Forgotten

-16-

Sansa had a clearer head in the morning.

She sat against a tree, thinking over what had happened yesterday.

It never occurred to her how others would perceive her words.

She reflected to how the Luna reacted.

Did they think Night had abandoned her? That she was some crazy female desperately searching for a mate that had cast her off?

Yes. Sansa nodded her head, knowing that was what they saw.

But the description of him made it worse.

She couldn't repeat that again. It had hurt too much to hear the Luna's words. To have her hopes so quickly shatter so soon into her journey.

Sansa knew there was another pack close to her. Warren had tried to teach her the route and made sure she memorized the locations of the packs and where they laid before he sent her out. Partly so she wouldn't unknowingly run into her father's pack. 

Partly so she wouldn't become lost in the woods.

Sansa sat there, deep in thought.

What could she do? What could she do.

She was not a female searching for her mate. Maybe she could claim to be one? But then she would have to interact with the males...

She shook her head, not wanting to do that.

And then it struck her.

So stupid, why had she not thought of it before! She had been so absorbed in the thought of Night, and the tales told to her of females searching for the males by entering packs, that it never had occurred to her that she was different. She and Night's story would always be different.

Sansa stood, determined now that she had a better plan of action.

Like the last time, a warrior stopped her at the border.

But unlike last time, she gave a different answer for her reason of being there.

"I'm a healer," she held up her bag to prove her point, "I've been wandering from pack to pack. Are you in need of my services?"

The warrior eyed her carefully. Sansa could tell this pack was different from the other one she had visited. There was always something different about each pack.

The warrior before her had a piercing upon his nose, something that fascinated Sansa. She wanted to ask him how it was done, and what the significance of it was- how did it affect his shifting? But wisely she thought better of it.

He led her through the woods, stopping suddenly to turn around to her.

"I have to tie this around your head," he showed her a piece of cloth.

Sansa allowed him, wanting to gain this packs favor by being cooperative.

She stumbled through the foliage of the trees, the male not being careful with her at all. It seemed a long time before they stopped. Sansa wondered if he was even leading her to his pack.

But soon the cloth was yanked off roughly and she was standing before a male.

Sansa instantly shrunk back. This Alpha was different from the last one. Where the others had been wearing a kind smile with a Luna by his side- this Alpha was wild.

His course beard and rough hair gave him a strange appearance of being one with the woods. He looked more in tune with his creature than anyone Sansa had ever seen before. The male eyed her with a look she could not decipher- green eyes that matched the forest staring down to examine.