Coming from the Gates to the Valley had been a complete turn around. Gone were the dewy meadows of plentiful grass, to be replaced with rocky outcrops and occasionally sparse vegetation. The sunlight wasn’t often welcomed here; the dense fog made sure of that, along with the towering mountains that surrounded them. Even in the middle of summer there was a perpetual chill to the air. Not like the chill the Tundra experienced, of course, but a chill made from something more sinister. This land had known bloodshed and at times even begged for it. The recent war had been enough to satiate its appetite for the time being, but soon it would call for another sacrifice. It was a land that much preferred a full belly as opposed to a hungry, aching one. Hungry wolves were the most dangerous.
She watched his ears flatten to his skull but she didn’t react. It was a common reaction to her manner of speaking, and she had more than gotten used to it by now. It wasn’t as if she could warn them ahead of time what she was going to do. That would require a conventional voice, and a conventional voice she did not have. She only had this one and she would use it when needed. Instead, she offered him that knowing smile, a smile that said she sympathized with his discomfort but not to the point that she was going to stop. She would wait for him to grow used to her and then would carry on as if nothing had happened. “No need to apologize. You’re not the first and certainly won’t be the last to react in that way. You’ll find that unless I absolutely need to, I prefer to allow one to keep their secrets, theirs. But make no mistake…I have no qualms about digging, should I need to.” she said, a mischievous glimmer to her eyes and a smirk on her lips. He continued on and she listened, tilting her pretty head in a quizzical sort of way. “A tour you say? Come, lets walk.” Before he even answered she was striding across her kingdom, sending a mental message to the wolves to hold their ground. The Valley really was striking this time of year. “Connections are good to have, especially the right ones. The ties that bind and all that jazz. I assume, since I’ve heard nothing to the contrary, that Killdare wishes to continue our alliance. I think he’ll find it interesting that we’ve also garnered the support of the Tundra.” she said, though her gaze remained on the horizon. She was remembering the war, and Killdare’s efforts to save her. Which obviously he had succeeded, since she was still standing here today. In a way, he was even responsible for her rise to the Valley throne.
topsail
I was in the darkness, so the darkness I became