I was nervous I suppose, my form lowered and hidden within the grasslands as some wolves left and others came, earthen and gold pelt remaining concealed within the shadows of the home I had made for myself. I liked Mistress Jaidah, I was her spy and I was good at it, I had completed my tasks- done as asked of me and yet it seemed perhaps…..it was those very tasks that had seen her fall. Was it my fault? Had I angered the marked female so much she had turned her rage upon Mistress Jaidah’s mate in the absence of the Alpha? Had I brought down Asteraia? My thoughts were conflicted, I was young I suppose, lacking a knowledge of politics, so unlike my infamous father in that regard. I would look back and see that such a thing was not my fault alone though for now I felt some fault I suppose. I watched them go, Mistress Jaidah and her family, golden eyes resting upon them and at first I had thought to follow, to go to Diveen and the land of Angels. I had followed them, right to the border, long limbs carrying my lithe and lanky frame across the earth until my gold-tipped paws had rested right upon the edge. I couldn’t move…I couldn’t take that last step. This…this was my home. I had told Jaidah that on the day we met, had promised it would be and I wouldn’t leave it now- even if the scary one was in charge.

Maybe, had I known Indus I would have understood more of what drove my mind in that moment for surely it was little more then madness. Perhaps had I known my grandfather I would have known too- of his loyalty near infamous to the lands of Trenus, how he had remained unflinching and unfading for years so long atop those red plains until Heyel had forcefully thrown him from them for his loyalty to the golden queen that had become his mate and mother of my own sire Pan. Loyalty to land it would seem- ran thickly within my blood and perhaps to some extent that played part this night, in why I could not leave the land I had chosen. I picked it to be my home, Asteraia, the land itself- not the Alpha who led it. I would always like Mistress Jaidah, I would always call her friend, I think- but I will not leave my home. Not now- maybe not ever.

I turned then upon my heels at the sound of the howl that echoed across the sky, form dropping lower into the grass to watch as they came. I didn’t know them, not all of them. The children I had never seen, the white and red female I did not know the name of, even the females of scars I knew little of save for the talks we had held that day. Tobias was the only one I knew, my eyes given to widen in that moment, to see him so close. The wolf so many spoke of. It would be a lie to say I was not nervous as I approached them, form lifting to glide forward, assured I could outrun any of them if need be as I came- ears folding back in an effort to look…unthreatening I suppose although I am sure I hardly did. If any of my pack mates would stay I hardly knew, maybe their loyalty was to Jaidah herself and not the land and for that I could find no fault. This was my home though and I would not leave it. I came to stand before them then, seating myself atop the grass, long tail curling about my paws.

“I…am Galileo. I was a spy for Jaidah…maybe I….could be a spy still?”