As I approached Histy, Sybil noticed my movement and stepped close enough to fall in step behind me as I passed her. I glanced down at my much shorter Beta, and she looked at me in askance, and in response, I quietly clicked my teeth together–I didn’t know either.

“Histy, you seem well. You’re not gravid?” The term came immediately to me, even with its unfamiliarity.

Histy looked at me, confused, then, once my question clicked, she chuckled under her breath. “No, no eggs for now. That tumble was just for pleasure.” She looked me up and down before stepping closer to me. Her breath was hot on my neck as I craned my head to be able to continue to see her. “Would you happen to want to go for a round or two with me? Not like Wisterl, of course, but a more… pleasant, I’ll say, wrestling match.”

Only barely could I restrain my immediate scorn. This weakling, this lesser creature wanted to mate with me? She dared to hope? Instead of saying something, though, I reached up, grasped Histy by the neck, and shoved her backward and out of my personal space. She didn’t seem offended by my response though, and simply flicked her tail in a shrug.

“Histy, I’m sure there was a reason you came here, and it wasn’t an ill-advised attempt to seduce me. Why are you here?”

“You young ones are always like this.” Then, finally answering why she was here, Histy continued, “By now, you’re all adults. At least, to us you are. Redael will speak with you, since you’re the youngest pack, and there’s some things you need to learn and do. Your whole pack needs to come down into his space in the next day, and he’ll let you know everything else.”

I took only long enough to understand what she was saying before flaring my frills in acknowledgement and gesturing for her to leave. Histy, with a little mock bow, did so, and I turned back into my den. Immediately, my thoughts went to how to make sure Arwa and her pups didn’t get anywhere they shouldn’t while we were gone. That, fortunately enough, would be fine since we had plenty of keelish from different broods than my own. I didn’t need to worry about that, just… why we all needed to meet with Redael.

I hadn’t seen him since… since he’d told me to leave. Would he want to shove me down and prove himself the true leader? Would he want to dissolve the power I held over my pack? What could it be? I was shaken from my thoughts by Shemira as she walked up to Sybil.

“That hussie Histy! Flapping her tail all over like that.”

The irony struck me in the face like a hammer’s blow, and I couldn’t help but immediately and audibly chuckle. As I did so, I could see Shemira react with her characteristic flair and self assurance before continuing, “I do it for a reason. Plus, I’m better than her.”

Deciding not to engage with Shemira’s self-deception, I turned to Sybil. “Do you know why Redael wants to meet with us?”

Sybil levelled a stare at me. “My first thought is that it has something to do with you. Barring that, the second is that it is something that happens to all new broods once they reach adulthood. I will consult with Ytte and Fria, and will see if that is the case.” Then, with a bow of her head, Sybil calmly strode away, her tail swishing through the air before me as she turned on her heel. Shemira remained close and bumped against my side with a chuckle. Contrary to my unspoken tease from before, though, I knew that the contact was nothing more than friendly.

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“What?”

“Just you two.” Shemira began to turn away, but I didn’t let her and stepped forward with her.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Shemira sighed, then looked into my eyes. “Alpha, no, Ashlani. I’m going to need to speak honestly to you to answer that question. Usually, you’re ok with that, but if you aren’t, tell me now.” I furrowed my brow, a little confused, but I quickly understood. Shemira, flighty and flirty though she was, was intelligent and observant, and, beyond that, her magic was inextricably tied to emotions. Of course she knew when my temper flared, and that knowledge fought to irritate me. With an internal scoff, I pushed down all my negative feelings and forced myself to calm and prepare myself to listen before nodding for her to continue.

“All right. Here it is… I don’t know if you two should mate, or even if you want to, but you both want to spend more time together. She focuses on taking care of everything within the pack and den and outside the den and so much more all the time, and you only think of fighting, hunting, and growing your power. You complement each other as Alpha and Beta, but you’re also friends. You can enjoy each other’s company and not resort to immediately rutting or planning for the usurpation of the swarm, but you both seem to think that if you spend time together, those are the only two options.” Shemira’s tail flicked, apparently getting irritated as she spoke, and I fought to keep myself listening and understanding.

“Whatever your relationship beyond Alpha and Beta ends up becoming, I just think you should realize that you and Sybil both want to be around the other, and you don’t need an excuse to be.” Shemira looked over at me, gauging my emotions, and I realized I felt rather stupid as she finished. I found Sybil to be entertaining and fun, and I enjoyed watching her work and her trust in me, I just… didn’t do anything to spend more time with her. I flared my frills in admission to Shemira’s words, and she flashed a quick grin at me and flounced away, towards Sybil to bother her as she always did.

Regardless of whatever would happen with that, I felt the nerves jitter inside me, and I needed to move, to go somewhere, to do something. I wanted to go on a hunt, but I wanted to go to Redael sooner rather than later, so I needed to stay within the den and wait for the few hunting packs that were out to return so we could go to our audience with the Swarm Alpha. Still, I needed to do something, to burn off this nervous energy somehow…

And that was how I found myself locked in combat with Took and Treel at the same time. Initially, it had been only Took, but with my combat experience beyond hunting, I had been able to handily defeat her, even without [Combatant’s Bloodlust]. Then, with Treel joining, I’d been forced to activate [Combatant’s Bloodlust], and the near dance of avoiding the two while they rushed into and against me was pleasantly exhausting. Took and Treel, though, were ever more excited and enthusiastic, trying to pin me down.

As I dodged back from one of Took’s swipes, a red spot appeared on her head at the base of one of her curling horns. Then I used the heel of my hand to guide her head from that spot to smash into Treel’s shoulder, and Treel stepped back, her arm not broken but definitely agonized. With Treel momentarily out of the fight, I again grabbed the base of Took’s skull and smashed her head into the ground. The sound echoed through the chamber as her horns thudded hollowly against the unforgiving floor, and while Took was stunned, I went to take Treel down and out. A red spot appeared on Treel’s hamstring, and with a swift cut of my claws, I would be able to hobble her–

With that thought crossing my mind, I stepped back and signaled the end of the fight. Took and Treel shook their heads wearily, and before we could talk about it, the last of the hunters returned. It was time to see what Redael had to say to us.