I should go home. I should tell Papa I’m sorry I left him, I should visit mother too…. And my brothers and sisters…Rosy too…” Aleu rattled off. Niju didn’t know who she was talking about, but he knew when she said home, she didn’t mean back to the clan.

“ I never was in my place. Everyone was right.” Aleu never told him ‘you were right’ but he was included in that everyone. Aleu wasn’t angry or distressed, on the contrary she was feeling quite calm considering. She felt like she was finally making the right decision.

“Maybe I don’t know who I am still, but I definitely know who I’m not.  I don’t mind spending my whole life not knowing, it’s not worth the pain and suffering. Mine included.” She wasn’t only talking to him, she spoke to herself mostly.

“So do y-“ Niju began to inquire. He was beginning to grow tired again. He wasn’t sure what he was asking, but she cut him off before he could.

“ Yes Niju, it’s yours. Just take care of your clan, I hope you can. There are some really good wolves in the clan, and I’d hate to see them starve.” Her voice was empty.

“ They’d never believe me. Believe it or not, I don’t have the best reputation. You didn’t help that.” He thought for a moment.  “Neither did my stubbornness. They’d think I killed you and Nava, then proceeded to take charge.” He put things bluntly.

“You have a point. But you’re good at force; they need a more experienced leader. You said you wanted to lead.” She sounded a little distant.

“ Yes. I said I wanted to lead-“ He added a catch. “In my homelands.”

She sighed and looked around the charred darkness, illuminated only with faint embers. “ Look Niju- there is nothing left here. Not for the clan, and not even for you, now.”

Oh. Yeah. As much as it pained him to admit, most of life sustaining game had already left, and the fire would take care of the rest.

“How long have you been away from the clan?”

“A week, I think. I was running from some bears after I took their kill. It was really stupid, but I was so hungry. It knocked me off course for a few days.” Her limbs were beginning to lose their numbness, only to be replaced with a crushing weight. Her whole body felt like it was sinking into the bank as her eyelids felt like they melted into each other. She just couldn’t go on. But it was all right. There was no place to go.

Niju, who was looking up at the embers flittering across the smoky night sky, noticed her sudden stillness.

“ If I go back. I’m going to need you too. I can’t force them all to believe me, and listen to me. They’ll take some convincing. From someone they know and trust, for the most part. You’re not a liar, wise or not, they know you’re pretty truthful. Truth has always been important to the clan…” He trailed  off, realizing she was out.

Still buzzing with endorphins, his mind felt separate from his fatigued body. He didn’t have the energy nor the desire to remove himself from her proximity. It would take effort he wasn’t totally sure he had, and to be honest- he liked knowing she was there. Normally he would have felt arrogant pride lying right next to the one thing that stood between him and his clan- his power.

But after all that she said. All that she was offering. He honestly didn’t feel all that damn powerful.  Sleep came easier than he expected.