Silver Creek come, ye sisters, come

their numbers seem to have swelled, somewhat, in the past days. this pleases addison. hopefully, these women are the cream of the cream, more than suitable for her brothers. flaws they may have, but they are odolfs, and deserve nothing less than the best, if only for the sake of the children. strong pups they must have, in order for their legacy to continue unbroken.

therefore, it is imperative that addison rally the women together and instill within them a sense of purpose. they are important. not in the sense that some girls have, where their heads inflate to the point that they believe they can do anything as well or better than men. no, addison will not have females hunting and fighting and speaking to allies, here. they are, though, the living embodiment of the womb, the grower of life, the ones who hold the finer details together.

men will provide, protect, inseminate. women will fill the world with children. that is how it has always been, and with the odolfs, that is how it will always be. how it should always be.

satisfied with her silent musings, addison tips her nose to the sky and howls for all the she-wolves invited into their fold, from the ones she knows well to the faces she has not seen, yet. this is a meeting for women. should the men decide to join, they will cast their heads downward and follow their will; otherwise, addison will have order. she will not let these women run amok over silver creek, should they choose to settle here.

@Effie @Cyclone @Lilah @Oryx @Faeryn @Quicksilver -- sorry if I forgot anyone. forward-dated a few days.

The call was welcome and caused a flutter of anticipation in her chest. Not only was she interested to meet her half-sister, but she was excited to know what exactly would be expected of her here. The time she spent on her own was dreadful, and she longed for the stability of familiarity and duty. She was also eager to meet the other women and see what they were all about. 

With a quick glance in the creek to ensure every hair was still in place, the svelte agouti headed in the direction of the summons, gracefully weaving her way through the trees until she came upon the chocolate  female that had called them here. She padded silently to sit in front of the other woman, bowing her head respectfully as she did so. She remained quiet, ready to hear what the other wolf had to say.

She felt oddly uneasy, though it wouldn't show on her features.

These wolves, their presence was different than she had expected - of course, perhaps it was simply the unfamiliarity of a new place among new faces, but they seemed to have odd views and though she had only scratched the surface, she was rather unsure. Even so... the Renoda would play along. She was mildly intrigued.

When the summon rose on the wind, Faeryn did not delay her approach, and her lithe figure glided into the scene with untold grace - she was a swift mover, adjusted to her days of swimming in the ocean's waves and fighting for her survival in the current's grip. Though she was strong, her dainty appearance did not give away clues; fighting the current was useless, but she had learned how to run with the current. Perhaps that was why she felt odd here - though there was a creek, it was not the sea that she so dearly loved.

The seawolf placed herself among the gathering group, deep gaze of watery hues cast toward the one who had summoned the women here; she had yet to discover the meaning of such a call, but she would listen intently and learn what her supposed purpose here was.

A call went up and she instantly knew who it was. Addison. She grimaced and stood up, ears immediately flattening as she hurried toward that area. As the sister of her best friend and as an Odolf in general Addison had massive confidence and high self esteem which Lilah wasn't exactly completely without but she was certainly lacking. Around so many females however, she seemed to carry herself higher, walk with more poise and steadiness though her eyes still darted around nervously. It was fear that made her so scared, fear from the days in Golden Ranch before Grayson had taken her under his wing and stopped all the female's from bullying her and the men from trying to take her body.

When she arrived she noticed that others had already shown and settled near them, sitting down and turning to face Addison and giving a respectful dip of her head "Hello Addison" she greeted in a genuinely friendly tone, having no hard feelings for the Odolf female except maybe that she was intimidated by her.

