Riddle Heights Abandon All Hope

The itch was much worse this year than it had been last season, a deep burning that she had no power to sate herself. Whether it had been her delayed development, or the influence of her aplhess, she couldn’t know, maybe a combination of the to. Either way, she wished it could have been the same this year too. But alas, so Nalda was happy to get away from Oak Tree Bend for a while - even though Aponi wasn’t as aggressive this time around, things were still tense and the younger shewolf was finding it harder to bear her leader’s attitude - a little time on her own seemed a good choice.

Luckily her aunt was sympathetic enough, offering her an excuse to slip away, and Nalda had accepted readily. Yet, rather than heading straight for her charged destination, she was here. Perhaps it was the season, that infernal thirst, that had driven her to reopen a case she’d otherwise sworne was closed for good. What was she expecting really? Her nose had told her, clear as day, and was again now, as she trailed the outskirts of the area most heavily frequented by the residents of the nearby pack. She knew the scent would have stood out immediately, just as she knew it was long gone and not coming back; Bloody idiot! And she meant herself as much as the damned man. What a waste of time..! And all it had done was to irate her even more than her stupid heat already had.

Word count: 256

"Speech" Thoughts

She had thought the previous season to be difficult, what with @Aponi's constant posturing, the inexplicably powerful allure of Lena and, of course, the fight with Nalda that had chased her from the Bend, and @Arion, altogether. All of that had led her back to @Kyna, however; it had been worth it. Ember supposed that was still the trade-off, and of course it was worthy, but the gold-spun queen's presence was the one that made it all worse now and so the platinum-blonde was made miserable all the same. As long as the fires raged beneath her skin, she couldn't enjoy her best friend's company, forcing her to keep to the outskirts of the pack's territory.

That wasn't to say she wasn't still keeping an eye on things, ever watchful that the rest of her packmates stayed in line. That @Elias was taking such lengthy leaves of absence had not escaped her, and the man was now met with stiffness and distrust when he was around, but she had yet to be able to discuss with @Kyna about it. Because, of course, she couldn't say much at all to the woman without getting tongue tied and needing to excuse herself. It made her feel impotent, helpless. Deeper down, that frustration connected to a well of anger.

It was finally tapped into when Nalda's scent crossed her path on the wind.

Immediately her hackles raised into stark spikes, and she abandoned her previous navigation to stalk toward the source. She had made a mistake wandering this close to Ember's pack, to her sanctuary. When the masked girl came into sight, Ember halted at a distance, holding her ground and glaring at the other through narrowed, sharp golden eyes. No words were given, just a low growl that warned the Bend wolf to turn around and walk away.

The snow was even heavier up here, forcing her to lift her legs high with every step, waddling idiotically. How utterly duplicitous of nature, flooding her body with this jittering of spring, yet keeping the rest of the world locked in winter. It was a cruel taunt, slowing her such, both in her investigation, and now as she turned to head back, face twisted in frustration. How much time had she wasted?

But just then, as she was preparing to trek back and continue her actual mission - I’m done with these whims! - the warning snarl reached her bat-like ears, causing them to fold back. She spun instantly to face her foe, head ducked but tail high; Who the hell do they think..! And then she spotted the pale girl, well camouflaged by the snow, yet her growl had given away her position. Nalda’s expression shifted: from anger, to surprise, to pure, undiluted loathing. “Y’ve got t’be kiddin’ me!” She sneered, narrowed eyes glinting at the familiar face; “They took y’in?” After chasing her off from Oak Tree Bend, she’d hoped to be done with the Reinier for good, yet somehow she had managed to claw her way into another pack; They must have been really scraping it..!

Ember still bore the marks left by the darker shewolf during their last encounter, she noticed with pleasure as she surveyed the other. Yet here she was, foolishly challenging her again. “S’that how y’lot treat allies?” She asked, mockingly, giving her head a faint jerk in direction of Aurora Heights; “A’in’t near crossin’ y’border, so piss off!” If the stupid bitch really wanted a brawl, Nalda would have no problem giving it to her, but she preferred doling verbal lashes, at least for warm up; Come at me, you coward!

Word count: 299

"Speech" Thoughts

Of course she wouldn't listen, had to press her luck. Because Nalda had always gotten away with everything. If it wasn't out of pity, it was out of avoidance, no one wanting to deal with her rotten attitude. The further they grew from childhood, the more looking back burned her up.

Ember scoffed at her words.

"As if Little Nalda is an ally to anyone but herself," she hissed back, prowling a few steps closer to the other woman. A distance still remained between them, but the Reinier was more than willing to cross it. Perhaps Nalda would notice a difference between the Ember before her and the one she had grown up with, the righteous fire of before compared to the cold, seeping venom of now.

"Even R finally figured that out, didn't he?"

She hadn't smelled him, passing through; could only assume he'd went the way all other men in their lives had gone.