It was still raining. Light, soothing drops of cool water glittering from the firmament to land upon the already sodden earth. The sunshine played games between the clouds, slicing through the darkness like a tooth through flesh, and Fiam was reminded of her wounds. However, even this reality was not enough to stem the laughter that rippled from her maw as she stood at the border with Tobias on her heel, small body shaking with spasms of it as she swayed on her paws. The irony was still fresh enough to amuse her and, with every rehabilitating breath she took, that hated scent assaulted her nostrils anew, bringing on fresh tirades of hysterics that soon had the alabaster girl hoarse and gasping. How the black prince didn't attack her for her strange display she didn't know – perhaps he had already had his fill of her blood for that day – but, whatever the reason, he simply stood behind her and watched the sodden plains of Asteraia with an expectant look on his murderous face.
Even when her flaming orb noted the approaching shadow of another wolf, her amusement did not abate. The nameless wraith failed to look at her, walking straight past her shoulder to attend to her imprint and, in turn, Fiam acted as though she hadn't noticed the arrival of her foe, still caught up within the confines of her own private joke. Only when the other spoke, her words pointed, did the jaws of the burnt female snap shut so hard her teeth clicked together, the sound of her laughter ending abruptly. With exaggerated slowness she turned to face the other, keeping her emotions out of her eyes, her voice and also her movements. Better to be unfeeling than lose herself in the proximity of her most hated enemy. She even managed to get her tone to sound matter-of-fact when next she spoke, although her bristling ruff gave her anger away, “Defeated I may be, but it is your imprint who will likely be lame for the rest of his life while I bear but a few bleeding cuts.” She gestured to Tobias who rolled happily on the earth, his pain forgotten in puppyish enjoyment. All four legs flailed in the air and, from the females' vantage points, it was clear that one hind-leg was bleeding and perhaps not stretched out quite so far as the rest. Fiam flicked an ear with satisfaction, the burning in her own lacerations becoming badges of honor as opposed to reminders of her loss.
As she continued to face the scarred, black female, she blinked slowly her single ocular and a thought occurred to her. Since she was a prisoner and the laws of her kind declared she had to remain so, as well as her situation dictating she could not at that moment reek her revenge due to the proximity of two able-bodied wolves, she might as well have some fun. She turned the ruined side of her face to the black girl, pretending to take in the scenery, before slowly bringing her head back to the other, “So this is Asteraia? It's not as awe inspiring as I expected it to be. Anyway, since it is to be my begrudged dwelling place for a few moons, I might as well tell you how I feel. I think it is very smart of you, inviting an asp into a nest of fledglings, especially when your reign over that nest is tenuous and your partner, clueless. Tobias doesn't understand much except the language of tooth and claw, even if he isn't as fluent at it as he used to be in his younger days. You and I, well, we're much smarter. We understand the language of politics. On that note, how much poison do you think it'll take to turn your less-than-loyal and mostly savage subjects against you? Not much, says I. A word here about the maiming of your mate at the jaws of a wolf one half his size, a whisper there, a remark about the cowardice of refusing to share your name and what have you got to hide. Pretty soon that asp would have bitten every chick. A shame though, you can't even turn me away, because you and I both know that your imprint wouldn't be too happy about that,” She giggled, enjoying herself thoroughly for the first time since her battle, “It appears the words I spoke when we first met are true after all. I am under the protection of your dark knight.”
She raised her tail, arching it over her back and lifted her chin high, ignoring the pain as the scab on her shoulder cracked open, spilling fresh blood down her leg and onto the water-laden ground below. What was going on in the black maiden's head she couldn't begin to guess at, but one thing was certain.
Both of them were in too deep to ever turn back.
Fiammetta - Female - No Home - No Family - 5YO - 28 inches, 32 pounds