WC: 741

--------------------------------------------------

Oryx flinched when she first heard the call, as it had come not from the man who had met her and invited her to join with his family, but from a female. All Oryx could hope for was that Harrison would keep an eye on her and guide her, so that she did not lose her way, or run into any situations that made her too nervous. She had been meandering about in the area, and had found herself a nice nook where she could dig herself a den by enlarging one made by some other creature, years before. She could only hope that she wasn’t being too presumptuous by digging a den...She had already been filled in on a few of the details, so she believed, then, that there was a chance that she would be chosen to reproduce in the upcoming year, and would need a den. First, of course, she would need to get chosen as a wife, and she could only hope that she would be one of the fortunate ones who would marry directly into the family...From what she could tell, the Odolf brothers had been recruiting other males as well, but she was clever enough to know that they would be the ones to take the higher ranks and, therefore, be the ones who were given breeding rights. She knew there was a chance she would have to wait another year...But what if the next year did not present itself well to her and her husband? Would they have to wait until she was almost a spinster to have children?

So she had begun to fulfill what she knew to be one of the very few roles that the females were permitted to have, and had been scoping out the area for herbs and plants that would be useful. She had gained some knowledge of medicines when she had been younger from her mother, who had been a wonderful medic. Oryx, with a healing touch as soft and gentle as silk, had followed in her mother’s footsteps and now she was grateful that her mother had given her the intelligence and information she had, which would hopefully make her as useful as possible to the wolves of Rosings.

All the while, of course, she was aware that she was to present herself as a lady, a refined and delicate, subservient but highly valued member of the group, so she maintained an appearance that was spotless and proper. While Oryx had naturally been inclined to tend to her pelt and appearance with fastidious care, she had even more reason to do so now, and had spent some time removing old, dead hairs and cleaning herself so that the silver streaks through her plush mane shone like strands of polished metal. The white tip on her tail was like a beacon, and the midnight black that brushed the rest of her frame was as dark and deep as perfect velvet. She had just finished tidying the fur around her shoulders when the female’s call summoned her, so she picked her way toward the assembly with an effortless grace, and cast her silvery-blue gaze around the group when she had joined them.

The ringleader was easy to pick out- she had the same noble air that Harrison had had, and the palest gaze that Oryx had ever seen; her eyes were so light in shade that the irises seemed to be white...It gave her an intimidating look, perhaps a bit hard for a wolf who was meant to be a gentle lady. Still, Oryx knew to defer to her, as she was the one who had brought these traditions with her, and who had summoned all the others. There was a lender agouti wolf with a gaze almost as light as Oryx’s, but the blue of her eyes was perhaps a bit warmer and less restless than Oryx’s was. Near her was a pale female, again with a light gaze, and a small frame that was built for grace. There was an earth-toned female among them who looked perhaps the most relaxed out of the group assembled there, whose eyes were the colour of lilacs. Quietly, she joined them, gaze soft and frame curved delicately as she sat, wrapping her white-tipped tail about her paws daintily. Respectfully, she would wait to speak until spoken to, and wondered how many others would be joining them.

--------------------------------------------------

*rubs paws together for this power struggle*

While the other girls who arrived had downward cast eyes and meek postures, Cyclone did none of that. Addison was no leader to her until she had been arraged to be with one, and the Blackthorn refused to treat her as anything more than an equal. The other women were welcome to wilt at the sight of an Odolf girl, but Neasa had come from an equally strong line of child-bearing women, even if the Blackthorn’s ideas about what a woman should be were slightly different than what she had come to know with the Odolf’s.

Instead of facing Addison, Cyclone took a seat beside her, giving her a warm smile and letting her gaze linger only for a moment before facing the rest of the small crowd. They may have followed the Odolf’s here, but this was no longer Addison’s birthright. This was a new beginning, and Cyclone would take full advantage of that. Daddy wasn’t here to protect his little girl anymore, and Cyclone had the advantage of age and experience. In fact, the Blackthorn wouldn’t be surprised if Addison was the youngest among them.

When the request to gather sounded over the rush of their territory namesake's waters, Quicksilver did not delay in responding. She chanted her pale muzzle skyward, joining the tail-end of the Odolf wolfess' song with one of her own - assurance that she would attend at once.

