“Wh-where you do th-think we should p-patrol?” the tawny woman asked through lightly chattering teeth. She’d hoped to shift down into her lupus form for ease of movement and lighter paws, but she knew this weather could cut her to the bone. Since when had she gotten so soft?

Wraith Creed · 03-01-2012, 11:01 PM

WC: 315
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[/html]Wraith giggled when Vesper spoke, talking about the water as if it were real. Silly Vesper, water wasn't real! But then, Wraith realized, that was why it was funny. If it were just another coyote, it wouldn't matter. Now that she was old enough to understand such distinctions, she was able to appreciate the humour and the comical sadness laced throughout Vesper's words. As Vesper bade farewell to the water, Wraith turned around in the spot as she tried to find a way out. She found a few footholds that looked fairly sturdy and very quickly ascended from the water. As she climbed, she felt as though the water had an alembic property because she felt incredibly relaxed and aware.

She turned back to Vesper in time to see her shake her coat out. Wraith danced a few steps away, giggling again, when Vesper hit her with a few droplets of water. As she moved, she realized how cold she was, too, and quickly gave her own mahogany coat a shake. Unlike Vesper, she was in her lupus form, so she was able to violently dispel the water from her coat, whereas Vesper had a much more difficult time balancing on two legs.

"Well," Wraith replied, stalling as she considered Vesper's question, "maybe by the mountain? That's where we border the closest with those two packs, uhmm... Anathema and that weird one. I don't know the name, but uh -- we could go south from there, maybe?" She offered another shy, but hopeful smile. She really wanted to impress Vesper since Vesper was not only the second-in-command to Ezekiel, but also the head of her tier. Now that she knew all of this, she realized that since Vesper was very important, she wanted Vesper to like her and think she was smart and interested in learning more. Wraith hated slackers, so she definitely didn’t want Vesper to think her family had raised her wrong – or something like that. Though, in all honesty, she just wanted to go patrolling and start moving because she was freezing cold![html]

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Vesper · 03-15-2012, 10:15 PM

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I suckkkkk. +3

The coywolf glanced at the younger canine with a small smirk, watching her more slender lupus form shake itself out. Her own secui shape seemed bulky at the moment, though in all actuality it was in perfect proportion for a full-blooded wolf. She would probably remain like this, however, as four legs were four legs, and her soaked coat would only freeze in the cold late winter air. She licked a patch of brown fur on her shoulder then listened to Wraith’s suggestion, thinking then nodding.

“Ichika no Ho-en is the peaceful pack north of the mountains,” Vesper said, her correction coming easily though she hoped that was the one Wraith was referring to. She didn’t want to speak of Salsola to the more innocent of her clan mates. “But that sounds good.” A tail-wag accompanied her agreement before she shook herself once more then began to walk north toward the Halcyon-mountain boundary, trusting the ruddy girl to follow.

She spoke lightly as her pale paws brushed the snow. “So I guess you were born here? You mentioned your father—though I don’t know who he is, either.” Her casual tone grew brisk with her pace as she realized she was treading on dangerous ground. Her own upbringing made her wary of speaking of parents in general.

And so she fell silent, ears swiveling as they approached the edge of Inferni territory. She normally enjoyed patrolling alone, allowing every sight and sound and smell to seep into her mind. Vigilance was a requirement rather than a special skill when it came to mangy coyote loners, and so it came as second nature to her. Now, however, she had no trouble breaking the telling silence with conversation; she wanted to know more about her scouts and her clan mates in general. It might not show, but she was almost as awkward and hopeful of approval as the youth was.

Wraith Creed · 03-24-2012, 09:30 PM

WC: 586
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[/html]Wraith frowned and then nodded when Vesper offered a name. Ishka No’in sounded like a very silly pack for having a name that made no sense. She still didn’t really know much about them aside from that they were full of wolves, just like Anathema. She didn’t like knowing that there were so many wolf packs so close to the clan’s borders, but she supposed that was just the way it was here. She’d have to live with it, but that didn’t mean she’d have to like it.

She was glad that Vesper liked her suggestion, so she was quick to follow Vesper when she began to depart. Wraith carefully picked her way down the rocky surroundings, trying not to slip on the rocks. She had noticed that the water started to get slippery in the winter in different ways than in the summer, so she didn’t want to do something silly and ruin this whole expedition.

As they walked, Vesper struck up conversation again. Wraith loved talking about Inferni and her family, so she was more than happy to reply. Of course, she was always worried that she talked too much and didn’t want Vesper to think she was weird, so she tried her best to be mature about the matter.

