The border made it clear enough – this had to be the place. Fallen Tree Cove, on the lake in the middle of the slopes. She didn’t see a lot of fallen trees, but given that she’d never met the wolves she was looking for, Little Crow didn’t have a whole lot to go on. This was it. Either she called the wolves and got her answers, or she didn’t. The only wolf she didn’t smell – and maybe she shouldn’t have been surprised – was her mother. Coward.

Ears rolling backwards, the sandy yearling tipped her head towards the sky and summoned the wolves of Fallen Tree Cove. She wanted to speak with Kajika. She wanted to speak with Namid.

She wanted answers.

There was still so much work to do but Kajika had found himself in his den after his morning duties. He’d felt surprisingly more tired than usual and though a mid morning nap might do him some good. At least help him to get through his afternoon and evening duties. He started awake by a howl from the border calling for him and the leaders of the cove. He wondered if this was another wolf seeking shelter for the winter. The dark alpha had already taken in Bastet and she seemed to he working out well but it had only been a short time. He had high hopes for her though.

Rising from his den he gave his foster a quick shake before loping off toward the border. When he arrived he found a female wolf that he did not know. “I am Kajika Tallis what is it I can do for you?” He asked as he approached the border posture showing his rank clearly.

“Yer him, huh?”

The mythical man, the legend himself, Kajika Tallis. All the stories her mother told, sometimes she wondered if the wolf was even real, or a figment of Desideria’s own imagination. A fairy-tale told to make them both feel better in the hellhole of Crow’s Crossing. Turned out he was a real wolf, afte all. Her brow quirked. Her tail twitched but did not move, and Little Crow stood her ground. This was it. This was it.

“I been lookin’ ‘fer you a real long time, mister. Don’t suppose y’got a Namid hangin’ ‘round here.” Her eyes glinted, and the youth steeled herself. “‘er a coward by th’ name of Desideria Barreda, neither?”

He gave a nod to the girl in answer to her question. While he waited to hear what she had come to the cove for her tried to figure out what such a young wolf was going calling for him. He didn't recall meeting her or ever seeing her before. His mind was drawing a blank thankfully she chose to answer his question by asking about Namid first and Des. “Now you've found me,” he said in response to her comment about how long it had taken her to find him.

“No, Namid is no longer in the cove.” As for Des he ignored the comment about her being a coward for the time being. Getting angry about it at this point wouldn't help him. “I am sorry to have to tell you this but Des is dead, murdered last spring.” Now it was his turn to ask the questions. “You know my name somehow do what's yours and you want to tell me why you’ve come looking for me?”

Dead? Murdered….?

Whatever Little Crow had to say was derailed by this little announcement. Her eyes grew wider by fractions, ears popping forward as she try to determine exactly what to do with this information. But was she surprised…? No. The real question was ‘who’? Was it Orin and his wolves – was this guy thick with them, was he harboring some Crow’s Crossing wolves?

But she hadn’t smelled anyone familiar on the border, not a one. She was probably safe. She just couldn’t let her guard down.

The sandy wolf rolled her shoulders. “Dizzy Barreda was my mama, and she left me for y’all. High an’ dry. Not a damn word. Left one day to scout an’ never came back. Orin said he was gonna kill ‘er, but…” Trailed off. Far as she knew, he’d never left their desert home. “Guess someone else got ‘er first.”

Narrowed her eyes. Stared straight at the alpha. “Said y’were gonna protect her. An’ this ‘Namid’ character. Fuckin’ named me right after her, Namir – fat lot of good that friend did her.”

If there was one thing the dark man hated it was delivering bad news especially about death. Telling this girl that one of the wolves she was looking for had not been in his plans for the day. As he spoke the words the memory of seeing Des laying in the snow motionless flashed across his mind. He didn't let his emotions betray him though and instead he stood tall, straightfaced as he watched his visitor process the news.

Some new developments in the life of Des came to light as the girl spoke of as it turned out her mother. Still the dark man showed no reaction to this news but some things now made more sense to him. “It seems your mother had a habit of going scouting and not returning,” he commented though he knew that Des had been taken at least that was the story she had told him. Now he was starting to question her and everything she'd told him once she'd returned. “I don't know who killed her and if I did they would already be crow food,” he stated allowing the bitterness he felt at not having found her murderer seep into his voice.

