Vesper’s worries began to melt away the longer she stood at the border, especially after the stranger listened thoughtfully to her answer. She couldn’t imagine that the New Dawn wolves would be anything less than tense or hostile if they had been swayed by the enemy propaganda. One glance at the raven, which looked smug but happy, told her that the rest of her fears were probably unfounded. At least for now, she didn’t have to worry about the pack.
And a white blur racing toward her completely erased the rest of her doubts.
The coyote yelped as the arctic wolf jumped at her, but her yips fell quickly into laughter as she was attacked with licks. She reciprocated the best she could, giving her friend a kiss on the nose and the ear and the chin, her tail wagging crazily behind her as she was caught up in the thrill of the reunion. She’d been fearful when she heard about Ichika no Ho-en’s fall, but New Dawn would be the perfect haven for a non-luperci.
She managed, just for an instant, to lift her head and spy the child hidden behind the silver wolf’s legs. Those blue eyes were unmistakable, and she barked happily as she realized that Kiara had her litter. She’d expected for there to be more than one, but the puppy she saw looked healthy and precious. Her tail wagged again, and she began to give her friend little nips on the cheek when another strong smell and familiar sight reached her.
She scrambled out of Kiara’s grasp long enough to look at the alpha, grinning at him until he came and butted his head against her, the force enough to send her near-sprawling on the ground. Laughing, she gave his chin a polite lick too then stood back to look at all four of the wolves.
“Nice to meet you too, Tharin,” Vesper returned courteously, nodding at the male with the puppy. A little glance at Kiara questioned if this was indeed the “wonderful male who couldn’t shift” that had fathered her litter, but she didn’t want to ask aloud in case it was more complicated than it looked.
“I’m glad to see you’re well,” the coyote hybrid said, addressing any and all of them. Her tail wagged slower and lower, and she remembered the reasons she came here in the first place. Although she was no longer worried that New Dawn sympathized with the Boreas wolves, she did know that the ground both packs tread would be a bit shakier, especially on Inferni’s end.
“I wanted to tell you… Inferni was involved in war.” She hated to be the one killing the mood, but she took a seat and adopted her Centurion voice regardless. “Wolves from outside this region wanted to wipe us out. Our clan survived and is healing, but… Some of them might still be scared.” Describing their emotions as fear instead of hate would help, although she supposed that was what it truly came down to. “I consider your pack a haven among all the luperci ones, a place for true canines, but some of my clan might only see wolves and a shadow of those that attacked us.” Her voice grew a bit higher. “I desperately don’t want hostilities. I’ll personally take care of any coyote who gets nasty, but I don’t want trouble over a bad attitude in the neutral territories.”
She felt like a parent trying to make excuses for their child, but it helped for her to be a bit humble and desperate if she wanted this to work. She fully understood why her clan might view New Dawn warily if they ever even met the wolves, because she herself still carried some paranoia from the conflict. However, Zalen might not know what had happened, and she didn’t want the wolves to take any Infernian’s unease as open hostility.
Vesper took a breath after that long speech then shook her head. “I’m probably worried about nothing, but I underestimated what war could do. I don’t want there to be hate, only understanding.”
She flattened her remaining ear, guilty once more for destroying the euphoric reunion, but she’d come here to fulfill a purpose. She glanced at the raven again, and he only rustled his wings and stood still on his perch.
Image courtesy of ChainBound
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