i don't care

Idalia clung on even as the lynx backtracked into the brush. Thad was intent on driving it off. Even though blood and hair were flying, it felt good to be involved in something. They were working as a team to accomplish a goal. It was almost like she could pretend Incendio was here. She wouldn't be thrown that easily! Dalia wanted to support this stranger, maybe make him proud of her. Soon she would be half a year old and new feelings had begun to stir in her.

Winterfell was cloistered in the north. It was rare that they had the chance to interact with wolves outside of their pack. When they were done, she wanted to be sure that this fluffy stranger knew her name. It was a new feeling. Everyone knew her at home. This was a chance to prove herself to someone that wasn't family. The thought made her redouble her efforts. Idalia growled fiercely and sunk her teeth in deeper, her eyes dilating at the fresh taste of blood. Another low, fierce growl built in her throat. It was the noise an adult made transplanted in the body of a smaller being.

Just as the lynx stumbled into the brush, Idalia coughed and loosened her grip. She let go of the cat's rump, narrowly missing a well-aimed kick. Blood was streaming down her chest and covered her little paws. It was a macabre picture, but she was grinning madly. "We did it! We did it!" she shouted, much louder than she ever would have spoken with another stranger. "We've got him! He's gone!" She pranced around in a circle, her tail lifted high and happy. "Did you see how I got him? How I held on and never, ever let go?" Idalia turned, her eyes shining brightly. The young girl's front was drenched with cat-blood, but her grin was enormous.

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