What made her return to the rogue lands all the time? Was it that it had fast become the only place where she felt... right? After all, it seemed to be the only place she could go without feeling burdened with unneeded baggage; Ava and the others weren't there, Rogue could be there and there was no excuses needed to avoid her mother so fervently. Out there, she felt right because she could easily abandon each and every worry at the border and simply exist as herself. Honestly, it would have been nicer to have company some days but she had yet to gather up the courage to see Rogue once more for lingering uncertainty still plagued her. Fathom, on the other hand, had been busy with pack duties it seemed - she was happy for the girl and yet, she still wished she could better get to know her. If only such things didn't have to involve packs and the politics that came with it. Hell, maybe she would be better off just staying a loner... operating as an individual for once. Today, she was going to try that.

For the most part, her day had gone without a hitch; she had spent the morning surveying over the land, marking points of interest once more for future reference and scouting out potential dens. Just like a satellite, she had slowly but surely danced her way around the Crags before finding herself in the middle of it all. Whether she liked it or not, too much had happened there for her to simply ignore the place anymore - it had been where she had finally been reunited with Rogue, where Vague (that mongrel!) had attacked her and where she had seen a friend step far too close to a ledge. There were, of course... other things that had occurred there but she had done well in ignoring those thoughts for so long. Such thoughts, however, did not seem to want to remain dead for as she weaved in and out of the rocky labyrinth, she found an all too familiar scent finding its way into her nostrils. Not only had it been his scent, but it had been laced in something she wished not to smell ever again; the remnants of Rogue's own blood.

She had paused at first, sniffing wearily at the air with a low growl before she began to follow what she assumed was the fresh trail. The downfall of the Crags was its notoriety for being able to hide others - she had been in the open the whole time, a dark shadow on the grey rocks and certainly all too obvious. It had been a challenge to sneak up on him once before, so what made her think it would have been any easier now? Blind stupidity, really. The mere scent of Rogue's blood had made her hackles stand on edge, her legs rigged as she jogged (hopefully) from behind him. It was unmistakably him - the jog, the black and grey of his fur and that same musk. It seemed her day had become suddenly less simplistic.

"You've been missing."

It was all she said then, stopping some feet behind him with a raised brow, her tail arched dominantly over her rump as she stood square to him. Perhaps she was silly for continuing to blame him for their last encounter but, alas, she had no other idea on how to cope with such things. Children had never been in her plans, and especially not children born to a child of Jaidah.

"So why did you run away from here?"

She'd ask him only when he turned to face him - if he didn't, she'd damn well get in his face about it. She was positive she could speed around him, breaking off his exits if he so tried. Still, she couldn't help but crack a wicked smile - it had been a long time coming that she'd see him again, and who said such a time couldn't be fun eventually?

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


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