Emberwood do i do

assuming this is enough time for them to make it back.

bhediya knew that @Pygmalion had been opposed to escorting sunny back home, but the boy was a part of her family. it was a favor that she owed him, and beyond that, a favor that she owed grayday. had they not been there to help him, who is to say what would have happened?

even if the decision had angered her mate, bhe was glad that she'd made it. this was the will of jaes, and while she didn't understand it yet, she was willing to pretend that she did. 

once at the border, she turned to her mate and awaited the scolding.

It wasn't as if Pygmalion had been opposed—okay, no. He definitely had been. At the same time, there was a small nugget of rationality that kept prodding him, Don't be a twat; don't be a twat; don't be a twat. She had done what was right for her family.

But that was what it was. A small, insignificant emotion, easily drowned out by irritability.

Ye should ha' taken muir care when dealing wi' the lad, Pygmalion stressed, narrowing his eyes. Wolves dinna act right when they've taken ill. He coulda hurt ye and not even kent it. And if that had happened, Pyg would have torn the boy apart. No hesitation.

the reaction wasn't as explosive as bhediya had been expecting. she heaved a small sigh of relief and took a seat. i'm glad that you were there to protect me, she said, but he needed my help. you understand that, right? she knew that he did, but hearing him say it mattered. 

he's grayday's son, not mine. bhediya looked away from pygmalion, wary of his response. i just.. he needed help. he just needed a little help. if nothing else, she owed the favor to easy. what would it have looked like had she left her brother for dead?

Aye, he understood. That didn't mean he liked it. Nevertheless, he gave her a gruff nod, unable to meet her eyes. Her explanation eased the weight on his shoulders somewhat—until it didn't.

Because if he was Grayday's, not hers, he should be nothing to her. And yet. . .

Someone else coulda helped him, Pygmalion replied. We were close enough to Easthollow that he would've stumbled upon them eventually. His brows drew together. Why are ye so stubborn aboot this? D'ye still have feelings for the man—his son?

Something hot and molten was bubbling over in his stomach; it was only a matter of time, lest something diffuse the situation, that it would exit his mouth in a torrent of words to be regretted much later.

the relief lasted for only a moment. pygmalion continued to berate her decision, his words growing in absurdity. what are you really implying? bhediya asked, that i shouldn't have helped him because it would make you jealous? she waited a moment to continue. you are not the.. the be-all-end-all. i still have a family to take care of. 

bhediya almost shook with shock. she was taken aback by her own response but did not regret making it. pygmalion had overstepped in his outburst and she needed to let him know, even if she died from fear in the process. the scout peered over her shoulder to map a potential escape route, should things take a turn.

He scoffed. Ye know what I'm implying, he shot back. Aye, I am the 'be-all-end-all' when it comes to this. I am yer mate. And I willna be havin' ye puttin' yerself in danger and bein' daft because ye're still in love with a dead man! 

While not as high as it had been in their first argument, his voice had grown considerably louder. Pyg let his final statement ring between them, bristling, staring down at the woman.

There was no debate here. It was time to leave Grayday and Sunny and the past behind; why did that even matter to her, when she had Easy and Pihu and him?

even dead, he's still more of a man than you. bhediya's voice was level and calm as she stared up at pygmalion, her emerald eyes ablaze with ire. she watched him bristle and allowed her own guard hairs to raise, a direct challenge to his position.

her hearth hammered against the walls of her chest as though threatening to break out and run. she took a step back, then keeping still to await his response.

She might as well have struck him; the words had that effect. His eyes widened, then narrowed once more, dark slits against a face gone pale as could be. He squared his shoulders and brought himself to his full height, a great deal taller than his mate.

He looked down upon her with a look of mingled outrage and contempt. Ye've never had a real man and it shows, Pyg muttered, his voice suddenly low again. Come yer heat, ye'll never think of Grayday nor anyone else again. I'll make sure of it.

He held this position for a few heartbeats after he'd finished speaking, then turned, tail thrashing. Instead of retreating into the Emberwood, he headed out again, unable to do anything but rage and stew.

bhediya watched him take his leave then turned to do the same. she would head to the territory's heart to think of a gameplan.

shortest post of all time