Redhawk Caldera «A Smashed Strawberry»

Fin had heard that Ashton was back.  Truthfully, she had thought very little of it expect for to warn little Eljay that he must NEVER learn to speak from the bizarre hippy.  The only thought that had plagued her about his return was wondering if Somnia might appear now as well.  The Blackthorn had mixed feelings on this.  While she had for a while considered the former gamma a friend, paranoia and suspicion had twisted her memories of the girl into a devious usurper - trying to take from Fin both her rank and her mate.  While now she was perfectly confident in her claim on both Beta and Elwood, she did not much like the idea of having a contender return to their ranks, especially not when she had Eljay's safety to think of.

These were fears she had not shared with her mate, though, even as he had told her about the golden wolf's arrival upon their borders.  Fin had smiled and given her approval of Peregrine's decree that the male would serve in their lowest rank until he proved himself, but otherwise had kept her feelings of foreboding a secret to Elwood, as she often did when her thoughts turned dark or unpleasant.  It probably couldn't exactly be considered "healthy" for their relationship, but it was the feisty Blackthorn's way, and so she carried on with it as though the nagging doubt that was at that moment present in her mind as she strode along the shores of the lake, was in fact not there at all.

Her ears perked at the sound of gentle splashing and eagerly she strode forward in hopes that some sort of gull was flapping about further down the shore, innocently waiting for her to snap its head off.  What she found instead was the very object that fueled her concern, whom she decided to approach in spite of rather wanting to not be anywhere near him.

"So the rumors are true," Fin quipped as she settled down upon the shore, eying him with a mild smirk.