Fin's Claim

Emptiness

"It's good to see you again, Alpha Borson, your males look well." She bows to the oldest pup with her hands crossed in front of her chest; he bows back to her in the same way. The youngest pup she picks up in her arms, pressing her cheek against his, in the Old Way of greeting. Giving him a squeeze before setting him back down with a pat on his bottom.

"How's my sister doing?" My mother de-escalating the situation between Borson and myself. The tension blowing away with the cold wind that's starting to come in from the north. I remember when we were young before we shifted how this day would be a big celebration, the packs mingling for the weekend, tents set up, fires going for days. It was a happy occasion something everyone in both packs looked forward to. Families would visit one another. That all changed when I killed his brother, it was either him or Grey; I chose Grey to live.

Nothing has been the same since.

"My mother's doing well." Borson's voice coming out very polite while Bessa comes back with a full plate of food standing slightly away from Borson who takes a step towards her, so their arms are touching. The oldest pup with his spear gripped tightly in his hand takes a position in front of his mother as if he's a warrior wolf protecting their Luna.

"Luna Bessa, it's good to see you again." My mother approaches her with hands outstretched pressing her cheek against hers.

"Elizabeth, it's good to see you again." Bessa, bowing to her in respect. Meela's plate only has a few items on it, while she picks at it turning slightly pale, handing the plate to Grey a gag creeps out of her throat. Her stomach still upset with the early phases of pregnancy.

Bessa is reaching into her pocket pulling out a plastic bag filled with dry leaves.

"Here, break it up, put it under your tongue it should help you with your sickness. It's helping me. This female has been hard on me from the beginning." Her hand outstretched to Meela who takes it and puts a piece underneath her tongue as directed.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Both females are smiling at one another without teeth.

"You have beautiful pups." Meela's hands outstretched to touch the oldest as he backs away, Borson putting him behind his back.

"He's not to be touched by any female besides his mother or sisters." My mother's voice is coming out quickly to educate Meela about the far north customs.

"I apologize I never knew this." Meela, stepping away from the pups, leaning her body into Grey's side.

"It's time for us to go." Borson is looking at Bessa who's eating off her plate. Giving some food to the youngest pup while the oldest is refusing to eat anything she hands him.

"Meela is was a pleasure to meet you. Goodbye, Elizabeth." Bessa, saying nothing to Grey or myself, turning away with her youngest. Borson is nodding to my mother, "Luna." He bows his head slightly to Meela while giving me a hard stare; I return it while he backs away. His small pup is doing exactly what his father is doing.

Watching them all pull away leaves me with a sense of relief. Never in all our history has there ever been a war between our packs for some reason this might change.

"They're intense aren't they." Meela's voice once again relaxing the atmosphere around us.

"That they are." Grey is bringing her closer to the side of his body, fingertips drawing little circles just under her hairline.

"Why doesn't the oldest get to be touched by any females other than his family?" Meela is asking questions to my mother who comes from that culture.