Stone Circle Collision of worlds

Steph had left Murdock hours ago, yet her feelings had not yet returned. In an effort to save herself from more hurt, she had gone numb. The pup just didn't know what to feel. She knew what she wanted  why she was upset, but she didn't feel like Murdock cared as much as she did about their dying friendship. Of course, he had @Poppy now, but Steph had no one to compare to him. She had her mother and siblings, which she loved dearly, but Murdock had been hers.

She walked to the stream that wove through the forest and dropped down on her belly, resting her head on her forelegs. The sound of rushing water had always called her.

She didn't see the girl, small as she was, interested only in soothing her parched throat. Unknowingly to her, she found a place slightly downriver of the girl, plunging her muzzle into the river thirstily and immediately choking. The coldness and suddenness of the water shocked her (all thought it really shouldn't have), and she gave her pelt a thick shake before trying again, slowly this time, muzzle furrowed.

Steph saw her when she was few feet from the edge of the river. She remained still, a look of disgust crossing her features as Murdock's friend choked on water. She couldn't even drink, but Murdock was choosing her over Steph? 

Idly, she wondered if the dog could swim. If Steph pushed her into the freezing water, she'd find out soon enough. A wild look came into her eyes, a flash of a demon as Steph envisioned it. A hint of an evil smile crossed her maw, but instead of rising to make it come true, Steph slightly shifted her position to give herself away. Unless the dog really wasn't paying attention.

She blinked, resolving never to attempt to drink that quickly again, even if she were dying of thirst. Pulling her muzzle from the river, a rustle upstream had her ears prick atop her skull, and her head twist to catch a glimpse of a pup upstream. Gingerly, she stepped towards the shape, recognizing then as the girl from the border - Steph. She'd seemed rather off at the borders, but she'd attributed it to something else than herself, ever idealistic. 

She smiled a little nervously at the girl, who neared her height already, although she seemed so very young. "hello," She greeted lightly, tail waving at her hocks as her gaze settled on the girl's face.

Steph wasn't really sure why she had given herself away. She certainly didn't want the dog coming towards her, as she was now. Her eyes narrowed, and she didn't return the greeting or the smile.

She wanted to comment on how her mother thought the dog was edible, or how Steph wondered how she was going to get through winter with such a thin coat. Her mother hadn't been eager to accept the dog into the pack, and Steph wasn't eager to befriend her, especially when she stole Murdock from her. 

But, Steph was not a mean wolf and she didn't have it in her to insult the female out loud. So, since she couldn't say anything nice, she didn't say anything at all. She placed her head back on her legs, though her eyes remained open.

She stopped a distance away, glancing over at the girl. She made no sound or move, staring at her a long moment before settling her head back on her paws, She shifted uncomfortably, waiting in silence a long moment before feeling oddly drained, never having been rejected by a pup before. "oh." She said only, adding a moment later,  "I - I can go, if you'd like."  She did not leave immediately, unsure of why the girl was so sour, not quite clueing in that it was her presence that had toppled her relationship with Murdock.

Steph hated that she sounded so nice. She didn't want her to be nice, she wanted her to be ugly so that it was easier to hate her. The female asked if Steph wanted her to go, and Steph wanted to say yes. Instead, she looked at her again, though this time her eyes were searching, as if for an answer. 

She didn't find it, so she asked. Why does Murdock like you so much? What made her better than Steph? Why did Murdock need her when he did have Steph? He accused her of having her own family, of someone to sleep with at night, but she had considered him her family. Did he not consider her the same?

 The girl finally did speak, and the pup's question took her by surprise, until her mind puzzled it out at last. Was it jealousy, that spurned the girl to scorn her so? She wondered at the thought a moment, but did not pursue it long. "I don't know." She answered finally, surveying the girl. "I think he felt sorry for me, at first."  He was lonely, and kind, and she'd been eager to step into the role of companion both because of the life he offered her, and her own growing loneliness. 

"He's very kind."  She added, not quite sure what the girl wanted her to say. Murdock was lonely; it was why he said he'd made his offer. She wasn't sure if being unable to chase women to curl up with at night made one lonely, but it seemed easier to say this than try and explain his exact words.

The dog claimed to not know, but Steph didn't believe her. She acted kind and innocent, but Steph chose to believe it was a farce. Because hating her was easier than dealing with her own emotions. You've taken the only father I've ever known, Steph responded, sadness filling her voice. She wished she was lying, that she had someone else to fill the role that Murdock had so easily slipped into. But, there was no one. 

She averted her eyes again and focused them on the stream. At the end of the day, whether Steph liked Poppy or not, this situation was really between herself and Murdock. Regardless of who he brought home, their relationship didn't need to change, at least not in her eyes. Maybe it was him, she confessed softly. Maybe Murdock wanted their relationship to change. He had said himself that she was not enough for him.

The girl's statement had her freeze, blinking once at her. "I - what?" Her immediate thought was to refute the girl, for surely she hadn't taken anyone (or meant to, at least). But she couldn't refute what another believed, and thus was silent for a moment, scrambling. She could claim she didn't know (whiny) or that she hadn't meant to (also whiny), but in the end, she simply settled for a small, "I'm sorry. I didn't - I'm sorry." She'd obviously trampled all over something and had no idea she'd been doing anything, and her tail drooped to lay pressed against her, ears flickering with uncertainty.

Her gaze went to the other female, realizing that she did truly feel sorry. She wasn't just saying that to try and make the situation better. Steph paused for a moment, then replied. It's okay. I shouldn't have said that. You didn't do it, she said softly. Even through her anger and hurt, she could see that whether it was this female, or another, Steph felt replaced by Murdock. And he did that. No one else.

If Steph had met Poppy under different circumstances, she might have really liked her and been curious about her species. She had never met a wolf with her markings, and they were pretty interesting. But, at the moment, Steph couldn't bring herself to be that friendly. She would at least let Poppy off the hook, and maybe in the coming days she would revisit the female in a more friendly manner. Maybe.

The girl seemed to suddenly cave in on herself a little, becoming more subdued as she spoke. Poppy's ears stopped their nervous quiver, and she took a step near, regarding the girl. Carefully, and after a moment, did she speak, head canted thoughtfully. "I don't think - I don't think he meant to make you feel this may. I could tell - I can tell, he really cares about you, Steph." Her own words came softly, though suddenly she felt that her presence was unwanted; perhaps the girl had let her off the hook, but surely she wouldn't want her hanging around. She watched the girl a moment longer before taking a careful step back, making her soft goodbyes that barely carried before turning on her heel and slowly leaving behind the girl, chest heavy with what she'd just unearthed. She glanced back once, twice, before the girl was lost in the trees.