Blacktail Deer Plateau rolling rock

While Fox sat, Kaihra stood. The same wariness that had met her at the meeting now burned through every vein in her body, and she restrained her brow from furrowing as she focused her ears on trapping every word of the femme’s reply. The red girl spoke without blunder, and her words flowed seamlessly from her lips. Either Fox had regular practice at fabrication or she spoke with such confidence because she really told the truth. Both options unsettled her. If the words she spoke were lies, then Kaihra would leave the Plateau without second thought. But if Fox spoke the truth, would her decision really be much different? She would honor Fox for her honesty, but if something were to happen to Peregrine and Blue, and Fox took charge… Kaihra felt her stomach twist. If the fiery girl had been overthrown once, would she be able to keep it from happening again?

And that wasn’t all. Why had Fox’s Beta seen it fit to overthrow her? What troubles had the red girl caused? What faults made her lead with slippery paws, what had she done to deserve such blatant mistrust from her packmate? Had her Beta been simply unwilling to settle for second best? Why did Peregrine trust the girl so readily? On and on the questions swirled and tumbled through her mind and cut a silence through the air that Kaihra barely registered. Had such thoughts run through her father’s mind when he had tested the wolves back home? Is that what busied him day after day and made his forehead crease even in his slumber? How had he failed to see?

Kaihra suddenly felt very small before the girl. She thought she had things under control, but her mental dam had been leaking the entire time. Quietly, she said the only words she knew could muster, the only ones that heaped all her concerns into one. ”Why should I trust you?” Her voice stung the summer air with a chill she’d not meant to let slip, but all she could do now was curse herself for not being more careful.