It's what you know

Enyo's massive frame moved through the tall, lush grasses of Emerald Valley, her silver-blue and icy-blue eyes scanning the landscape with keen intensity. The heavy musk of mahogany, teakwood, and leather trailed behind her, mingling with the damp earth and the scent of prey that littered the valley. She sniffed disdainfully at the herbs scattered across the ground, pawing through them half-heartedly. This task was beneath her.

Herbs. Of all the things her brother could have asked, it had to be this. A growl rumbled low in her throat as she pushed a patch of lavender aside with her massive paw, her thick, rugged fur bristling in irritation. The thick muscles of her neck and shoulders tensed as she picked up a sprig of something green, examining it briefly before tossing it aside with an air of contempt. The task was mundane, a waste of her strength and her potential. There were wolves better suited to this. Those without the stature or the raw power of the Dunamis bloodline coursing through their veins. She was a force to be reckoned with, not some herbalist tending to greenery like a common scavenger.

Still, the command came from Erebros, and despite her many grievances, she would not defy her brother- not openly, at least. Her loyalty to her bloodline was absolute. Her relationship with her brother had been tested many times, tempered and built to last. Erebros did not do things to just humiliate her, she was grateful that he respected her. So while she felt resentment simmering below, she tried to justify or at least understand his reasons behind assigning her to this specific task. Was it to be as a break? She had been working hard lately, pushing herself harder and harder during the attempts at expanding pack territory. Perhaps he knew she was not the sort to just take a rest day, she had to accomplish something. Maybe, she came to realize, this was his way of forcing her to take a break. With menial work that still could be considered productive.

Her thoughts drifted as she straightened up, her eyes momentarily catching her reflection in the glimmering waters of the nearby river. She paused, the river’s soft gurgling drawing her gaze. It was instinctive, the way her gaze lingered on the handsome, imposing figure that looked back at her. Strong, fierce, undeniably powerful. The corners of her icy eyes softened for a fleeting moment, indulging in the sight of herself. The goddess of war she was named after suit her. Divine stature she was blessed with, yet cursed in a world that dared to diminish her worth because of her gender. Yet, beneath that veneer of self-admiration lurked the familiar thorn of envy, the same envy that gnawed at her whenever she thought of her male relatives.

If only you had been born a son... If only. Why wouldn't she be enough as she was now? It felt that her brother was the only one who truly understood Enyo's worth. He treated her as he treated the others. It was one of the reasons she would never betray him, she planned to stand beside her littermate as they did from the beginning. From birth to death, she would help prop her brother up into power. To help him achieve his goals, it was how she showed the love she would not display in a hug or promise with words. Enyo could hope that being so far away from the elders and her parents would allow her to breathe. To become more. To transcend the limitations thrown upon women in the family.

Her tail twitched or what little remained of it, anyway. A stark reminder of battles fought, won, and tests she failed at the cost of her relentless pursuit of respect. The bobbed stump wasn’t something she flaunted, but neither did she hide it. It was proof of her resilience, a badge of honor despite the loss. She was still every bit the warrior she had always been.

The world around her was peaceful and serene despite the storm brewing inside her. She sniffed the air, picking up the scent of prey nearby. Large animals grazed in the distance, their presence only adding to her irritation. Why was she here collecting herbs when her strength could be used to take down prey, to show her power? But no, she was bound by the task given to her by her brother.

Her eyes narrowed as she plucked another herb from the ground, holding it up to the light before adding it to her small collection with a sigh. She didn't even know if these were the correct ones nor did she care. Erebros could sort through them and decide what was worthwhile and what was of no use. She just picked something up that she thought looked more important than the rest. Fine, she thought, the weight of duty pressing down on her as much as her envy.


"SPEECH"