A working vacation

Saga, at least, took no offense at what Corbie had to say about her adopted mother and sibling, and even seemed to take the advice to heart, to Corbie's relief. "You didn't put me in that position," she disagreed gently. "I chose this path myself with my eyes open. It's unfortunate that some leaders prefer to choose a path of war that risks their own subordinates as much as anyone else, rather than compromise and empathy. But, it is what it is."

She shook her head solemnly. She'd spent so long trying to avoid packs for much the same reason - too much constant drama and jockeying for position, too much politics and selfishness and nonsense. She'd hoped that making Avalon the way she had she could have avoided much of that nonsense and in some ways she had, but any contact with other packs would necessarily drag them in with that drama. She was sure that even the reclusive Tojo-kai had to deal with some of this very friction and she thought they likely had much less contact with other packs than her own trade-oriented pack.

Corbie winced in sympathy with Saga when the bear's paw was pierced by the hawthorns. "Be careful - these thorns can break off in your paw if you aren't careful, and I'm no healer." Luckily, the basket was about full by now anyway - it would make a good batch.