The Tangle the sacred smoke of juniper, and mugwort purifies the air

He hadn’t expected too much from Mireille’s friends, given how haughty she could be at times, but nothing could prepare him for the chilly reception he received from two of the three.

He found himself peering with interest at Druid, specifically. Both her companions were largely white, and Heda's red stripe reminded him of his family, but Druid was mostly dark-furred. It made him think of his dad, which disarmed him and made him want to talk to her. That is, until the smile slid right off her face when she looked at him. The boy’s stomach cinched. He could read a room and knew when someone wasn't pleased to see him, but what had he ever done to her?

Witch seemed lovely, but the red-streaked girl seemed just as disinterested. She turned to her sister as though in fear of him and then proceeded to not even look at him. Mireille introduced him. He dropped the trinkets carelessly, stung by their obvious lack of interest in him, before sharing, dey be amulets made from de sea for protection and renewal, ta welcome ya ta Sapphique. This reminded him of the day on the borders when his older brother and his kids had visited, and no one had said a word to him when he asked what they wanted. It was a terrible feeling that licked up his throat, demanding that he call out this unfair treatment.

He kept silent. He was too shy to make a scene, and the way his sister's friends barely looked at him made him feel like he was an inconvenient pile of dirty laundry. Witch's warmer reception did not make up for it. Speaking up was not likely to change any of that, anyway. Instead, he turned disbelieving eyes to his sister. She had warned him they were expecting sisters to accompany her, but she had conveniently left out the part where they would not welcome a brother. Sa yo se moun ou rele zanmi? Sobo asked.