The trip had taken a little longer than expected.

The first two days passed swiftly. Beyond the pack border uncertainty hastened her pace. Something, someone, had attacked Hollowheart Keep and sent it's members scattering. They had been after something and presumably they had found it, for there was no trace of them now. The why of it plagued her. A lone traveler would have nothing of value to the shadowy attacker. But she couldn't know, so she kept her head down low and her feet moving fast. She reached Whisper Caverns in good time. The warning was well-received by Narime. Night was falling by the time she finished and she declined their offer to spend the night. She didn't say it, but a pack was more likely to attract the wrong kind of attention than a single wolf sleeping in the forest. She felt safer away from their borders.

Aided by helpful directions, dawn found her searching out Willow Ridge, expecting to give the same warning to a different face. The conversation was a pleasant surprise, and yet a flicker of irritation twisted in her gaze. The reason she had no qualms with, her parents would have done the same over less, and it seemed perfectly rational to the Barberi wolf. However, a warning would have been appreciated. But Elettra was not a woman that should be corrected, and certainly not by her, so she kept her mouth shut.

The trip back was held up by a detour to the Whisper Caverns. At least, Iopah grumbled to herself, I'm considerate enough to keep my allies informed.

The trip gave her a respite from normal life. But as the familiar forest came into sight, her uncertainty shifted. Nina wanted to speak with her. Iopah was dreading the topic, she knew it would be about more than this trip. For days she'd been avoiding Koda. They had become close friends, a rarity for her, and she'd been hurt when Koda had challenged Miccah to return to Nina's side. In her confusion she'd assumed he still loved Nina and that their relationship had been unimportant to him. Just before leaving she'd learned otherwise. And now Nina wanted to discuss that. How would Nina react to the news that her second cared for Koda more strongly than was appropriate? That she wanted something that wasn't hers? How could Iopah even articulate all that? Iopah was a patient teacher, attentive baby-sitter and a skilled hunter, but she wasn't an eloquent speaker. Unspoken, the words were already twisting in her mind. She wanted to tell the truth, but how could she make the words say what she felt? They would have to be enough. She had to make her words anything but empty. Her head tilted back and a soft howl announced her presence. This discussion had to happen, might as well not wait.

Iopah waited, knowing Nina could easily find her here. The sun was hot overhead, she shifted nervously and glanced around. Everything seemed just as she'd left it. Under her pale feet the ground still smelled earthy and rich with decaying leaves. The wind that tugged through the trees overhead had the same whispering sigh. Her golden gaze scanned along their borders, still intact and strongly marked as every. In her absence it had been patrolled more frequently and from her post she could smell the frequency of Koda's patrols. It was another reminder of the conversation that was coming and Iopah could feel her heart beat more strongly in her chest.

Nina was quick to arrive and the light-hearted comment helped to set Iopah at ease. Her head ducked to brush affectionately against Nina's chin. She appreciated the compliment, but she was proud to be able to call herself a hunter. She had failed that rank miserably under her parents and had fled home to run north. Squinting into the sun to look up briefly at Nina she countered easily, "I'm happy as your hunter." The words were sincere, but something flickered in her gaze and she found herself wondering how long she would be content if her relationship with Koda continued to advance.

The questions turned more business-like, but Iopah remained amused. There was a brief smirk as she started speaking, "I meet with both of them. Narime was very thankful for the warning." Iopah leaned back on her haunches, gazing indirectly at Nina. She kind of wanted to see Nina's reaction to this upcoming tidbit. "Elettra already knew of it. Months ago the Keep pack stole one of their pups and Elettra's older son attacked them in revenge." Their reaction didn't repel her. Iopah had a very hardened up-bringing and she would have done the same thing. "There is no enemy, it was only Willow Ridge."

It was amusement that Iopah could see from the corner of her eyes and she had to laugh along with Nina. Having meet Elettra a couple times and having heard her describe the incident, it was pretty clear the Willow Ridge leader had a very decisive personality. Iopah was glad they could laugh over it, glad it was something they didn't have to worry over any longer. Nina's thoughts seemed to run along a similar vein and, when she commented that the Keep pack had deserved it, she found that she had to agree. Despite how she'd felt about them earlier, she couldn't find any valid arguments for them. Whatever their reason had been, it was unacceptable. It was always acceptable to protect your family at any cost necessary.