In her brief time as a follower in Golden Ranch, Quicksilver concluded that she liked Addison well enough. It was with Grayson's sister that she felt she could perhaps build the firmest of friendships with, considering the absence of competition between them for his affections. Her main purpose, after all, was to present herself as the most suitable wife for their leader - and what better way to do so than to win the comradery of his family?

She arrived at the meeting with a cheerful sway of her dusty tail, orchid gaze flitting between the females who'd congregated. There were some she didn't recognise and others she felt most threatened by: Lilah, who was prettier than her by far and Cyclone, who was sharper and bolder than any she-wolf she'd ever met. Still, Quicksilver acknowledged each of her rivals with the soft curve of her smile as she settled alongside the women, and blinked expectantly toward Addie in wait of an explanation for her summons.

everyone is quiet and obedient, much to her satisfaction--all except cyclone. the harlot, of course. the stockinged woman is barely settled beside her when addison rises to her feet again, beginning to take slow steps 'round the group of ladies. her eyes blaze white fire for an instant at cyclone, which abruptly dies when she stares at the congregation as a whole. bone-colored, ghostly. stark against the chocolate of her pelt.

the odolfs are grateful for your loyalty, addison begins, continuing to walk and talk, in case cyclone should decide to upstage again. most of you have been with us for some time, but there are some new faces--so let me explain how things are done. her face is serious but not scowling, dutifully blank. know your place. that is most important.

you were born a woman; you will die a woman. you were designed to serve men, to provide them children and to care for others. hunting, fighting, scouting--that is not your duty. leave that to the wolves designed for that purpose.

gravely, she finally stops and turns to the group, lingering on each face for a split-second before moving on to the next. i will have words with anyone who defies this expectation, addison says, her body stiff, tail lifted slightly. do you understand me? she waits for the chorus of nods and murmurs before continuing, anticipating--and almost relishing the prospect--a rebuttal from someone, either new or experienced.

Her sister's howl had rang out, clear and demanding, she was summoning all of the women that had joined the ranks of their growing group. She did not rush to Addison'scall right away, instead she had to return find the den she had created, it would serve as the medical den as well as her own sleeping place until her husband was chosen then she would live with him. Gingerly she set the herbs she had found in the small chubby holes that she had dug out on the large den's dirt walls, careful not to knock any other herbal plants down onto the soft pelt her brothers had given her to coat her home's floor. Only when she was satisfied by their arrangement did she remove herself from the smell of her plants, their scent still coated her own fur but she did not mind.

She soon came to the gathering, hearing her sister's words just as she began to speak them. She was definitely a leader compared to Emerson, no, she was a follower. Groomed to be perfect her her father and brother's eyes, she slinked along the outskirts until her sister's words were finished. Last thing she wanted was to be noticed and distract the girls' attention to her while her sister commanded their eyes. after she asked the question "do you understand me?" did she make her way to her sister and sit on her unoccupied side. 

"apologies for my tardiness, I had to return the herbs I found to my den to make sure they did not become injured." She explained in a whisper. She pressed her sides into her sister's as she raised her eyes and nose, she was an Odolf child after all. These women were not ones to step on that, nor would she be disrespected. She made a point to meet each of their eyes as if to say well, do you understand her? Daring for them to speak out and disagree with their place in this world, their place in this group.

One by one, the other females she would be sharing a territory with showed up, all offering polite greetings before waiting to hear what Addison had to say. All except for a dark grey female who went to sit directly next to her half-sister, clearly stating she thought she was important here. Effie thought that was an awfully bold move, especially considering none of them really had any power; it was all decided by who they married, and her behavior would not earn her a proper husband. 

It was none of her business if the white-pawed female wanted to create such a path for herself. Effie was only concerned with one thing, and that was to be married and serve her husband to the best of her ability; she had no qualms with anyone who didn't pose a threat that.

