Malice, who had only carried Pyro in their whole trip to a free land, was tired. She had barely slept and food was still scarce. Luckily Burke was such a good hunter, otherwise she had been a goner. The rain, though it had gone on for at least 24 hours, had finally stopped, and the bright summer sun lit up their pelts. They were an odd group for sure, but that made them so unique. A scarred mother, a docked tailed gray male, a white female and 2 little pups. They almost looked like a small pack like this, but finding a land was difficult.

After 2 more small rivers, it had been flat land with the towering mountains behind them and woods at both sides. For a moment Malice had thought they could settle somewhere in the woods, but she quickly shove that thought away. It would all remind them too much of the Dark Brotherhood. And so they went on, her concept of time growing dimmer and dimmer until they reached another peculiar river. Malice stopped a few feet away from it. She looked past the river and saw a nice forest, as well as some hills in the distance. Water; Burke was a fisher, right? Perhaps they could... Should she ask?

How about past this river? She looked at the bunch of them, her voice muffled by the body of little Pyro. It looks nice... She mumbled after, her eyes going back to the river. She started moving again, whether they wanted to settle here or not, and stopped at the edge of the river. She looked down into the water and saw fish, living their dream life in a home that Malice so desired. She looked for a shallower place she could cross, but without the approval of her friends and family, what would be the point?

Her attention flicked to her back when she heard the noises of Vassago, but knew not to worry. Even though the little troublemaker very much loved his dad, it was only natural for the babe to feel as if he must stay close to his milk-producer. She smiled at the little one's... words? Surely it was just babbling, but still- it told her they at least somewhat knew what was going on around them. Had they left any later, perhaps they would have scarred the boys for the rest of their life. What a story to tell, what lot they had to learn.

The band made their way across the river that prevented them from entering what they somewhat liked to have, and Malice dropped Pyro at the other side, her pelt soaked for the who knows what time. She shook her coat softly, hopefully not startling the children too much, and then settled near Burke. She hoped Vassago would waddle his own way to her, but she picked the sickly small Pyro up and placed him at her belly. 

Yes, please. I think a rest- we could all use. She sighed, taking everything in at the moment. Never had she been so free. She listened to Aeronwyn, and finally replied with. I suppose. I am willing to stay awake for a little while longer, if you would all rather rest first.

She nodded, only now feeling the strings sleep had attached to her, and she placed her head on her paws. She knew not to go against what Burke wanted, knowing he was a stoic old man- yet lovable all the same. He truly did not belong in the Dark Brotherhood between all those crazed out wolves, and neither did Aeronwyn. And at the moment, not even Malice belonged there, even though her past self would have died for a spot among them had Nemesis not attacked her. But these thoughts were only temporary, and soon after they roamed her mind, she fell asleep after whispering: Goodnight, you all...

How long had passed, she had no idea, but a nudge awoke her. First she thought one of her potatoes had kicked her again, but that was not the case. She opened her yellow eyes, only to hear she could return to sleeping. Any other mother would have been grumpy, but not Malice. She just dealt with it, and closed her eyes again, hoping to sleep until morning.