this is how we get better

Avantika was feeling hopeful today. She'd woken up to the sunrise streaming gently through her window, and she'd gone on a quick, peaceful morning patrol that left her comfortably warm all over. She could do anything she wanted with the day, she realized. So it was time, wasn't it? Now that she was feeling okay, it was time to seek out a very particular wolf. She had been thinking about this for a while.

Seeing Laeta with Audra had nudged a stone in the path of this plan, but she knew she had to ignore that. She'd been... something with Audra too, once. She'd been nice or she'd seemed it, and just vulnerable enough that Avantika just had to protect her. She couldn't blame Laeta for falling for her act too. And if this worked, if Avantika was able to finally be normal, that would be worth it. That would be worth everything. Avantika had set her mind on her own betterment with the same relentlessness that she chased all of her goals; Art would want her to do this. He would be happy with her. He wouldn't need to ever take care of her again like he had too many times before. Her aegis's approval was worth any embarrassment.

So she would find Laeta and talk to her. It wouldn't be too hard, right?

"Speech"