Cinder

July 12th, year 6.
"Zephyr?" Cinder's voice echoed in the quiet of the den, her silhouette illuminated by the faint light of the sunrise. It had been a few days after Pigeon's pups were born and she had finally gained the courage to seek out the leader. She nervously peered into the den, ears pinned back and pawsteps shaky as she spotted the lead wolf and entered.

Despite the shadows of the den, Zephyr recognized her immediately and could see where the apothecary's blue-grey facepaint had been smudged, fresh trails of tear-stains running down her face. "You." The leader whispered out in a snarl, claws digging further into the rock of the cave.

"Zephyr, I'm so so sorry! I-I swear I did everything I could! I didn't mean for them to-"

"Seeker was wrong." Zephyr abruptly cut her off, stalking towards her with her fur bristled and her teeth bared. Cinder stared at her, eyes wide with confusion and fear as she instinctively shrunk back. "She was foolish to put her trust in you. She was wrong to make you her heir. She should have known better."

"You will teach Somber everything you know," She continued on before Cinder could even get a word out, "Then you will be stripped of your rank and abandoned, like you should have been moons ago. Kenopsia no longer has a place for you."

Cinder felt her whole world falling apart around her as she stared hopelessly at her mother's old friend, betrayal, fear, and hurt written over her face before she fled from the den.

[The Pariah rank obtained.]