what used to be, what could be, and what's to come

Something had changed in Acciona since her most recent escape. It was a small, almost imperceptible change, but it was there. A desire to be something more, to achieve something greater. She didn’t want the world, or power, or riches, but maybe a little bit of happiness. A sense of security that she’d never quite had, even as a pup. Hiding away in dark shadows and constantly looking over her shoulder wouldn’t help her get anywhere though, and while she knew Enno still lurked out there somewhere, she felt a little less afraid. Only somewhat, knowing that he still had the will and the means to carry out Kyros’ wishes, but she had managed to escape twice now. Maybe that was a sign that she stood a real chance at finding whatever it was she needed. Maybe some great force was looking out for her after all. Or maybe she was just really lucky. Either way, she wasn’t going to question it this time.

She knew that the woman, Shiba, who had brought her and Mikko back had family here somewhere, and she assumed that she’d likely return with them. What she didn’t know was where her brother would go. He owed her a debt, but would she expect him to follow where she went until it was paid? And if so, were either of them expecting her to follow as well? She didn’t hate the idea of building a relationship with Mikko, but she had a place here. At least, she did before. That was a matter she was a little worried about. After Sirius had taken her in before, would he be willing to do so again? She had vanished without any notice before, and she had no idea if he knew why. Or if he really even cared. The thought of her disappearance going unnoticed stung, but it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if it had. She hadn’t been there long, and she’d not done much to get to know anyone in the pack during her brief time there.

She let out a sigh, kicking at the ground, wondering if it was really worth it to go back. Her conscience wouldn’t let her go anywhere else though. Not until she at least explained herself and got a definitive answer. How awful would it be if she ran into him one day smelling of another pack, and he assumed she’d left to go somewhere else after he’d offered to protect her? She would have a new reason to look over her shoulder, and guilt was the last thing she needed to pile onto her shoulders. It was easy to tell herself what she would do, but the thought of heading straight to the Armada’s borders made her feel anxious, and her skin began to prickle. It could wait a few more days.

Quite lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed immediately that she wasn’t alone. A very tall woman was near, and Acciona froze for a moment. "Oh. Hello..." She spoke softly, watching to see what the other woman would do. She’d learned by now that not everyone was a threat, but she was still hesitant when meeting strangers. There was no way to know, really, but she couldn’t start on her new path if she fled from everyone whose face she didn’t recognize.

"Speech."