Ankyra Sound you can’t save me

sensing the tension, something within sobeille scuttled backwards like a clamshell closing shut. treepie’s gaze had changed; a muscle in her jaw appeared taut. sobeille marked this all with a cold sweep of her eyes.

testing babies made it sound — well — like what it was, but sobeille would not apologize for the deep-rooted tradition of her ancestors. by neredian standards, she was soft — did they not entirely disabuse the men born to their caste?

but treepie couldn’t know this, sobeille reminded herself. she mirrored treepie’s inhale, straightening her spine. behind her, the noises made by the pups seemed to fade to a quiet drone.

dey jump from a cliff into de waters. if dey be worthy, dey survive.

and if they’re not worthy… sobeille couldn’t help the pin of her hard eyes as she waited for knowing to spark in treepie’s gaze.