Blacktail Deer Plateau he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who

Erzulie was likely doing her level best to explain the situation, but the more she spoke, the more questions Nieve had. This was just an issue that would need to be explained from a different perspective for her to be able to see it the way they did. Erzulie spoke of the triplets as if they'd been using Rusalka, but Nieve thought all three were contributors. They'd contributed more to the pack than some of the other wolves who'd called Rusalka home over her year of life... including all of her siblings, considering their youth and various absences.

Was it, then, impossible to allow any wolf into their midst who didn't swear absolute fealty? Even Nieve, who was loyal to a fault to the pack in spite of misgivings past, present and future, knew that sometimes, things changed. Suppose she one day found a path that would eventually lead her away from home. Would she be ousted for using Rusalka in the interim? Many of her thoughts were coloured unfairly by the swirling anxiety in her stomach, and most of those thoughts were unfair to her mothers, but they consumed her.

She could understand wanting to remove the disloyal from the ranks, but where did that leave those who came and went with the winds? Their loyalty was not in question. Why the sisters', then? Unlike Harps, Nieve didn't feel a need to verbally acknowledge that she was loyal—as the only one of all her siblings who had never strayed, she hoped it was self evident, though she was beginning to wonder if that wasn't enough—but she did say, I'll do whatever you need me to here. I just don't think it's safe to leave right now. She couldn't comment on anything else. She felt like she might vomit if she tried.

Erzulie didn't think the sisters would be back, but based on Ying's behaviour toward her, Nieve thought vengeance was something they wouldn't hesitate to seize if given the opportunity.