The North

Chapter 12

What's the weirdest rumour you've heard about yourself?

Chapter 12
***

I grinned as Father walked up the stairs ahead of me with pups running around our feet. His movements were easy, each step fluid and free from pain.

"You will love it here, Tabhin," Mother gushed, his hand clasped tightly between her own. "The pack ask about you everyday, and are eager to finally meet you. You will have to come to the kitchens with me one day too and I will show you all I have learned in the art of cooking."

On and on she told him of all he had to look forward to. Her rabbit stew had been a hit the evening before, and the compliments she gained had her walking with her head held high still.

Father peered over his shoulder at me, and winked. I chuckled, nearly deafened by my siblings attempting to shout over each other to get a chance to share their own news. You'd have thought we hadn't visited him at all with all the excitement. Maybe we'd all held back telling him things until we were sure he was in the clear. And now he was, released by Eirny only moments ago and already having to throw himself into life again.

I trailed into their bedchamber and hung by the door, watching Father take in the space. Two beds, one bigger than the other, sat at opposite ends of the room. Niamh and Anndra shared but more often than not, like me, they preferred to curl up on the floor together. Whether Father was impressed or not, I couldn't tell. A crease furrowed his brow as he sniffed the air before turning to me.

"Where do you sleep?"

"Next door," I replied.

His eyebrow lifted at that, and Mother beamed as she took his arm and led him to sit on the bed. "The Alpha gifted our female her own room, and a position amongst his high ranked."

"Not his high ranked," I argued. "Just his council, and I haven't even been to a meeting yet. I don't hold any standing."

And Alpha Hati made sure I knew that. Being followed was a sure way to make sure I didn't think otherwise. Beta Caldar had grown tired of it and often snarled impatiently until he was relieved of a duty I was certain he thought beneath him. Not that I could blame him. After our near fight in the courtyard, I'd tainted any chance of us becoming friends.

"I am very pleased everyone has settled in so well," Father said, brushing his knuckles against his mate's cheek.

I was pleased too. We were lucky.

Allowing Father to get used to the new environment, I sat on the scratchy throw by the fire where Niamh and Anndra sat playing some new game they had learned. Small discs were pushed across a circular board, more often than not flying off all together. For a while, I enjoyed their screeching laughter and bickering that would have turned to physical blows if I hadn't been there. A real sense of contentment settled over me, broken when I heard my name whispered from my mother's lips.

Turning my head slightly, I fiddled absentmindedly with one of the discs so it appeared I was still invested in the game. She knew something was wrong. Could see how tired I was from being woken by the faces of the dead haunting me every night. The dreams of running in fields had taken a dark turn once Yousuf had joined their ranks. Not that I'd told her the reason I was getting little sleep.

"Tell me what you have been doing with your time, Eabha?" Father spoke up.

He hasn't been fooled by my pretence at not eavesdropping. Turning slowly, I tried to think of something to say that would ease any concerns he had. But then that ease would only be ruined when he found out about my apparent ability to hear the dead. Mother's friends would probably tell him themselves, smiling politely at me all the while.