The past is the future - Folician Chronicles 6

Chapter 12 - Golden Visits Hands

Back at the Pack house all the females had frozen when Hands took over to deal with the problem. None of them had ever felt a Pack Father use his power like that before. It was rarely ever done and saved for major issues. Even after Dark Storm fled it took all of them including Hands' actual pack some time to recover. Almost across the board all the females were growling in both satisfaction as well as for other reasons.

Thyra finally spoke, "Well damn, that puts any question of his being a Pack Father to rest. There are four Priestesses here who can attest to that." She gave herself another shake and sighed, "Damn that woman for starting this fight now. I am going to have to go and contact Dancer and update her." She was growling in annoyance and frustration as she left the area.

Gentle almost looked stricken by what had happened and Zantha wrapped her arms around her and held her, *Hey Gentle, what are you feeling right now? Talk to me?* She had a feeling why Gentle was so upset but she needed to get an answer from her.

Gentle shook her head and though she kept an arm around Zantha she walked into the house and to her office. Once inside she let go and poured a large tumbler of scotch. Ray had brought it back and Gentle had decided she liked the smoky flavor. They had a bottle delivered as the current one was getting low. Once she had that she sat down and curled up next to Zantha, "I do feel like going and thumping on Dame Dark Storm. Part of it is for refusing to accept my name change but part is also for not telling me my father was human. Much of it is because she forced Hands to get involved and deal with this." She took a sip of the liquor and slowly let out her breath.

Zantha was only taking the barest edge off Gentle's feelings. In this case now that the confrontation was over she needed to help Gentle work her way through her feelings, "I am not going to tell you that you should know better than that since they are valid feelings and reactions. What kept you from doing that? How do you feel about Hands' involvement other than his being involved?"

She had to relax when Zantha pretty much stated there wasn't anything wrong with her gut reaction. Now for the answer she had to think about it, "I..." She lightly bit her lower lip, "I would hesitantly have to say part of it is because I want to live up to what Flitter would expect. I am not saying that I am her but simply she is the example of a Pack Mother that I wish to use as my model. Also, ever since I put that one female in the hospital I have been working hard to restrain my anger. Ray recognized that in me and gave me a chance to be who I want to be, not what I was." She had to chew on her lip and when she was speaking it was obvious she was putting a great deal of thought into what she was saying.

"I know that as angry as I both was and am if I did resort to physical violence she would have been very badly hurt." She met Zantha's eyes, "I still want to but I also know that I would be letting not just Ray and Flitter down but the entire pack as well. She might have been my Dame but she is not worth that. I will never call her mother again."

Zantha was so very pleased with her friend as she spoke. She had grown a great deal since the last time she had seen her. "That says a great deal about what both Ray and Flitter mean to you. You are a different person than you used to be Gentle. I know both would be very proud of you for figuring that out." Her eyes hardened, "I am going to speak to the Temple Mother about her attitude. It was borderline hostile and disrespectful towards the temple and Liraque. That will not be tolerated."

Gentle lowered her ears in embarrassment at the compliment but coming from Zantha that meant a great deal. She kept listening and when Zantha told her she was going to talk to the Temple Mother she simply nodded. That was not part of her job to say yes or no to, "Thank you Zantha and that means a great deal to me. So be it and she brought this down on herself. I will also have a discussion with our Matriarch on what if any actions we will need to take." By now the tumbler was about half gone.