“Yeah,” she replied quickly. “I was born here with Lucy an’ Nate. Uh, Lucilla and Nathaniel. My dad was… umm…” she began, but trailed off. How could she describe any of her weird and complicated upbringing? Maybe she’d just have to say it as it was without any fancy stuff. “Hybrid – that’s my dad. Hybrid Holocaust.” She frowned as she explained: “I never understood why he was called Hybrid since he was all-coyote.” She shrugged and then continued. “I was born here, but my dad died – when I was… two, umm… two months. He—someone was trying to hurt us and he and another warrior fought them off. He was a warriors here, one of the Hydra. Chapel. She—I thought she was my friend, but she tried to—kill me and Nate an’ Lucy. But daddy an’ Kesho killed her. But daddy died a little while later. I think he was sad he didn’t die fighting in battle. He always said that was all he was good at. Which… I guess…I dunno, he wasn’t very good at talking or anything or… yeah. I love him and I miss him, so I’m sad he’s gone. Everyone says he was a good warrior and he knew a lot about Inferni, but he wasn’t good at telling me about it, y’know? He was always really grumpy and slouchy. I guess I still have my mom – she’s a warrior too, but in Anathema. We don’t really… get along. My sister Val – Valkyrie and my cousin Talitha were the ones who raised me a lot after daddy died and mom left.” She fell silent for a moment and then realized how much she’d said. Quickly, she moved to apologize: “er—sorry! I know you only asked about my dad and I told you, um, more. I guess I need to learn how to not answer questions if I’m gonna be a very good scout.” She tried to grin, but it fell flat. She tried to regain her composure by pretending she was scouting, but now she just felt kind of weird. Most of the coyotes in Inferni knew all of this, so no one had ever asked her before. She just hoped Vesper wouldn’t think she was dumb.[html]

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Vesper · 04-06-2012, 09:42 AM

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+324

Small paws found their place on little footholds and flat stones, occasionally leaving the ground in a jump before landing softly again. She could probably travel this land with her eyes closed if she needed to, for she had walked the path countless times—and her sensitive balance would correct her if things went agley. It was somewhat humorous that her truest skills revolved around walking and watching and waiting, while other luperci could sew and shoot and write and ride. But she’d always been a stickler for simplicity.

Wraith paused before speaking of her father, and Vesper hid her wince although she was worried she’d stepped too far. All she could think about was her own father, his slimy broad smile reddened with blood, the promise in his ember eyes as he led her fool sister away. But the girl spoke again, describing her father—a warrior who died presumably from the wounds of a final battle. The Optio could sympathize with wanting to fall in a fight, as she hated the thought of lingering in pain and fear. She was a bit perplexed that the girl looked up to him so much if he was always grouchy, but then again, having a sulky father was likely better than having no family at all.

Her explanation ended, and Vesper focused on sniffing the scent markers at the edge of the territory before the youth apologized. She glanced over her shoulder, ears pricked, then laughed lightly. “It’s fine,” she said dismissively. “And a very good scout needs to learn how to answer questions,” she added with a smile. “After all, you’re gonna have to report to me or the Aquila if there’s something suspicious, and you’ll have to be great at answering our questions best you can. Every detail can be important.” She looked out past the border at the line of mountains beyond.

“See anything suspicious?” Vesper asked, tilting her ears forward again.

Wraith Creed · 04-14-2012, 12:21 PM

WC: 510
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[/html]Wraith anxiously followed Vesper closer to the borders, anticipating some sort of tort reply. She knew she talked too much, but she couldn’t help it; she loved talking about her family, even though she suspected others found it horribly boring. This always made her feel insecure, but also powerful at the same time: knowing that she had a family made her feel strong, but wondering if anyone cared made her feel weak. When Vesper conceded that it was all right, Wraith let out a quiet breath she had been holding. She liked Vesper, not only because she’d listened to her very long story, but also because she was nice. Sometimes, she wished some of the coyotes in Inferni could have been her real mother or father, since her daddy was dead and her mother was unavailable. Even though Wraith pushed Aeron away, Aeron had been the first to draw blood with her betrayal against the clan, against everything daddy believed in, and against Wraith.

Vesper spoke again, this time providing her own advice. Wraith widened her eyes and then nodded. Yes, of course; a good scout needed to know how to not answer questions, but also how to do it well. And since Wraith wanted to be the very best and make Inferni and her daddy proud, she would have to learn these things. What Vesper said made sense, so Wraith murmured her own agreement while hanging on to the older coyote’s every word.

Vesper stopped talking and looked beyond the trees to the mountain. When she asked Wraith if she saw anything suspicious, Wraith frowned and wrinkled her nose in an attempt to determine if there was indeed anything fishy going on out there. There were a few broken branches here and there, but they looked old – as if it had happened before winter. There were no fresh scents on the wind and the trail didn’t have any tracks – neither prey nor predator. But Wraith did notice that a green bough from a cedar tree had been knocked aside. She couldn’t smell anything, but it seemed as though something or someone had been there recently. It was low to the ground, so it might have very well been a raccoon or a badger. She just didn’t know what.

