Far from a scout, it was only coincidence which caused Kinis to be in the immediate area. In hindsight, he would not have called it coincidence, but misfortune. Perhaps one of the only graces of his family's desertion - and there were truly too few to bother counting - was that of a certain sister's absence.

Borlla had made Kinis' life difficult. Now that he was older, and could afford spending great lengths of time considering the matter knowing that he was unlikely to be interrupted, he looked back and wondered if she even meant it. Thinking about her was hard, if only because it conjured mixed memories; on the one hand, she had never been anything but nasty and aggressive towards him, but on the other... Borlla's presence meant the presence of everyone else. It was a tough call to make. Ultimately, though, Kinis would have put up with her if it meant having everybody else back home.

To ask for Borlla alone, though? That wasn't even a consideration for his wishlist.

It was with uncertainty - fear - that his subconscious picked up on a certain scent, a familiar but not loved scent, when wandering their territory. With so few wolves in the pack, but no smaller area to protect, Kinis had taken it upon himself to get out more. He constantly feared being the one to come across a loner, and didn't really know what he would do in the circumstance that he did, but it felt productive. Ruiko did it, the stranger-who-was-in-the-pack did it. Kinis was obligated to do it.

Given the choice, would Kinis had preferred to encounter his own litter sister?

Her scent was undeniable, but that didn't stop Kinis from trying. It seemed impossible; she had left, she had left, they were all gone! Long gone! Kinis had once tried to follow, too late, too long after already choosing to stay with Ruiko - and the fact that he had tried still pained him, but he told nobody, it was something he would bear the shame of alone - but he had failed. They were gone. She had left!

Why would she come back?

For a long time, Kinis toyed with the idea of meeting her. The very fact of her presence compelled him not to leave, at the very least, though the notion of her returning and spoiling what little peace he had been able to create was sickening. He did not know how long it took him to decide. In fact, he didn't know if he even did decide; it seemed more like disgusting obligation which ended up dragging his paws forwards, towards that stationary scent. Perhaps he had been hoping Ruiko would appear first, but he had not. Kinis alone was responsible for what happened to her in the next few hours. He could leave her and hope that she died of thirst, but that seemed brutal. Kinis was not capable of it.

A small, harsh part of him wished that he was.

She was not as he remembered, but he had also grown over the last few months. He bitterly doubted, once she opened her mouth, he would find her too changed. With her in sight, he kept out of range, not wanting to wake her as he tried to decide what action to take. To welcome her as if nothing had happened? To greet her as an unknown loner? To challenge her as if he had the strength for it? To run her out as if he had the authority? How much did she know? Did she know Ruiko was alive? Could Kinis pretend to be the only one left, pose as Leader and demand she leave? No, he had his brother's scent all over him, she would not believe it. She knew too much of his timid nature to give the idea much credit.

Kinis didn't feel very timid right now, though. Dislike and adrenaline made for a very foreign rush, but it beat his heart harder and gave him momentary strength.

"Hello," he said calmly, quietly, trying to keep himself under control as he approached his sister's figure. His head was held high, though his body trembled minutely with the effort that it took to appear confident. She would see through it. She would see through it! He had to be stronger. "Borlla."

He watched as she went through the same motions he had, of realization and understanding. Had she not expected to see him, either? Whatever the reason, Kinis tried to take nothing but strength from it; for once, he belonged and she did not. This was her home once, and it might be again - his jaw clenched at the thought - but now? It wasn't right now.

Remarkably, she looked and sounded stunned. She had the audacity to be surprised and act innocent? Seeing her just made it hurt more, knowing that he had lost his entire family and now the one member he liked the least had come back. Why her? Though that did cause another idea to surface; what if she wasn't alone? He cast a glance beyond her, around, but he couldn't see anyone else. More importantly, he couldn't smell them on her. She was alone.

Damn her.

Quickly reverting back to mannerisms he knew best from her, Kinis did his best not to be intimidated by her attempts at aggression. It was with surprise of his own that he noted their size disparity; he had finally outgrown her. It didn't add much to his confidence, but it did add some. It even tipped the balance; though he left it a few seconds too long, he finally returned her snarl. For the first time in his life he lifted his lip in genuine aggression, though it was 'Kinis' aggression, and of a far milder note than it should have been. It still gave him some small courage.

