Sex: FemaleWith the rabbit clutched firmly in her jaws, the tawny girl loped toward one of the pack caches by a tall redwood, her nose tilting upward in the air as she attempted to determine exactly where it was. She paused then, having located it, and her ears slid back to her skull. Her mother had made it very clear the potential dire circumstances the River now had – three females pregnant in their ranks was too much.. and she felt slightly torn in that moment. The rabbit should go to her mother – the lead female of the pack. But then.. Lilya was carrying the pups of the lead male – a thought that stirred a wince in the girl’s gut, to know that the one wolf she had crushed on had.. well, she didn’t know what they were to one another.
Then there was Inna – perhaps the one out of all of them who really shouldn’t have bred. Kisla ahd made that clear – and Lekalta, while having her own flitting moment of jealousy, ahd since swallowed that, feeling another surge of protection to her littermate. Inna was the kindest soul she knew – and while she didn’t pretend to know what went on in her twin’s mind (how could she, when the two had drifted so far apart?) she wanted to support her.
Turning away from the cache, the girl stole a chance at rebellion, and with a quickened pace, began to seek out her sister, hoping to present the rabbit to the girl who carried her future nephews and nieces. She would catch something else for her mother and Lilya after. But right now.. she needed Inna, with her own heart hurting, and could only hope her sister needed her too.
Sitting next to the river Inna watched the water flow by, the bubbling the only sound in her ears as he mind drifted. It did that a lot more these days now that she had a little more time on her hands. She remembered when Kisla had been away Inna always has something to do whether it was hunt or patrol the borders. She often checked on the pups when they had still been around and she often missed them. Inna understood Kyrios needed to go, he needed to see what Kjors had really done to him. She even understood why Atropos had gone looking for him, how could she not? Hadn't she followed Alek into the mountains because she was worried about him?
Now that she was going to be a mother she hoped that her children would have close bonds with each other. That if it came down to it if one of them ran off the others would bring the wandering pup home like she and Alek had tried to do for Karina. Inna knew everyone saw what she had done as just like Karina and maybe it was, she didn't know all of the details and wouldn't pretend to know. She felt it was different but was it it really? She was starting to doubt even that.
She sat by the river for a little while longer until she heard the loud grumble of her stomach, it had been awhile since she'd eaten. Turning from the river she slipped back between the trees and weaved her way through them toward the cache where she could get a small snack. At least that was the plan until she came across her sister with a rabbit hanging out of her mouth. “The Cache is back the other way Lekalta, I can show you if you like,” she jested as she approached her light coated twin.
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She found Inna not too far in to her venture, and as her swarthy sister was seemingly making her way to the caches, Lekalta swooped in to partly block her way, announcing her presence with such flourish. She flashed a smile, though it was partly hidden with the rabbit in her mouth, and as Inna approached her, she dropped the prized possession, nudging it to her sister, despite her littermate’s joke. “I know where it is – I wanted to save you the trip.”
Stepping back a pace from the offering, she then moved forward, attempting to nudge her sister upon the cheek with her nose, her tail giving a casual swing behind her, though she remained lower than the girl above her in the hierarchy – she couldn’t envision Inna looking to sport her rank above her, but she wanted to reveal her deference to her twin for now. “I missed you, Inna. I wanted to bring something for my nieces and nephews.” She paused then, pulling her muzzle back and canting her muzzle. “How’ve you been holding up?” Kisla had no doubt shattered all of them from their comfort zone – Inna most of all, given her condition, and with light worry, she swept her apple green eyes to the swollen sides of her sister.
are you deranged like me? are you strange like me?
lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me?
do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?
