Everything Ends

It wasn't surprising that the wolves who straggled in to her call were few. That was the largest part of the problem, wasn't it? That so many wolves had simply drifted away when Valentine had gone. She shrugged off the pity, the pleading gazes. She didn't need pity, and she wasn't the pack mama to comfort everyone. They could either manage or not on their own. She wasn't Valentine. She was just herself.

And of course it didn't take long for the vultures to start circling, either, with an almost-familiar form trotting in like he belonged there. It took a moment to place his features, letting Mercy's typically furious reaction wash past her, but when she did she snorted out an incredulous laugh. With those features this could only be one of Arian and Cypress' whelps from Sonticus. "Awful ballsy to come wandering this way to try stealing wolves from me, brat," she drawled with a half-grin that had more of threat than amusement in it. It was hard to find a whole lot of amusement right now. It felt more like rage was the only way to cope, though she knew it wouldn't last. She would survive until she recovered, but she had to wonder if Ardent itself would. "I wonder if your mama ever told you the story of how Birna and Valentine and I went on walkabout in your pack's ship and none of your family had the brains to figure it out until after, eh? I mean, before she died and all." She kept her teeth bared in that false grin until he'd taken his ass out of the group, then turned her attention back to the wolves that actually mattered to this. The loyal few who'd stayed when all others had strayed. Sad, wasn't it? That there was such a small core group left.

"Valentine probably isn't coming back," she began bluntly. "And I haven't heard anything from Angelus either. I hope he's found his father, but I can't guarantee anything. I can't ask any of you to stay here and try to make things work when there's no leader to hold you together. Imperium's dead." She had to ignore the way Chaos flinched as though struck by the words, the way Vana's eyes welled up with tears that she was just too tired to cry. They'd recover too.

"I won't be joining another pack, so don't expect me to lead you somewhere if that's what you're hoping for. I'll be staying here. I've spent more of my life here than anywhere else -" and it was where all her best memories of Valentine, and their children, had all taken place, and the one place they'd probably come back to if they ever did come back, and she wasn't interested in not being there if they did "- and I'm not interested in starting over in some weak, cowardly little pack that's hoping some of Imperium's shiny might rub off on them if they steal enough of its old members. I'll survive just fine here with anyone who wants to bunk here. If times get tough I'll raid packs. It's not like there's anyone down here who could put up much of a fight if it came to it."

She grinned again, relishing the idea. Even if it was just her and a couple of her kids. Really, it would be easier to support a small group of rogues than it would have been to support a full pack anyway. "Anyway I'm not going to hold anyone here and I'm not going to tell anyone what to do. You do what's best for you." With those last words she gave a sharp, decisive nod and that was that.