His tail lashed behind him as his irritation grew but he calmed himself with a deep breath. Anger wasn't going to get him anywhere with this girl. “We did what we could for Des and I will be the first to say that it wasn't enough but don't put guilt on me that is not mine to bare. As for Namid I will not speak for her but I will also not allow you to speak badly of her.” He sat back on his haunches with a sigh. “Now I am sorry that she left you without saying anything but from what I understood she was a prisoner her life a living hell should she not have escaped that?”

[dohtml]

Little Crow spit on the ground – not allowed to speak poorly. Was he going to stop her? Part of the loner wanted to push the boundaries, but the rest of her wanted answers more than she wanted to know that little, inconsequential thing. So Kajika sat. She did not. If he was gonna jump her, she wanted to be ready.

“Nah, she always wanted t’come back. Orin punished her fer leavin’ the Crossin’ th’ first time.” A slow, mirthless smile crossed her black lips, revealing a toothy smile. Heartless. No joy at all. “Gave her a good ol’ ball an’ chain, an’ figured, wrongly I guess, that was gonna keep her put fer th’ rest of her days.” She stared at the alpha almost blankly. “Didn’t love me near much as she loved y’all, looks like. Left me soon as I was old ‘nough the others weren’t likely t’kill me. I mean, I dunno. Maybe if she told me I woulda told Orin – but I didn’t know then what I know now.”

She squinted. “Still don’t ‘ppreciate bein’ ‘bandoned t’ be his whippin’ boy, though.”

[/dohtml]

A brow raised when the girl, Namir, spit on the ground leaving Kajika to wonder how Des could produce such a crude creature. Of course this wasn't exactly the product of her mother's upbringing. Even more watching her, the things that slipped off her maw about the pack Des had been in before returning it made more sense to the cove alpha.

He listened as she spoke of Des always wanting to return which he doubted. Her words came into more question by the expression that crossed her face. “I don't believe Des ever wanted to return,” he stated flat out. The rest of it however, he did believe that. He also had to wonder about how Des became pregnant with Namir in the first place. She had to have her reasons for leaving the girl. What he knew of Des she wouldn't have left her child, she loved children and he was certain she had wanted to stay in Fallen Tree Cove. So he had to wonder if Orin had told the girl this and since her mother wasn't there that was what she believed. “I guess he did figure wrong. I cannot tell you her reasons for leaving you behind. She never told me.” The truth was she had never spoken about having a daughter. “And what exactly is it that you know now that you didn't know before?”

“I'm sure no one would, it seems like you made the right choice by leaving there.” he wondered if Des knew that was what would end up happening.

“Return here? Hell yeah she did. Left Crow’s Crossin’ th’ first damn chance she got.”

Little Crow gave a derisive snort. She hadn’t actually expected her mother to find the steel to get up and go, but neither did anyone else. Maybe that was all part of the act. Or maybe one day something snapped inside of Desderia’s mind and she decided she couldn’t take being the pack omega anymore and just made a run for it the moment it looked good. It was something she’d wanted to demand of her mother – looks like she’d never get that chance, now. Murdered. Spring.

Shit. She’d taken way too long.

But the guy was still talking. She lifted her chin, yellow eyes narrowed slightly – didn’t have her mother’s easier demeanor, no, but had her small frame, had her russet coat and sunshine eyes. “He tol’ me, after she left, that I was the price she paid. Th’ same one I’d pay. For runnin’, disobeyin’ him that first time. Wanted t’be sure that I didn’t make the same mistake, see – ‘cos he wanted a son real bad an’ his mate never had one, thought she’d do it different. Didn’, ‘course, so he ain’t my daddy.” Namir spit to the side again. Fuck Orin, anyways. He was an ass. She knew that now, too. No one she’d met had ever made those same threats.

“She never did want me, think that’s real clear. But what’s so good ‘bout you that she’d leave me, huh?”

Couldn’t have been Namid, since that bitch was already gone. Had to have been this guy, right here. But for all the nice stories her mama had, she sure couldn’t see what was so amazing about this guy. He seemed like a regular wolf to her.