Nina had her eye closed and Iopah wondered what she was remembering. The eye opened and focused on her. She felt like a bug stuck behind glass and shifted quietly under the gaze. Now, Nina started and her stomach clenched uncomfortably. As much as she didn't want to have this discussion she didn't think to avoid it. Nina was right to ask, a leader needed to know such things. That thought alone was enough to add fire to the pale seconds concern. Despite what her heart felt, Iopah did not have any claim to the male any more. She had never disobeyed rank before and had no intentions of betrayal, but Iopah was a creature of instinct.

Mutely, she nodded to Nina's question. But a nod was not an acceptable response and Iopah could feel Nina's expectant gaze. "We became very good friends... I thought... when he became leader again that he had turned me away." She pushed out the words as if they weighed 44 pounds and waited, licking her lips in anxiety.

The hesitant, stumbling words were finally out.

It was terrifying and relieving all at once. Articulating herself in such a delicate conversation was a hurdle that Iopah was relieved to have behind her. She felt they were sufficient and she slouched back to rest awkwardly on her haunches. As a subordinate it was right that her posture be low, but hers was considerably beyond that. Tawny ears were drawn back tightly to her skull and a smoke-tinged tail had begun to curl towards her belly. The sense of relief was quickly fading, leaving trepidation in it's place. This was not a conversation she ever expected to be having. To be truthful, none of what had happened to her in the past two years was expected. A daughter who left her parents to their fates did not deserve another chance at a family. A girl who let a loved one die should not find companionship again.

But she had, and Iopah could lick her lips feverishly and turn away in apology, but she couldn't regret it. This was not something Iopah could change. She wanted to be loyal and obedient, but she wanted to stay at Koda's side just as strongly. At least now, Nina knew. Now her alpha understood how they felt for each and could anticipate the predicament the coming seasons would place them in.

Or not. Nina should be concerned, but wasn't. The almost soothing tone sent cold alarm stabbing into Io's paw pads. Nina was misunderstanding her concern. Iopah didn't care about being protected, she didn't want to loose Koda as another stood at his side. She was clinging to him as more than a 'very good friend'. Clearly that had been the wrong word to use. Stupid words.

There was a specific area by Nina's feet that she had been focusing on. Even as she shook her head quickly, her gaze did not waver from that nondescript patch of earth. "We are more than friends and I don't think I can stop feeling this way for him." Here Nina had taken her in years ago and in return Iopah was... well, whatever she wanted to hear or receive was still undecided, but certainly it was embarrassing for the both of them.

There was an awkwardness in the pause after her statement that seemed to burn. She could almost feel her pale cheeks flaming and knew that she'd finally been blunt enough with her words. It wasn't that she wanted to have this conversation: It was just as nerve-wracking as she expected it to be. Obligation kept her rooted in place, staring at a point just inches from the brown leaders paws. Nina had asked for an explanation regarding the large, ashy male and her. Which meant the tongue-tied huntress had to explain how she'd taken the status normally reserved for the lead female. She was a wedge between the two leaders.

At the edge of her vision Iopah could see the brown paws shift. Gaze ventured up to find a solemn green eye watching and then swiftly dropped to her own pitiful view. The words fell on her like sleet, ears folding down with the weight of each only to spring up hopeful for the next. The pale-gray ears did not fall at the mention of laws. She would never argue them. She'd lived through the consequences of her own misdeeds and seen the destruction caused by others disregard. It was the perfect logic to use with Iopah. She fell back with a relieved sigh and her gaze dared to rise onto golden-brown shoulders.

"I understand."

It was still only autumn and she shared Nina's lack of concern. She knew the rules and thought it would be as easy as that. She couldn't anticipate how very different this spring would be from all the others, otherwise she would have pushed the conversation further. But Io was worn from the discussion and her travels, so she let her gaze drift into their thicket and then back to her Queen to wait politely.