Location: Highvalley
Characters: Quilo & Gwyndolyn



Short flashback to the past. After an smaller fight with her father, Quilo escapes and hides, only to be found by Gwyn...

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The rain had been falling for days. Dark clouds covered the sky preventing any sunlight from shining down and drying up the muddy terrain. Her usually light blue pelt was now dark, her fading cape more visible than before. Her belly and paws and part of her tail was covered with mud. The sky was crying as much as she did now. She could barely see where she was running while tears fell from her cheeks and shattered as soon they reached the ground. No matter how cold or hungry she was she would NOT go back home tonight.

Her dad was a monster. He always raised his voice, he never understood. She hated him. With her mom away for the evening and night her dad was in charge of her. As soon it started raining Quilo decided to go out and play in the pools; after all her mom wasn't there.She could get dirty and she wouldn't have to clean up at once! She could play for a while. That was what she tough.

She thought her dad would understand and let her be. But no. As soon he saw her outside the den playing in the puddle he started his growling. His words melted together, his eyes had fire in them. Was that hate? Quilo had heard about the word "hate", but never understood what it was. But today she was sure she just experienced what hate was.

"If you want to behave like that, feel free to sleep outside the den tonight. This should teach you not to bother me again."

After those words were said he disappeared inside the den and Quilo run away. If he didn't care she would leave and make him happy.
Shaking from the cold Quilo stopped nearby a thick bush. She had to get out of the rain before she cached a cold. Being sick was not fun at all and it was the last thing she wanted to be. Crawling under the thick branches she found a spot with relatively soft spot even if the ground was slightly wet. A silent whimper escaped her while she tried to warm her body with her tail that was still useless.

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The little Highblood was racing through the trees, rain soaking her and the pelts of the companions that ran beside her. Sveta had lead them out on another adventure, convincing them that the storm clouds towering in the distance were of no consequence. But as Vera had predicted, the small troop got caught in the storm halfway through the journey. The weather had forced them to flee back to the Mainden. Gwyn did not mind the rain, but she was not fond of the chill that came with it.

As they rounded a bend in the path, something caught the young pup's eye. A silver-white shape stood out against the dark, green thicket, and Gwyndolyn quickly recognized the bundle of soaked fur as her younger cousin, Quilo. She slowed to a stop, calling to her companions to keep going, ensuring them that she would catch up. There was no protest, and the two cousins continued on without her.

Gwyndolyn waited for their darker forms to disappear into the forests before she turned her attention towards the young pup who had taken residence in the hedge.

"Quilo?" She asked, padding over and sticking her head through a gap in the branches. "What are you doing in there? It's cold and raining." A drop of rain fell onto her nose from an overhanging leaf and the she-pup shook her head to expel it. Her cousin was whimpering, and Gwyndolyn began to worry if the silver pup was injured. She tried to force herself into the small space, weaving through the branches. "Let's go back to the Mainden." She knew they could not stay out here exposed to the elements. If they did, they would catch a cold, or worse.

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Quilo lifted her head when she heard someone's voice calling her by name. By now she was shivering of cold, her body slowly becoming numb. And yet she refused to go back home. The older - and lighter - pup reminded her of snow. Gwyn, her cousin, had somehow found her.
"I'm staying here." She said, moving her short and useless tail closer to her body.
"I'm not going to the main den."
If she went there her dad would find her.
"Go, Gwyn, there is no need for both of us to stay out in the rain."
The bush was keeping most of the rain out but from time to time she felt how raindrops fell on her already soaked fur.
"Your parents will worry. Go."

Quilo wanted to be alone. She wanted to be away from others right now and she didn't want any company. Besides her mom. She wanted her mom. A selfish call she knew it. Her mom was working today and yet she wanted her to come home. Just because she was afraid. It felt as if she had been left alone with a monster instead of a dad.
"Your friends are going to wonder where you are if you don't follow them."
She was trying to get rid of her cousin in a nice way. And yet she felt bad about it. Gwyn didn't look like a bad wolf.
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At her cousin's words, Gwyndolyn frowned and flattened her ears. She did not want to stay out in the rain, but she could not bring herself to obey and abandon the shivering pup. They were family, after all.

"Why not?" She asked, crouching next to the smaller pup and pressing her frame against her cousin's. It was cold, and Gwyn found comfort in the warmth coming from her cousin's pelt. But they would both grow cold if they continued this nonsense. Taking a deep breath, Gwyndolyn gave her younger cousin a firm glare.

"Your parents will worry too," the highblood countered. Her mother would be furious when she came home soaked and tracking in mood. It was no way for a highblood to present herself, she'd say. Her mother had grown more strict since her betrothal, the pressure of living up to her parents' expectations was beginning to weight on the young she-pup's shoulders.
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"THey won't. My mom is working overnight today and my dad doesn't care."

