reveal to me the reasons my love's not in vain
Word Count → 311
Vesper did not have to wait long for her Aquila. She stepped into the cave hesitantly nonetheless, her ears tilted back and her nostrils flaring as she scented the pine. Her instincts went against approaching such a flame, especially in an enclosed area like a cavern, but no smoke hung in the air. Her blue eyes scanned the leather and hide with the resigned interest of someone who could never hope to understand, and with a small smile and a wag of her tail, she plopped gratefully down on the hide Ezekiel had pulled out for her.
She was quiet for a moment, her screaming muscles falling silent, and then she lifted her head again. “I have news from the north,” the Optio began. She had left shortly after her promotion to scout, so it probably came as no surprise, but she was glad to have learned something substantial. “Myrika might have told you, but there is a pack to the north called New Dawn. A pack of wolves.” She paused—but not long, realizing that the statement was an ominous one.
“I’ve spoken with their alpha, Zalen. He only wishes to live according to the old ways—before luperci.” She tried to keep the satisfaction out of her voice, though Ezekiel knew she had grown up with only one shape. “We were acquaintances as loners, and Zalen respects me, so I don’t think we have anything to fear from them so long as we stay out of each other’s way. I let him know Inferni isn’t looking for trouble.” She twitched her ears, hoping that wasn’t presumptuous. The coyote clan did like to keep to itself, as did New Dawn, but there were members of each pack—wolf and coyote—that resented the other species. She hoped that her near-friendship with the dark male wouldn’t be destroyed by prejudiced troublemakers.
vesper lupus by me; table code from the Mentors!
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