The Heartwood color me in gold

The sound of a stranger's voice was enough to startle the young girl from her stupor and bring her to lock a pair of robin egg blue eyes on the other female. Lucy peered at her with her head held close to the earth and her ears swiveled forward. There was a flush of wariness about her stance, but she did not flee. The ghoul was far enough away that she could escape with ease, but close enough to recognize the coat pattern that adorned this stranger's body. Her limbs became rigid and she lifted her skull upward, canting it to the right just slightly. With the spiky tendrils of her pelt rising along her neck and shoulders, the shadow took a tentative step toward the Finley twin. Though she did not remember her sister, she knew that there had to have been some relation.

“You know Finley?” the dark girl inquired with a small frown. Her voice was soft and her body shook somewhat as the inquiry left her lips. For all that she was, Lucy did not feel as though she was part of the Blackthorn family. Once, she had been, but that day seemed so long ago. Her kindness was not afforded to the unknown sister. All formality had vanished from her form as she looked upon the younger wolf – unique in her own right, but identical to the leader of the caldera.