04-16-2020, 10:03 PM
Her lips quirked a smile for Jacinda’s promise. It was never an easy thing to ignore one's own nature, and seldom good for the soul either, but they had each other to rely upon for strength -- and to snap circling predators away. Given the dissolution she had witnessed on these shores she wondered if it was inevitable for the Athari to become so many poor splinters. It grieved her somewhat, to know that now of all times the pack would not be strong, for now was when it most needed to be.
“Destroyer lives still. Not forgetting either. Why I came.” But there was stark little any one of them could do against the slathering jaws of the Ascendancy, least of all while they remained so divided and spread thin. Lately the wolfdream had been troubling to that end. She half nodded to herself, but her attention redirected at the touch. Her arm shifted in welcome of it. Humans were rarely tactile in the way of wolves, and she missed it at times, that wordless affection. Her breathing deepened peaceful.
Her eyes lifted when she felt those tentative shifts in her companion. It left her conflicted, caught between a web of instinct and more learned common sense. Jacinda bared her throat vulnerable and Tenzin would not seize advantage on that; not knowing the lies she still kept, and how much damage their revelation might inflict. She’d never felt guilt for that before. Her nature was an honest one, but survival was stronger and the lies were necessary.
Was it that any longer though?
She trusted Jacinda. But these wounds were too newly healed, and Tenzin did not want to split them raw once more, or shadow her own truths over the epiphany. Her dedication came from something other than her wolfish ties. She did not wish for Jacinda to reflect back and mistake a confession now for the foundations being purely self-serving. But she could not answer to instinct until Jacinda knew what she was.
Her palm covered the woman’s hand, lingered in that warmth, and squeezed her fingers. She wished for the easy communication of pack then, but all she had was broken english and human limitation. Neither was convenient.
“Destroyer lives still. Not forgetting either. Why I came.” But there was stark little any one of them could do against the slathering jaws of the Ascendancy, least of all while they remained so divided and spread thin. Lately the wolfdream had been troubling to that end. She half nodded to herself, but her attention redirected at the touch. Her arm shifted in welcome of it. Humans were rarely tactile in the way of wolves, and she missed it at times, that wordless affection. Her breathing deepened peaceful.
Her eyes lifted when she felt those tentative shifts in her companion. It left her conflicted, caught between a web of instinct and more learned common sense. Jacinda bared her throat vulnerable and Tenzin would not seize advantage on that; not knowing the lies she still kept, and how much damage their revelation might inflict. She’d never felt guilt for that before. Her nature was an honest one, but survival was stronger and the lies were necessary.
Was it that any longer though?
She trusted Jacinda. But these wounds were too newly healed, and Tenzin did not want to split them raw once more, or shadow her own truths over the epiphany. Her dedication came from something other than her wolfish ties. She did not wish for Jacinda to reflect back and mistake a confession now for the foundations being purely self-serving. But she could not answer to instinct until Jacinda knew what she was.
Her palm covered the woman’s hand, lingered in that warmth, and squeezed her fingers. She wished for the easy communication of pack then, but all she had was broken english and human limitation. Neither was convenient.