Her expression was kept static while she listened to the story, though inwardly she was making connections of the loose wiring of knowledge she knew. Rhysis had pointed out his <i>pack</i>lands, and he said it in such a tone that implied he was uninterested, or disdained, or anything but satisfied with his current situation. Now she knew that was Swift River whose borders she had come dangerously close to when they stole away in the night. She hadn't known Naira had been the pack's second, and suddenly she found herself wondering if that was what lead to her guilt the one day that Ava and her leader had gone on a run through the mountains. Not only did she desert her home, she deserted her responsibility and betrayed a trust worse than had she been but a subordinate like Rhysis or Athena. Ava did not judge her leader - she felt sympathy instead. A mother could not be taken from her pups more than a wolf could not skip out on the pack.
Ava finally looked up, over the mountaintops and toward the rest of Relic Lore, while a chill befell her spine. Out there was a pack who hated their guts. She assumed they wouldn't take kindly to the new pack, since wolves weren't apt to forgive betrayal easily, but with the extra details now in her knowledge Ava was certain of conflict in the future. Brows furrowing, she tilted her head in an unreadable expression, some sort of upset beginning within her chest. Was it fear? No, not necessarily. The feeling in her limbs was adrenaline, but from what? Was she nervous for the first attack? Was she anxious for it to begin so she could fight as a loyal wolf? Was she worried for the unborn pups? For the wolf who had saved her life? For the guarded wolf who they clearly trusted? Or even for Jedd, and herself, for their affiliation? She couldn't tell entirely if she wanted peace or if she wanted to fight. She had too many damn <i>feelings</i>.
A calculated glance passed between the small female and the large female as she re-entered the conversation. A little smile appeared on her enigmatic face and she shook her head at the man's pup comment. Ava hated them as well, but she would not mention it. A young female such as herself, of whom they knew nothing, would certainly be stuck watching the young at some point. Jedd's eyes suddenly met hers, and she realized it was her place to say something, and it certainly wasn't the pups about which he wished to hear. She was certain Athena wondered as well just what unfortunate hole in the ground they had pulled Ava out of that day.
"<b>I am nothing more than the fourth pillar, a support beam to get the pack started,</b>" she said calmly, glancing away from the group momentarily. To ease the irritation that was bubbling in her stomach, she cracked a sly grin and once more looked at her comrades. "<b>For now,</b>" Ava added a little strongly. She was not disposable.