Redhawk Caldera [auspex-vote] arthurian legend

All at once, Sorana was hit with a tidal wave of suffocating guilt.

She wanted to withdraw her vote the moment it left her lips. It wasn't that she felt Bridget wasn't capable. In fact, of all the wolves Sora knew, she would say Bridget was the most capable, given that she lived life on three legs and still performed as well as any other wolf in Brecheliant. It was knowing that her vote was made selfishly, knowing her mom was qualified and capable, and feeling she would be disappointed in Sora for not voting for her.

Shame rolled over her, followed by anxiety, then more shame. It came off her in waves that strengthened with every vote cast for Teya. Her mom deserved the recognition, but Sora needed her, but she deserved it, and the pack deserved a great Auspex, but Sora needed her—

Then it was done, and at the end of it, Maia was the one. Sorana let out a silent sigh of relief, only to swallow it back with another crushing bout of shame. Now Aiden, Chickadee, Jay, and Ceridwen would have to deal with their mom being more busy than before, and how was that fair to them? Sorana could handle it, they didn't deserve it, and now everyone would see how selfish she was because she hadn't voted for her own mom...

Bridget whispered to her, but Sora didn't feel at all like she'd done a great job. Her friends were running off to play, but she felt like she didn't deserve to join them. She had been selfish today and now her friends would pay for that; nevermind that their dad had been Auspex before and now had the time their mother would be devoting to the job. The adults would notice if she acted differently — although there was no way they hadn't noticed already that something was wrong — so she made as though to chase after her friends, just until she was out of sight, and then she tore away through the trees in another direction, seeking to hide from everyone's judgment.