Addison's speech was no different than what her mother had told Effie her whole life. She knew her place in the world, and had no desire to change that, and so she nodded respectfully to show her understanding and acceptance of the rules Addison had laid out. Emerson arrived then, apologizing for being late, and Effie offered her a polite bow of her head in greeting but remained silent.

It was pretty safe to say that Faeryn disagreed with 90% of Addison's entire speech, but her opinion was not voiced aloud. In truth, She felt sorry for the girl, who had clearly been brought up with twisted beliefs; if she was happy with such a life, then the Renoda would not force it from her, but she thought it a terribly miserable thing. She was wrong. Males were not the only creatures designed for hunting and fighting - was not the she-wolf a deadly opponent, too? The nature of a wolf was defending their own, and surely they must hunt in order to survive - had any of these women lasted as a lone wolf for any space of time? It was a necessity for life. Not simply a man's job.

But she was silent - why, she had no clue, but upsetting a swarm of women was not her goal, and so the gem flicked her wispy ears and gave a short nod. Oh, she would have words with Addison if she disallowed the sea nymph to at least fish (nobody would take away her rights as a wolf). It was rather ironic that she, the swift little mercenary, would find herself among a group of dainty angels who cowered at a man's word - she didn't fit here, but she would play along. She simply desired to experiment, to discover if a family would heal the hole in her chest. Perhaps if she could work her way toward the top, she might be able to spread positivity among this group, to show them that they were more than they believed, but for now she remained silent, observing, learning. It would do her good to remain on their sides.

She supposed it made sense, that an Odolf female should be the driving force behind steering the inexperienced she-wolves into accepting their fate as a follower of men. Quicksilver had already willingly sacrificed the fierce independence that drove her from her family's home - all for the chance to stand proudly at Grayson's flank.

It was their leader who held her heart, or so she naively believed. She was certain that no other could serve him as dutifully and love him as wholly as she could, though Quicksilver never dared voice her thoughts on the matter. As Addison continued to voice her expectations, the sterling beauty's gaze drifted among the gathered women - those who were to be her sisters, but we're presently the competition. There were delicate girls with lovely bright eyes who, when compared to herself, made her feel dreadfully plain.

It was a deflating realisation, but she did not falter. She merely nodded softly in agreement to what Grayson's sibling had to say, and waited patiently for her to progress.

Her mouth flew open when the socked woman marched over and sat beside Addison, claiming a spot that was not hers to take. This woman did not know her place and that was important in this way of life, she would not find a husband like that. She tore her gaze away from Cyclone as Addison began the same speech she had frequently heard around Golden Ranch, basically the same one her surrogate mother had given her upon her adoption into the pack. She understood clearly and as such nodded "I understand completely" she murmured under the sharp expectant gazes of both Odolf sisters. She wouldn't dare risk her place here. It wasn't because she gave a damn about the women or even a husband, it was because she cared about Grayson. She loved him, but in what way she didn't know. He had protected her from lustful men, protected her from jealous and spiteful women. He was her savior and she owed him her loyalty and service.

WC: 693

--------------------------------------------------

Oryx’s heart was a flutter when Addison drew herself up to speak. Reverent and eager, she listened with her two dark ears cupped forward- an unusual gesture for the female who was used to keeping her ears turned back out of respect or deference. When the dark female with pale legs showed up, she took her place alongside Addison, and Oryx found herself wondering if she was a part of the family as well- surely she had to be, either that or she simply felt very entitled. She was given a stark look from Addison, but Oryx tried not to read up into it too much; these women were to be her sisters, in a sort of way- just as her step-sisters had been seen as true family as she’d grown up. Another female joined the group- and then another. One had a pale, silver-dusted group, with lovely eyes that were the colour of an orchid’s petals, so soft but shimmery at the same time. The final wolf to join them found her place along Addison’s other side, and she seemed to share a resemblance with Harrison, at least in terms of the shade of her pelt. Not a single wolf present wasn’t exquisite and lovely in their own way; it was slightly intimidating to be sated amongst such beautiful she-wolves, but at the same point, it was also flattering to have been accepted into their midst.

