The North

Chapter 22

Sometimes it's better to take small steps than to throw yourself into the deep end

Chapter 22
***

Seumas scowled as his mother, Oighrig, scrubbed his hair clean in the river. The poor pup's skin was red from the cold, but he was in desperate need of a good wash. And a lesson taught. All the pups were. Of course, it had been Niamh's idea to hide in one of the food cellars during their game, and probably her fault she, Anndra and Seumas were covered in flour when they re-emerged. They'd traipsed a trail of white footprints all through the castle until we'd found them, leaving quite a state to clean up.

There was no getting out of what they claimed was an innocent accident. And nobody wanted risk one of them escaping punishment while waiting for water to heat up for a bath.

Mother wrestled with Niamh on the pebbled shore, trying and failing to drag her to the water, my sister adamantly refusing after hearing Seumas' squeal when he'd been plunged in. Anndra, however, was something else entirely. Fionnlagh and I had to hold each other up as the small male of four summers charged into the deepest part of the river, forcing Father to run in after him. The splashing caused reminded me of a flailing bear after fish, and my stomach ached with laughter.

"It's not funny," Father muttered, glaring at Fionnlagh and I who only found his drenched clothes an dripping hair all the funnier. He dragged a giggling Anndra back to the rocky shore and set about scrubbing him clean.

I smiled and breathed in the crisp air, closing my eyes as I caught the homely mix of pine and earth beneath it. The day was unusually warm, but not anymore pleasant for it. Melted snow left the ground soft and muddy, and the castle floors now boasted as much dirt as the outside to add to the flour trail. The pups weren't going to stay clean for long. In the wild, we weren't averse to washing - time after meals was always taken to groom and clean each other - but even the smallest speck of dust on a dress was looked down upon here.

"Do you think they'll drag us in next?" Fionnlagh murmured, shivering as he eyed the icy water.

"I don't think we should risk it," I whispered back. "Maybe we should run. Maybe Ulli will let us hide in her den."

He shoved me so hard I nearly ended up in the small stream flowing next to us. "Maybe Hati will let us hide in his."

I threw myself back at him and was surprised by his strength as he fought me off. My little cousin was growing up quickly and I feared I needed to make the most of still being able to come out on top. Slipping my arm around his neck, he choked as I dropped my weight back so we fell into the grassy hill behind us.

"Eabha, stop trying to kill your cousin."

Mother didn't even look over her shoulder to see what we were up to, but I released him anyway and grinned as he huffed in frustration. He stood and brushed himself off, scowling down at me as he grumbled to himself. I stayed where I was, wriggling in the soft damp grass and sighing out a breath of contentment. Moments like this made me sure keeping the truth of my blood quiet was the best way forward. For look how happy we all we were, how easy things had become again. Eventually, I would tell them - something would force me to - but for now, while we had the promise of safety through winter, I wanted to relish in this normalcy we'd found.

"Forgive my intrusion."

My eyes flew open, my body going rigid, more so when Fionnlagh's scowl suddenly turned into a smug smirk.

I didn't need to turn my head to know who it was.

Crunching pebbles brought the Alpha closer, amusement thick and warm in his tone as he continued, "I heard what I thought was a fight and wanted to make sure nobody was hurt or in trouble."