Greatwater Lake dragon's tooth

A moving figure in the distance drew her eye. Aktaiê? Junior squinted, then nodded to herself. As the group's queen made her way closer, the pup turned her back on the lake. She remained on all fours, her head lowering until it was just below the plane of her shoulder blades. Her tail hung limp against her hind legs, the tip twitching ever so gently back and forth.

When Aktaiê reached her, she addressed the youth in a foreign language. She had only been among the Nereides for eight hours, yet already Junior had overheard several of these mythical words. Many of the wolves themselves sported monikers with roots in this mother tongue. Unlike Lasher's whimsical brogue, it sounded so much more exotic to the youth. She wanted to repeat it, yet didn't dare; she would only bungle the pretty language.

"Hi," the pup said instead, dipping her snout to the matriarch. Junior felt the pressing need to explain her presence to the queen, even though it was likely one of Aktaiê's subordinates had already informed her. "I came last night." She swallowed. She didn't feel like she might burst into tears, at least, but it was still difficult to describe what had happened yesterday and the despair that had preceded it. "I had a fight with my dad's new mate," she admitted finally, eyes falling to her paws. "I had to get away."

She wondered whether the sandy she-wolf cared and what she might think of the runaway pup. She quietly wetted her lips. I wonder if I can go back, she mulled in a typically sullen adolescent fashion. They probably won't even care if I just never show up. They can just make some new pups, can't they? her inner voice said meanly, making her eyes prick suddenly with tears. On some level, she knew this wasn't true, yet it bit into her all the same.