The night came upon the territory the same as it always did, though dark clouds from the ocean hid the moon tonight. With cat-silent movements Tsunami slipped from the trees, heading away from the waters. Her silver eyes were narrowed in slight agitation, crinkling the lightning-shaped markings underneath. There was a storm brewing inside, and the weather would soon reflect it.
Voila!'s litter had yielded four. Four healthy, squirming, crying pups. It was like a game, that she had known pups to play. Depending on the situation, one would call out a series of numbers that the others would have to interpret into steps. Either forwards or backwards. Whichever reached the one calling out the numbers won. For her, this was four steps back.
But her own sensibilities warned her of keeping her mind on child's things, of problems rather than solutions. The girl would never, as many of the other wolves in Twist's line, amount to anything more than a dull-eyed lackey. But the body count still kept her aware of her position. Shezaam had been spoken about by Twist, snippets of comments and thoughts and second-hand gossip. Her younger sister was growing conscience, and at only a beta position (meant surely to placate and keep her close) Tsunami was merely pacing.
Bide your time... The voice in her head told her, in a tone so calming it reminded her of her mother's own. That was the thought that bothered her most. She needed to get away. She had spent too much time in the lands, dipped her maw into too many ponds to sate her thirst. A lean, muscular body weaved expertly about the darkened forest without barely brushing a limb or trunk, dark paws so quiet and fast they hardly seemed to make sound or touch ground. Her tail was held parallel to her back as she ran, high enough to show her position yet low enough not to warrant suspicion or attention. These were her woods, her shadowed places. But ignorant pack-members and strangers alike chose to invade her privacy.
