Heron Lake Plateau Fact or feeling

wc:347

--------------------------------------------------

Rory’s concern was sweet and appreciated, but she had to do whatever she could to nip the notion of searching for Ambrose in the bud. She hated herself for it. Why should she be following someone’s orders when her brother’s life could be at stake? Was it worth listening to a leader when she knew maybe, maybe if she’d only gone out a few more days she might have found him and saved him? She gritted her teeth. Since when had she traded in her loyalty to her family to the loyalty she now had for her pack? And was the trade worth it? Would the pack ever go looking for her if she went missing, or would they simply say that they’d exhausted all their resources looking for Ceara so they couldn’t go looking for another wolf again?

She couldn’t help but look bitter when she shook her head. ”No. We can’t chance it. Not with how things are right now.” She said. She nodded, and continued, more needing to speak the words for her own benefit than for Phox and Rory. She needed to convince herself that this was the right call to make. ”Not with a cougar out there, not with Ceara and Caiaphas gone, and Tegan with a concussion. Plus two new packs gathering in our Hinterlands, and we don’t know their motives. We just can’t risk anyone else.” She said. Even still, she found it hard to convince herself- but she didn’t want to stick around to press the issue any more. ”I’ve got a few others to warn...So I’ll leave you two to it,” She said, stepping away slightly. ”Good job though, both of you. And be safe.” By then, she sounded somewhat distant and vague, but she did her best to at least sound as though she meant it. She bobbed her head to them and took off at a trot, still struggling with the words she’d just spoken...Those were Quixote’s words, not hers. And it all felt so wrong.

--------------------------------------------------