Twisted Slough how neatly spreads his claws

ahead svalinn plowed forth, the dark form of raleska sullenly giving heel. caiaphas was left to her own inward thoughts for some time, carefully reflecting back on the unhappy circumstance that prompted their abrupt exodus.

she had been wrong, of course, to approach the redhawks so brashly. they were a thickly knit and obstinate bunch, united by blood as well as bullheadedness. her method of extraction could have been smoother - maybe she would have won them over if she had not been so bold. she was not sorry to leave, though she did not favor the season in which they made their untimely departure. it would be saltwinter all over again, she thought bemusedly.

she was extracted from her sulky examination by the presence of svalinn's golden hide alongside her. drawing her attention to him in a spidery gaze, she blinked and considered how best to answer. "we had to leave because we don't belong." she started, knowing she was perhaps oversimplifying it -- he deserved the whole truth. "we may look like them and talk like them, but we are not the same.

"raven was gone and the alpha position was vacant. but before raven was gone, things were not that different either. it was almost like her absence left an opening. strong wolves take that opening. weak ones titter and fret by it." she ran her tongue across the mottled surface of her gnarled muzzle, discontent with the day's unraveling but not the journey before them. "i aimed to challenge raven because we needed a real leader -- a strong one -- but she had too strong a backing. if you cannot fight one-on-one, you will never win..  a dumb wolf will press those odds, and a dumb wolf will die. smart ones run.

we are fortunate we are not dead, but that is because they are weak. their weakness will be their unraveling, eventually."