Honor Bound | (On-going)

Initiates | 1.1

The chill night required the Ulf'el initiates to huddle together around several small campfires. However, Lynda's rising anger left Dawn distinctly cold and uncomfortable no matter how close to the fire she sat. She ran her long-fingered hands through the ruff along Lynda's neck and down her wolf-form spine, fingers trailing through the thick black fur.  Pressing deep into the undercoat, she drew her fingertips along Lynda's skin. As skin touched skin, she pressed harder, reminding Lynda of her presence. 

Stay with me Lynda. Easy...

The silent pray repeated itself over and over with each fur-threading stroke. A bone-deep unease, built up since sunset, twisted her stomach into knots. Back, neck and shoulders were stiff as the fight-or-flight response kept all her nerves lit up. Dawn's eyes lifted towards Roland, her hand still running through Lynda's fur. Fey and he were talking softly, ignoring Lynda's soul-burning stare. Dawn's inner wolf roused.

It nudged into Dawn's consciousness. As the wolf pushed, she mentally welcomed it with opened arms. A warm bloom of power spread from her chest and seeped through every inch of her body. Their minds overlaid and she heard her wolf speak. At least, Dawn's human mind translated the communication into speech, but as in other cases, she sensed that the translation wasn't quite right.

 The communication between them was more primal, as thoughts, emotions, and ideas filtered across between minds. They didn't exactly "speak", they communed. It was more like being caught up in the flow of a tidal river, thought, feelings, emotions, and ideas flowed between them.  Although they blended in this way, both minds retained a distinct personality and sometimes that personality conflicted.

 "He doesn't know?" Caution filtered through with the concern and blended into Dawn's own worries, but there was an undercurrent of something else. Incredulity? Dismissiveness? She wasn't sure.  

Like all Ulf'el, Dawn attributed a "voice" to her wolf. The texture of that voice was all calm, fur, warmth, and a vibrating undercurrent of power. Dawn sensed as much as felt the hidden aggression of tooth and claw just under the she-wolf's surface. It was the personality of an alpha-female. 

 "No, and I don't know if that's a good thing or not?" Dawn sighed aloud. Though she projected the thought inwards, her breathy huff caught Lynda's attention. Lynda glanced her way, one ear tilted towards her and the other towards Roland. Dawn's wolf huffed, a prickle of unhappiness and annoyance made Dawn's skin itch.  

"What?" Lynda rumbled in the wolf language.

"Tell her," the she-wolf inside Dawn urged.

"I don't think you should stir the pot, Lynda." Dawn offered the advice with a soft coaxing lilt. Dawn's wolf sent a wave of exasperation directly at Dawn at her soul partner's inability to be more firm. Lynda snorted dismissively and turned her attention back towards the other fire.

"Why not?" The growl rumbled deep in Lynda's chest. Dawn's fingertips tingled.

"Aside from ruining the Affirmation ceremony the night before?" The grousing huff caught Dawn off guard as much as it did Lynda. Dawn snapped her mouth shut. Her inner wolf sent a bubble of warm support and encouragement, pleased at Dawn's more confident stance. Lynda half-turned and looked at the other woman from the corner of one eye. 

Dawn sighed and added. "There are plenty of reasons why not."

Dawn didn't meet Lynda's gaze. She kept her eyes on the distant fire where Roland sat. Lynda looked back at her, both ears upright and turned towards Dawn. "Something else is bothering you, cousin."

"I'm... I don't know. Nervous maybe?" The admission did nothing to ease the tension along Dawn's shoulders. Her inner wolf bristled at her hesitation. Lynda's gaze did not falter and Dawn was pinned by that stare. They knew each other too well.