Spelunking

Lyra sat among the other young wolves, her body still and silent, her mind whirring. The overwhelming darkness around her was more unsettling than she'd ever admit. She hadn't quite mastered her growing body yet, often fumbling over her too-long legs. She imagined, if forced to fight in the pitch black of the cave, how clumsy her movements would be. The thought made her jaw tighten in frustration, but she swallowed it, willing herself to focus. The lesson Modesty delivered seeped into her thoughts, but deeper still was the absence gnawing at her. The missing presence of Jael weighed on her, and the absence of her siblings left her unsettled, though she had received no answers about their whereabouts. That lack of information bothered her, but she tucked it away. If no one else brought it up, it must not be as important. Trust her family. They knew what was best.

She listened to Modesty and the words about relying on something other than sight echoing in the cave's hollow. Modesty's question hung in the air, and Lyra resisted the urge to answer too quickly. Her mind began sifting through what she knew, her sharp thoughts turning over the possibilities. Lyra’s ears twitched, catching the faintest sound of water dripping in the distance, the flutter of bats. Her body, though clumsy in its lanky form, sat rigid, almost tense. There was something about this moment that mirrored the unease in her mind....the darkness, the unknown. It was all too familiar.

Lyra inhaled deeply, scenting the cave air as Modesty's words settled over her. Her mind flicked over each possibility. Hearing, of course... sound could guide, but it could deceive. Scent was reliable, but only in familiar territory. Touch? Instinct? They were all pieces, but none of them were complete without sight. It annoyed her to think of being blind in a fight, vulnerable.

Just how could Pythia live every day like this? She supposed her sister knew no other way. Then maybe this was for the best, to not know what you were missing out on. This was perhaps, a chance to understand what it could be to live like Pythia. A newfound level of understanding dawned. How terrifying.

But vulnerability wasn’t an option. Not for her, and certainly not for her family. Lyra's thoughts settled on the Darwinist belief rooted deep within her: If you could not defend what you had, you did not deserve it. If you could take it, then take it. It was the very foundation of the Raiders'. A belief they not only spoke of but actively practiced. Lyra could not wait to participate, to defend her family and make them proud. Her growing body may be a temporary hindrance, but she would sharpen her senses, hone her skills, and ensure that nothing and no one could take what was hers. Especially not in the chaos of darkness.

Hearing. Smell. Touch. She would answer in her mind. But she said nothing. Silence was her greatest ally here, allowing her to observe the others around her, to watch the way they fidgeted or how their ears flicked nervously. They would speak, she knew they would, and she would listen. She said nothing, but inside, her thoughts were alive. She knew what the answer was. She had always known.

As she sat there and waited for the others to answer, a small and nagging thought lingered at the back of her mind...Where was the rest of her family?

She was left in the dark in more ways than one.

"SPEECH"