It would seem, then, that several of the females present had been a part of the travelling group for some time- this discouraged Oryx slightly, but she tried to tell herself not to doubt herself too much...But it was hard. Several of these women would have already established themselves as ladies, and had made connections not only between each other, but with the Odolf brothers as well. That was something that Oryx found slightly discouraging- as though the others had been given a head start and she was left to try and play catch up, as much as she was able to do. She wondered to herself if any had formed a bond with Harrison...But at the same time, it might not have mattered if they had. Grayson, after all, would be the one to make marriage selections, so perhaps he was the one that Oryx would need to impress...But not so much as to draw his attention to her. Social status was such a tiring thing to seek.

She was not discouraged or outraged at all when Addison told the group that hunting, fighting and scouting were off the table for them- instead, she found it hard to believe. Would she really only be expected to act proper and provide help for the pups of the pack? There weren’t even any children yet...But surely she could busy herself in other ways, could she not? She ought to start gathering herbs before the winter really settled in...And perhaps start developing other trades, such as storytelling or astronomy. She would have plenty of time to nurture those trades before the pups arrived, and she could only hope that when that time came around, that she would be busy with her own children, rather than simply taking care of someone else’s. Grayson would be the one to have the final say in that matter, of course, but the girl could still hope.

Rather than being intimidated or discouraged by the slight threat made, Oryx’s confidence soared. This was something she could do...All of it was something that she could do, and she felt comfortable, finally, in this sort of a setting. She could hardly believe what was happening, just now- that she had found a pack where she could be safe, and stick only to trades which suited her as a woman. She wouldn’t need to worry about strangers along the border, or getting injured while participating in a pack hunt...Nor would she have to worry about starving with the males there to take care of them. She shuffled herself forward just a touch, eager to hear more, and nodded happily, eyes shimmering. This was almost too amazing to be real.

--------------------------------------------------

Oh, a little uncomfortable, are you, Addison? Cyclone did not let it show, but she was ever-so-pleased that she had made the Odolf girl the slightest bit weary of her presence. She knew Addison would never admit to it, and Cyclone would never admit to doing it intentionally, but it was there all the while. The Blackthorn stayed where she was, wrapping her tail around her feet to keep them warm and glancing at the rest of the crowd as Addison paraded around them like an idiot.

Emerson snuck in shortly after and whispered something in Addison’s ear that Cyclone couldn’t quite make out. She was clearly the weaker sister, and the Blackthorn girl did not expect her to be married well at all. It was a pity, but it was the girl’s own fault for not trying harder. Cyclone’s ears flicked in Lilah’s direction when she spoke. She didn’t trust that one even a tiny bit. She was too obedient, too perfect, and definitely too nice and complacent.

Cyclone, in typical Blackthorn fashion, couldn’t just sit around while somebody told her how to act. It was one thing for the men to do it, entirely something else for Addison to go on like this. So she flicked her tail and stood, facing the self-proclaimed leader of the women.

And where is your place? she asked, meeting the Odolf girl’s eyes with her own grey ones. As far as I’m concerned, the only woman who has any authority over us is a leader, and Grayson has yet to choose a wife for himself. We’re on equal ground here, and it’s quite distasteful to intimidate your equals, wouldn’t you agree? All the while, her tail remained at the slightest upward angle, and her eyes never left Addison’s.

emerson arrives late, and while she is a little piqued at her sister's tardiness, she knows that the sweet girl is never willfully disobedient. whatever had caused this lapse in punctuality must have been worthwhile. addison shakes her head, brushing off her sister's apology. it is fine, emmie, she says just as softly, the faintest of smiles coming to her mouth before she stands and launches into her diatribe.