"I'm not angry," he said, "why would I be angry? I'm just..." Could he say it? Could he suck his gut in and just say it? It didn't make sense and he couldn't back it up, but he just wanted to lash out and here she was, asking for it. Would it have any effect? He didn't know or care - he just wanted to try. He wanted to prove that he had grown up more.

"...disappointed."

Just like that, Borlla pinpointed it for him; he was disappointed because it was her. Out of everyone, it was her. It was no matter that Kinis rarely felt hatred or negatively towards another, because he had almost solely experienced such things when related to her. He was just older now. Older, more rational, more in control.

Even more capable of doubting himself.

Her reaction was unexpected; since when did Borlla let herself be the victim? Kinis almost found himself disappointed at that more than anything, which was foolish. Here she was in all her vile glory, but somehow it wasn't her, and Kinis realised that if Borlla was going to be anything then it may as well be herself. It wouldn't be the same otherwise. Just because he hated it didn't mean that it would be normal for it not to happen; he was growing up, and, he believed, less susceptible to her games.

It wasn't enough to make him apologise, though. Her spiteful words and turning away only caused the adrenaline to surge faster. "Maybe you're right," he blurted, trying at once to be aloof, angry and in charge all at the same time. It was proving a challenge. He moved to follow her, not intercepting but making it clear that he was not to be brushed off easily. Why was he bothering? Didn't he want her to leave? There was a small amount of power he was drawing from the situation that was addictive. He snapped at the air between them, demanding her attention. The infant inside him whimpered pathetically in fear of her wrath. "So why did you, Borlla? Why aren't you with your precious Indru and Triell?" It hurt to mention them, but he had to be strong. Everything was moving too fast, and he refused to be swept under the carpet like so many times before.

The thing was, Kinis' questions were genuine. He was bitter and acting nasty, but he did want to know. When Borlla snapped, he did, too.

But this was Kinis. She yelled and he automatically quailed. It was such a sudden change, such a hark back to their relationship as infants, that he found himself overwhelmed by it. She was still in control, he had been a fool to deny it. The fact that he had let his guard down slightly in order to express genuine interest had let her unknowing overcome it completely.

Her jaws gripped at his fur and flesh and she knocked him down, the boy yelping with surprise and fear as he fell. There was no bodily damage, but she had him pinned. For a moment, Borlla and he were a fraction of their current size, the memory of her babyish proportions somehow more intimidating than her current gangly stature, if only through implication. He had failed.

The new, older Kinis, however, noted that he must have touched on a nerve. Even as his face fell, his ears and tail assumed more submissive positions, he retained a sliver of control. She would win - she would always win, no doubt - but that didn't make her invulnerable.

"You can hardly blame me for asking," he growled, though he remained underneath her, ever her victim.

Hunger was an ugly thing that was beginning to fester amongst the small pack. The lack of water had in turn downsized their prey, and so as Ruiko made his way to the Swift River lands, his stance was held with proud dominance, for a hare dangled listlessly between his powerful jaws. During normal circumstances, the creature was by no means a decent prize – it’s sickly figure was thin, the delicate ribs jutting from its side, while sparse patches of hair seemed to be missing from the animal in clumps. Even the act of catching the meagre meal had been less than fabulous, for the hare had been so drained of energy that it had barely made it two full wolf strides before the tawny wolf had captured his victim. Even so, it was more food than the pack had sustained for a few days now, and the regal wolf was quick to take the meal to Kinis. He and Avalloc would then take the boy hunting once his energy was boosted from this token.


It was a surprising scent that stirred his paws to falter. Of course he recognized to whom it belonged instantaneously, for Ruiko could not forget his kin and blood, but it made very little sense to him, for the others did not surround her as well. Prowling forward with new intent, the pack leader moved swiftly, his bright eyes scouring the terrain before him.


What was even more surprising was the sight that met him as he came to the pack borders. Snarls and yelps had tainted the air before he had arrived, and fear had clutched at his heart. Now, Ruiko felt his creamy paws slow a pace as he regarded the foolishness before him. Blinking, and feeling his fur bristle, the male dropped the hare down to his forepaws, resisting the urge to leap forward and welcome Borlla once more to his embrace. He had missed his over-adventurous sister.. but there were more pressing matters for the moment.. such as the fact that Kinis was being pinned rather viciously by her. “Enough,” he growled, his features finally furrowing to a frown. “What is going on here?”