Now that the pups were relocated to the pack den and free to roam as they pleased, Jessie had more time to herself. She believed that the Rye would be fully capable of keeping an eye on her three beautiful children. The Queen would not stray from her duties to her pups but there were other responsibilities she had to attend to.

The mother fully contented herself to a round of the borders, having not the pleasure of doing so since she became round with the prospects of pregnancy.  She was glad to be able to run along the borders, finally allowing the whispers of peace to tease her ears. Before she could proceed along her patrol, a female voice called out from the borders nearby. Grey ears flicked forward and jade eyes narrowed in the direction. Wild Rye Fields had not encountered a visitor in quite some time. Jessie was quick to set off in the direction of the call.

For the season, the weather was blessedly cooler than normal. While the Tainn normally did not mind basking in the sun, the weather was a pleasant change from her moments spent in a crammed den with her children. She barked out roughly at her arrival, tail arching high above her back to assert her status to the young woman. The scent of fish was strong, causing Jessie’s glands to salivate with want. I can’t remember the last time I had fish! Emerald eyes were pinned on the girl in front of her, evaluating what she saw silently. Had the girl been slightly larger, Jessie would have easily mistaken her as a Tainn but the probability that she was remained slim.

What drew the alpha’s eye more were the scars on her side. Perhaps, a testament to her ability to fight? Despite this thought, the scars did not look as if they were claw marks and Jessie would not dare ask. Finally drawing her eyes back to the face of the amber-eyed girl, Jessie spoke, ”I am Jessie Tainn, one of the alphas of Wild Rye Field. State your name and business.” She kept it blunt and to the point. The girl was young and in an effort not to intimidate her, the pepper-and-salt colored woman offered her a small smile.

The Rye Queen’s striking emerald eyes did not waver from the loner woman’s form. It took the girl a moment but she finally managed to gather the courage to speak. After she started, it seemed as though she couldn’t stop. Despite everything the yearling said, the part that truly stuck out to Jessie was the part about Reyes. His word means more to me than yours. Aged eyes narrowed on the young girl in front of her before finally landing on the fish she brought with her, a gift in all respects.

A presence by her side stirred her. Eyes slid over to the overbearing form of Adelayde, a bump to the shoulder given to the other woman in greeting before turning her gaze back onto that of the loner. When her Second’s kinder voice jarred the conversation, the Tainn reminded herself to be calm and open-minded, especially with their lacking in female rankings compared to the males. Jaws parted, “My condolences for your loss, Neko, and thank you for the gift.”

While it was considerate for her to bring an offering to them and a step in the right direction that she had Reyes backing her, there was still something else Jessie had to consider. Something that had broken Swift River and numbed her in Oak Tree Bend. Her lips twitched downwards when she spoke again, “And what of loyalty? What do you have to say about that? My pack and I take it very seriously here and would not take very kindly if you were to leave.” The Tainn would not allow someone into her home who simply wanted to stick around for a season or two before taking their leave. She wanted loyal members who did their part and eventually became part of their family. Unfortunately, pack life was not for everyone.

She knew nothing of sibling loyalty. Her sister had left her once for a man and then once again after Jessie had tracked her down to tell her of their mother’s death. The memory left a bitter hole in the mother’s heart, one that could never be replaced. She had adored her sister, foolishly, but she would not be deceived again. Thus, the girl’s answer perplexed the older woman. Though she did not doubt the honesty, her voice cracking with emotion as she spoke. The Tainn could very much believe in giving up one’s life for another. She would have gladly gone it for Hotei if she had been given the chance and would do it for her children if the day came.

What peeked her interests more so was Neko’s pull to travel. The Rye could use that to their advantage, especially with Jessie being the only well-rounded Scout, with the exception of Drestig, within the pack. There were many skills they would be able to utilize and it would be foolish of Jessie to let a female willing to join to slip past them. Pale tongue slipped passed her dark lips to moisten them before her jaws parted,  “Very well then.” The pepper-and-salt colored woman stepped closer to the woman, fully intended on grasping her muzzle firmly within her jaws to mark her as part of Wild Rye Fields. Her final assessment: to see if she would submit.

The Rye Queen certainly did not like doing this. But as she had seen those before her do, she knew it was a necessary mean. Neko accepted her gesture and Jessie felt a little bit of the tension she was feeling ebb away. The silver lady was quick to step back by her guard. Emerald eyes observed the timid girl in front of her. A part of her hoped greatly that she would never have to do that again, at least to Neko. Jessie would be a fool if she did not acknowledge that there would more than likely be many more in the future that she would have to grab by the muzzle.

A soft sigh left the woman’s muzzle, eyes softening as her jaws parted, her voice coarse, “Adelayde will show you around. I hope you settle in well. Welcome to Wild Rye Fields.” Jessie did have other things to attend to. With a parting smile a bump to Adelayde’s shoulder, the Queen took her leave, glad that the Rye would have one more member to add to their numbers. In no way was Jessie worried about how many wolves they had under their command, but another capable member was not something they would readily turn away. With this in mind, Jessie went about her business.