Sex: FemaleIn this, the darkest of moments, her only counsel was Aleister. His presence, the touch of his face against the fur of her neck. She had him at least. Of the wolves gathered, any who had known her before, would hardly recognize her now. The vibrant heiress they knew was gone, replaced by a hardened scavenger. Her pale agouti fur had lost it's luster and was unkempt...disheveled. Her body, almost dainty to begin with, had thinned, almost dangerously so. When they looked at her face, her brown eyes were fierce, set within hollow sockets, framed by stony lines of stress and self hatred. She lay with her mother, her whole body quivering as she sobbed quietly. For what could have been an eternity, she stayed there with her. No one would dare to pry a grieving child from their parent. Bearing witness to the death of the very being that brought her into this world, was one of the hardest, if not the hardest thing that she and Aleister would ever have to face.
Had it been moments or hours, she didn't care. However long it had been after Kajika issued a growl of warning, did Neha stir. She turned her head sharply towards him, without leaving Namid's side nor Aleister's. Ears flat, eyes wide with constricted pupils, her lips peeled in a teeth clenching, silent snarl. Back the fuck off, her body language screamed. She and her brother, would take their sweet time. Namid may have been the Cove's leader, but she was their mother. She would do as she damn well pleased on her birth land. Finally, she peeled herself away, stiffly rising to her feet. Although still very much tense, after her display, Neha did not show any signs of attacking the bystanders.
Composing herself as best as she could, she took a deep breath and gazed down lovingly at her mothers body. She knew she would have to do better than this. And she would try. But...she had to have her moment, to let all that raw emotion out. Her mom would understand, just like she always had. Reaching down, she placed three tender licks to Namid's muzzle and crown in a silent farewell. She allowed Aleister of course, all the time he needed to do the same, in his own way. Then, coldly, but without the same harshness as before, she looked to those gathered. "Say your farewells, then we will take Namid to her final resting place." Despite her behavior earlier, like it or not, Neha would be sticking around for the burial.