most are compliant. she is glad to see the nods, the quiet firmness of their faces. lilah pipes up to voice her assent. she would have rather had the woman keep silent, but at least it is in support. she lets her frosty gaze linger upon the woman for one disapproving heartbeat before another, bigger fire is lit elsewhere. her ears fold back along her skull as cyclone begins to speak.

as the blackthorn yammers on, addison begins to walk toward her, slowly, one deliberate step after another. oh, this is out of line. grayson will not be happy to hear that his sister has been challenged. 'equal ground'--pah! were she anyone else, a newer member of the family, addison would have let her rebellion slide. but cyclone has been with them for long enough. she knows that without the odolfs, this utopia would not be possible. that she would be just another useless cunt in the world, instead of living out her full potential.

they should have left her behind when her husband abandoned her. something within the woman had made him depart; the odolfs should have trusted his judgment.

the clearing falls eerily silent, as if even the wind is holding its breath. the odolf witch stares for moment after long moment at cyclone, pale eyes like daggers into her skull. at a glacial pace, she lets her gaze drift to others in the group, assessing their faces. looking for cracks in facades. outward signs of approval for cyclone's impertinence. for now, only the blackthorn has risen to challenge.

you forget your place, addison says, finally, her voice echoing off the trees. our family was kind enough to take you in, give you a home. where would you be without us? she straightens, looking around at the women. my father brought his values to these lands once before, and we have come to do so again. without the odolfs, women waste their god-given potential. the gift of life. without us, you are nothing. never forget this.

she steps within spitting distance of cyclone, lifting her head and slowly inching her muzzle forward, so that she is nose to nose with her. you were nothing but a whore before you found us, addison whispers, fire dancing with the ice in her eyes. aimless, useless--a cunt for rent, rather than own. we may be equals, but never forget the debt you owe us, cyclone.

she licks her lips, salmon tongue lingering over each exposed tooth. just as i am the bringer of life, i am the bringer of death. sit down and trouble me no more, or i will end you. her voice is quiet, but not mildly so; it is, in fact, the murmur of god, the distant rolling thunder upon the horizon. it rings with the knowledge that for all she lacks in size, she makes up for it with pluck, and she is unafraid to stare down a challenge from another of her sex.

in truth, anyone viewing the scene before them might question the odolfs' view that women are the weaker gender. how could this be so, seeing the strength in cyclone's will, the fire in addison's rebuttal? even the wolves sitting meekly have dragons within them; they can unleash fury as well as any man.

but addison knows not to kid herself. it is a different kind of strength, one that allows women to take the essence of a man from him so that he may produce; one that has brought them through the bloody horror of childbirth for millennia. viewed structurally, they are inferior, but an investigation into nature finds that there is no strong or weak, there are only roles.

and while the odolf girl will kowtow to the will of her brothers, iliksis, all men, she will not stand for this show of intimidation from cyclone. before she has children, she will lead these women into their glorious future. they will serve their masters and be fruitful. she is less a commander and more a guide; still, her ambition does not allow her to back down easily. no challenge will go unanswered.

does anyone else have anything to share? addison asks, louder now, stepping back and looking at her new sisters. she pads close to emerson again and rests the tip of her tail against her flank, a silent show of solidarity. dear emmie. she knows her sister will never abandon her, not in the darkest night or the most terrifying storm.

speak now, or hold your tongue forever.

It seemed all of the other women accepted their role here, most offering nods or other forms of agreement when asked if they understood. If they had any issues, they certainly didn't outwardly show it. All except that one wolf--the one who had arrived and sat directly next to Addison. She just had to say something, didn't she?

Effie inwardly winced at the woman's defiant words. She instantly came to the decision that she was going to avoid this woman as much as possible. That last ting she needed was to be associated with a troublemaker and get kicked out, or worse--not be allowed to marry. 

