The girl’s paws pounded the earth, the voice in her head rising in volume as it told her to go back, to teach the alpha a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget. The voice scared her. Kaitlyn was not violent by nature, yet... She felt so angry, so bitter... She was shaking so much that it felt like with every step she was going to stumble and fall into the earth. Kaitlyn was breathing hard, fearful of what she might do. She needed to find something to distract her mind, to distract these dark feelings and thoughts before they consumed her. The young girl gave a whine, coming to a slow, shaky stop.

Kaitlyn just dropped. She didn’t want to think of hurting others. She didn’t want to think about her family being broken apart again. Tears began to form in her eyes as the child covered her head again with her front paws, just as she had before she met Ootat. She didn’t want to face her fears either. She wanted to just curl up in a ball and make everything go away. Kait drew closer into herself, feeling frustrated and bitter.

“If they make you hurt, is it not fair to make them hurt in return?” The voice in her head cooed. Kaitlyn’s eyes snapped open, a low growl coming from her. “S-Shut up...” She wasn’t sure what was wrong with her anymore. If this was something that she had inherited from her mother or had developed on it’s own. She continued to tremble, eyes wide and ears perked. Thinking she heard a sound behind her Kait spun around, giving a startled yelp.

“Get away!”

Everybody wants
what they just can't hold

The queen had run from the meeting, pursuing her sister. Was it the right thing to do? Perhaps she should have stayed, try to sort out the mess that had unfolded. Though if she stayed, she would have to put up with Riv, and at this point, she didn't even want to look at the Adravendi male. She was straight-up done with him and his shit. How could he be so careless - sending away a valuable member of the pack? It wasn't because that wolf was her brother; blood ties played no role in this matter. Even if it was someone else, she would be just as outraged. How dare he make a decision without her input, without even telling her about it. He just didn't seem to care, did he? He just thought she was some dumb, green girl agreeing with everything he said. Oh, she'd show him a dumb, green girl.

She had followed her sister's scent, occasionally catching a glimpse of chestnut fur through the trees. She wasn't running her fastest, to be honest, especially when she didn't carry the physique of a runner. Her thoughts cast back to the meeting. What could be going on back at the clearing? One hell of a show, that's for certain. What if the rest of the pack stood up for Riv, thus exiling Ren from the pack? No, they couldn't do that. Surely the rest of Myriad didn't think that. She should have stayed back to stop that; she couldn't let that happen...

"Get away!" came the scream of her sister, interrupting the alphess' thoughts. She stopped by the girl who laid on the ground curled up into a ball, sobbing. Green paws tentatively approached her. What was she to say? "Sorry for screwing up back there, hope you understand"? "Listen," she barked, voice hoarse. "Ren's not leaving Myriad, okay? I don't even know where Riv pulled that figure from. I had no idea that's what he wanted to do." She slumped beside her sister, her voice a whisper. "I mean, I knew they didn't along that well, but that was back when Borealis was around. Surely they would have put that past them by now."

Kaitlyn breathed in shakily once she saw who it was that she had heard; Zeph. Her big sister. She was still shaking, that voice cooing within her mind, trying to convince her that all was not well even when Zephyra tried to comfort her. She buried her head against her black and green sister, a loud sob breaking from her. Her eyes were squeezed closed, her voice quiet when she spoke. “I’m sorry...” She was trying to repeat the fact that Ren wasn’t leaving Myriad in her head, but that voice continued to talk to her, whispering it’s lies and darkness to her mind. ‘That man will force him to leave... He’ll take your sister too... You’re going to lose everyone... You have to fight him, Kait. You have to make him understand that he can’t break your family.’ Kaitlyn lifted her head, opening her eyes. They were wide with fear, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I got so angry, Zeph...” She whimpered. “I... I wanted to hurt him... I wanted to make him suffer for even thinking of trying to tear us apart.” The confession made her heart hurt. “I’m scared... I can hear her voice... I can hear her whispering to me that he’s going take you away... That’s he’ll make Ren leave... I’m so scared...” Kaitlyn buried her head against her sister’s shoulder again. She didn’t want these dark thoughts... She just wanted to be normal. To be happy with her family. ""

Ren's paws pounded the earth as he hared after Kaitlyn and Zephyra, his nose close to the ground as he tracked their scent. Fuck it, if the other wolves came after him, so be it. They could deal, and he was pretty certain he'd be faster, at least sprinting as he was. It didn't take long for them to come into sight; Kaitlyn's small head was buried in Zephyra's fur, and Zephyra was comforting her. He skidded to a stop several feet away, eyeing both of them, and basically... well, despite his insistance on chasing after them, he wasn't entire certain he'd be welcome. His mind was telling him that was dumb; Zephyra had no part in Rivaxorus' decision, and Katlyn either, but it still lingered, and so he lingered several feet away, uncertainly. He had not spoken to either of them since his appearance in Myriad, and he really wasn't sure what to say now.

"Speech" "You"

Everybody wants
what they just can't hold

She hadn't heard her brother's footfalls or sensed his presence when she chased after her sister. Her focus was on the chestnut wolfess. Only when she laid herself by the girl, trying to extend out any form of comfort though hesitant in doing so, she noticed the obsidian male. Her sister's words drowned out from her ears as her scarlets met a gaze that of electric blue. He seemed uncertain himself lingering a few feet away, like a shadow, the ghost he was. The fading remnants of a boy once been. She quickly looked away, almost in shame, as if looking away would make him disappear. Her ears caught some of her sister's final words. "What voice? Where is it coming from?" she asked the girl in a subdued murmur, stealing another glance at the male. He seemed so different, almost like a stranger. She searched his eyes for any signs of her brother, the young man he truly was, the pup she remembered from her childhood. Nothing.

Kait hadn’t noticed Ren’s arrival. She was so shaken, so troubled by what had just happened to pay any mind to her silent sibling. Right now she was scared… she needed Zeph… to cling to her and try to get rid of that voice in her head. If anyone could chase away those thoughts it was her big sister. Kait kept her eyes squeezed closed, feeling dread creep up upon her. She hated not knowing what was going to happen. When she finally got her breathing calmed down enough to answer her sister she took a breath and did so. “The voice sounds like mama’s but... It’s in my head Zeph. I can’t get away from it.” Kaitlyn lifted her head, only then taking notice of her brother. The little girl looked at him with sad eyes, her focus breaking away from Zeph for a moment. “Ren!” She shakily got to her paws and crossed over to him. “They didn’t hurt you,did they?” Her words were soft, a pitiful whine escaping her throat. Why couldn’t things just be okay? ""