Redhawk Caldera [auspex-vote] arthurian legend

Although Eljay had said he would keep track, Maia couldn't help but count the votes herself as well. There were two or three votes she'd considered set ahead of time and not a single one went the way she thought. Bridget voted for her. Bronco for Teya. The latter she could pass off easily since her own reasons likely made sense to him also, but Bridget was so close to Teya. She didn't understand it.

It was her only vote for a while. She smiled when Aiden voted for himself. Maia had expected Shenanigans to do the same thing, with all of her talk of queens, but she hadn't! Instead she chose to follow Chickadee, which wasn't exactly a decision, but it did show trust. It warmed her heart to see the two growing so close.

Three for herself, three for Teya. Teya and Eljay would be the deciding votes, and it felt fitting that they would bookend it like this. All the other Raven needed to do was put her own name forward and the position would be hers. Considering one of Maia's own votes had come to her a bit by default, it was probably the best outcome too.

But that didn't happen.

Maia looked at Teya with shock as the Raven put her name forward instead. Are you sure?!. She almost blurted it out without even thinking, but managed to stop herself. If Teya had wanted it, it had been hers. Maia didn't think that Eljay would have caused a tie, and if he had, she'd have obviously deferred. But Teya had voted for her.

Maia didn't know what to say. She looked around and was suddenly hit with the deep, uncomfortable feeling of a lot of eyes focused on her. Eyes that were probably pretty disappointed now with how this vote turned out. Oh, oh no....

She'd wanted this. But she'd known she wouldn't deserve it in the eyes of the pack and somehow, despite winning, she couldn't help but still feel that way. Maia swallowed some of the panic and nodded. She needed to say something.

Thanks. I'll... do my best.

It wasn't even that big of a deal. Being Auspex was barely different than being a Raven; she knew this. It didn't really help.