Lost Creek Hollow you listen to me you muscle-bound handsome adonis.

Liffey felt her excitement grow as Rannoch began to nod his agreement. She hadn’t really thought he’d deny her, but her old uncertainty and anxiety over putting herself out there in even the smallest ways had been provoked by the situation. But of course he agreed with her, because what was there to disagree with? She and Rannoch had been the ones to found Sunspire. This group of wolves was always meant to be lead by the two of them, and just because she had stepped down then didn’t mean she had relinquished any of her entitlement to the legacy she had been pivotal in building.

We’ll just overlook that word, entitlement.

But just as Liffey was nodding eagerly and preparing to further comment about how wonderful it would be, Rannoch pause, and in a single comment, threw her enthusiasm crashing into a black hole. We’ll have to talk to the others. It was such a reasonable, logical next step. Yet to her, it sounded like he didn’t truly have confidence in the decision. It sounded like he had doubts. It sounded like no.

Liffey visibly wilted, though she tried to stop herself from doing so. She knew she was being absurd, that of course they would need buy in from the rest of the pack. But then again, why? Rannoch was king and she was his queen, why did what the rest have to say matter? Because it did. But did it? Liffey found herself quickly overwhelmed by doubt and merely nodded as her eyes dropped to her paws, heavy from this new train of thought feeling in circles in her head.