Wapun Meadow If I was out of my body you would see the truth

astara’s gaze cut to nyra; ivory empress with the high crown. a vision came to the blackbird of that head, tumbling

to the dirt.

her gums lifted in a silent snarl as she stepped forward, the children at her side. she was no rube — the baroness’ kind words hardly matched her flaunting posture, which astara interpreted as a direct challenge.

then her castle, her rock, is stepping between them. astara allows this, though she looks to both of her children with a flick of her tail as if to say ‘unacceptable’. no wolf would disrespect her on her own hunting ground. as merrick addressed nyra, astara grinned — fully expecting a reckoning. however, her savage vindication fell from delight to suspicion as she listened to merrick’s words. 

he wanted to get rid of her.

why? astara’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. why was she being herded off like an embarrassment? was she not queen of bears, was her place not beside merrick?

were they not equals?

why, why was he designing to have her escorted off like she was a child, by Ursus’ invalid medic?

what was merrick’s objective, publicly humiliating his blackbird like that? and why did he want her to leave— what thing would he do (nyra?) the moment she left? why couldn’t she be here, unless merrick did not want her to witness whatever scene he partook in next?  

instantly, astara’s skin prickled, for merrick had just denounced his rook as some lowly, gibbering idiot by excusing her from a gathering she belonged in as Ursus’ queen.

astara raised her head, her jaw set. she placed one paw in the dirt and met that singular eye with measured distrust — and worst of all, deep betrayal — for she could collect no good reason in her heart for why her rook wished to see her gone from his company.

she had no reason to leave; she liked even less the idea she would leave her children to these wolves she did not know. astara, who had once done merrick’s bidding with giddy excitement, felt contempt burn in her heart. 

no, she refused to be shepherded off like an embarrassing half-wit, and she would sooner sink her teeth into her rook before she left her children at the whims of this barbaric, untrustworthy crowd.