Wolves • George Weasley

Chapter Nine; Secrets and Sticks

**This chapter includes blood and gore, so please be cautious if you are sensitive to that. I will put a warning when that scene begins.**

"So much has happened while you've been gone."

Marvella stepped through the wintery glade side-by-side with her mother and Arnou. The white she-wolf was leading them out into the woods again, as she wanted to catch up with the two young Battle-Spirits. Accalia's dazzling white coat made the snow seem grey in comparison.

Marvella huffed with laughter. "Wait until you hear what Arnou and I have been through." Accalia grinned, although her eyes didn't sparkle as they usually did. "Yes... I expect that you've had quite the experience. Shall I tell you what it has been like in the forest recently?"

Marvella nodded hastily. "Yes!" She barked. Arnou looked at Accalia as they walked on her other side. "Please, tell us what has happened in our absence."

Accalia's ears flicked. "Well, to begin with, the others are becoming restless. Most of them agree with Dumbledore, they want an alliance with the Wizarding World and they want to put themselves into it just as you both have. But I continue to remind them that it's too dangerous, that we can't afford to risk sending others outside of the forest yet." The she-wolf paused. "The young ones are curious– they want to see themselves as humans."

Marvella caught Arnou's gaze briefly before she looked back at her mother. They had paused between some towering pine trees, the sun glinting down between the branches and reflecting on the snow. "Nobody knows we're Battle Spirits... yet. But... mother, what if we told our friends? What if we told someone? Then at least a few people would know and we wouldn't be seen as treacherous monsters and more of us could go–"

"No! Marvella, that is reckless thinking," Accalia interrupted her daughter. "What did I tell you before you left for that wretched school? I told you not to associate yourself with anyone– what friends do you mean?"

Marvella's eyes widened. "Well I– it's difficult, mother, to be completely invisible to everyone and–"

Accalia's ears flipped back in frustration. Arnou spoke now. "Alpha– Accalia, Marvella has a point. We've met some people, and we haven't gone announcing our presence to the whole school. We're bound to be noticed by some of the other students considering we weren't there for the last five years like everyone else in our year," they reasoned. Accalia shook her head, eyes closed.

Marvella watched her mother. "But what did you mean by that, anyway? Why can't we involve ourselves with others?" She asked. Marvella knew she had to tell her mother that she was getting closer to Harry Potter under Dumbledore's orders at some point, but she was sure Accalia wouldn't welcome the idea.

The Alpha sighed. "To keep you safe, Marvella, Arnou," she closed her eyes again, looking troubled. "I don't want you two to get hurt or put in danger. The fewer who recognize you, the easier it will be. You understand this?" She looked up at the two young Battle Spirits again, something swimming in her eyes that didn't seem quite like love.

Still, Marvella nodded, looking at the ground. She felt guilty now. She'd been wrong to question her mother's judgement. But it only made it all the more frustrating to have to avoid people now. How was she supposed to be on friendly terms with Harry? And how was she supposed to stay away from the Weasley twins?

When she looked up again, Accalia was smiling softly. Marvella looked to Arnou, who she thought looked suspicious in some quiet way. Marvella was the only one who could read past the black wolf's stoic face and frozen eyes, and something was hidden past the approving expression that Arnou was letting on. But Marvella wasn't able to look into it more, because Accalia spoke again.