Swiftcurrent Creek A branch became a blade of dignity

There was some part of her that should have been pleased for any news from Grimnismal, specifically the news that it had gone up in flames under Caiaphas' leadership. She would find nothing but cynical joy in that bitch failing so astronomically after acting like she owned the place. But there was a much larger part of her that was desperately repressing the thought of her brother's demise, along with the shame and pain of their disrespect that she'd been able to forget since coming to Swiftcurrent, that recoiled sharply when that "vuh" sound at the beginning of her name hit the air.

She might once have been happy to see Mahler but as her eyes slowly lifted to meet his lilac-studded features, she was frozen instead. Her tail gave a tense flick at the tip and then she was rising, the remains of the rabbit dangling from unsheathed teeth as she snarled bodily at him. She might once have been pleased to see him had it been sooner after she stepped down, but now he was just a reminder of all the things she'd lost—Grimnismal, her title, her self-respect and self-esteem both, Lycaon when she'd left, Ingram when he'd died—and that reminder was sorely unwanted.