Quilo sighed a little feeling Gwyn's look dig itself right into her own eyes. She could feel how her cousin tried to either understand or dig out what was going on with her and why she was here.
"My dad kicked me out. He cathed me playing in a mud pool and had one of his... anger attacks or how you want to call it. He said that if I am going to behave that way I can sleep outside. So I run away to find a place to stay at. Away from the den. And him."

Gwyn's body gave her little comfort.The warmth made her body stop shaking like before but she still was cold. And not Gwyn was going to freeze her own tail to keep her warm. Her cousin's concern about her well being made Quilo feel a little better. Someone actually cared. Someone she, unfortunately, didn't have around herself all day long.
"You don't have to tell me I should be ashamed of myself I already am. It would probably be for the best if I never existed anyway. He always seem to be angry when he talks to me."

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The young highblood fell silent and listened to her kin explain her situation. She immediately felt empathy for Quilo, as she had experienced similar feelings herself. Gwyn’s mother would not care that she was missing, she would only care about her reputation being effected by her daughter’s disappearance. That was all her mother ever cared about—reputation.

Though, despite how cold and strict her mother could be, she had never kicked Gwyndolyn out. Her father would be furious, and her mother always adhered to his wishes, not willing to anger him more than necessary. As long as her father was there, her mother’s harsh rebukes and cruel tongue could not harm her.

”Why should you be ashamed of yourself?” She asked incredulously. ”It’s not your fault.” The white pup sighed, tucking her limbs closer to her body for warmth.

”I know what it’s like.” She finally said. The little pup never liked talking about herself, especially her personal problems. She barely spoke to Sveta about them, even when her cousin found her crying after another argument with her mother. It was not the proper thing to do—to talk badly about your parents. So she kept her mouth shut, keeping her feelings to herself.

”Some wolves are just not made to be parents…” That was all the wisdom she could offer. Gwyndolyn was far too young and inexperienced to be able to give anything more. ”But it’s not your fault. There isn’t much you can do about it… other than keeping your head low and try to obey and stay out of trouble.” That was what she did, after all. She hardly spoke to her mother nowadays. Only nodding and short words. ”One day you will be old enough to be on your own, so just look forward to that.”

Her mind wandered to the future, where she saw herself standing over the pack, ruling alongside her King and mate. They would make things better, surely. Under their rule, never again would there be another pup like Quilo, forced to hide under a bush because they were mistreated by their parents. She would make sure of that.

”But what of your mother, Quilo?” She asked, attention returning tot he present. ”Surely she does not share your father’s feelings and will worry for you? If not for your father, think of her, and return home.” She gave her a gentle nudge.

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- Maybe you are right. She would care in different kind of way. On other hand she isn't home tonight so I will just...wait until morning.Right here.
It wasn't that bad. Okay it was cold. And wet. And she was shivering from said cold her fur was drenched. Gwyn was right tough. One day she would be an adult and then she would be able to just leave and create her own family where she would make sure nobody was treated like she was. On other hand... the one she was going to merry was up to her parents.
Gwyns little nudge made her lift her gaze a little bit and look right into Gwyns. She thought she saw a underlying termination to get her away from her "safe bushy corner" and in a way Quilo could understand her. If their roles had been reversed she would have done the same thing.
-Thank you Gwyn.For listening. If it will make you happy I will go home- she said with resignation in her voice and stood up. It was starting to get dark and if she didn't hurry Gwyn herself would end up going home late...and probably end up in trouble.
-Go before you are late Gwyn,I don't want you to get in trouble with your parents.
It was hard to admit the other pup was smarter about this things than she was. She seemed to see everything in clear light and the bigger picture in this. She herself...she saw only one way in and out.
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The she-pup listened quietly to the other explain her mother's feelings, though Gwyn would be lying if she claimed to understand. It did not sound like Quilo's mother was especially loving, either. But she decided that this was irrelevant in the end. Quilo still had to go home. The wilds were not safe for a pup when darkness fell... Even Sveta's parents insisted that they remain within the mainden after the sun had set.

"I'll go whenever you go." She stated firmly. What kind of future queen would she be if she allowed her own kin to stay out when it was dangerous?

"If you want..." She began as an idea came to mind. She hesitated, however. "You could spend the night with me and my family?" Gwyndolyn offered. She did not think her parents would mind--Father would not at least. Her mother would probably demand the permission of Quilo's father, however...

"We'll figure everything out when we get back home." Gwyn quickly added. She shoulder the branches aside, clearing a path for the younger pup to walk past.


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Quilo followed Gwen in silence, listening to her words. Accepting her invitation was tempting but if the took her up on it, her parents would contact her father. And then the real hell would break loose.
- Thank you for your offer but I think it's best if I go back to my dad. Even if he is kind of...mean.
Sometimes he was the monster she saw in her nightmares. On another hand, he was still her dad. No matter how bad it got she had to keep an eye on him too.
The family looked out for each other no matter how bad it got. Today she was the one who acted the wrong way.
- Thank you for your help, Gwyn. I'm sure you will become great Queen one day. You always seem to know what to do.

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