A chill traveled down her spine as Addison put the troubling woman in her place, and Effie decided that she never wanted to be on the receiving end of her half-sister's anger. Not that she would ever do anything to deserve such treatment, but it was certainly a good reminder. 

When she delivered her next question to the group, Effie shook her head once, giving her silent answer. There would be no trouble from her; she was perfectly content with her duties and had no desire to be some kind of revolutionary.

"And where is your place?" Cyclone's words took a moment to register in her brain. The gasp Lilah uttered was the only thing to break the sudden hush on the gathered group and she stared at Cyclone with a look of horror, disbelief and maybe even a tiny bit of awe. She hadn't just spoken to an Odolf like that had she? Not just any Odolf either but the Odolf woman that Lilah considered just as much as a superior as Grayson himself. She was the strongest, most superior of the Odolf women. Lilah swallowed thickly as Addison retaliated with foul, nasty words meant to knock the socked woman down quite a few notches. Even as shocked as she was she felt a sense of satisfaction. This was the way of things, you acted out of place and you got shoved back down in a way meant to prevent you from doing so again. She had been through her share of bullying and cruelty from the other women back at Golden Ranch, she knew how to act and that was simply proper. Not prancing around trying to shove herself into a rank where she definitely didn't belong or have a right to. The satisfaction caused a slow forming smirk to form on her maw as Cyclone got an earful.

The smirk didn't last long because just as quickly as Addison's anger had focused on Cyclone, she was now focused on all of them again. They were asked if they had anything to add and God help her stupidity but she felt the inner bitch rise up within her soul and spew out her mouth "No ma'am. I know my place" she said in a sacharrine sweet tone, eyes slowly moving to Cyclone and then down to the ground lingering just long enough on the woman to suggest that comment was a jab at her.

wc:458

--------------------------------------------------

Oryx figured that all those who lived with this group- particularly those who had been travelling with the Odolf brothers previously- would know and accept the laws. It seemed, though, that the attractive female with a keen gaze and the pale socks on her legs would challenge Addison, and Oryx naturally did not like the conflict which arose between the two females. She gulped heavily and did her best to avoid watching the entire debacle that took place between the two of them. It seemed to Oryx that Cyclone was vying for a leadership position...And technically, she would be one of the more likely females to get it. Considering the fact that Addison was already an Odolf, she could not marry one of the Odolf brothers, and would therefore marry into a lower ranking position than any female who was assigned to marry either Grayson or Harrison. Did Cyclone have her eyes on one of them already? Oryx bit her lip, and could only hope that it wasn’t Harrison that she had her eyes on...Part of her doubted it. A wolf as bold as Cyclone likely had her eyes on Grayson.

Addison, however, wasn’t going to have any of it, and told Cyclone off. Oryx’s tail stirred slightly as Addison put Cyclone in what she assumed was her place, but Oryx wasn’t so sure that that punishment- to be verbally scolded in front of all the other females- would be enough. Something inside her felt that if Cyclone was chosen by Grayson for either himself or Harrison that Cyclone would take full advantage of that position and seek some sort of revenge on Addison for punishing her in front of all the women of Rosings. It was an ugly affair all around; for Addison to have to speak so sharply, and for Cyclone to be so bold. Oryx didn’t like any of it, but naturally, she found Cyclone to be the one stepping out of place. Addison was clearly their leader here, at least for the time being. Once Grayson took a mate for himself, things would shift- but until that point, there was no doubting it. The Odolfs ranked above the rest of them.

When Addison spoke again, Oryx looked around, as though fearful that someone else might speak up. One female did- the one who’d spoken earlier, and Oryx’s pale gaze flitted back to Addison. She’d caught the icy look that Lilah had been given for speaking before, and had determined that it was best to keep her mouth shut,. Even if she was in agreement. Unless she was directly spoken to, Oryx would hold her tongue; and so, she subserviently shook her head, and kept her expression as plain and pleasant as possible.

