Blacktail Deer Plateau As we go on, we remember all the times we had together

Saena knitted her brows together when Junior started talking about Blue Willow hating her. She didn't think their aunt was capable of hating anybody. It certainly didn't seem like it, lately. Even in circumstances where it was pretty justified, Blue Willow was always the picture of a polite, forgiving lady, very unlike Saena most days. In fact, the Blacktail couldn't possibly fathom being that sort of wolf. The very thought of treating Koda like a comrade churned her stomach, and though she hadn't said anything of the sort out loud, she was appalled about Osprey.

"I doubt anyone hates you," Saena said, then admitted, "I thought you ran off at first. I actually tore Dante a new one. But then Swordfish showed up and yeah, he told me everything. I can't believe you went down into that tiny cave!" she playfully reprimanded, though there was a slightly serious undercurrent in there somewhere. "We could barely fit when we were little!" It was neither here nor there now, though, so she eagerly listened as Junior told her story.

Her jaw fell open a little when Junior mentioned Swordfish, and a little more when she said she was a Beta. She was admittedly a little envious, but she was more happy for her sister than anything, which surprised her. "Wow, Junior that's awesome. But a mate? Gross." She was mostly kidding and grinned cheekily, flicking the stump of her tail back and forth and letting her ears fall to the sides in a relaxed manner. "God, you're so... adult. Yuck! I can't imagine falling in love with anyone. Did it... did it hurt?" She remembered Blue Willow's explanation and couldn't help but wince.

"Oh my god, I forgot. Happy birthday! I wish Pura was here, too, I dunno where he is... and I haven't heard from Ty at all." Not really understanding just how significant their first birthday was, Saena addressed the other question, at first wanting to say everything was great but realizing that it really wasn't. "Everything here is pretty... well, to be honest, it's pretty fucked up." That probably wasn't what Junior was expecting to hear, so she was quick to elaborate. "I'm a Gamekeeper now, and a little while ago, we had a pack hunt. Well I got kicked trying to take a chunk out of the deer's side, and some dickhead—Koda or whoever—called me an idiot and basically said women have no right to hunt! He still lives here, by the way," she added, clearly displeased by the way that situation had been handled and hoping her sister, like their father, would agree. "Well he came by me and Aunt Willow not long ago, and I thought he'd apologize for being a total prick, but you know what he did? He totally ignored me and just talked to Aunt Willow like he hadn't been a complete jerk!

And Aunt Willow had puppies, and they're super cute. That's pretty much the only good thing that's happened lately, though. Do you remember Aunt Osprey?" Now her voice was laced with a mixture of scorn and disbelief. "She did that thing women do where they can get pregnant, and I tried to challenge her to stop her from trying to have babies, because Aunt Willow's babies need the resources, and apparently she just went off into the wilderness somewhere and got knocked up by some total stranger! Without permission!" Can you believe that? her eyes said. "Yeah! And she's still here, too, it's like no one cares that she broke the biggest rule in the entire world."

Stopping in her lengthy ramble to breathe, the girl closed her indigo eyes and shook her head slowly. "Y'know, lately I've wanted to become an Alpha here. I've been working really, really hard, too. Only a few of them seem to notice, though, and... to be totally honest with you, I'm not sure I want to anymore. I'm not sure I even want to be here anymore. They don't give a shit about anyone breaking huge rules or straight up insulting contributing members of their pack, and it's just ridiculous after how they chewed you out for... well, that day. It sounds like you're in a way better place, though. Maybe I should get away from here, too, maybe it'd help me grow up more. They're just... they're too damn nice."

Finally, chewing on her lip, Saena glanced up and sought her sister's eyes, then said, "I talked to dad a little while ago. I still think he's a total dick," she quickly added, in case Junior's wounds were still raw, "but he seemed to regret what he'd done to us. I thought you should know that."