Things had been too confusing. She could not lie and pretend that she had not been entirely a recluse because of it... but how could she not have been? In truth, her only friend had hidden within Glorall, a pack she was by no means familiar enough with to either sneak into or build a temporary alliance with. She had no clue if or when Rogue intended to come out of the pack and for that, she had reclined to staying within Diveen, a new den dug out on the southernmost border so that she might stare across into the seaside pack. Besides from the hooded woman, she felt entirely alone. Brooke had been absent of late, as had Beowulf, though she understood they must have had their paws filled with a myriad of more important things. Heyel was undoubtedly mad at her for good reasons, and the other Assassins had never really been... friends to her. Ava and she had only ever agreed, seemingly, on one thing - the dismissal of Micteca from their Order. Still, Malina felt they were entirely right in their thoughts on that matter. That took yet another wolf out of the running to talk to. Yes, she was quite alone in the confines of Diveen, left alone to her own thoughts. Even Melek had not bothered her though she thought that might be for the best. The girl, at times, brought back painful memories of Covet's violation, after all.

There was Sleekwing, the male that fate had seemingly chained her to and yet he was but the same story as Rogue. No, he had not been a Diveen wolf and had his own life back in Spirane - she had no idea if or when he would return, either, and was unsure as to whether she was truly welcome in the mountain pack. Diveen had alliances and yet... she did not. That was a thought for another day, though, a day that she did not wish to bring down on herself quite yet. For now, she was content simply trying to dismantle the twisted, horrible mess that she had created. There was no question in her mind that she had been entirely right in saving her friend from the jaws of Ava. There was no question that Ava had been wrong to dismiss her request of tending to the Queen - it was one easily backed up. Malina was the smallest of Assassins, not built at all for colliding against the multitude of wolves that had ambushed Isola and Kane. It would have been too easy for her to have fallen beneath the sheer weight of Ishtar when her training had been entirely based off her speed and agility. Ava made sense: she was powerful, tall, merciless. It only made sense that she had gone to Isola rather than Malina. Yes, everything she had done had been right and yet... they all made her feel so wrong. Had they not defended their friend, Devil May Cry for reasons like her own? Why couldn't anybody understand?

She had spent most of her morning simply patrolling the southern border, her paws all too used to the area. She'd never assimilated into the central pack, having always kept her distance from the others. Soon enough, she would bring Magnus to the same region so that they could continue his training more privately. He was not to be trained as she had been and it made her nervous in more ways than one. She had never been a teacher before besides from Lucid, though he had come to her at four years of age and had never truly been trained in the ways of an Assassin. He had been trained as more of a spy, an informant with the bite to back it up. But Magnus... he would be trained to be as she should have been trained to be. Independent, vicious, intelligent - an all rounder of excellency bound only by his and her code of honor, their agreement. Perhaps she would free herself in the same motion. They'd free each other. Or maybe she simply had such large expectations for he was the son of her Rogue, a permanent reminder of their bond. She sighed at the thought, rounding the bend and moving towards the entrance of her den.

She had made her den difficult to find - a labyrinth of branches, shrubs and stones that lead to its mouth. If she had it her way, no others would find it and she would be left alone to her thoughts forever. Her own personal contradiction. She wished to be alone and yet she wished to finally be able to bleed out all the negativity and venom that had poisoned her mind - doubts, uncertainty, second guessing. She despised the weakness and yet, she found it made her stronger than others. She was no longer blinded by the ego the others had. She thought for herself, and that was enough to make her smile as she leapt atop her den, settling into the bramble that covered the stone.

She stood out atop her own personal throne, her dark form illuminated by the midday sun. And that would be where she remained - simply sitting, staring out over the water beyond. Alone, always alone in one of Moladion's largest packs.

M A L I N A
[ six - dark angel of diveen ]


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