Teenagers make dumb decisions

The narrowing of Bramble's eyes down to suspicious points spelled bad news for Ember. The girl's enthusiasm deflated, her tail slowly drooping behind her. Bramble offered to go with her on her "scouting trip", citing how their father wanted her to do some outreach to the neutral packs to get them on their side of the coalition. Well, so much for this being easy... Ember briefly debated which course of action would be worse: trying to fight her way past Bramble or making a run for the infirmary and seeing if the windows were open she could jump out of. In the end, Ember chose the least dramatic option and decided to just come clean. She didn't relish the idea of lying to her big sister, even if it was just to protect her and keep her innocent from Em's transgressions.

With another dramatic sigh, Ember's shoulders slumped and she fixed Bramble with a stern leer. "Okay, fine! I'm going scouting up north. Around the Polar Sound." Ember didn't explain more than that. Everyone was acutely aware after the alphas' meeting that the Sound and the Ardens had been claimed by the Syndicate. Bramble was a clever girl; she'd understand what Em was suggesting. Immediately Ember launched into her rationalizing before Bramble could even have a chance to object, "I just want to take a look! I'm not gonna do anything, I swear! Plus if we can get some intel about the Syndicate, maybe it can help Tati make a more informed plan about what to do with them." Ember was still deeply of the mindset that the Hallows would need to go to war to prevent the Syndicate from destroying all of Ardent. Nothing could convince her otherwise, and she was determined to open her father's eyes to the danger as well.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"