Since Lekalta had been back they hadn't had the chance to really talk at least not the kind of talk that Inna felt they needed to. She had wondered if her twin had felt the same but she supposed part of the reason they hadn't was her fault at least partially. It was clear when she ran into her light coated sister that she wasn't going to be passing her, not that she had any intentions of doing so. She offered her a smile before making a joke about Lekalta forgetting where the cache was. It seemed that the rabbit was intended for her as her sister nudged it toward her. Inna looked down at the rabbit and then back up to her sister, “I appreciate the thought, I was actually on my way there,” she informed. The rabbit could wait though because she knew she needed to talk to her sister especially after what had happened when she'd returned from her time with Lorcan.
Inna didn't stop Lekalta from nudging her cheek which she returned with a lick to her crown as she was shown the respect her rank demanded by her sister. “You don't have to do that Lekalta we are sister's and beside I don't really deserve it right now.” Her sibling would know exactly what she had meant. Just because her mother hadn't stripped her of her rank or chased her out didn't mean she deserved to be shown the respect that her rank commanded. “I've missed you too and thank you I am sure they will like your gift very much,” she stayed with a glance to her swollen belly. Inna shrugged at sister's question, “I'm holding up okay I guess, there's just a lot you know?” As she saw Lekalta's gaze move to her sides Inna shifted her weight a little uncomfortably, “How have you been? I'm glad that you returned to us safe.”
Inna seemed uncomfortable about the display of submission – it was a natural occurance to the tawny girl, and not something she had dwelled on much in the past. But now, with Kisla’s words of warning still ringing in her ears, she felt a small, lopsided grin pressing to her lips lightly, though the humor did not reach her eyes. “Protect what’s yours, Inna,” she advised – certainly not against her, for Lekalta was not so ambitious to overthrow her sister should the ebony girl hold desire of rank – but because of what their mother had said. “You heard mom.. we need to earn our name.” She had never considered what would happen should Kisla lose her rank – or no longer be of the River.. but she did know she wanted the pack to remain within the Baranski’s reach. As one of the only two remaining Baranski females – it fell to either Inna or herself, and given her littermate had children to consider now, she seemed the most viable option.
As Inna continued, she nodded mutely, her own eyes studying her sister before drifting casually to the familiar redwoods that harboured them. She paused at her sister’s question, wondering if it the proper time to sulk about her own woes when Inna clearly had much more going on than her. “I’m okay – trying to.. get back in to the swing of things. I had certain expectations when I returned, and it seems they were realistic..” She trailed off, realizing her words might be considered against her sister, and shook her head vigorously, hoping to quash any uncertainty. “I have a thing for Lachesis. I thought maybe he…” She shrugged then, not needing to state it further – Lilya was proof enough of where his interests lay. “Stupid of me, I guess.”
are you deranged like me? are you strange like me?
lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me?
do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?
For as long as she could remember she and Lekalta had been equals but now they weren't. In the time that her sister had been gone Inna had moved into the adult ranks, no longer a puppy she would soon be bringing her own pups in the world. Did she still have to treat her sister as a lower ranked wolf? It was strange to her but she supposed that was how it was supposed to be. Inna considered the words spoke to her by her sister, “I intend to.” She had been working to protect what was hers since the time she had realized what that meant. “She's not wrong but I shouldn't have dishonored it as I have. I will make it right though, someday with the pack and especially mother.” She loved her pack and would do anything for them but she loved her mother more. After Kisla's warning she wanted to show her mother that she was loyal to her and Hearthwood. Her actions would be more important than her words, she hoped.
It had been so long since she'd seen Lekalta, the last time was when she'd said goodbye after they had lost their father. I'm a was curious how her sister was faring now that she was back so I'mma inquired. “Are you getting back into the swing of things okay?” She asked though she was curious about the expectations her sister’d had until she spoke of a thing for Lachesis. “Really Kalta?” She asked surprised by this news, “Have you spoken to him since you came back?” Inna was very curious about this and wondered why she'd never known. A frown crossed her features as she realized her mistake, “I'm sorry sis,” she said as she nudged her sister's cheek, “I don't think it's stupid he's a great man. He's been there for me for a long time. Does he know how you feel?”