Ankyra Sound jòn

 Grackle listened in silence as Coraline spoke, her form shifting upward from the hunting crouch she had been locked in. A fleeting realization struck her as she rose—she was taller than the golden nymph. The thought surprised her, though it remained unspoken, and her stare darted briefly around the surrounding forest, reflecting the deep greens of the towering trees.

In her former pack, gender had held little significance; power mattered above all else. The notion of a place of women seemed utterly foreign to her, a concept that shattered the preconceived notions she'd carried from her old life. This land had forced her to ponder her own identity and the intricacies of a world divided not only between weak and strong, but man and woman, a shift that she was still coming to terms with. The idea that wolves might gather in packs based on their gender had never occurred to her and left her feeling somewhat confused yet intrigued.

The word "mothers" reverberated within her like an electric shock. Grackle's thoughts involuntarily flitted to her own family and what they might think if they saw her now, worn and starved in this unfamiliar land. Would they even care, or had the feeble ties that once bound them grown too frayed to matter? They had professed their love for her, claimed that everything they did was for her well-being, yet they had let her be banished without a fight. Her chest tightened slightly, but her expression remained unchanged. She did not realize Caroline was experiencing a similar pain, nor could it be said if she would have even been able to offer any words of comfort if she did perceive it.

Then, Coraline spoke again, using a foreign phrase Grackle couldn't understand but made her heart leap anyway. I... Grackle began, her gaze dropping to the leaf-strewn forest floor once more. Almost unconsciously, she shifted her body slightly out of sight, her pride driving her to hide the ribs becoming increasingly visible beneath tightening skin. I haven't found a place to call my own yet, no. She finally responded after a moment of thought, her voice soft.