I stretched once more, easing my form with a reflective sigh atop the small ridge, shoulders rolling so as to better angle the heat of the sun against my white pelt, one violet eye rolling to assure myself that I was entirely alone. After all, I hardly needed Devil to come across me in my laziness, indeed, it would hardly be useful for any beneath me to discover my sun-bathing habits and yet, such is the glory of a white pelt that I hardly have to worry about colour fade in the sun. I chuckled mildly at my own humour, tail flicking before I laid my head atop my paws once more, watching the goings on of the pack from my dais with contented ease. It was a rare moment of rest, a rare snapshot in time in which I had allowed myself to simply enjoy this brief period of sun without allowing the rest of the world to irritate me as it normally did, all other thoughts having been pushed for my mind for at least these few hours and truly it was a relief- just for now, to forget my missing daughter and granddaughter, to forget the mild irritation of my remaining family through my indiscretion I suppose, with Cat Eye and Baby Oswin, the Demons, Tobias, my grandchildren, my apprentice and the other assassins- honestly for someone who is supposedly retired I feel awfully- busy. Some things of this busy existence however were mildly more entertaining, my lips pulling into a grin (though I deny it to this day) as a few of Diveen’s pups raced past, a selection of my grandchildren in the form of Achilles and Guardian, chasing after what appeared to be Amir and his boy- Uno, was it? I hardly kept up anymore and yet for a moment I allowed my gaze to rest on the boys.

Azraels black and red son was already tall, in fact, he looked rather a lot like Azrael had as a young boy, save the unfortunate coat colouring. Perhaps Az would have better luck when he fathered more illegal children next year. Achilles was the perfection Isola had known he would be from the beginning, having informed me when she still carried him within that he would be beyond anything we had ever known and perhaps she was right. That boy was the result of- everything, the cross of my line to Devils and indeed it seems fate favours such a thing, the white and gold boy as exquisite as a child ever was with his Angel Marked muzzle and fine eyes. Hell, even Uno wasn’t half bad and truly I am at least pleased to see Amir happy, his son healthy. I frowned mildly as other thoughts returned unbidden. Zeivah was missing- everything. I sighed, wondering indeed for the umpteenth time why is was that I had been allowed to live, why for whatever reason I was still here and my mate......wasn’t. Zeivah was more then I ever was, she held a capacity for love and care and affection far beyond my own and she died. There are some things in this life I will never understand, why such a creature as she was denied the right to watch her grandchildren play and I- who have sent so many to their deaths live still. Perhaps that is my punishment, to live without her, to be alone. She promised....she promised she would never leave me and now look what she’s gone and done. Three years. Three years I have slept alone and I am tired of it, of all of it. I may not be young anymore, yet that does not mean I don’t seek what I always did, to rest within my den with my mate at night, to have small pups around me once more. I suppose in the end we are all alone.

One ear flickered at the sound of another approaching, head lifting and violet eyes rotating to fall upon the black wolfess as she came forward, my lips forming an easy and ready grin at the sight of the little black girl. Why I find her company so well received I cannot say, for whatever reason I simply enjoy the girl and really it would be a lie to say I had not grown even slightly closer to her these past months, particularly after the incident in which she had attempted to get herself killed in spectacular style. I killed three males for her, that should earn me a little hero status, no? Violet gaze flicked across her form as she came, her midnight pelt, a colour I normally find somewhat agitating seeming to near glow from her form. She was no longer young herself anymore and yet she still seemed in good health and indeed, today, she was a welcome distraction. After all, there a so few left from the past, the true past and it is pleasing to be in the company of someone who remembers Trenus- remembers all those we left behind.

“Hello, darling. Your looking shiny today.”

It was an easy, ready greeting, my form shuffling ever so slightly to the side to allow the girl a space beside me before I chuckled at her words, tail flicking.

“I assure you, if I had the ability to meditate I would have thought far too much about my decisions in this life and would surely have ended up with a far less entertaining life story and indeed, it is good to see you too. You have been scarce of late.”

It was merely a statement, one offered with a wolfish shrug. I’ll admit it, I have noticed her absence and missed her presence somewhat. I enjoy her company and I make no apologies for that.

“Come, sit. I have been entertaining myself with this view of my grandchildren. Tell me Zen, do you have children? I never asked you.”