“It looks okay, but see that tree over there? That cedar tree? The one pointing to the right, kinda? It looks like something hit it and knocked it over. The orange dead part of the tree is leaning kinda weird and it looks like the dead part got knocked off, but something was strong enough to hit the green part. I don’t know what. Maybe a badger or a raccoon? Something strong, but small. But I don’t think it was a canine. I don’t see any prints, so it couldn’t have been too big. What do you think?” As Wraith spoke, she moved closer and closer to the tree to investigate. Every so often, she would pause and flare her nostrils to test the scents, but she couldn’t find anything – yet. [html]

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Vesper · 04-16-2012, 07:04 PM

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We could maybe start wrapping this up soon? Since you have exams and this has been going on since February. xD

The other’s eager nod of agreement drew a smile to the scarred woman’s lips, though she turned her head under the guise of surveillance to hide it. She wished that she’d had someone to teach her in the early days. Her mother had taught her the necessities of survival, of course, and Vesper had picked up on those skills and mastered them independently at a young age. But beyond that she had been mentored solely by her own hunger and the beasts of the woods and grasslands.

Cornflower blue eyes scanned the trees lining the foothills as honey-gold ones did, her nose pointed into the wind. Nothing seemed amiss, but the girl spoke up and pointed out a freshly cracked branch on a cedar. She nodded, wondering if a drunken eagle had tried to snatch a meal off the tree, but the break was too low to the ground.

She passed the youth and sniffed around as well, coming up with nothing that Wraith hadn’t already. “The scent is old and faint, but probably raccoon. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about.” She snuffed at the dirt again then backed away, wagging her tail as she glanced at her charge. “That was really observant of you, though. I’d missed it,” she admitted. “Might be good if there’re hidden traps out there.”

Of course, Vesper didn’t like the thought of there being traps for coyotes, but the clan was at peace for now. She wagged her tail again, grinning affectionately at the young coyote. “You could turn into a great scout,” she said, and meant it.

Wraith Creed · 04-18-2012, 05:41 PM

Sure! Good plan c;
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[/html]Wraith followed Vesper closely as the other coyote investigated the branches of the tree. Although Wraith had trotted a bit closer, she hadn't wanted to get too close just in case there was something after all. But since Vesper chose to examine the bush further, Wraith put her faith in the more experienced coyote and followed her, nose flared and ears perked. Vesper sniffed at the bush, turned to Wraith, and then explained that whatever had been there had been a long time ago and posed no threat, neither to Inferni nor Wraith or Vesper. Wraith nodded quickly, taking this all in. She sniffed at the bush, but still couldn’t smell anything in particular. Vesper was right then: it posed no threat.

Wraith glanced away in embarrassment when Vesper praised her. She felt her cheeks warming at the compliment, but didn’t want to seem rude, so she quietly thanked Vesper. Vesper then said she’d be a great scout and Wraith looked away, even more thoroughly embarrassed this time.

“Thanks Vesper,” she said again. “And you’ll be a good leader, one day I’m sure – you just have to keep working at it,” she replied cheekily. She grinned widely, hoping that Vesper would pick up on the jest. Of course, Vesper was already a fantastic leader and teacher. “But thanks – I mean, you’re a really good teacher. I’m glad you’re the head scout.” Wraith tried not to glance away again, but the whole ‘confessing your thoughts’ thing was a little embarrassing, so she just hoped that Vesper wouldn’t think she was really boring or lame.[html]

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Vesper · 04-18-2012, 08:24 PM

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The ruddy girl averted her eyes at her praise, and Vesper smiled. She knew she hadn’t had anyone to compliment her at that age, but being self-sufficient was an accomplishment in of itself. She didn’t dwell too much on what life might have been like had her parents been different, however. Winter had done her duty until her death, and Ves had taken over for herself. She was just hopeful that she was helping the Inferni youth at all, since she felt so clumsy around younger coyotes or teaching someone in general. Optio she may be, but that didn’t mean she had a leader’s skills yet.

Wraith said as much after thanking her, and the scarred coywolf growled playfully at her, as if offended. She had a point, though, and the surprise showed clearly on her faith when the girl praised her in turn. “Thanks,” she answered redundantly; it was her turn to be a little flustered. “Well, if I’m a good teacher, you can be a good student…and a good student will help me learn how to teach.” She paused, thought back over her words, and concluded with a sheepish smirk, “Or something.”

She cleared her throat then, looking busily out at the still mountains and sniffing the scentless air. “I guess we can go onward, until you get hungry or tired or something. Or maybe we can head back to those hot springs once we call it quits.” She gave a theatrical shiver. “Either way, lead the way, my faithful student.”

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