--------------------------------------------------

Cyclone saw fit to challenge Addison, and the silver beauty flicked her dusty ears forward in surprise at such a bold question. Her own response was fleeting: she glanced between the two she-wolves before dipping her muzzle and lowering her orchid gaze to linger on her own pallid forepaws.

The muscles of her shoulders tightened, and her salmon pink tongue nervously traced her upper lip as she did her best to ignore the growing tension that swelled among the group. Quicksilver lifted her lovely eyes only when the Odolf wolfess turned her voice toward the group as a whole, though they are averted as Addison's focus returns to Cyclone. The last thing she wanted was to feel the weight of either female's sharp stare.

Quietly, she worried that the steely Blackthorn might react with her fangs, and Quicksilver continued to hold her tongue as Grayson's sister encouraged.

She knew her sister would not be happy for her tardiness but a woman is not to waste the herbs they collect, she could have brought them with her but she was afraid with how fragile they were now with all the snow. Her thoughts were interrupted by an uncompliant female, Cyclone, a woman that traveled with them and always made Emerson feel uneasy. She had dared to say that the Odolf's were on the same level as her!

She stood when Addison stoodstood, her tail swaying with annoyance before it arched over her back in a show of dominance. She did not move forward but an unladylike sound rose in her chest as she backed her sister's words, a growl, she never growled but this woman challenged an Odolf. How dare she! Ash her sister moved forward her fur pricked, she did not know how to fight nor could she win a fight but she knew how to sound intimidating. Her father showed her how so that when she was in trouble and a man was not around, she could look the part until her knight in shining armor arrived.

when her sister stopped speaking, Emerson stopped the awful sound that exhoed the thunder. Her tail did not fall not until she lowered herself elegantly and slowlt until her rump touched the ground. Her sister came back, she gave her an affectionate lick to her ear and smiled as if none of the harsh words had ever happened. She looked around at the women that complied and nodded with approval.

If Addison had expected her to step down, she was about to be sorely disappointed. She called Cyclone names with nothing to back it up, and she went on to claim that the Odolfs had taken her in like she was a defenseless creature without them. The Odolf sisters ganged up on her then, two against one was not the kind of odds that were in her favor, so Cyclone would bide her time. There was no chance that Addison or her pathetic sister would come to a position of power when their husbands were chosen. How could they, when the Odolf men held all the power.

Although she did not back down, Neasa also did not move forward. She stood where she was, keeping her calm while the two sisters lost face in front of the crowd. Cyclone’s attention turned to the rest of the crowd once more. Remember this day, she said to them, remember how Addison shot baseless insults at an equal and sought power she would never have. When I lead alongside one of her brothers, she will pay the price. Her peace said, Cyclone departed, calm and collected as ever. Doing so was the only ladylike option available.

no other words are necessary. no woman takes cyclone's side. the blackthorn bitch is a fool; she always has been and always will be. it is with triumph and pride that addison looks around at her sisters, a nod of thanks to all of them in turn, as cyclone pads away. with a muffled snort, she shakes her head, watching the woman depart before turning her eyes back to the assembled group.

i seek not to rule, but to teach, addison says. my role is to craft you all into ladies of refinement and worth. i only step up now because i am an odolf, and i know my father's ways. cyclone does not.

the chocolate-pelted woman pads off, tail moving behind her like a metronome, and she motions for emerson to follow. there is much to discuss, after this show of rebellion. go in peace, sisters, the odolf witch murmurs. serve your masters well.

The others remain silent, but Cyclone did not. Quicksilver maintained her focus downward, listening quietly as the steely wolfess announced a cool threat before she rose to her ivory paws and padded from the scene. Softly, Quicksilver released the breath she'd been holding, and tentatively lifted her orchid eyes to observe the bold female's departure.

Addison spoke up, and she gathered herself as the group was dismissed. She did not make to exchange glances with any of the other she-wolves, but instead bowed her head and moved off to process these latest concerns.