It hurt Namid to have had to do such a thing to her friend, but her actions in the situation had been wrong and a simple verbal reprimand was what had to be given. She had made the pact when she’d had the pups that she would no longer allow anyone to walk over her, that she would be strong for them and be the proper leader that Fallen Tree Cove needed. This was a situation that was to show that in her, and if that meant she had to assert her position over Desideria then so be it.

It seemed that her growl had caught not only the attention of her subordinate, but the attention of young Noble as well. Her dull golden gaze stared after the tawny woman as she retreated to her side in shock, her ears falling back to her skull. She gazed at her skeptically, eyes trailing to the beta before back to her in disbelief. She knew what was coming next, could see the decision in the eyes of the youth. She could have cursed if she’d had time, but the starving girl was flashing past them with a speed that didn’t quite match her current state. A growl broke through her maw once again as she herself was up in a flash, darting after the girl and uttering a bark of command for her subordinates to do the same. The order was simple: Get her out. She raced after the girl, dodging around trees and land she knew so well. Her head snaked out to nip at the streaming tail of the female, herding her toward the border with the others likely close on her heels.

Anthem appeared at her side, his bulk comforting her as they darted after the surprisingly quick yearling. Truly, she wished it hadn’t had to come to this. She didn’t want to have to drive the poor girl away, but she had no other choice in the matter. She had given her an ultimatum, and she had chosen to foolishly ignore it. That was on her, and as the queen of the cove it was her duty to enforce it. How ironic, she thought, that she had changed so much in just the course of a year. A year before if someone had told her she’d ben joining a pack she would have scoffed, and now she was the leader of one and with children no less! If only her family could see her now.

As they neared the border, Namid began to slow her pace. She wouldn’t be chasing her further than that, but it seemed that their guardian had other ideas. He chased her straight over the border and beyond, and she might have told him to stop but…she didn’t. She allowed the man to give chase, burning the poor girl into the ground. He was simply doing his job, and that didn’t a lot him a reprimand. She wasn’t sure she could ever reprimand the man, but Desideria on the other hand. She looked around, finding the scout-in-training had not given chase as well. A frown tugged at the corners of her lips at this, and she gave a sigh. Things had just seemed to get more complicated. Turning she headed back to pick up the rabbit, moving to the birthing den. For that moment, all she wanted to do was be with her children again. They would get rid of the troubling thoughts that plagued her mind for sure.