The one hang-up to having a reputation for a sunny, charming disposition? You had to keep up appearances, and swallow any resentments that simmered under the surface.

Lily was fuming. The newcomers from the mountains seemed nice enough, but then Alarian--who'd not yet explained his sudden disappearance to her--had promoted the man to a role above hers, and given the pregnant woman an elevated rank for seemingly no reason whatsoever. Had given preference to a duo who had hardly even met anyone here, preference over those that had kept everything in line when he was gone.

Here's the thing--Lily wasn't a power-hungry sort of individual. She hadn't even wanted a leadership role. But with Lennon's departure, and Alarian's subsequent meltdowns, it had fallen to her and Lanawyn to hold their band of wolves together. They had done it, and done it--at least, so she thought--well. All to be shoved aside in favor of some guy from out of nowhere.

Alarian's probably in love with him, now, Lily thought snidely, hopping up onto Star Rock and laying flat, quietly seething.

She had never been put first in life. Freddie came closest, but she even had her suspicions about that, what with all his friends and various lovers. Her parents loved others more than her, else they would have come after her by now. They didn't need her. Lennon had thought her less worthy than Ali, Xahi, Korei. . . And now, after everything she'd done for this pack, she had been sidelined once again. By someone she thought had actually appreciated her.

With an exasperated sigh, Lily placed her head on her paws, watching a small beetle crawl across the grainy surface of the boulder. She let out a puff of air, and it rolled onto its back, tiny legs flailing wildly as it struggled to regain control.

"Know how you feel, mate," she muttered sourly.

A shiver ran through her as a voice came seemingly out of nowhere, and she found Lanawyn's eyes, blinking apologetically. The bug managed to regain its footing, scuttling away.

"Sorry," Lily said sheepishly. "Didn't mean to frighten you." She stretched, closing her eyes and yawning before levelling her gaze onto her friend once more. They'd been so busy keeping the Sanctuary together in Alarian's absence and subsequent return that they hadn't had much of a time to chat. And boy, did they ever need to chat.

"How are things?" she asked, more to make conversation than anything. She knew too well how things were--things were topsy-turvy, unsettled. Things were changing. Things were. . .different.

Lily pondered the question for a moment, not knowing how to answer. She sighed, shrugging, leaving it at that for a short while. Finally, though, she opened her mouth, looking over at Lanawyn.

"I'm kind of. . .angry," she murmured, looking down at her paws. She felt suddenly bad, for saying it out loud. Hanging in the air, it seemed almost stupid. What right did she have to be angry? Because she didn't get a promotion she hadn't even wanted? She had a home, food to eat, friends to hang out with. Her anger, so righteous before, now was superfluous.

Maybe. But perhaps Lanawyn could understand how she felt.

"I dunno. The past few moons have been so strange," Lily said, gazing back at Lanawyn. "Alarian here, there, everywhere. Now he brings back these two wolves I've never even met, and makes one of them second-in-command. Even though they don't even know anybody."

She let out another rumbling sigh. "It's not like I even wanted to be, like, a leader," she added. "But I've been here, and I know this place. So do you. So why isn't it one of us, instead?"